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Saline County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Saline County, in the 15th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Saline County Courthouse, 19 E. Arrow St., Room 205, Marshall, MO 65340 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 670, Marshall, MO 65340 |
| Probate phone | (660) 886-8808 |
| General clerk phone | (660) 886-2300 |
| Fax | (660) 886-3114 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure is posted for the Circuit Clerk's office. |
| Court costs | Saline County's published probate division schedule, reviewed August 21, 2026, lists Decedent Estate without Will at $148.50 and Decedent Estate with Will at $183.50. The schedule does not print an effective date. The statewide probate cost structure is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
| Local forms | No Saline County-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is posted. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and call the probate clerk about any local attachment. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), and Saline County does not post a probate-specific self-represented e-filing rule. Ask the probate clerk before relying on electronic submission. |
| Case search | Case.net is the statewide public case search. The 15th Judicial Circuit page says public circuit case information is available for cases pending as of, or filed after, April 1, 2002; older judgments must be checked at the Saline County Circuit Clerk's office. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate clerk before any hearing. The county site links general Webex materials, but no current Saline probate hearing procedure is posted. |
| Website | https://www.salinecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Saline County, make a complete list of the decedent's assets, debts, account statements, vehicle titles, real estate, beneficiary designations, and any will. Missouri probate turns on what is actually in the estate, which assets pass outside probate, and whether someone needs letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize liabilities, and prepare for the conversation with the Saline County probate clerk or a Missouri probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Saline County probate matters are filed at the Saline County Courthouse in Marshall. The 15th Judicial Circuit also includes Lafayette County, but Saline County families use the Saline County courthouse, not the Lafayette County courthouse.
The Saline County page covers Marshall, Slater, Sweet Springs, Malta Bend, Miami, Napton, Gilliam, Arrow Rock, and the rest of Saline County. Missouri venue generally follows the county where the decedent was domiciled; if the decedent had no Missouri domicile, venue may be in a county where Missouri property is located, with additional rules for real estate (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Find the will, identify probate and nonprobate assets, and decide whether the estate needs full administration, a small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, or another Missouri procedure.
- Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page or attorney-prepared pleadings. Saline County does not post a county-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist.
- File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Saline County at the Saline County Courthouse, 19 E. Arrow St., Room 205, Marshall, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 670, Marshall, MO 65340. If there is an original will, deliver the original will to the probate division in paper form.
- Pay the Saline County court cost shown on the county's probate division fee schedule, reviewed August 21, 2026. The schedule lists Decedent Estate without Will at $148.50, Decedent Estate with Will at $183.50, Small Estate without Will at $68.50, Small Estate with Will at $103.50, and Admit Will at $35.00. The schedule does not print an effective date, and the statewide cost structure is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
- If letters are issued, the clerk causes the statutory notice of appointment and notice to creditors to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri then runs the creditor claim periods described in RSMo 473.360 and the one-year claim bar in RSMo 473.444.
- If the court sets a hearing, ask the Saline County probate clerk whether the appearance is in person or whether a video option applies. Do not assume the county's general Webex materials apply to a probate matter.
- After appointment, the personal representative receives letters testamentary or letters of administration. A nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, handling creditor claims, filing the inventory when required, paying approved expenses, distributing property, and closing the estate under the procedure that applies to the case. Sunset can help keep the estate settlement organized while counsel handles court appearances.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Saline County
Saline County does not publish a county-specific probate packet, probate cover sheet, or probate checklist. The county's Court Forms page lists civil, criminal, expungement, and family law forms, and states that only approved self-help forms or forms listed on that page are acceptable for use in Saline County, but it does not list probate forms.
Start with the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and call the Saline County probate clerk at (660) 886-8808 before filing to ask whether the court wants any local attachment, copies, or payment format. For full administration, remember that a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
Fees
Saline County posts its own probate division fee schedule. The amounts below are from the county's published schedule, reviewed August 21, 2026; the schedule does not print an effective date. The statewide probate cost structure is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, and county totals include local additions.
| Filing type | Saline County published amount |
|---|---|
| Admit Will | $35.00, schedule reviewed August 21, 2026, no effective date printed |
| Small Estate without Will | $68.50, schedule reviewed August 21, 2026, no effective date printed |
| Small Estate with Will | $103.50, schedule reviewed August 21, 2026, no effective date printed |
| Decedent Estate without Will | $148.50, schedule reviewed August 21, 2026, no effective date printed |
| Decedent Estate with Will | $183.50, schedule reviewed August 21, 2026, no effective date printed |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Saline County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how the home was titled before filing. If the home passed outside probate, the Saline County estate may be limited to accounts, vehicles, or other assets that still need court authority. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, and debts so the spouse can decide whether a probate filing is needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Saline County probate clerk about the small estate affidavit process under RSMo 473.097, the county's posted small estate cost, and whether any original will must be mailed or delivered to Room 205. | Sunset helps gather institution information, organize the filing packet, and connect the adult child with Missouri counsel if the case needs court appearances. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is in the child's name and no nonprobate transfer controls, the family may need a full Saline County administration so a personal representative can handle sale authority through the probate division. | Sunset helps locate assets and liabilities, build a task list for the sale, and connect the parent with a vetted Missouri probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Saline County Circuit Clerk, probate clerk | Local filing location, Room 205 courthouse filing questions, hours, current payment format, and probate phone line. | 19 E. Arrow St., Room 205, Marshall, MO 65340; (660) 886-8808; https://www.salinecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk |
| Case.net | Statewide public case lookup for Missouri circuit cases, including Saline County probate matters that are available online. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate form page for Missouri probate filings. Saline County does not post a separate probate packet. | Missouri Courts probate forms page |
| Saline County Court Forms page | Shows the local list of self-help forms accepted on that page. It does not list probate forms. | https://www.salinecountymo.gov/court-forms |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Warrensburg office | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Saline County. Ask the program whether it can help with the specific estate issue. | 305 North Holden, Warrensburg, MO 64093; (660) 747-7101; 1-800-892-2943; https://www.lsmo.org/page/951/offices |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official text of Missouri probate statutes, including RSMo chapter 473. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Counsel is especially important in a Saline County full administration, a will dispute, a real estate sale, creditor disputes, or any hearing. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps you organize accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles, and insurance so you know what is part of the Saline County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns what you know about the estate into an organized set of next steps and documents to review with the Saline County probate clerk or a Missouri probate attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. Because a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney in Missouri (RSMo 473.153.7), Sunset can connect you with vetted Missouri counsel when the estate needs full administration or a hearing.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement support at no cost, including asset discovery, organization, and attorney matching.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Saline County?
File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Saline County at the Saline County Courthouse, 19 E. Arrow St., Room 205, Marshall, MO 65340. The probate clerk's phone number is (660) 886-8808.
Does Saline County have its own probate forms?
No Saline County-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is posted. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and call the probate clerk before filing to ask whether the court wants any local attachment or copy set.
Can I e-file a Saline County probate case if I am not a lawyer?
Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). Saline County does not post a probate-specific rule saying which self-represented probate filings, if any, can be submitted electronically, so ask the probate clerk before relying on the Missouri eFiling System.
What does it cost to open a decedent estate in Saline County?
Saline County's published probate division schedule, reviewed August 21, 2026, lists Decedent Estate without Will at $148.50 and Decedent Estate with Will at $183.50. The schedule does not print an effective date. The statewide probate cost structure is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
Can I look up a Saline County probate case online?
Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search. The 15th Judicial Circuit page says public case information is available for cases pending as of, or filed after, April 1, 2002. Older judgments must be checked at the Saline County Circuit Clerk's office in Marshall.
Does Saline County probate use remote hearings?
Ask the probate clerk before any hearing. The county site links general Webex materials, but it does not post a probate-specific remote appearance procedure.
Do I have to travel to Marshall for Saline County probate?
Some filings may be mailed to P.O. Box 670, Marshall, MO 65340, but an original will must be delivered to the probate division in paper form. If a hearing is set, ask the probate clerk whether your appearance must be in person.
Do I need a lawyer for Saline County probate?
A small estate affidavit or refusal of letters may not appoint a personal representative. But in a full Missouri administration, a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.