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St. Clair County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Clair County |
| Courthouse address | St. Clair County Courthouse, 655 Second Street, Osceola, MO 64776 |
| Mailing | Ask the circuit clerk whether mail should be sent to the courthouse street address before mailing original documents. |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk direct line: (417) 646-2226. General courthouse line: (417) 646-2315. |
| Fax | (417) 646-2401 |
| Hours | Listed court-office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call ahead because the county pages do not publish a separate probate counter schedule. |
| Opening court cost | St. Clair County publishes $135.50 for a decedent's estate with a will, revised and effective August 29, 2018. Other probate categories should be priced with the clerk before filing. |
| Local forms | No St. Clair County-specific probate packet or checklist is published on the county Circuit Court pages. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under COR 27.03(b)(4); ask the clerk whether a particular probate filing can be accepted electronically. |
| Case search | Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. St. Clair County cases pending as of August 18, 2003 forward are on Case.net; earlier case or judgment information must be reviewed through the clerk's indexes. |
| Remote appearance | The county pages do not publish a probate remote-appearance rule. Ask the clerk when a hearing is scheduled. |
| Website | St. Clair County Circuit Court: https://www.stclaircomo.com/circuit-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in St. Clair County, list the decedent's assets, debts, account ownership, beneficiary designations, and any real estate. Missouri estate settlement often turns on what is actually in the probate estate, because property passing by joint ownership, beneficiary designation, or beneficiary deed may not need the same court process.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help you identify accounts before you spend money opening the wrong case. That information also helps a St. Clair County attorney or the clerk understand whether you are looking at a full administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another estate settlement route.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Clair County serves probate matters venued in St. Clair County, including Osceola, Appleton City, Lowry City, Roscoe, and surrounding communities. St. Clair County is in the 27th Judicial Circuit with Bates, Benton, and Henry counties, but a shared circuit does not mean a shared courthouse.
Missouri venue is based first on the county where the decedent was domiciled. A will is probated and letters testamentary or letters of administration are granted in the county of the decedent's domicile; if the decedent had no Missouri domicile, Missouri property rules apply (RSMo 473.010). For a St. Clair County venue, filings go through the clerk of the probate division at the Osceola courthouse (RSMo 472.010(4)).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing path. If a full administration is needed, the petition seeks letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is no will. If the estate qualifies for a Missouri small estate affidavit, the net value of the entire estate must be $40,000 or less, thirty days must have passed since death, and the affidavit is filed under RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002.
- Prepare the forms and the original will if there is one. St. Clair County does not publish a local probate packet, so use Missouri court-approved probate forms when available and tailor them to the St. Clair County probate division. The original will should be delivered to the probate division even if other documents are handled electronically.
- File with the clerk of the probate division at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Osceola. The county titles the office as the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and that office serves as the clerk of the probate division for St. Clair County filings (RSMo 472.010(4)). Call before mailing original documents.
- Pay the court cost that applies to the filing. St. Clair County publishes $135.50 for a decedent's estate with a will, revised and effective August 29, 2018. For probate categories not listed on the St. Clair County fee page, the Missouri cost structure is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, with local totals charged by the clerk.
- Handle notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditors use the Missouri claims deadlines tied to publication and mailed or served notice (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360).
- Ask how hearings are scheduled. St. Clair County does not publish probate hearing days or a waiting period. If a hearing is set, ask the clerk whether the judge allows telephone or video participation for that matter.
- Receive authority if the court grants it. A personal representative receives letters testamentary or letters of administration. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, gives required notices, files the inventory within thirty days after letters unless the court allows more time, pays valid claims and expenses, distributes property, and closes the estate according to the administration path (RSMo 473.233).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Clair County
St. Clair County does not publish a county-specific probate forms packet, checklist, or cover sheet on its Circuit Court pages. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page for statewide probate forms when available, and contact the St. Clair County clerk before filing if you are not sure whether a local document is expected.
Do not rely on form numbers unless you have checked the current Missouri Judiciary forms page. Full administrations in Missouri often require attorney involvement because a non-attorney personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
Fees
| Fee item | St. Clair County amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent's estate with a will | $135.50, revised and effective August 29, 2018 | Published on the St. Clair County Clerk of the Circuit Court page under probate cases. |
| Decedent's estate without a will | Call the clerk | The county page does not publish a separate intestate amount. |
| Small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, or determination of heirship | Call the clerk | The county page does not publish separate St. Clair County amounts for these categories. Missouri's cost structure is governed by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, with local totals collected by the clerk. |
Local nuance
St. Clair County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit, local courthouse | St. Clair County is in the 27th Judicial Circuit with Bates, Benton, and Henry counties, but St. Clair County probate filings go through the Osceola courthouse. |
| Case.net date | St. Clair County cases pending as of August 18, 2003 forward are on Case.net. Older case or judgment information must be reviewed through the clerk's own indexes. |
| Public access terminal date | Electronic court records became viewable at public access terminals statewide on January 1, 2012. St. Clair County's referenced electronic case access for probate and other listed case types began October 21, 2013. |
| Incomplete local fee page | The county publishes a dated amount for a decedent's estate with a will but does not publish separate amounts for an intestate estate, small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, or determination of heirship. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| August 18, 2003 | St. Clair County cases pending as of this date forward are on Case.net; earlier case or judgment information must be reviewed through the clerk's indexes. |
| October 21, 2013 | St. Clair County's electronic case access for the referenced case types, including probate, began through the courthouse public access system. |
| August 29, 2018 | The St. Clair County Clerk of the Circuit Court page lists probate case fees as revised and effective on this date, including $135.50 for a decedent's estate with a will. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely St. Clair County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how the home was titled before opening a case. If the house passed outside probate, the St. Clair County estate may be smaller than expected. If probate property remains, the spouse may need a full administration, a refusal of letters, or another Missouri path depending on the assets. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues so the spouse and attorney can choose the right estate settlement route. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the net value of the entire estate is $40,000 or less and the other requirements are met, a Missouri small estate affidavit may be available after thirty days under RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002. File with the St. Clair County clerk in Osceola if venue belongs there. | Sunset helps organize account information and generate a probate packet, then helps decide whether a local attorney should review it before filing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is still in the child's name and no nonprobate transfer controls it, a St. Clair County court process may be needed before sale. A full administration or, after the statutory timing rules are met, another Missouri real-estate path may apply. | Sunset helps locate assets, assemble sale-related probate information, and connect the family with a St. Clair County-area probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. Clair County Circuit Court | Local courthouse, circuit clerk contact, judge office listings, and the county's published probate fee information. | https://www.stclaircomo.com/circuit-court |
| Case.net | Statewide public case lookup for Missouri circuit court cases, including St. Clair County probate dockets after the local system date. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate court forms | Statewide probate forms page. Check the current page before using a form. | Missouri Judiciary probate court forms page |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians. The Warrensburg office lists St. Clair County among the counties it serves. | 305 North Holden, Warrensburg, MO 64093. (660) 747-7101 or (800) 892-2943. https://lawmo.org/contact-locate/warrensburg/ |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide from The Missouri Bar. Treat it as general information, not as a St. Clair County court checklist. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Attorney help makes sense in St. Clair County when a full administration is needed, a house must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor claims are expected, or a hearing will require the personal representative to appear through counsel under RSMo 473.153.7. Small estate affidavits and refusals of letters do not appoint a personal representative, but a lawyer can still help avoid mistakes. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and liabilities that affect the St. Clair County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to organize the documents a family needs for a Missouri probate filing, including St. Clair County venue details and the correct local courthouse in Osceola.
Find a local probate attorney. Missouri limits what a non-attorney personal representative can do in court. Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney for St. Clair County filings when counsel is the safer path.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost while deciding whether the estate needs a court filing, a lawyer, or a simpler Missouri process.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in St. Clair County?
File with the clerk of the probate division at the St. Clair County Courthouse, 655 Second Street, Osceola, MO 64776. The county titles the office as the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and that office serves the probate division locally.
Is St. Clair County in a shared circuit?
Yes. St. Clair County is in the 27th Judicial Circuit with Bates, Benton, and Henry counties. That does not move a St. Clair County probate filing to another county's courthouse.
Can I e-file a probate case in St. Clair County?
Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under COR 27.03(b)(4). Ask the St. Clair County clerk whether the particular probate document you want to file can be accepted electronically.
Does St. Clair County publish local probate forms?
No St. Clair County-specific probate packet or checklist is published on the county Circuit Court pages. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page when available and ask the clerk whether any local document is needed.
What does it cost to open a decedent's estate with a will in St. Clair County?
St. Clair County publishes $135.50 for a decedent's estate with a will, revised and effective August 29, 2018. The county page does not publish separate amounts for all probate categories, so ask the clerk for the current total before filing a different type of probate matter.
How do I look up a St. Clair County probate case?
Use Case.net at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. St. Clair County cases pending as of August 18, 2003 forward are on Case.net. For an older case or judgment, review the clerk's indexes at the courthouse.
Are St. Clair County probate hearings remote?
The county pages do not publish a probate remote-appearance rule. If a hearing is set, call the clerk and ask whether telephone or video participation is allowed for that matter.
Do I have to travel to Osceola for a St. Clair County estate?
Not always. Some filings may be handled by mail or through an attorney, but original documents and hearings can require local handling. Call the St. Clair County clerk before mailing documents or making travel plans.
Can a non-lawyer personal representative handle the St. Clair County case alone?
Missouri law says 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). A small estate affidavit or refusal of letters does not appoint a personal representative, so the attorney rule has a different practical effect on those paths.
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.