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Stone County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Stone County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Stone County, 39th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Stone County Judicial Center, 110 South Maple Street, Suite F, 2nd floor, Galena, MO 65656 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 18, Galena, MO 65656 |
| Phone | (417) 357-6114 or (417) 357-6115 for the Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter; (417) 357-6511 for the Circuit Court generally |
| Fax | (417) 357-6163 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.; closed on state and federal holidays |
| Court costs | Stone County Probate Cost Sheet, effective July 1, 2021: decedent estate, $153.50 without a will, effective July 1, 2021, or $188.50 with a will, effective July 1, 2021; small estate without a will, $73.50, effective July 1, 2021; small estate with a will, $108.50, effective July 1, 2021; refusal of letters, $68.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Local forms | No local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist is published by Stone County; use the statewide Missouri probate forms page and any instructions the clerk gives for the filing type |
| E-filing | Stone County publishes the Missouri Judiciary account and eFiling registration walkthrough for attorneys using a Missouri Bar PIN. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), effective October 1, 2019; ask the clerk whether the filing type you need is open to self-represented electronic filing. |
| Case search | Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Stone County states that public case information for Circuit Court Divisions I, II and III has been viewable there since November 15, 2005. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk when a hearing is set; Stone County does not publish a probate remote-appearance procedure on its Circuit Clerk page or Stone County local information page. |
| Website | https://www.stoneco-mo.us/CircuitCourt.htm |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Missouri probate path, gather the will, death certificate, account statements, real estate information, vehicle titles, known debts and any beneficiary designations. Stone County's cost sheet separates decedent estates, small-estate affidavits, refusal of letters and heirship matters, so the asset list affects both the filing route and the court cost.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizes what you find into a probate-ready picture. That helps you decide whether a full Stone County estate, a small-estate affidavit, a refusal of letters or a later heirship matter is the right conversation to have with the clerk or an attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Stone County courthouse for probate is in Galena. Stone County is in the 39th Judicial Circuit with Barry and Lawrence counties, but a shared circuit does not mean a shared courthouse. File a Stone County decedent's estate at the Stone County Judicial Center unless a court directs otherwise.
Missouri venue for letters is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death; if the decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue can be based on Missouri property, with special treatment for real estate (RSMo 473.010). After letters are granted, estate proceedings stay in the county where the letters were granted (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Stone County filing path. A full estate asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small-estate affidavit or a refusal of letters may fit some estates without appointing a personal representative, while a determination of heirship is a later route when the statutory conditions are met.
- Prepare the forms and original documents. Stone County publishes no local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist, so use Missouri probate forms and the clerk's instructions for the filing type. Deliver the original will to the probate division on paper when a will exists.
- File at the Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter. The office is at 110 South Maple Street, Suite F, 2nd floor, Galena, MO 65656, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 18, Galena, MO 65656.
- Pay the Stone County court cost for the filing type. Stone County's Probate Cost Sheet, effective July 1, 2021, lists a decedent estate at $153.50 without a will, effective July 1, 2021, or $188.50 with a will, effective July 1, 2021, plus any later annual or inventory-based charges shown on the sheet.
- Handle notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes the notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditor deadlines include six months from first publication or two months from mailed or served notice, whichever is later, plus a separate one-year bar from death (RSMo 473.360; RSMo 473.444).
- Ask the clerk how any hearing will be set. Stone County does not publish a probate hearing day or remote-appearance procedure on its public Circuit Clerk page, so confirm scheduling and appearance instructions when the case is opened.
- Receive authority if the court grants it. The authority document is letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is no will. 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).
- Administer and close the estate. Inventory assets, address claims, sell or transfer property as authorized, keep records, and complete the settlement or closing steps required for the kind of administration the court ordered.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Stone County
Stone County publishes no local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist for decedent estates. The county's Circuit Clerk page identifies Probate Division work and links its probate cost sheet, but it does not provide a separate local form set for letters, small-estate affidavits, refusals of letters or heirship filings.
Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page for statewide forms, then call the Stone County Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter before filing to ask whether the office wants a specific arrangement, number of copies, proposed orders or payment method for your filing type.
Fees
Stone County publishes a local Probate Cost Sheet revised in 2021 and effective July 1, 2021. These are Stone County's local totals for common probate filings, before any separate newspaper publication charge or other service cost.
| Filing or service | Stone County amount and effective date |
|---|---|
| File a will with the court | $6.50, effective July 1, 2021; no charge to banks |
| Admit a will to probate with no administration | $73.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Decedent estate, supervised or independent, without a will | $153.50, effective July 1, 2021, plus $30.00 annual fee, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Decedent estate, supervised or independent, with a will | $188.50, effective July 1, 2021, plus $30.00 annual fee, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Small estate affidavit without a will | $73.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Small estate affidavit with a will | $108.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Spousal refusal of letters | $68.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Creditor refusal of letters | $68.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Determination of heirship | $73.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Trust registration or successor trustee | $78.50, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Copies and certificates | Authenticated copy, $5.00, effective July 1, 2021; copies, $1.00 per page, effective July 1, 2021; certification, $1.75 per page, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Inventory-based charge | A tiered inventory charge may be added after the final inventory, from $50.00, effective July 1, 2021, to $450.00, effective July 1, 2021 |
Local nuance
Stone County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Stone County |
|---|---|
| Combined counter | The Circuit Clerk's office lists Probate Division functions and serves as the local probate counter. The published address is Suite F on the 2nd floor of the Stone County Judicial Center. |
| Lunch closure | The office is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. but closes from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., so plan in-person filing around the midday closure. |
| Local forms | Stone County publishes a probate cost sheet, but not a local probate forms packet or checklist. |
| Case lookup | Stone County states that public case information for its Circuit Court divisions has been viewable on Case.net since November 15, 2005. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Stone County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating probate assets from property that passed outside probate. If the home was co-owned in a way that passes automatically, the Stone County filing may focus on remaining accounts, vehicles or personal property. A refusal of letters may be worth discussing if the spouse path fits Missouri law. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and titled assets so the spouse can see whether a Stone County court filing is needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Stone County Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter before mailing papers. Stone County publishes small-estate costs of $73.50 without a will, effective July 1, 2021, and $108.50 with a will, effective July 1, 2021, but does not publish a local packet. | Sunset organizes asset information, helps generate a probate packet and can connect the family with local counsel if the matter does not stay on a no-letters path. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If real estate remains in the child's name, the family usually needs a court order, letters, a small-estate certificate recorded after court filing, or another Missouri procedure that supports title work. The Stone County filing starts at the Galena Probate Division counter. | Sunset helps gather financial records, flag title issues and connect the parent to a vetted Missouri probate attorney for sale-related authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact or website |
|---|---|---|
| Stone County Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter | Local filing office for Stone County decedent estates, refusals of letters, small-estate filings and heirship matters. | 110 South Maple Street, Suite F, Galena, MO 65656; (417) 357-6114 or (417) 357-6115; https://www.stoneco-mo.us/CircuitCourt.htm |
| Case.net | Statewide public case lookup for Missouri circuit court cases, including probate division dockets. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms page for Missouri probate filings. | Missouri Judiciary probate forms page |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide published by The Missouri Bar. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Its Springfield office list includes Stone County. | Main office, 3130 S. Delaware, Springfield, MO 65802; https://www.lsmo.org/page/951/offices |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for the Revised Statutes of Missouri and Missouri Constitution provisions cited on this page. | 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 useful when a Stone County estate needs letters, a real estate sale, creditor disputes, heirship issues, bond questions or a hearing. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, balances and clues that shape the Stone County probate path. A complete asset picture is the foundation of estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized probate packet, including asset lists, family details and the documents an attorney or clerk will typically ask to review.
Find a local probate attorney
When a full Missouri administration is needed, a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through counsel (RSMo 473.153.7). Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney at no cost.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset does not charge families to use its estate settlement tools, organize documents or request an attorney connection. Families can start with asset discovery and decide what level of help they need next.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Stone County?
File at the Circuit Clerk and Probate Division counter in the Stone County Judicial Center, 110 South Maple Street, Suite F, 2nd floor, Galena, MO 65656. The mailing address is P.O. Box 18, Galena, MO 65656.
What are the Stone County Probate Division hours?
The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It closes for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is closed on state and federal holidays.
Does Stone County have local probate forms?
Stone County publishes a probate cost sheet, but it does not publish a local probate forms packet, cover sheet or checklist. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and call the clerk before filing to ask about copies, proposed orders and payment.
Can I e-file a Stone County probate case myself?
Stone County publishes the statewide attorney registration walkthrough for the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), effective October 1, 2019. Ask the Stone County clerk whether the specific probate filing you need is available to self-represented electronic filers.
How much does a decedent estate cost to open in Stone County?
Stone County's Probate Cost Sheet, effective July 1, 2021, lists a decedent estate at $153.50 without a will, effective July 1, 2021, and $188.50 with a will, effective July 1, 2021. The same sheet lists a $30.00 annual fee, effective July 1, 2021, and a possible tiered inventory charge after the final inventory.
Can I look up a Stone County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Stone County states that public case information for its Circuit Court divisions has been viewable on Case.net since November 15, 2005.
Do I have to travel to Galena for a Stone County probate hearing?
Stone County does not publish a probate remote-appearance procedure on its Circuit Clerk page or Stone County local information page. Ask the clerk how the hearing will be handled when the hearing is scheduled.
Can I handle a Stone County estate without a lawyer?
A small-estate affidavit or refusal of letters may be filed without appointing a personal representative. If a full administration appoints a personal representative, Missouri law says a non-lawyer 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.