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Adams County, MS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Adams County Chancery Court (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159) |
| Probate filings go to | Adams County Chancery Clerk, 115 S. Wall Street, Natchez, MS 39120 |
| Chancery court district | Mississippi's 17th Chancery Court District: Adams, Claiborne, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties. The district assigns chancellors, but an Adams County estate is filed in Natchez. |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published online. Use 115 S. Wall Street, Natchez, MS 39120 unless the clerk gives different instructions. |
| Phone | (601) 446-6684 |
| Fax | (601) 445-7913 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Counter hours are not published online. Call (601) 446-6684 before visiting, especially near a deadline. |
| Filing fee | Adams County does not publish a local estate total online. Under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, in the text effective until December 31, 2027, the statutory floor for an estate of deceased is $140.00: $85.00 for the chancery clerk, $10.00 for the Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund, $40.00 for the Judicial System Operation Fund and $5.00 for the Civil Legal Assistance Fund. Confirm the current amount with the clerk. |
| Attorney required | Yes for a full estate. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires every fiduciary to retain an attorney unless the fiduciary is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is not a court filing and does not appoint a fiduciary. |
| Local forms | Adams County publishes no local estate petition, small estate affidavit or instruction sheet of its own. Use the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet and attorney-prepared pleadings. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file later documents through MEC. A party without counsel may not file electronically. Every estate opens with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. MEC and PAMEC information is at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. |
| Case search | No Adams-specific public docket tool is published online. Use MEC and PAMEC at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. Remote PAMEC access requires an account and fees may apply; free viewing is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Adams County Chancery Clerk. A chancellor sets hearing practice, and the 17th Chancery Court District's annual term order is posted in the chancery clerk's office under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(2). |
| Website | https://www.adamscountyms.net/elected-offices/chancery-clerk/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a route in Adams County, make a first inventory of the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, real estate and any original will. Mississippi estate settlement can be a courthouse case, a muniment of title petition for a will and Mississippi real property, or a small estate affidavit presented directly to the holder of personal property under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families identify accounts before they decide whether letters are needed. That asset picture also helps a Mississippi attorney prepare the estate settlement packet that must be filed on paper with the Adams County Chancery Clerk when a full estate is required.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Adams County is filed with the Adams County Chancery Clerk at 115 S. Wall Street in Natchez. Chancery court is held in every Mississippi county (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(1)), and chancery courts have jurisdiction over matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
For a will, venue is the chancery court of the county where the testator had a fixed place of residence; if there was no fixed place of residence and the will devises land, the filing follows the county where the land, or part of it, is located (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1). For an intestate estate, letters of administration follow a different ladder, beginning with the county where the intestate had a fixed place of residence, then land, then the county where the person died (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63).
Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court. Adams County's place in the 17th Chancery Court District is how chancellors are assigned, not a reason to file in Claiborne, Jefferson or Wilkinson County.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, debt information and names and addresses for interested family members. The original will must be delivered to the chancery clerk because original wills stay in the clerk's custody under UCCR 9.03.
- Choose the route. If at least 30 days have passed and the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, the small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is presented to the bank, employer or other holder and is not opened as a court case. If the decedent left a will that devises Mississippi real property, all known debts are paid, and the non-real, non-exempt probate estate is within the Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 sum, muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 may fit. Otherwise, plan for full administration.
- For full administration, retain a Mississippi probate attorney. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney for the whole appointment.
- The attorney prepares the petition. A petition to probate a will must attach a copy of the will as an exhibit under UCCR 6.15, and pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports filed by a fiduciary must be personally signed and sworn under UCCR 6.14.
- File the paper opening packet at the Adams County Chancery Clerk's counter at 115 S. Wall Street in Natchez with the chancery clerk cover sheet and the court cost deposit. Under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, in the text effective until December 31, 2027, the statutory floor is $140.00, made up of $85.00, $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00; confirm the current local total before filing.
- The chancery court, or the chancery clerk in vacation, meaning between court terms, subject to court approval, may admit the will to probate in common form and grant letters testamentary or letters of administration (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141). The clerk's act is not final until approved by the court (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
- Provide the oath and any bond required by the court or clerk. Mississippi law requires an executor's oath and a bond approved by the court or clerk, unless the court handles the matter differently under applicable law (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-41).
- After letters are granted, the executor or administrator makes reasonably diligent efforts to identify creditors, mails required notices, files the diligent-search affidavit, and only then publishes the notice to creditors for three consecutive weeks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-145).
- Creditors probate and register claims with the clerk. Claims not registered within 90 days after the first publication are barred (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-151).
- The personal representative collects assets, pays allowed claims and taxes, follows court orders, accounts as required and seeks a final decree of distribution and discharge from the chancery court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Adams County
Adams County publishes no local estate petition, small estate affidavit or probate instruction sheet of its own. The county does publish the chancery clerk's contact information, so call the Adams County Chancery Clerk at (601) 446-6684 if you need a current counter instruction before filing.
Mississippi uses a statewide chancery clerk cover sheet and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules, but not a statewide packet of estate pleadings. The petition is drafted by the attorney required for a fiduciary under UCCR 6.02, with will exhibits and sworn signatures handled under UCCR 6.15 and UCCR 6.14.
The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is different from an Adams County court form. It is presented to the person or institution holding personal property and is not filed at the Natchez courthouse.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | What it means in Adams County |
|---|---|---|
| June 19, 2023 | All Mississippi chancery courts were implemented in Mississippi Electronic Courts, and the statewide trial-court rollout finished June 30, 2025. | Adams County chancery matters are on MEC. Attorneys use MEC after the paper opening filing, and public access information is at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. |
| July 1, 2020 | The small estate affidavit ceiling became $75,000 under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, and the muniment of title procedure under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 was rewritten. | Some estates can avoid a full court administration, but the affidavit covers personal property only and muniment of title requires a will. |
| April 18, 2024 | The Uniform Chancery Court Rules were revised and amended. | Rule 6.02 remains central for Adams County: a fiduciary must retain an attorney unless licensed in Mississippi. |
| January 1, 2026 | Mississippi's legal aid providers began using separate intake numbers, as listed through mslegalservices.org. | Adams County's mapped provider is Mississippi Center for Legal Services, 1-800-519-2915. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Person | Likely path in Adams County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed. If the home passes outside the estate and the remaining probate assets are personal property within the $75,000 figure effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, the affidavit may be presented to the holder after 30 days. If a will devises the home and all known debts are paid, muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 may be filed with the Adams County Chancery Clerk. | Sunset helps identify accounts, review the likely route and prepare information for the Mississippi attorney if a petition is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate consists of personal property within the $75,000 figure effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 and 30 days have passed, the affidavit is presented to the bank or other holder rather than opened in Natchez. If letters are needed, a Mississippi attorney must be retained under UCCR 6.02 and the paper petition is filed with the Adams County Chancery Clerk. | Sunset organizes asset information, generates a clear estate settlement checklist and connects the child with local counsel when letters are needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit cannot transfer the house. If there is a will and all known debts are paid, muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 may fit; otherwise a full estate is filed in Adams County Chancery Court (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299, and UCCR 6.12(B) says fees for fiduciaries and attorneys are not based on the value of real property. | Sunset helps locate assets and debts, assemble the packet and connect the parent with a vetted probate attorney for the Natchez filing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County Chancery Clerk | Filing counter for Adams County estate cases, local questions about current counter hours, payment and paper filing logistics. | 115 S. Wall Street, Natchez, MS 39120. Phone: (601) 446-6684. Fax: (601) 445-7913. Email: [email protected]. |
| Mississippi Judiciary chancery court page | State chancery court information and the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet link. | https://courts.ms.gov/trialcourts/chancerycourt/chancerycourt.php |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules | Rules for fiduciary matters, including attorney retention, sworn filings and will exhibits. | https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/ |
| MEC and PAMEC | MEC is the attorney filing system, and PAMEC is the public read-only access system. Free viewing is available at the clerk's office during regular business hours. | https://courts.ms.gov/mec. MEC Helpdesk: 601-576-4650, [email protected]. |
| mslegalservices.org | Directory-by-service-area lookup and public legal information. Use it to check legal aid eligibility, while understanding that estate administration representation is not promised. | https://www.mslegalservices.org/find-legal-help/directory/area |
| Mississippi Center for Legal Services | Adams County's mapped civil legal aid provider. Check eligibility first if counsel cost is the barrier. | 1-800-519-2915 |
When to hire an attorney
In Mississippi, this is a rule, not just a best practice. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02(A) requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney or firm of attorneys for the entire term of the appointment, and the chancellor fixes the fee. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is the counterweight: it is not a court filing, does not appoint a fiduciary and is presented directly to the holder of personal property. If cost is the obstacle, an Adams County family should check eligibility with Mississippi Center for Legal Services through mslegalservices.org or 1-800-519-2915, understanding that estate administration representation is not promised. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney, which in Mississippi is the step the rules require for a full estate.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before a family chooses an Adams County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Mississippi attorney's petition, cover sheet, asset list and family details, so the paper filing with the Adams County Chancery Clerk starts from a complete packet.
Find a local probate attorney. Because UCCR 6.02 requires a fiduciary to retain an attorney for a full Mississippi estate, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney familiar with chancery practice in Adams County.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to plan the estate settlement, organize documents and understand the next step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for Adams County, Mississippi?
File the paper opening packet with the Adams County Chancery Clerk at 115 S. Wall Street in Natchez. Adams County estate matters are in the Adams County Chancery Court (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159), not in another county in the 17th Chancery Court District.
Do I use the chancery clerk or the circuit clerk in Natchez?
Use the Adams County Chancery Clerk for estate filings. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1 and Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Adams County?
Adams County does not publish a local estate total online. Under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, in the text effective until December 31, 2027, the statutory floor is $140.00: $85.00, $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00. Call the Adams County Chancery Clerk at (601) 446-6684 for the current amount before filing.
What are the Adams County Chancery Clerk's hours?
The county does not publish counter hours online for the chancery clerk. Call (601) 446-6684 before going to 115 S. Wall Street, especially if you are close to a filing or claims deadline.
Do I need a lawyer for an Adams County estate?
For a full estate, yes. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires every fiduciary to retain an attorney unless the fiduciary is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is not a court filing and does not appoint a fiduciary.
Can an Adams County estate be filed electronically?
The opening petition is filed on paper at the Adams County Chancery Clerk's counter. Attorneys use MEC for later electronic filing, and a party without counsel may not file electronically. MEC and PAMEC information is at https://courts.ms.gov/mec.
How do I look up an Adams County chancery case?
Use the statewide MEC and PAMEC hub at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. Remote PAMEC access requires an account and fees may apply. Free viewing of filed civil documents is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours.
Does Adams County publish local probate forms?
Adams County publishes no local estate petition, small estate affidavit or probate instruction sheet of its own. Mississippi uses a chancery clerk cover sheet and attorney-drafted pleadings, with requirements in the Uniform Chancery Court Rules.
Will I have to travel to Natchez for probate?
It depends on the route. A Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit is presented to the property holder and is not opened at the courthouse. If letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, the estate opens with a paper filing in Natchez, and any hearing practice should be discussed with the attorney and the Adams County Chancery Clerk. The clerk in vacation may act on certain matters subject to court approval under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141 and Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147.
What should I send with an Adams County filing?
For a full estate, the attorney should prepare the petition, chancery clerk cover sheet, cost deposit and required exhibits. A petition to probate a will attaches a copy of the will under UCCR 6.15, and the original will is delivered to and kept by the chancery clerk under UCCR 9.03.
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.