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Leflore County, MS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Leflore County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Leflore County Chancery Court. Mississippi chancery courts have jurisdiction over matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). |
| Probate filings go to | Leflore County Chancery Clerk. Call (662) 453-6203 and say the filing is for an estate matter. |
| Courthouse address | 306 West Market Street, Greenwood, MS 38935 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 250, Greenwood, MS 38935-0250 |
| Phone | (662) 453-6203 |
| Fax | (662) 455-7965 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | The chancery clerk page does not state counter hours. Call (662) 453-6203 before traveling or filing near a deadline. |
| Chancery court district | Mississippi's 7th Chancery Court District, covering Bolivar, Coahoma, Leflore, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica. The Leflore County case is filed in Greenwood. |
| Filing fee | No Leflore County estate total is listed. Under the text of Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 effective until December 31, 2027, opening an estate includes an $85.00 chancery clerk fee, plus $10.00 to the Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund, $40.00 to the Judicial System Operation Fund and $5.00 to the Civil Legal Assistance Fund, for a $140.00 statutory floor. Ask the chancery clerk for the current total and any service or publication deposit. |
| Attorney required | Yes for a full estate. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires a fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney for the entire appointment. The $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is presented to the holder of personal property and is not an estate filing. |
| Local forms | No Leflore County probate petition, estate checklist or small estate affidavit form is listed. Mississippi uses a statewide chancery clerk cover sheet and attorney-drafted estate pleadings. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through Mississippi Electronic Courts, MEC. A self-represented party may have read-only PAMEC access but may not file electronically, and every estate starts with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. See https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. |
| Case search | MEC and PAMEC provide remote account access through https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. Free viewing is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours, with copy charges under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Leflore County Chancery Clerk whether the chancellor will allow phone or video attendance in your matter. The 7th Chancery Court District's term order is the local scheduling guide. |
| Website | https://www.leflorecounty.ms/elected-offices/chancery-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Greenwood, make a first inventory of the estate settlement: the original will, death certificate, bank and investment accounts, vehicles, debts, real property, and any jointly owned or beneficiary-designated assets. Mississippi venue depends on the decedent's fixed place of residence for a will filing (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1) and uses a separate ladder for an intestate estate (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63).
Sunset can help identify assets before the family chooses a Mississippi route. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps locate accounts and insurance that may decide whether the family needs a full estate, a muniment of title petition, or the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File Leflore County estate matters at the Leflore County Chancery Court in Greenwood, through the Leflore County Chancery Clerk. A Mississippi will is proved and letters testamentary are granted in the chancery court of the county where the testator had a fixed place of residence, or, if there was no fixed place of residence and the will devises land, in the county where the land or part of it is located (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1). Letters of administration for an intestate estate follow the county ladder in Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63.
Leflore County sits in Mississippi's 7th Chancery Court District with Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica. That district groups chancellors; it does not move a Leflore County filing to another county. Mississippi law provides that a chancery court is held in each county (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(1)), and Mississippi chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if one exists, a list of assets and debts, and the names and addresses of heirs, devisees and likely creditors. The original will is a physical filing because the clerk must keep original wills safely in the clerk's office (UCCR 9.03).
- Choose the Mississippi route. If the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, and 30 days have passed, the small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is presented to the bank, employer or other holder, not filed in Greenwood. If there is a will devising Mississippi real property, all known debts are paid, and the non-real, non-exempt probate estate is within the § 91-7-322 sum, ask counsel about muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. Otherwise, use full administration.
- For a full estate, retain an attorney. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney or law firm for the entire term of the appointment.
- The attorney prepares the petition. A petition to probate a will must attach a copy of the will as an exhibit (UCCR 6.15), and fiduciary pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports must be personally signed and sworn by the fiduciary (UCCR 6.14).
- File on paper with the Leflore County Chancery Clerk at 306 West Market Street in Greenwood. Include the chancery clerk cover sheet and the court cost deposit. Under the text of Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 effective until December 31, 2027, the statutory floor for opening an estate is $140.00, built from the $85.00 clerk fee, $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00 statutory assessments. The clerk may require additional deposits under UCCR 9.01.
- The chancery court, or the chancery clerk in vacation subject to the court's approval, admits the will to probate in common form and grants letters testamentary, or grants letters of administration when there is no will (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 91-7-1, 91-7-63, 9-5-141, 9-5-147). A bond may be required under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-41.
- After letters are granted, the executor or administrator makes reasonably diligent efforts to identify creditors, mails notice to known creditors, files the diligent-search affidavit, and then publishes the notice to creditors for three consecutive weeks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-145).
- Creditors probate and register claims with the chancery clerk. Claims not registered within 90 days after the first publication are barred under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-151.
- The personal representative gathers assets, pays allowed debts and expenses, handles tax issues, prepares any required accounting, and asks the chancellor for a final decree of distribution and discharge. The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299 and UCCR 6.12(B).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Leflore County
For Leflore County, the local chancery clerk page lists contact information but does not list a local probate petition, estate checklist or small estate affidavit form. The Mississippi Judiciary provides a chancery clerk cover sheet, and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules set content requirements for estate filings.
For a full estate, the petition is drafted by the attorney required by Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02. A will petition must attach a copy of the will as an exhibit (UCCR 6.15), and fiduciary filings must be personally signed and sworn by the fiduciary (UCCR 6.14).
The $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is not filed with the Leflore County Chancery Clerk. It is presented to the person or institution holding the decedent's personal property.
Recent updates
| Change | What it means for Leflore County |
|---|---|
| MEC completion | Mississippi announced completion of the statewide electronic filing and case management system on June 30, 2025. All chancery courts had been implemented in MEC as of June 19, 2023, but an estate still opens with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. See https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. |
| Small estate and muniment changes | The small estate affidavit amount became $75,000 under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, and the muniment of title procedure under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 was rewritten in the same 2020 act. |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules update | The Uniform Chancery Court Rules were revised and amended effective April 18, 2024. Rule 6.02 continues to require a fiduciary to retain an attorney unless the fiduciary is a Mississippi-licensed lawyer. |
| Legal aid intake numbers | North Mississippi Rural Legal Services and Mississippi Center for Legal Services now use separate intake numbers. Leflore County is mapped to North Mississippi Rural Legal Services at 1-800-898-8731; the Mississippi Center for Legal Services number is 1-800-519-2915. The public directory is at mslegalservices.org. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Leflore County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with the deed. If the home passes outside the estate and the remaining probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, the affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, may settle the remaining personal property after 30 days without a Greenwood court filing. If a will devises the home and all known debts are paid, muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 may be the court route, and the house itself does not count against the § 91-7-322 amount. | Sunset helps identify accounts, review whether assets pass outside the estate, and assemble the estate settlement packet for counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 30 days have passed and the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, the Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit is handed to the holder of the property and is not filed in Greenwood. If letters are needed, a Mississippi attorney must be retained under UCCR 6.02 and the petition is filed on paper with the Leflore County Chancery Clerk. | Sunset can organize assets, flag when letters may be needed, and connect the child with a Mississippi probate attorney. |
| 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 the debts are paid, ask counsel about muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. Otherwise, a full administration is filed with the Leflore County Chancery Clerk, with counsel required by UCCR 6.02. The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299, and fees may not be based on the value of real property under UCCR 6.12(B). | Sunset helps find accounts and debts, prepare a clear handoff for the attorney, and keep the estate settlement moving toward sale authority and closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps in Leflore County |
|---|---|
| Leflore County Chancery Clerk | Call (662) 453-6203 for filing hours, current cost deposit, mailing questions, and whether the chancellor will allow phone or video attendance. The office address is 306 West Market Street, Greenwood, MS 38935, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 250, Greenwood, MS 38935-0250. |
| North Mississippi Rural Legal Services | Leflore County is served through the Greenville office area. Call 1-800-898-8731. Intake hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Legal aid eligibility and available services should be checked through mslegalservices.org; do not assume estate administration representation is available. |
| mslegalservices.org | The public legal aid directory and self-help site lets families search by service area and read general civil legal information. |
| NMRLS Heirs' Property Program | North Mississippi Rural Legal Services describes an heirs' property program for land or real estate inherited by multiple family members without clear title. Call 1-800-898-8731 to ask about eligibility and scope. |
| Mississippi Judiciary chancery court page | The Judiciary page explains chancery courts and links the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet. Mississippi chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules | The rules govern fiduciary filings, attorney retention under UCCR 6.02, sworn pleadings, accounts and will filings. |
| MEC and PAMEC | Use https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php for Mississippi Electronic Courts and PAMEC information. Remote access requires an account, while free viewing is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours. |
When to hire an attorney
In Mississippi, this is a rule rather than a preference: Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02(A) requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney or law firm for the entire term of the appointment, and the chancellor fixes the fee. The practical exception for many families is not a court filing at all: the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is presented to the holder of personal property and Rule 6.02 does not appoint a fiduciary for that affidavit. A Leflore County family that cannot afford counsel should check eligibility with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services at 1-800-898-8731 through mslegalservices.org. 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 more than 2,300 institutions to help families find bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, life insurance and other assets that shape the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information a Mississippi attorney needs for a Leflore County filing, including assets, debts, heirs, devisees, the will, and the documents needed for the chancery clerk's counter.
Find a local probate attorney. Because UCCR 6.02 requires a fiduciary to retain an attorney for a full estate, Sunset helps connect families with a vetted Mississippi probate attorney for the Leflore County Chancery Court process.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, collect information, and get matched with help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Leflore County?
File estate petitions with the Leflore County Chancery Clerk for the Leflore County Chancery Court at 306 West Market Street, Greenwood, MS 38935. Mississippi chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). Venue for a will uses the decedent's fixed place of residence rule in Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1, while an intestate estate follows Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63.
Does Leflore County use the circuit clerk for probate?
No. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court. In Leflore County, call the Chancery Clerk at (662) 453-6203.
Can I e-file a Leflore County estate case?
Attorneys file through MEC after the case exists, but every estate begins with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. A self-represented party may have read-only PAMEC access and may not file electronically. See https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php.
What is the filing fee for a Leflore County estate?
No Leflore County estate total is listed on the chancery clerk page. Under the text of Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 effective until December 31, 2027, the statutory floor is $140.00, made up of an $85.00 clerk fee, $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00 statutory assessments. Call the clerk for the current total before filing.
Does Leflore County have local probate forms?
No local probate petition, estate checklist or small estate affidavit form is listed for Leflore County. Use the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet, and for a full estate the attorney required by UCCR 6.02 prepares the petition. The $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is presented to the holder of personal property rather than filed with the chancery clerk.
Can I attend a Leflore County chancery hearing by phone or video?
Ask the Leflore County Chancery Clerk at (662) 453-6203. Remote attendance is set by the chancellor and the 7th Chancery Court District's practice. Mississippi chancery courts handle estate matters under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159.
How do I look up a Leflore County estate case?
MEC and PAMEC are the Mississippi Electronic Courts access systems. Remote PAMEC access requires registration through https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. Free viewing is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours, with copy charges under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9.
Do I have to travel to Greenwood for a small estate?
Often, no courthouse trip is needed for the affidavit route. If 30 days have passed and the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, the Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit is presented to the bank, employer or other holder of property. If letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, the estate is filed in chancery court and the clerk's grant is subject to court approval under Miss. Code Ann. §§ 9-5-141 and 9-5-147.
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.