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Tunica County, MS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Tunica County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Tunica County Chancery Court. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63). |
| Probate filings go to | Tunica County Chancery Clerk, (662) 363-2451. |
| Courthouse address | 1300 School Street, Tunica, MS 38676. Call before visiting because Tunica County does not publish chancery counter hours online. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 217, Tunica, MS 38676. |
| Phone | (662) 363-2451. |
| Fax | (662) 357-5934. Do not fax a petition unless the clerk specifically instructs you to do so. |
| Hours | Counter hours, midday closures and filing cutoffs are not posted online. Call (662) 363-2451 before visiting, especially near a deadline. |
| Chancery court district | Mississippi's 7th Chancery Court District includes Bolivar, Coahoma, Leflore, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica counties. The district assigns chancellors; Tunica County filings remain in Tunica. |
| Filing fee | Tunica County does not publish a local estate total. Under the text of Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 effective until December 31, 2027, an estate filing includes $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, a $140.00 floor. Confirm the current amount with the clerk. |
| Attorney required | Yes for a full estate. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires an executor or administrator who is not licensed to practice law in Mississippi to retain an attorney for the fiduciary's full appointment. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, is handled outside court under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 and needs no attorney. |
| Local forms | Tunica County does not publish a local probate form, small estate affidavit form or probate instruction sheet. Use the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet and the petition prepared by the attorney required under UCCR 6.02. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through Mississippi Electronic Courts. A self-represented party may have read-only PAMEC access but may not file electronically. Every estate case opens with a paper filing at the clerk's counter. Start at courts.ms.gov/mec. |
| Case search | Use MEC and PAMEC at courts.ms.gov/mec. Remote access requires a registered PAMEC account and fees may apply. Free viewing of filed civil documents is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Tunica County Chancery Clerk whether phone or video participation is allowed in your matter. The chancellor and the 7th Chancery Court District's practice control scheduling (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). |
| Website | Tunica County does not publish a working chancery clerk page for probate filings. Call the chancery clerk rather than relying on a web page. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a Tunica County path, list the decedent's accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles, paychecks, refunds and beneficiary assets. Mississippi estate settlement turns on what is actually in the probate estate, whether 30 days have passed, and whether the property holder will accept an affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322.
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and assets before a petition is drafted. That asset picture helps decide whether Tunica County needs a full chancery case, a muniment of title petition under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35, or an out-of-court small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Tunica County is filed with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk at the Tunica County Courthouse in Tunica. Chancery court is held in every Mississippi county, including Tunica County (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(1)).
If the decedent left a will, the will is proved and letters testamentary are granted by the chancery court of the county where the testator had a fixed place of residence (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147). If there is no will, letters of administration are granted by the chancery court of the county where the intestate person had a fixed place of residence, with a different statutory ladder if there was no fixed place of residence (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
Tunica County shares Mississippi's 7th Chancery Court District with Bolivar, Coahoma, Leflore, Quitman and Tallahatchie counties. That district structure assigns chancellors and terms; it does not move a Tunica County estate filing out of Tunica (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, debts, beneficiary designations and real estate details before starting the estate settlement.
- Choose the path. If the whole probate estate is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, and 30 days have passed, a successor may present a small estate affidavit to the bank, employer or other holder under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020. If there is a will devising Mississippi real property and all known debts are paid, the attorney may consider muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. Otherwise, use full administration in chancery court.
- For a full Tunica County estate, retain an attorney unless the executor or administrator is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires the fiduciary to retain an attorney for the full appointment.
- The attorney prepares the petition. A petition to probate a will attaches a copy of the will as an exhibit (UCCR 6.15), and pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports filed by the fiduciary are personally signed and sworn by the fiduciary (UCCR 6.14).
- File on paper with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk at the courthouse in Tunica. Include the chancery clerk cover sheet and the court cost deposit required by UCCR 9.01 and Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, whose current text effective until December 31, 2027 sets a $140.00 statutory floor for opening an estate. The original will stays with the clerk under UCCR 9.03.
- The chancery court, or the chancery clerk in vacation subject to court approval, admits the will to probate in common form and grants letters testamentary, or grants letters of administration in an intestate estate (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147). 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 required notices, files the diligent-search affidavit and then publishes notice to creditors for three consecutive weeks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-145).
- Creditors probate and register claims with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk. Claims not registered within 90 days after the first publication are barred under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-151.
- The fiduciary gathers estate property, pays allowed debts and taxes, handles sale or transfer issues, and prepares required accounts with the attorney.
- The attorney presents the final accounting, distribution request and discharge papers to the chancery court. The chancellor, not the clerk alone, approves final estate relief (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Tunica County
The Mississippi Judiciary publishes a statewide chancery clerk cover sheet, and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules tell fiduciaries what must be included in pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports. Mississippi does not provide a full court form packet for a decedent's estate petition.
Tunica County does not publish a local probate form, small estate affidavit form or probate instruction sheet. For a full estate, the petition is drafted by the attorney required by Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02. For the $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, use a document that matches Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 before presenting it to the property holder.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Why it matters in Tunica County |
|---|---|---|
| June 19, 2023 | All Mississippi chancery courts, including Tunica County Chancery Court, were implemented in Mississippi Electronic Courts. The statewide trial-court rollout finished June 30, 2025. | Attorneys use MEC after the estate is opened, but the opening filing is still made on paper at the chancery clerk's counter. Use courts.ms.gov/mec for MEC and PAMEC. |
| July 1, 2020 | The small estate affidavit amount became $75,000 under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, and muniment of title was rewritten under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. | Families handling a small personal-property estate may avoid a court filing, while a will that devises Mississippi real property may qualify for a narrower court petition. |
| April 18, 2024 | The Uniform Chancery Court Rules were revised and amended. | UCCR 6.02 remains central for Tunica County estates because a fiduciary in a full estate must retain an attorney unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi. |
| January 1, 2026 | North Mississippi Rural Legal Services and Mississippi Center for Legal Services moved to separate intake numbers. | Tunica County is mapped to North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, which uses 1-800-898-8731. Mississippi Center for Legal Services uses 1-800-519-2915. Check mslegalservices.org for legal aid directory information. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Tunica 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 property is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, after 30 days, the spouse may use a small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 with the property holder. 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 Tunica County chancery path, and the house itself is not counted against that ceiling. | Sunset helps identify accounts, flag beneficiary assets and organize deed and will information before the attorney chooses the estate settlement route. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 30 days have passed and the whole probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, excluding liens and encumbrances, the affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is presented to the holder, not filed at the Tunica courthouse. If letters are needed, the child must retain a Mississippi attorney under UCCR 6.02 and the estate opens on paper with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk. | Sunset helps find accounts, produce an organized asset list and connect the child with a Mississippi probate attorney if letters are required. |
| Parent settling a 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 debts are paid, the attorney may consider muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. Otherwise, full administration is filed with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk. The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299, and UCCR 6.12(B) says those fees may not be based on real property value. | Sunset helps assemble property, debt and account information so the attorney can move the estate settlement toward sale, distribution and discharge. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to use it | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Tunica County Chancery Clerk | Call before visiting to confirm hours, current cost deposits, paper filing instructions, hearing logistics and whether phone or video participation is allowed in your matter. The clerk cannot provide legal advice. | P.O. Box 217, Tunica, MS 38676. Phone: (662) 363-2451. Fax: (662) 357-5934. |
| Mississippi Judiciary chancery court page | Use it for statewide chancery court information and the chancery clerk cover sheet link. Probate is in chancery court under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159. | courts.ms.gov/trialcourts/chancerycourt/chancerycourt.php |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules | Use the rules to understand fiduciary requirements, including the attorney requirement in UCCR 6.02 and filing requirements for sworn papers. | courts.ms.gov |
| MEC and PAMEC | Attorneys file through MEC. Public users may use read-only PAMEC, and free viewing is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours. | courts.ms.gov/mec. MEC Helpdesk: 601-576-4650, [email protected]. |
| mslegalservices.org directory | Use the directory-by-service-area lookup for legal aid eligibility information. It does not mean an estate administration case will be accepted. | mslegalservices.org |
| North Mississippi Rural Legal Services | Tunica County is mapped to the Clarksdale office area. Check eligibility before assuming representation is available for an estate matter. | Intake: 1-800-898-8731. Call center hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. |
| NMRLS Heirs' Property Program | Use this resource for heirs' property questions involving land or real estate inherited by multiple family members, especially where title is unclear. It is not a promise of probate representation. | nmrls.com/heirs-property-program. Phone: 1-800-498-1804. |
When to hire an attorney
In a Tunica County full estate, counsel is a rule, not a preference. 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 attorney compensation (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, is different because it is not a court filing under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 and needs no attorney. A family that cannot afford counsel should check eligibility with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services at 1-800-898-8731 through mslegalservices.org, while understanding estate administration may not be accepted. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and assets that may affect the Tunica County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the family information, asset list and court-ready details so the attorney can prepare the petition, cover sheet and supporting documents for the Tunica County Chancery Clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. Mississippi requires a full-estate fiduciary to retain counsel under UCCR 6.02 unless the fiduciary is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. Sunset helps connect the family with a vetted attorney for Tunica County chancery practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partners, not by grieving families, so families can get organized, understand next steps and move the estate settlement forward without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Tunica County?
File a full estate with the Tunica County Chancery Clerk at the courthouse in Tunica. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
Do I use the Tunica County circuit clerk for a will?
No. The Tunica County Circuit Clerk is a different office. Probate papers for a full estate go to the Tunica County Chancery Clerk, and the authority to grant letters belongs in the chancery court or to the chancery clerk subject to court approval (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
How much does it cost to open an estate in Tunica County?
Tunica County does not publish a local estate total. Under the text of Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 effective until December 31, 2027, opening an estate has a $140.00 statutory floor made up of $85.00 for the chancery clerk, $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00 statutory assessments. Call (662) 363-2451 to confirm the current amount before filing.
What are the Tunica County Chancery Clerk's hours?
Tunica County does not post chancery counter hours, midday closures or filing cutoffs online. Call the chancery clerk at (662) 363-2451 before visiting, especially if a deadline is close.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Tunica County?
For a full estate, yes unless the executor or administrator is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires the fiduciary to retain an attorney for the full appointment. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, is handled outside court under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 and needs no attorney.
Can I e-file a Tunica County probate case?
The case opens with a paper filing at the Tunica County Chancery Clerk's counter. Attorneys then file through Mississippi Electronic Courts. A self-represented person may have read-only PAMEC access but may not file electronically. Start at courts.ms.gov/mec.
How do I look up a Tunica County chancery case?
Use MEC and PAMEC at courts.ms.gov/mec. Remote PAMEC access requires registration and fees may apply. Free viewing of filed civil documents is available at the Tunica County Chancery Clerk's office during regular business hours.
Does Tunica County publish local probate forms?
Tunica County does not publish a local probate form, small estate affidavit form or instruction sheet. The Mississippi Judiciary publishes a chancery clerk cover sheet, and the full-estate petition is prepared by the attorney required under UCCR 6.02.
Will I have to travel to Tunica County for a small estate?
If the estate qualifies for the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, the affidavit is presented to the property holder after 30 days rather than filed at the courthouse. If letters are needed, ask the attorney and the Tunica County Chancery Clerk how the chancellor handles scheduling and any phone or video request (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
What should be sent with an estate filing in Tunica County?
For a full estate, the attorney typically files the petition, the chancery clerk cover sheet, the court cost deposit under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, and the original will if there is one. A petition to probate a will must attach a copy of the will as an exhibit under UCCR 6.15, and the original will remains with the 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.