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Hoke County, NC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Clerk of Superior Court, Hoke County |
| Courthouse address | Hoke County Courthouse, 304 N Main St, Raeford, NC 28376 |
| Mailing address | Hoke County Courthouse, PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376 |
| Phone | (910) 878-4100. The same number is listed for the courthouse and the Clerk of Superior Court. No separate estates phone line is published. |
| Fax | No clerk fax number is published on the Hoke County Judicial Branch pages. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| Court costs | Opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, current AOC costs chart effective January 1, 2026, plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, capped at $6,000.00 under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307. |
| Payment methods | By mail, money order or certified check only, payable to Hoke County Clerk of Superior Court. In person, the Cashier's Office accepts cash, credit or debit card with processing fees, money order or certified check. No personal checks. |
| Local forms | Hoke publishes no local estate form or estates checklist beyond the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms. |
| E-filing | eCourts is live statewide. Attorneys use File & Serve. Self-represented individuals may use File & Serve but may also need to call the clerk about any paper step, especially an original will. |
| Case search | Use the statewide Portal at https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/. If a Hoke estate file does not appear, call the clerk at (910) 878-4100. |
| Remote appearance | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-49.6 permits audio and video proceedings, but Hoke publishes no county-specific remote procedure for estate matters. |
| Website | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/hoke-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a form, list what the person owned, what debts are known, whether there is a will, whether real estate needs to be sold or cleared, and which financial institutions will release funds only after seeing letters from the clerk. That asset and liability picture drives the estate settlement path in Hoke County.
Sunset can help families search for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, organize balances and beneficiaries, and turn that information into a cleaner estate settlement plan before you call or visit the Hoke County clerk in Raeford.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Hoke County Courthouse at 304 N Main St in Raeford is the court location published for Hoke County. The clerk's mailing address is Hoke County Courthouse, PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376.
Hoke County includes Raeford and communities such as Rockfish and Antioch, and it is served by this county courthouse for estate filings. Estate venue is based on the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a decedent not domiciled in North Carolina, a county where the decedent left property or into which estate property has come (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-3-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the correct path from the will, the asset list, the debts, and whether real property in Hoke County must be sold or cleared through the estate.
- Choose the statewide estate form that matches the path. Use AOC-E-201 for a will, AOC-E-202 when there is no will, AOC-E-203B to open a collection by affidavit, AOC-E-905 or AOC-E-906 for summary administration, and the later inventory and account forms when required.
- Call the Hoke clerk at (910) 878-4100 before going to Raeford because Hoke publishes no booking link and no walk-in policy for opening an estate. Ask how the clerk wants an original will delivered if there is one.
- File with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Hoke County Courthouse, 304 N Main St, Raeford, NC 28376, or mail what the clerk tells you to mail to PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376.
- Pay the statutory estate court costs by an accepted Hoke method. Opening an estate costs $120.00 under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, current AOC costs chart effective January 1, 2026, plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, capped at $6,000.00 under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307.
- After the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration, publish and mail notice to creditors as required by North Carolina law, then track claims and deadlines.
- If the clerk sets a hearing or asks for an appearance, ask whether it is in person or whether any audio or video procedure is available. Hoke publishes no estate-specific remote appearance order, so do not assume a video appearance is available.
- Use the letters to collect estate property, deal with institutions, manage claims, and prepare the required inventory and accounts for the personal representative, the executor or administrator.
- Close the estate by filing the required account or closing affidavit, paying any remaining court costs assessed under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, and following the clerk's instructions for discharge.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hoke County
Hoke County uses the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate form set. Hoke's local rules and forms page lists Superior Court terms, civil case management materials, District Court continuance policy materials, and civil calendar forms, but it does not list an estate local rule, estate checklist, estate cover sheet, or estate calendar request.
| Form | Use in Hoke County |
|---|---|
| AOC-E-201 | Application for probate and letters testamentary or administration CTA when there is a will. |
| AOC-E-202 | Application for letters of administration when there is no will. |
| AOC-E-203B | Affidavit that opens a collection of personal property by affidavit. |
| AOC-E-204 | Affidavit that closes a collection of personal property by affidavit. |
| AOC-E-505 | Inventory for a decedent's estate. |
| AOC-E-506 | Account for annual or final accounting. |
| AOC-E-905 and AOC-E-906 | Summary administration forms, depending on whether there is a will. |
Use the statewide form library at https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms and filter to Estate (E). Some forms are tied to the date of death, so use the form page rather than an old saved PDF.
Local nuance
Hoke County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Hoke filing |
|---|---|
| One published phone line | Call (910) 878-4100 for the Clerk of Superior Court. Hoke does not publish a separate estates line. |
| Different street and mailing addresses | Go to 304 N Main St in Raeford for an in-person courthouse visit, but mail to PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376. |
| Payment rules | Use money order or certified check by mail. In person, the Cashier's Office accepts cash, card with processing fees, money order, or certified check. No personal checks. |
| No local estate paperwork | Use the statewide estate forms. Hoke's local forms page does not list an estate checklist or estate local rule. |
| No booking link | Hoke does not publish an online scheduler or a walk-in rule for estate openings. Call before traveling to Raeford. |
| No local remote procedure | State law permits remote proceedings in some settings, but Hoke publishes no estate-specific remote appearance practice. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Hoke County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled, whether any solely owned accounts need collection, and whether the spouse may use a clerk procedure instead of full administration. Call the Hoke clerk before traveling because no appointment policy is published. | Sunset helps collect account information, organize title and debt questions, and prepare the family for the clerk or a local attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Ask the Hoke clerk how to handle any original will and whether the filing can be handled without a courthouse trip. If the estate fits the statewide collection by affidavit rules, use AOC-E-203B to open that path. | Sunset helps locate accounts, separate assets that pass outside the estate from assets needing clerk authority, and generate a filing packet. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale or title-clearing issue usually points toward full administration or attorney help, especially if heirs, creditors, or title issues are unresolved. File in Hoke if venue belongs there under the county domicile rule. | Sunset helps organize assets, debts, and heirs, then connects the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney when sale authority or court guidance is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court, Hoke County | The filing counter for Hoke estate matters. Staff can tell you what to bring and how the clerk wants an original will delivered, but cannot give legal advice. | Hoke County Courthouse, 304 N Main St, Raeford, NC 28376. Mailing: PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376. Phone (910) 878-4100. https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/hoke-county |
| Hoke County contact directory | The Judicial Branch's list of courthouse contacts for Hoke County. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/hoke-county/contact-directory |
| Hoke County payment information | Explains the local payment methods accepted by mail and in person at the Cashier's Office. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/hoke-county/hoke-county-payment-information |
| North Carolina Judicial Branch estates help topic | Plain-language court information on wills, letters, what to bring to the clerk, and estate procedures. | https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/wills-and-estates/estates |
| Decedent's estate procedures pamphlet | Administrative Office of the Courts pamphlet describing procedures for executors, administrators, collectors by affidavit, and summary administration. | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/publications/decedents-estate-procedures-pamphlet |
| Statewide estate forms | The estate form library Hoke uses. Filter to Estate (E). | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms |
| Portal | Statewide case search, hearing search, and online payment where a case is eligible. | https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/ |
| Guide & File | Free guided document preparation. It currently offers a summary administration interview, with additional probate interviews announced by the Judicial Branch. | https://northcarolina.tylertech.cloud/SRL/SRL |
| Legal Aid of North Carolina, Fayetteville office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents in counties served by that office, including Hoke. Ask at intake whether an estate question fits their help areas. | 327 Dick St, Ste 103, Fayetteville, NC 28301. Toll free 1-800-824-5340. Local (910) 483-0400. Statewide helpline 1-866-219-5262, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. https://legalaidnc.org/get-help/offices/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a North Carolina probate attorney when Hoke County real property must be sold or title must be cleared, heirs disagree, a caveat is threatened, creditors press claims, the personal representative lives outside North Carolina and bond questions arise, or the issue is one the clerk cannot decide and must go to the Superior Court Division under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2-4. Sunset connects families with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, balances, and beneficiary clues that shape the Hoke County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list, family information, and court path into an organized estate settlement packet using the statewide North Carolina estate forms Hoke accepts.
Find a local probate attorney. When real estate, creditor disputes, heir conflict, bond, or a caveat makes the matter more complex, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the work, understand the next filing step, and decide when professional help is worth bringing in.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Hoke County?
File with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Hoke County Courthouse, 304 N Main St, Raeford, NC 28376. Mail should go to Hoke County Courthouse, PO Drawer 1569, Raeford, NC 28376.
Does Hoke County have a separate estates phone number?
No separate estates line is published. The Judicial Branch lists (910) 878-4100 for both the Hoke County Courthouse and the Clerk of Superior Court.
Can I e-file a Hoke County estate case?
North Carolina eCourts is live statewide. Attorneys use File & Serve, and self-represented individuals may use it. Because Hoke does not publish instructions for an original will, call (910) 878-4100 before relying only on an online filing.
What does it cost to open an estate in Hoke County?
Opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, current AOC costs chart effective January 1, 2026, plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307, capped at $6,000.00 under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307. Hoke does not add a local estate surcharge.
Does Hoke County have its own probate forms?
No. Hoke uses the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms. The Hoke local rules and forms page does not list an estate checklist, estate local rule, or estate calendar request.
How do I look up a Hoke County estate case?
Use the statewide Portal at https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/. The site may require sign-in or a human check before search results appear. If you cannot find the Hoke estate file, call the clerk at (910) 878-4100.
Can I appear remotely for a Hoke County estate matter?
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-49.6 permits audio and video proceedings in some court settings, but Hoke does not publish an estate-specific remote appearance rule. Ask the clerk what the appearance method is if a hearing or appointment is set.
Do I have to travel to Raeford to open an estate?
Maybe. Hoke does not publish a walk-in rule, appointment scheduler, or original-will delivery procedure. Call (910) 878-4100 before traveling and ask whether your filing can be started online, by mail, or only at the courthouse.
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.