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Robeson County, NC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Robeson County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Clerk of Superior Court, Robeson County. North Carolina estate matters are handled before the clerk of superior court, ex officio judge of probate. |
| Courthouse address | Robeson County Courthouse, 500 North Elm St, Room 101, Lumberton, NC 28359. |
| Mailing address | Robeson County Courthouse, PO Box 1084, Lumberton, NC 28359. The Robeson County payment page prints the same post office box with ZIP 28358, so call the clerk before mailing a filing or payment. |
| Phone | (910) 272-5900. This is published as both the courthouse main line and the Clerk of Superior Court line. Robeson County publishes no separate estates telephone line. |
| Fax | No fax number is published for Robeson County estates. |
| No estates email address is published. Use the clerk's phone number or the courthouse counter. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday closed. No lunch closure is published. |
| Court costs | As of January 1, 2026, opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, a minimum of $15.00 per filing and capped at $6,000.00 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). |
| Payment methods | By mail, money order or certified check only, payable to Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court. No cash and no personal checks by mail. In person, the courthouse Cashier's Office accepts cash, credit or debit card with processing fees, money order or certified check. No personal checks. |
| Local estate forms | Robeson County publishes no local estate form, checklist, estate cover sheet or estates calendar request beyond the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms. |
| E-filing | eCourts is live statewide. Attorneys use File & Serve. Self-represented filers may use File & Serve, but are not required to do so. File & Serve: https://efilenc.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp/ui/landing |
| Case search | Use Portal, the statewide case search and hearing search tool, and filter to Robeson County. Portal: https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/ |
| Remote appearance | Robeson County publishes no remote-appearance practice for estate matters. If a hearing is set, call (910) 272-5900 to ask how that specific matter will be heard. |
| Website | Robeson County court location page: https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Robeson County filing, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and accounts. The clerk's office will need the will if there is one, a certified death certificate, an application and preliminary inventory, and the estate settlement path depends on what property must actually be collected or transferred.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help find accounts before you call or visit the Robeson County clerk. That makes the trip to Room 101 in Lumberton more productive, especially for families driving in from the outlying parts of the county for estate settlement paperwork.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Every Robeson County estate is opened at the Robeson County Courthouse in Lumberton, Room 101, at 500 North Elm St. The separate Robeson County Juvenile Court Facility on Glen Cowan Road is not an estates counter.
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). If Robeson County is the proper venue, file with the Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court in Lumberton.
Robeson County covers roughly 949 square miles and is served by one clerk's estates counter. Families coming from communities such as Pembroke, Rowland, Maxton, Red Springs, Parkton, Lumber Bridge, Allenton, Alma or Shannon should call (910) 272-5900 before traveling to ask whether the clerk wants an appointment and how any original will should be delivered.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the will, death certificate, asset list, debt list and title information. Decide whether you are opening a testate estate, an intestate estate, a collection by affidavit, summary administration, or another estate proceeding under statewide North Carolina rules.
- Use the statewide estate forms. AOC-E-201 is for a testate estate, AOC-E-202 is for an intestate estate, AOC-E-203B opens a collection by affidavit, AOC-E-204 closes a collection by affidavit, AOC-E-505 is the inventory, AOC-E-506 is the account, and AOC-E-650 is the estates action cover sheet.
- Call the Robeson County clerk at (910) 272-5900 before filing. Robeson publishes no booking link, no walk-in statement and no estates email address, so ask whether the clerk wants an appointment, what to bring, and how the original will should be delivered.
- File with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Robeson County Courthouse, 500 North Elm St, Room 101, Lumberton. Self-represented filers may also use File & Serve if they register, but Robeson County does not publish an original-will delivery rule, so do not assume an original will can be handled only online.
- Pay the estate court costs by a Robeson-accepted method. As of January 1, 2026, opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, a minimum of $15.00 per filing and capped at $6,000.00 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). By mail, use a money order or certified check payable to Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court. In person, use the Cashier's Office.
- After authority is granted, publish and mail notice to creditors as North Carolina law requires. Keep proof of publication and mailing with the estate file.
- File the inventory and later accounts when due. If a hearing or clerk review is set, call (910) 272-5900 to ask how that specific matter will be heard, because Robeson County publishes no remote-appearance practice for estates.
- Use the letters testamentary or letters of administration to collect assets, pay allowed claims, handle required distributions and close the estate with the required accounting or closing documents.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Robeson County
Robeson County uses the statewide North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms. Robeson County publishes no local estate rule, checklist, estate cover sheet or estates calendar request beyond that statewide form set.
| Form | Use in Robeson County |
|---|---|
| AOC-E-201 | Application for probate and letters testamentary or letters of administration c.t.a. Use for a testate estate. |
| AOC-E-202 | Application for letters of administration. Use for an intestate estate. |
| AOC-E-203B | Affidavit for collection of personal property of decedent. This opens a collection by affidavit. |
| AOC-E-204 | Affidavit of collection, disbursement and distribution. This closes a collection by affidavit. |
| AOC-E-505 | Inventory for decedent's estate. |
| AOC-E-506 | Account. |
| AOC-E-650 | Estates action cover sheet. |
Find the estate form library at https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms and filter to Estate (E). Some estate forms are tied to the date of death, so use the form library rather than an old saved PDF.
Local nuance
Robeson County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Robeson County filing |
|---|---|
| 8:15 a.m. opening | The Robeson County Courthouse opens to the public at 8:15 a.m. on weekdays. Plan an early trip around that quarter-past opening. |
| One phone line | The same number, (910) 272-5900, is published for the courthouse main line and the Clerk of Superior Court. No separate estates extension or estates email is published. |
| Mailing ZIP conflict | The courthouse page prints PO Box 1084, Lumberton, NC 28359. The payment page prints the same box with ZIP 28358. Call the clerk before mailing a filing or payment. |
| Payment restrictions | By mail, use a money order or certified check payable to Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court. In person, use the courthouse Cashier's Office. Personal checks are not accepted. |
| Large county, one counter | Robeson is the largest North Carolina county by land area, but estate filings go to one courthouse counter in Lumberton. |
| Second court location | The Juvenile Court Facility on Glen Cowan Road is a separate court location and is not an estates counter. |
| No local estate paperwork | The county's published local forms are for civil, custody, equitable distribution and criminal matters, not decedent's estates. |
| No published remote practice | North Carolina law permits audio and video proceedings in appropriate matters, but Robeson publishes no estate-specific remote-appearance practice. Ask about the hearing method if a hearing is set. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with how the home is titled and what personal property must be collected. Call (910) 272-5900 before traveling to Room 101 in Lumberton, because Robeson publishes no estates email address and no booking link. | Sunset helps organize accounts, property information, debts and title questions so the spouse can ask the clerk the right estate settlement questions before making the trip. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Robeson publishes mail-in payment rules, which matter if you are not in North Carolina. Use a money order or certified check payable to Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court, do not send cash or a personal check, and call first about the original will and the mailing ZIP. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare the estate packet and flag what must be asked locally before anything is mailed to Lumberton. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale or title-clearing need usually requires closer attention to real property, heirs, creditors and the authority of the personal representative. File in Robeson County if venue belongs there and consider counsel if a dispute, caveat or creditor issue develops. | Sunset helps build the asset picture, generate the probate packet and connect the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney when the home sale makes the estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court, Robeson County | The filing counter for Robeson County estates. Staff can tell you what to bring and how the clerk wants an original will delivered, but cannot give legal advice. | Robeson County Courthouse, 500 North Elm St, Room 101, Lumberton, NC 28359. Mailing: PO Box 1084, Lumberton, NC 28359. Phone (910) 272-5900. Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county |
| Robeson County contact directory | The Judicial Branch's list of Robeson courthouse numbers, including the clerk's published number. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county/contact-directory |
| Robeson County Courthouse page | Address, room number, courthouse hours and mailing address for the clerk's office. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county/robeson-county-courthouse |
| Robeson County payment information | Payment methods, payee name, mail rules and in-person Cashier's Office information. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county/robeson-county-payment-information |
| Robeson County local rules and forms | The county's published local rules and forms. It shows no local estate form for Robeson County. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/robeson-county/robeson-county-local-rules-and-forms |
| North Carolina Judicial Branch estates help topic | Plain-language court information on wills, letters, what to bring to the clerk and estate administration. | https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/wills-and-estates/estates |
| Decedent's estate procedures pamphlet | Administrative Office of the Courts guide to executors, administrators, collectors by affidavit and summary administration. | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/publications/decedents-estate-procedures-pamphlet |
| Statewide estate forms | Administrative Office of the Courts form library. Filter to Estate (E). | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms |
| Portal | Statewide case search and hearing search. Filter searches to Robeson County. | https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/ |
| Guide & File | Free guided document preparation. The Judicial Branch offers a guided interview for summary administration. | https://northcarolina.tylertech.cloud/SRL/SRL |
| Legal Aid of North Carolina, Fayetteville office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents of counties served by the office, including Robeson. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits the provider's help areas. | 327 Dick St, Ste 103, Fayetteville, NC 28301. Toll free 1-800-824-5340. Local 910-483-0400. Applications by phone 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online through JusticeHub. https://legalaidnc.org/get-help/offices/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney when Robeson County real property must be sold or its title cleared through the estate, heirs disagree, a caveat is threatened, creditors press claims, an out-of-state personal representative may face bond questions, or the issue is one the clerk cannot decide and would go to the Superior Court Division (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2-4). North Carolina does not bar a non-attorney personal representative from handling an estate without counsel, but counsel can prevent costly errors in a contested or real-property estate. Sunset connects families with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before the Robeson County filing begins.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family intake into an organized estate settlement packet using the North Carolina form path that fits the situation, so you are not starting from a blank form at the courthouse counter.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves Robeson County real property, creditor pressure, a threatened caveat or a family dispute, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement steps, gather documents and decide whether they need legal help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Robeson County?
File Robeson County estate matters with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Robeson County Courthouse, 500 North Elm St, Room 101, Lumberton, NC 28359. The Juvenile Court Facility on Glen Cowan Road is not an estates counter.
What phone number do I call for a Robeson County estate?
Call (910) 272-5900. Robeson County publishes that number for both the courthouse main line and the Clerk of Superior Court. It publishes no separate estates telephone line and no estates email address.
Does Robeson County require an appointment to open an estate?
Robeson County publishes no booking link and no walk-in or appointment statement for estate filings. Call (910) 272-5900 before traveling to Lumberton to ask whether the clerk wants an appointment and what to bring.
Can I e-file a Robeson County estate?
eCourts is live statewide, and attorneys use File & Serve. Self-represented filers may use File & Serve after registering, but are not required to do so. Robeson County does not publish how an original will should be delivered, so call the clerk before relying on an online-only plan.
What does it cost to open an estate in Robeson County?
As of January 1, 2026, opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, a minimum of $15.00 per filing and capped at $6,000.00 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). Robeson County adds no local estate surcharge.
How do I pay the Robeson County clerk?
By mail, send a money order or certified check payable to Robeson County Clerk of Superior Court. Do not mail cash or a personal check. In person, the Cashier's Office accepts cash, credit or debit card with processing fees, money order or certified check, but not personal checks.
Which ZIP code should I use for the Robeson County clerk's PO Box?
The courthouse page prints Robeson County Courthouse, PO Box 1084, Lumberton, NC 28359. The payment page prints the same box with ZIP 28358. Before mailing a filing or payment, call (910) 272-5900 and ask which ZIP the clerk wants used.
Are there Robeson County probate forms?
Robeson County publishes no local estate form, local estate checklist, estate cover sheet or estates calendar request. Use the statewide North Carolina estate forms from the Administrative Office of the Courts form library and filter to Estate (E).
Can I look up a Robeson County estate online?
Use Portal, the statewide case search and hearing search tool, at https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/ and filter to Robeson County. A verification step may appear. If the estate file does not appear, call the clerk at (910) 272-5900.
Can I appear remotely for a Robeson County estate hearing?
North Carolina law allows a judicial official to conduct some proceedings by audio and video transmission, but Robeson County publishes no remote-appearance practice for estate matters. If you receive a hearing setting, call (910) 272-5900 to ask how that specific matter will be heard.
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.