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Hopkinton Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Hopkinton Probate Court |
| Filing location | Hopkinton Town Hall, 1 Town House Road, Hopkinton, RI 02833 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address was available for this page. Use the town clerk's office address above unless the clerk gives different instructions. |
| Phone | (401) 377-7777 extension 1 |
| Fax | (401) 377-7788 |
| No role mailbox was available for this page. Call the clerk's office. | |
| Clerk's office hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. These are office hours, not the court's hearing schedule. |
| Filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | Set by state statute: one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, payable before the petition is filed and computed from the petitioner's own estimate. Those statutory amounts are current and unchanged since at least 1996. Hopkinton's own additional records and newspaper notice charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 were not available from the town's online page during this review, so ask the clerk before you file. The one percent is recalculated against the inventory and the difference is billed or refunded. |
| Forms | Rhode Island PC forms are statewide and free through the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. |
| Electronic filing | The Rhode Island probate statutes assume a paper filing: a written, signed petition and payment before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1 and 33-22-21. Plan to file in person or by mail with the town clerk of Hopkinton under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Case search | The state Judiciary records portal does not index municipal probate courts. Hopkinton probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. Ask the clerk whether Hopkinton offers any town-level online index. |
| Remote appearance | No Hopkinton remote procedure was available for this page. Ask the clerk how the court will handle your hearing. |
| Website | https://www.hopkintonri.gov/town-clerk/pages/probate-court-rules-and-fees |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Hopkinton, make a working list of the assets, debts, accounts, real estate interests and people who may need notice. That list drives the petition, the notice plan, the inventory due later under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1, and the fee calculation under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can search across 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts and assets before you choose a filing path. That preparation matters in Hopkinton because the clerk collects the statutory fee before filing, based on the estimate you provide under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Rhode Island probate is municipal. Every one of the state's 39 cities and towns runs its own probate court, and the Hopkinton Probate Court is the court for Hopkinton alone under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. The town clerk of Hopkinton is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The Hopkinton Probate Court is the court for the town of Hopkinton and for no other municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. Hopkinton is in Washington County, which matters in one respect only: an appeal from a decree of this court goes to the Superior Court for that county under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, and the Superior Court sits in four divisions statewide, with Providence and Bristol counties served together.
If the decedent's home was in Hopkinton, file in the Hopkinton Probate Court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. If the decedent's home was in another Rhode Island city or town, that municipality's own probate court is the one to contact.
The jurisdiction process
- Build the asset and debt list first. The fee for a petition to probate a will or grant administration is based on your estimate of personal property, then revised when the inventory is filed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and 33-9-1.
- Choose the statewide PC forms. Rhode Island probate forms are prescribed statewide and supplied free by the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Common estate forms include PC-1.1 for administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-8-8, PC-1.5 for a will, PC-9.1 for waiver or newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and PC-7.3 for complete administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- File with the town clerk of Hopkinton, who is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. Use Hopkinton Town Hall, 1 Town House Road, Hopkinton, RI 02833, unless the clerk gives different mailing instructions.
- Pay the statutory filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 before the petition is filed. For probate of a will or administration, the current statutory charge is one percent of personal property, with a $30 minimum and $1,500 maximum, amounts unchanged since at least 1996. Ask the clerk what Hopkinton adds for records charges and newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Handle notice. If every interested person can sign the waiver paperwork, the court may not need newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22. If notice is required, newspaper publication is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 and the cost is paid to the clerk in advance.
- Ask the clerk for Hopkinton's hearing schedule and filing cutoff. Rhode Island requires each probate court to maintain local administrative rules that state when the court is in session and how filings are placed on the docket under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 and 33-22-30, but Hopkinton's online rules page was not accessible for this page.
- After appointment, ask for the certificates you need. Each certificate of appointment costs $5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a current statutory charge unchanged since at least 1996.
- Administer the estate. File the inventory within 90 days after appointment unless the court allows more time under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1, handle creditor claims under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, and keep copies of receipts, payments and distributions.
- Resolve the Rhode Island estate tax position before closing. The Hopkinton Probate Court cannot allow the final account unless the tax has been paid, extended, or determined not to apply under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. In practice, that can mean filing Form RI-706 with the Division of Taxation under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 and obtaining the Notice of No Tax Due for the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Hopkinton Probate Court
Rhode Island probate forms are statewide. A legislative commission prescribes them and the Secretary of State publishes them free to the public, to lawyers and to the probate clerks under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. The Hopkinton Probate Court uses the same PC-series forms as every other Rhode Island probate court.
Start with the Secretary of State probate forms page at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. A few forms are issued by the court rather than published online, so ask the Hopkinton clerk if you cannot find one or if the court requires a local checklist.
| Need | Form | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Open an intestate estate | PC-1.1 | Administration Petition under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-8-8. |
| Open an estate with a will | PC-1.5 | Petition for Probate of Will. |
| Use the voluntary informal administrator route | PC-1.10 | Used with R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1. |
| Use the voluntary informal executor route | PC-1.9 | Used with R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. |
| Appoint a resident agent | PC-3.5 | Needed when an out-of-state executor uses R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. |
| Reduce or avoid newspaper notice | PC-9.1 | Waiver or Advertising form connected to R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Sell or mortgage real estate | PC-4.2 | Petition for the Sale or Mortgage of Real Estate. |
| Close the estate | PC-7.3 | Affidavit of Complete Administration, a $30 filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, current and unchanged since at least 1996. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Hopkinton path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating jointly owned property from assets titled only in the decedent's name. Real property can affect whether a full Hopkinton filing is needed, and the fee for a petition is based on the personal property estimate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. If all interested people sign waiver papers, newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 may be reduced or avoided. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare the estate settlement packet and organize the documents the spouse can bring to the Hopkinton clerk. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent died without a will, an out-of-state child cannot serve as voluntary administrator because R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 requires a Rhode Island resident affiant. If the parent left a will naming that child as executor, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 can allow the voluntary informal executor route with a resident agent on PC-3.5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. | Sunset helps the child see whether the matter is truly within R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, gather account details from another state, and connect with local help if a Rhode Island resident agent or attorney is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A Hopkinton home titled only in the child's name points away from the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 voluntary informal route because that route is for personal property. The family should expect a full Hopkinton filing, a possible petition for sale or mortgage of real estate on PC-4.2, and an estate tax lien review under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-12 and 44-23-36 before closing or sale. | Sunset helps organize the real estate, mortgage, account and debt picture so the estate settlement plan is complete before the parent files in Hopkinton. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island Secretary of State, probate forms | Statewide PC forms supplied free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. | https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ |
| Rhode Island Superior Court | Appeal court for a Hopkinton probate decree under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. Hopkinton is in Washington County for that appeal rule. | https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/default.aspx |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation, estate tax | Estate tax return information, Form RI-706, lien discharge forms and Notice of No Tax Due materials under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-22 and 44-23. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
Consider probate counsel if the Hopkinton estate includes real estate, a business, disagreement among heirs, an out-of-state executor, a bond question under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-17, a creditor dispute under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, or any appeal deadline under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. Rhode Island probate can also involve estate tax lien paperwork under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 even when no tax is owed. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build a clearer estate settlement inventory before they file, so the Hopkinton petition and fee estimate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 are based on the best available asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Rhode Island PC forms under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16, including heirs, assets, debts, notices and certificates of appointment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a Rhode Island probate attorney who understands municipal probate courts like Hopkinton.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to move from uncertainty to an estate settlement plan without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Hopkinton?
File with the Hopkinton Probate Court if the decedent's home was in Hopkinton. Rhode Island probate jurisdiction is municipal, and each city or town probate court serves its own municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. The town clerk of Hopkinton is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
Is Hopkinton probate filed electronically?
Plan on paper filing. Rhode Island probate statutes require a written, signed petition and payment before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1 and 33-22-21, and the original will must reach the court when R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 applies.
What is the Hopkinton probate filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21?
For probate of a will or administration, the current statutory filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is one percent of personal property, with a $30 minimum and $1,500 maximum, amounts unchanged since at least 1996. It is paid before the petition is filed, based on your estimate, and revised when the inventory is filed. Ask the clerk what Hopkinton adds for records charges and newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
When does the Hopkinton Probate Court hold hearings?
Call the clerk for the current Hopkinton sitting schedule. Rhode Island requires each probate court to maintain local administrative rules stating when the court is in session and how matters are placed on the docket under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 and 33-22-30, but the Hopkinton online rules page was not accessible for this page.
Can I look up a Hopkinton probate file online?
The state Judiciary records portal does not index municipal probate courts. Hopkinton probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. Ask the Hopkinton clerk whether the town offers any online index for local probate files.
Does Hopkinton have its own probate forms?
Rhode Island probate forms are statewide and free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Use the Secretary of State PC forms page, then ask the Hopkinton clerk whether the court requires a local checklist or any court-issued form that is not posted online.
Do I have to travel to Hopkinton for probate?
Ask the clerk before you travel. If all interested parties sign waiver papers under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, a matter may be simpler and may avoid newspaper notice under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. Do not assume a remote hearing procedure unless the Hopkinton clerk gives you one.
What document proves I can act for a Hopkinton estate?
After appointment, the probate clerk issues a certificate of appointment. Each certificate of appointment costs $5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a current statutory charge unchanged since at least 1996. Banks, transfer agents and other institutions often ask for that certificate before releasing estate assets.
What happens if someone wants to appeal a Hopkinton probate decree?
An aggrieved person must file a claim of appeal with the probate clerk within 20 days after execution of the decree, then file the certified claim and reasons of appeal in the Superior Court within 30 days after entry of the decree. Both deadlines are jurisdictional under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, and the appeal is heard de novo.
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.