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Little Compton Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Little Compton Probate Court |
| Filing office | Town Clerk's office for Little Compton, which serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 |
| In-person filing address | 40 Commons, Little Compton, RI 02837 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837 |
| Phone | (401) 635-4400 |
| Fax | (401) 635-2470 |
| Clerk's office hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. These are clerk's office hours, not monthly court session times. |
| Court sessions | Third Monday of each month at 3 p.m. January and February hearings are usually held on the following Tuesday because of the holiday. Local administrative rules must include session dates and times under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Statutory and local charges | Rhode Island sets the probate filing fee by 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 estimate, figures unchanged since at least 1996 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Little Compton lists a $34.00 minimum and $60.00 for each set of ads, as published by the town and reviewed September 1, 2026. Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Forms | Rhode Island probate forms are statewide, free, and published by the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Little Compton does not publish an additional local probate form on its Town Clerk page. |
| Electronic filing | Plan on a paper filing. Little Compton's page does not offer electronic probate filing, and the statutes assume a written, signed petition, an original will when one is involved, and payment before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1, 33-24-2, and 33-22-21. |
| Case lookup | The town's website does not publish an online probate case search. Probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. The town's land evidence search is for recorded land documents, not probate matters. |
| Attendance logistics | The town page lists the monthly session schedule. Call the clerk at (401) 635-4400 about attendance logistics for a particular petition. |
| Website | https://www.littlecomptonri.org/departments/town_clerk/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Little Compton, make a practical list of what the person owned, what was jointly owned, what had a beneficiary, and what debts remain. That asset list affects the petition, the bond question, the 90-day inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1, and the estimated filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Sunset can help with estate settlement before the first court step by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets families may not know about. That matters in Little Compton because the fee paid at filing is based on your estimate and later adjusted when the inventory is filed.
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 Little Compton Probate Court is the court for Little Compton alone under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. The town clerk of Little Compton 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 Little Compton Probate Court is the court for the town of Little Compton and for no other municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. Little Compton is in Newport 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.
File where the decedent lived. If the decedent's home was in Little Compton, the Little Compton Probate Court is the court, and no other Rhode Island probate court has jurisdiction over the estate under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
The jurisdiction process
- Start by listing assets, liabilities, beneficiaries, and whether anything was owned jointly or by beneficiary designation. The estimate on the petition drives the amount paid before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and it will be adjusted after the inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
- Choose the correct statewide PC form from the Rhode Island Secretary of State's probate forms catalogue. Those probate forms are statewide and free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Little Compton does not publish an additional local probate form on its Town Clerk page.
- File with the Little Compton Town Clerk's office, which is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. Use 40 Commons, Little Compton, RI 02837 for in-person filing. The town also lists P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837.
- Pay before the petition is filed. Rhode Island sets the filing fee at one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, figures unchanged since at least 1996 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Little Compton lists a $34.00 minimum and $60.00 for each set of ads, as published by the town and reviewed September 1, 2026. Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Use waivers when all interested parties can sign. A waiver can remove the need for newspaper advertising and its cost under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 and 33-22-11. If notice is required, newspaper notice must be published once a week for at least two weeks, with the first advertisement at least 14 days before the first hearing date under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Plan around the Little Compton session schedule. The court sits at 3 p.m. on the third Monday of each month, and January and February hearings are usually held on the following Tuesday because of the holiday. Local administrative rules must state when the court is in session under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
- If the court appoints you, ask the probate clerk for certificates of your appointment. Each certificate of appointment costs $5, current under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 as reviewed September 2026, and banks or transfer agents often ask for their own copy.
- After appointment, file the inventory within 90 days unless the court allows more time. The inventory is required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1 and is where the provisional one percent filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is recalculated.
- Handle creditor and tax steps before closing. Claims are presented through the probate court and are barred after six months from first publication under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5. Before the court will allow a final account, it must see that Rhode Island estate tax has been paid, extended, or determined not to apply under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36.
- Close the estate with the required account or affidavit of complete administration. The affidavit of complete administration is one of the $30 filings under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a figure unchanged since at least 1996.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Little Compton Probate Court
Rhode Island probate forms are statewide. A legislative commission prescribes them, and the Secretary of State publishes them free to the public, lawyers, and probate clerks under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. The Little Compton Probate Court uses the same PC-series forms as every other Rhode Island probate court.
| Need | Common statewide form |
|---|---|
| Open an intestate estate | PC-1.1 Administration Petition, which cites 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 Petition for Voluntary Informal Administrator under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 |
| Use the voluntary informal executor route | PC-1.9 Petition for Voluntary Informal Executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 |
| Appoint a resident agent for an out-of-state executor | PC-3.5 Appointment of Agent under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 |
| Request sale or mortgage of real estate | PC-4.2 Petition for the Sale or Mortgage of Real Estate |
| Close by affidavit of complete administration | PC-7.3 Affidavit of Complete Administration, a $30 filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, unchanged since at least 1996 |
The Secretary of State's probate form catalogue is at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/. A few forms are issued by the court rather than posted online, so call the Little Compton town clerk, who serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, if a needed form is not in the catalogue.
Fees
Rhode Island sets probate fees by statute, and the same statutory schedule applies in all 39 cities and towns. For a petition to probate a will or grant administration, the fee is one percent of the decedent's personal property over which the court has jurisdiction, with a floor of $30 and a ceiling of $1,500, figures unchanged since at least 1996 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. The amount paid before filing is provisional because it is based on the estimate supplied with the petition and is later revised when the inventory is filed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
| Charge | Little Compton amount | Authority or note |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum opening payment | $34.00, as published by Little Compton and reviewed September 1, 2026 | Local amount layered on the $30 statutory minimum under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, which has been unchanged since at least 1996 |
| Each set of ads | $60.00, as published by Little Compton and reviewed September 1, 2026 | Newspaper advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 |
| Certificate of appointment | $5, current under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 as reviewed September 2026 | Ask for enough certificates for banks, transfer agents, and other institutions |
| Copies and certification | $1.50 per page and $3.00 to certify, current under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 as reviewed September 2026 | Applies to probate documents on file |
If every interested party signs a waiver, the advertising requirement and its cost can fall away under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 and 33-22-11. Little Compton's page does not list a separate local price for a voluntary informal filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, a sale petition, or a qualification notice, so ask the clerk for the current total before filing.
Timeline
- The Little Compton Town Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The town clerk serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
- The Little Compton Probate Court is in session at 3 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Local administrative rules must state the dates and times when the court is in session under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
- January and February hearings are usually held on the following Tuesday because of the holiday. Call the clerk before relying on the usual monthly pattern for those two months.
- If newspaper advertising is required, notice must be published once a week for at least two weeks, and the first advertisement must run at least 14 days before the first hearing date under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- After appointment, the inventory is due within 90 days unless the court allows more time under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
Local nuance
Little Compton-specific considerations
Little Compton puts its probate information on the Town Clerk department page rather than on a separate probate page. Use the same page for the court's phone number, fax number, office hours, monthly probate session, and local fee line.
The town lists both 40 Commons, Little Compton, RI 02837 and P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837. Use the street address for in-person filing with the town clerk, who serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, and use the P.O. Box when mailing papers.
The January and February schedule is the local detail to watch. Little Compton says probate court is held the third Monday at 3 p.m., but January and February hearings are usually held on the following Tuesday because of the holiday. Local administrative rules must include the court's session dates and times under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
The town's land evidence search is not a probate case lookup. It is a recorded land document system. Probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Little Compton 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. If a probate petition is needed, file with the Little Compton town clerk at 40 Commons or by mail to P.O. Box 226. Little Compton lists a $34.00 minimum and $60.00 for each set of ads, as published by the town and reviewed September 1, 2026. Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and waivers under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 may avoid that cost if all interested parties sign. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary assets, and debts before you estimate the estate for the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 fee. That makes the first estate settlement filing more accurate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the Rhode Island decedent 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 child lives in New York, Florida, California, or Texas and is named executor in a will, the voluntary informal executor route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 may be available with a resident agent on PC-3.5. The $15,000 figure for this R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 route has been in force since 2005, and tangible personal property is excluded under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1. | Sunset helps determine whether the matter is truly within the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 personal-property route and prepares a filing packet for the clerk. Mailing ahead matters because Little Compton sits once a month, with January and February usually shifted. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | Real property takes the estate out of the voluntary informal route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24. File the opening petition in Little Compton if the child lived there, then use the statewide sale petition, PC-4.2, if the probate court must authorize a sale. Rhode Island's estate tax process may also matter because a statutory lien on real property is handled through the Division of Taxation under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-12. | Sunset helps build the asset list, organize debts and beneficiaries, and connect the family with a local probate attorney for the sale petition, title questions, and estate settlement steps involving real property. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Little Compton Town Clerk, including Probate Court | Local probate session schedule, fee minimum, advertising rate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, office hours, phone, and fax. The town clerk serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. | 40 Commons, Little Compton, RI 02837. P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837. Phone: (401) 635-4400. Website: https://www.littlecomptonri.org/departments/town_clerk/index.php |
| Rhode Island Secretary of State, probate forms | Statewide PC probate forms, free to the public under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. | https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ |
| Rhode Island Superior Court | Appeals from a Little Compton probate decree go to the Superior Court for Newport County under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. | https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/default.aspx |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation, estate tax | Estate tax return information, lien discharge forms, and the Notice of No Tax Due needed before a final account is allowed under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially helpful when the estate includes real property, a sale petition, disagreement among heirs, a bond or surety question under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-17, tax filings, creditor issues under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, or an appeal deadline under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance, and other accounts so the family can understand the estate before filing in Little Compton. A better asset list supports a smoother estate settlement and a more accurate filing estimate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet using the statewide Rhode Island PC forms published under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16, with local filing details for the Little Compton town clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. When a sale, dispute, tax issue, bond question under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-17, or appeal under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1 makes the estate more complex, Sunset helps connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets, prepare for probate, and get matched with help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Little Compton?
File with the Little Compton Probate Court through the town clerk, who serves as clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. Use 40 Commons, Little Compton, RI 02837 for in-person filing. The town also lists P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837. If the decedent lived in another Rhode Island city or town, that municipality's probate court is the correct court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
Does Little Compton have electronic probate filing?
Plan on paper. Little Compton's page does not offer electronic probate filing, and Rhode Island statutes assume a written, signed petition, the original will when one is involved, and payment before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1, 33-24-2, and 33-22-21.
When does the Little Compton Probate Court meet?
The court meets at 3 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. January and February hearings are usually held on the following Tuesday because of the holiday. Local administrative rules must state when the court is in session under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29, so call the clerk before relying on the usual date for those two months.
How much does it cost to file probate in Little Compton?
Rhode Island sets the statutory filing fee at one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, figures unchanged since at least 1996 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Little Compton lists a $34.00 minimum and $60.00 for each set of ads, as published by the town and reviewed September 1, 2026. Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
Can I look up a Little Compton probate case online?
The town's website does not publish an online probate case search. Probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. The town's land evidence search is a recorded land document system and does not cover probate matters.
Does Little Compton have its own probate forms?
Little Compton does not publish an additional local probate form on its Town Clerk page. Rhode Island probate forms are statewide, free, and published by the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16 at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
Do I have to go to Little Compton if I live out of state?
You can contact the town clerk about filing by mail because the town lists P.O. Box 226, Little Compton, RI 02837. If all interested parties sign waivers under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, the matter may avoid newspaper advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. If you are dealing with the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 small estate route, remember that an intestate voluntary administrator must be a Rhode Island resident under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1, while an out-of-state named executor may use R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 with a resident agent.
What document will a bank ask for after I am appointed?
When the probate court appoints you, the probate clerk issues a certificate of appointment. Each certificate costs $5, current under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 as reviewed September 2026. Ask the Little Compton clerk for enough copies for banks, transfer agents, and other institutions.
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