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Cheatham County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Cheatham County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Cheatham County Chancery Court, filings taken by the Clerk and Master. Chancery is the court handling estates in Cheatham County under Tennessee's county-by-county structure for probate jurisdiction (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). |
| Courthouse address | 100 Public Square, Suite 106, Ashland City, TN 37015 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published by the Chancery Court page. Use the courthouse address unless the office gives different instructions. |
| Phone | (615) 792-4620 |
| Fax | Cheatham County's Chancery Court page does not publish a fax number. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, so call (615) 792-4620 for the total due at filing. |
| Local forms | The Chancery Court page does not publish local probate forms or a probate packet. |
| E-filing | Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system. Cheatham County does not publish an estate e-filing portal or a fax or email filing policy for Chancery Court estate papers. |
| Case search | Cheatham's online search at https://cheatham.tncrtinfo.com/ lists Circuit Court and General Sessions only. Chancery Court is not a selectable option for estate cases. |
| Remote proceedings | No Cheatham-specific remote procedure is published. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology to the trial court's discretion. |
| Website | https://www.cheathamcountytn.gov/court_chancery.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you prepare a petition in Cheatham County, make a practical list of the person's probate assets, debts, likely heirs or beneficiaries, and whether the original will is available. Estate settlement moves faster when you know which accounts, vehicles, personal property, real estate issues, and creditor questions actually need court authority.
Sunset helps families look for accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, organize estate settlement information, and decide what belongs in the Cheatham County packet before the papers go to the Clerk and Master in Ashland City.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Cheatham County's courthouse city is Ashland City. The county includes Ashland City, Kingston Springs, Pleasant View, Pegram, and surrounding unincorporated areas.
Tennessee sends the estate to the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In most Tennessee counties that court is chancery, and T.C.A. § 16-16-201 makes chancery the default unless another law provides otherwise. Cheatham County's local pages and the 23rd Judicial District local rules place estate matters in the Cheatham County Chancery Court, so the papers go to the Clerk and Master at 100 Public Square, Suite 106, Ashland City.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Cheatham County path before drafting. If the estate needs regular administration, Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). If the matter is a small estate, use the petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Prepare the petition and supporting documents. Cheatham County's Chancery Court page does not publish a local probate packet, so review any attorney-prepared forms carefully and call the Clerk and Master if you need to confirm what the office requires for filing logistics.
- Take or mail the petition to the Cheatham County Clerk and Master, 100 Public Square, Suite 106, Ashland City, TN 37015. Cheatham County does not publish an estate e-filing portal or a fax or email filing policy for Chancery Court estate papers.
- Pay the amount required at filing. The statutory clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401; it rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, so call (615) 792-4620 before filing.
- Handle notice according to the Tennessee route. For regular administration, the clerk gives notice to creditors after letters issue under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. For small estate matters, follow T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Ask the Clerk and Master how hearing scheduling works for your filing. Cheatham County is in the 23rd Judicial District rotation, and the local rules allot Cheatham about 3 to 5 Chancery Court days per term, with extra days for emergency motions and petitions as needed.
- Ask separately about any remote participation. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, permits remote technology at the trial court's discretion, but Cheatham County does not publish a separate estate procedure for it.
- Once the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, administer the estate. File any required inventory with the court exercising estate authority in the county under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, address creditor and beneficiary steps, complete any required accounting, and seek closing instructions from the Clerk and Master.
Executor duties
The 23rd Judicial District local rules include a local rule titled "Accountings, return of supporting documentation to fiduciary." Treat that as a Cheatham County reminder to keep receipts, statements, sale documents, and other backup organized when an accounting may be required. The published title confirms that the local rules address return of supporting documentation after an accounting is filed, but the Chancery Court page does not publish a separate estate accounting packet.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cheatham County
Cheatham County's Chancery Court page does not publish local probate petitions, a probate packet, a checklist, or a claim form for estates. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set; its court-forms page is a general trial-court forms page, and its self-help center points estate readers to the clerk in their own county.
For a Cheatham County filing, call the Clerk and Master at (615) 792-4620 before traveling to Ashland City to ask what the office wants with the petition, original will if any, death certificate, proposed order, bond information if applicable, and payment.
Timeline
- Initial counter filing: Uncontested opening papers are handled through the Clerk and Master in Ashland City, not by waiting for a published Chancery Court motion day.
- Chancery Court scheduling: The 23rd Judicial District local rules allot Cheatham County about 3 to 5 Chancery Court days per term.
- Emergency settings: The same local rules allow additional days during off months for emergency motions and petitions as needed.
- Remote proceedings: Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology to the trial court's discretion, so ask the Clerk and Master how the assigned court handles your setting.
Local nuance
Cheatham County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Cheatham County estate |
|---|---|
| 23rd Judicial District rotation | Cheatham County is in the 23rd Judicial District with Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart Counties. The local rules state that each county has Chancery Court for civil and probate matters, but the assigned division rotates through the district. |
| Assigned Chancery days | Cheatham is allotted about 3 to 5 Chancery Court days per term. Routine estate-opening paperwork begins with the Clerk and Master, while contested or court-set matters depend on the district calendar. |
| General Sessions is not the estate forum | Cheatham County's General Sessions page lists civil warrants under $25,000, detainer warrants, writs of possession, garnishment or levy, orders of protection, criminal matters and traffic matters. It does not list estate matters. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Cheatham County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating jointly owned property from assets that actually need Cheatham County Chancery Court authority. If estate authority is needed, the petition goes through the Clerk and Master in Ashland City. If letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, the authority comes through T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps organize title questions, account information, debts, and beneficiary details so the estate settlement plan does not treat every asset as if it needs the same court step. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Confirm whether the Tennessee small estate route under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 fits before traveling. Cheatham County does not publish a local small estate packet, and its online case search does not include Chancery Court estate cases, so call the Clerk and Master about filing logistics. | Sunset helps collect account leads, create an asset list, and prepare questions for the Cheatham County office so a trip to Ashland City is focused. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home-sale issue usually needs careful legal review. Cheatham County Chancery Court handles probate matters under the local court structure, and the assigned Chancery calendar follows the 23rd Judicial District rotation. | Sunset helps surface financial accounts, organize debts and property details, and connect the family with a local probate attorney for sale authority and court filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact or link |
|---|---|---|
| Cheatham County Clerk and Master | The local filing office for Cheatham County Chancery Court estate papers. Court staff can answer filing and office questions, but state court staff cannot engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 100 Public Square, Suite 106, Ashland City, TN 37015. Phone: (615) 792-4620. Website: https://www.cheathamcountytn.gov/court_chancery.html |
| Tennessee court clerk finder | The statewide court website points estate readers to the clerk in their own county. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center/find-court-clerk |
| Tennessee self-help center | The state self-help page explains that most probate and estate matters are handled by the county Clerk and Master and gives the court-staff boundary: state court employees cannot give legal advice or legal referrals under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Clarksville office | The published Clarksville office service area includes Cheatham County. Its site does not list probate or estate administration as a stated case category, so ask whether your issue fits before relying on it for an estate matter. | https://las.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Talk with a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be challenged, heirs disagree, a home must be sold, creditor issues are unclear, a fiduciary accounting is likely, or you are trying to use T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 for a small estate but the facts do not fit cleanly. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, vehicles, and other property that may affect the Cheatham County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized packet you can review with an attorney or use to prepare for the Clerk and Master in Ashland City.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Cheatham County estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Cheatham County?
Estate papers go through the Cheatham County Clerk and Master for Chancery Court at 100 Public Square, Suite 106, Ashland City, TN 37015. Tennessee sends the estate to the court that exercises probate authority in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102), and chancery is the Cheatham County estate court under the county's local pages and T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Does Cheatham County have e-filing for probate?
Cheatham County does not publish an estate e-filing portal or a fax or email filing policy for Chancery Court estate papers. Tennessee also does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system, so plan to call (615) 792-4620 and ask whether to bring or mail the papers.
What is the probate filing fee in Cheatham County under T.C.A. § 8-21-401?
The statutory clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and Cheatham County does not publish the total counter amount on its Chancery Court page, so call the Clerk and Master before filing.
Does Cheatham County publish probate forms?
Cheatham County's Chancery Court page does not publish local probate petitions, a probate packet, or a checklist. For a small estate, the statutory route is the petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, but Cheatham County does not publish a local packet for that filing on its Chancery Court page.
Can I look up a Cheatham County estate case online?
Cheatham County's online case search at https://cheatham.tncrtinfo.com/ lists Circuit Court and General Sessions as selectable court types. Chancery Court is not listed, so the search does not cover the court where Cheatham County estate cases are filed.
When are Cheatham County probate hearings scheduled?
The 23rd Judicial District local rules allot Cheatham County about 3 to 5 Chancery Court days per term, with additional off-month days for emergency motions and petitions as needed. Routine uncontested filings begin with the Clerk and Master, so call the office for scheduling instructions tied to your specific filing.
Can I handle a Cheatham County probate matter without traveling?
Some steps may be handled by mail if the Clerk and Master accepts the papers that way, but Cheatham County does not publish a separate remote estate procedure. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology to the trial court's discretion.
What authority document will banks ask for in a Cheatham County estate?
Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). In a small estate, the authority is limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, restricted to the property covered by that petition.
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.