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Cumberland County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court and filing office | Cumberland County Clerk and Master, clerk for estate filings in the local probate court created by Private Acts of 1982, ch. 223, and for the Cumberland County Chancery Court. Tennessee allows local acts to place probate jurisdiction outside the chancery default (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). |
| Courthouse address | 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 226, Crossville, TN 38555 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published by the Clerk and Master. Use the office address unless the clerk gives you different mailing instructions. |
| Phone | (931) 484-4731 |
| Fax | (931) 787-1642 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Cost to start | The statewide clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation tax amounts and any deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401; Cumberland County does not publish a local total on the Clerk and Master page. |
| Forms | The Cumberland County Clerk and Master page does not publish a distinct probate petition, packet, or checklist. |
| Electronic filing | No Cumberland County probate e-filing portal is published on the county pages. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. |
| Online lookup | The county pages do not publish a distinct online lookup for Cumberland County estate files. Ask the Clerk and Master whether any online portal covers the file you need. |
| Remote practice | No Cumberland County-specific remote practice is published. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing and video conferencing to the trial court's discretion. |
| Website | https://cumberlandcountytn.gov/directory/clerk-master/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Cumberland County, list the accounts, vehicles, personal property, real estate, debts, and potential creditors. The right estate settlement path depends on what must pass through probate, who has priority to serve, whether a will exists, and whether a sale of real property is needed.
Sunset helps families organize that first inventory by searching across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then turning the results into a practical estate settlement plan for the Cumberland County filing office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Cumberland County estate filings are made in Crossville at the Clerk and Master office in the Cumberland County Justice Center. The office serves estate matters for people whose Tennessee probate venue is Cumberland County.
Tennessee law 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). In counties not otherwise changed by public, private, special, or local acts, chancery is the default under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Cumberland County has a local court created by Private Acts of 1982, ch. 223 with estate authority concurrent with chancery, but the Clerk and Master remains the clerk for estate filings.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Cumberland County filing office. For estate matters, start with the Cumberland County Clerk and Master at 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 226, Crossville, because the Clerk and Master clerks the local probate docket created by Private Acts of 1982, ch. 223 and the chancery estate docket under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
- Prepare the opening petition. Tennessee uses a verified petition for letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is no will (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). Bring the original will if there is one, a death certificate, asset and debt information, and the information needed to identify heirs or beneficiaries.
- File with the Clerk and Master. Cumberland County does not publish a local probate packet online, so call (931) 484-4731 before you go to ask what the office wants in your situation and whether copies, a bond, or proposed orders should be included.
- Pay the starting amount or ask about hardship options. The statewide clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486; it rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation tax amounts and any deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. If payment would create a substantial hardship, ask the clerk about a pauper's oath under Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 29.
- Handle notice and any required hearing. Uncontested common form probate proceeds without notice of the probate proceeding, while solemn form probate requires notice to interested persons (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). Cumberland County does not publish fixed estate hearing days, so ask the Clerk and Master how hearings are scheduled.
- Ask before planning to appear by phone or video. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says remote use of teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other technology is permissible at the trial court's discretion. Cumberland County does not publish a separate probate remote-appearance policy.
- Receive authority from the clerk. Tennessee calls the personal representative's authority document letters testamentary if there is a will and letters of administration if there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). In Cumberland County, the Clerk and Master issues the letters for estate matters.
- Administer and close the estate. After letters issue, follow the Tennessee deadlines that apply to inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, creditor notice under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, claims against the estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, distributions, accounting, and closing orders.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cumberland County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set for county estate filings. Cumberland County's Clerk and Master page also does not publish a distinct local probate petition, packet, or checklist.
Before you file, call the Clerk and Master at (931) 484-4731 and ask what documents the office wants for your estate settlement. If the matter may qualify for a small estate proceeding under The Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. § 30-4-101 et seq., ask the office for the current Cumberland County filing requirements rather than relying on an old form from another county.
Local nuance
Cumberland County-specific considerations
Cumberland County is not a plain chancery-default county for estate filings. Private Acts of 1982, ch. 223 created a local court with authority over estates concurrent with the Chancery Court, which fits Tennessee's rule that probate jurisdiction can be changed by local law (T.C.A. § 16-16-201).
The practical point is simpler than the structure: estate papers still go through the Cumberland County Clerk and Master. The General Sessions office is a separate office in the Justice Center, but the estate filing office is the Clerk and Master at Suite 226.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Cumberland County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating property that passes outside probate from property that needs court authority. If an estate must be opened, contact the Cumberland County Clerk and Master in Crossville about the petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, and debts so the spouse does not open a larger estate settlement than the assets require. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a modest personal-property estate | Ask the Clerk and Master whether the matter can proceed under The Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. § 30-4-101 et seq. Tennessee small estate petitions use limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 and must follow the waiting and filing rules in T.C.A. § 30-4-103. | Sunset helps collect asset details before you call the Crossville office, then helps prepare a clean packet for local review. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-property sale usually calls for full estate authority rather than a small estate route under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 et seq. Start with the Clerk and Master and ask what petition, order, and hearing process the Cumberland County court requires. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement, flag missing financial accounts, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a home sale requires court approval. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County Clerk and Master | The first local stop for Cumberland County estate filings. The office can provide filing logistics, hours, and local document instructions, but court staff cannot give legal advice or engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 226, Crossville, TN 38555. Phone: (931) 484-4731. Website: https://cumberlandcountytn.gov/directory/clerk-master/ |
| Tennessee courts self-help center | The statewide court self-help page directs estate and probate readers to the clerk in their own county and explains that court employees cannot provide legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands | The organization lists a Cookeville office serving Cumberland County and describes its help as free legal help. It does not list probate as a covered area on the office-location page, so call first and ask whether your issue fits. | Statewide: 1-800-238-1443. Cookeville office: 931-528-7436. Website: https://las.org/get-help/office-locations-and-the-counties-we-serve/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a probate attorney if heirs disagree, a will may be challenged, the estate includes real property that must be sold, a creditor issue is unclear, or you are unsure whether to proceed through the local Cumberland County probate docket or chancery docket. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps locate bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other financial accounts so the family can see what belongs in the estate settlement before filing in Cumberland County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list, family information, and court requirements into an organized probate packet for review and filing with the correct Cumberland County office.
Find a local probate attorney. When a court appearance, real-estate sale, dispute, or creditor issue needs legal help, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the next steps, and move forward without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Cumberland County?
Start with the Cumberland County Clerk and Master at 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 226, Crossville. Cumberland County has a local probate court created by Private Acts of 1982, ch. 223 with authority concurrent with chancery, but the Clerk and Master is the filing office for estate matters under that act and within Tennessee's probate jurisdiction framework in T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Does Cumberland County use the Clerk and Master for estate filings?
Yes. The local act creating Cumberland County's estate court states that the Clerk and Master is the clerk for those matters. For a family filing an estate, the practical office is the Clerk and Master in Suite 226 at the Justice Center.
Can I e-file a Cumberland County probate case?
No Cumberland County probate e-filing portal is published on the county pages. Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system, so call the Clerk and Master before assuming an electronic option exists.
Does Cumberland County publish probate forms online?
The Cumberland County Clerk and Master page does not publish a distinct probate petition, packet, or checklist. Call (931) 484-4731 before filing so you know what documents the office wants for your estate settlement.
How much does it cost to open probate in Cumberland County?
The statewide clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation tax amounts and any deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and Cumberland County does not publish a local total on the Clerk and Master page.
Can I appear remotely for a Cumberland County probate hearing?
Cumberland County does not publish a separate probate remote-appearance policy. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says remote use of teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other technology is permissible at the trial court's discretion, so ask the Clerk and Master how the court handles your type of hearing.
Can I look up a Cumberland County estate case online?
The Cumberland County pages do not publish a distinct online lookup for estate files. Ask the Clerk and Master whether any online portal covers the file you need before relying on an internet search.
Do I have to travel to Crossville to start probate?
Not always, but do not assume you can handle everything by mail or electronically. Cumberland County does not publish a probate e-filing portal or a remote filing policy for estate matters, so call the Clerk and Master to ask how to submit the petition, original will if any, payment, and copies.
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.