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Decatur County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Decatur County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Decatur County Chancery Court |
| Filing office | Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | 22 West Main Street, second floor, Decaturville, TN 38329 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 488, Decaturville, TN 38329 |
| Phone | (731) 852-3422 |
| Fax | The Chancery Court website does not publish a fax number. Call the office before relying on fax filing. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. is the clerk-directory listing. Call before going because the office website uses a live hours widget and has shown an 8:30 a.m. opening. |
| Probate estate fee | The statewide clerk 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 taxes and any costs deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Local forms | Decatur County Chancery Court does not publish a local probate petition, packet or checklist on its website. |
| E-filing status | No Decatur County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published. Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system. |
| Online lookup | decatur.tncrtinfo.com lists Circuit Court and General Sessions search options, not Chancery. The published portal does not show Decatur County Chancery probate filings. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, allows teleconferencing, video conferencing or other remote technology at the trial court's discretion. Decatur County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance practice. |
| Website | dcchancery.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you start a Decatur County estate settlement, make a working list of the person's accounts, debts, titled property, beneficiary designations and possible probate assets. The Clerk and Master can accept filings, but court staff cannot choose forms for you or give legal advice.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions so families can see what may need probate authority, what may pass outside probate, and whether the Decatur County Chancery Court filing should be a full estate or a smaller limited-letters path under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Decatur County Chancery Court in Decaturville serves Decatur County probate matters from the courthouse at 22 West Main Street. The filing office is the Clerk and Master.
Tennessee venue for a small estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 is the court exercising probate authority in the county where the person had legal residence at death. In most Tennessee counties, T.C.A. § 16-16-201 places that work in chancery unless another law provides otherwise. In Decatur County, probate remains in Chancery Court, so estate papers go to the Decatur County Clerk and Master.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path before filing. A full Decatur County estate begins with a verified petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. A small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 uses a petition for limited letters after the requirements in T.C.A. § 30-4-103 are met.
- Prepare the petition and supporting papers. Decatur County Chancery Court does not publish a local probate packet, so call the Clerk and Master before you bring papers to the courthouse.
- Submit the papers to the Clerk and Master at the Decatur County Chancery Court, 22 West Main Street, second floor, Decaturville. Use P.O. Box 488, Decaturville, TN 38329 for mail.
- Pay the required court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The statewide clerk fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit added.
- Ask how the matter will be placed on the Chancery Court calendar. Decatur County Chancery Court convenes on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. on the second floor of the courthouse.
- Ask the office about remote participation if you cannot attend in person. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing and video conferencing to the trial court's discretion.
- After the court accepts the filing, obtain the authority document. Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. A small estate receives limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Administer the estate. The clerk gives notice to creditors after issuance of letters under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and the personal representative handles required beneficiary notice, inventory duties and TennCare notice tied to T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and § 71-5-116.
- Close the estate after debts, claims, distributions and required court filings are complete. Keep copies of every filing, receipt and distribution for the final settlement.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Decatur County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set. Its Self-Help Center says most probate and estate matters are handled by the Clerk & Master in your county.
For Decatur County, the Chancery Court website does not publish a local probate petition, packet or checklist. Call the Clerk and Master before preparing a Decatur County filing so you can confirm what the office expects for a petition under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 or for a small estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
Timeline
- Decatur County Chancery Court convenes on the second floor of the Decatur County Courthouse on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m.
- Call the Clerk and Master before travel or mailing because the office website does not publish a stable weekly hours table and does not publish a probate-specific scheduling cutoff.
- If you are asking to participate by phone or video, ask before the court date. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, makes remote technology discretionary with the trial court.
Local nuance
Decatur County-specific considerations
Decatur County has a local court-structure detail that matters for filing. Private Acts of 1982, ch. 366 would have placed probate jurisdiction in General Sessions, but the Decatur County Commission did not take the required local vote by the deadline. The act did not take effect, so probate remains in the Decatur County Chancery Court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
The Chancery Court's published responsibilities include probate, adoption, child support, divorce adjudication, conservatorships and guardianships. For estate settlement, the relevant office is the Clerk and Master at the Decatur County Chancery Court.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Decatur County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating assets that pass outside probate from assets that need Decatur County Chancery Court authority. If probate is needed, the petition is filed through the Clerk and Master. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize title information and prepare for an attorney conversation before the estate settlement begins. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Ask the Clerk and Master about the Decatur County filing process before traveling. A small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 may use limited letters if the statutory requirements fit, including the T.C.A. § 30-4-102 property limit and the T.C.A. § 30-4-103 timing and bond rules. | Sunset helps identify assets and debts so you can see whether the limited-letters route is realistic before contacting the court. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires full probate authority rather than small estate limited letters, because the T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 limited-letters route is for personal property. File the appropriate petition in Decatur County Chancery Court and consider counsel before signing a sale contract. | Sunset organizes known assets and connects the family with a local probate attorney for sale authority, creditor issues and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Decatur County Chancery Court and Clerk and Master, dcchancery.com | Use this office for Decatur County probate filing questions, courthouse location, mailing address and the court calendar. Court staff can provide filing-office information, but not legal advice. |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Self-Help Center, tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center | The Self-Help Center says most probate and estate matters are handled by the Clerk & Master in your county. It also states that court employees may not engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. |
| Tennessee court clerks list, tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list | Use the statewide clerks list to check current court-office contact information before mailing papers or driving to Decaturville. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, heirs disagree, creditors are active, real estate must be sold, the estate may be insolvent, or you live outside Tennessee and need help coordinating filings with the Decatur County Chancery Court. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate accounts, benefits and other assets that may affect a Decatur County estate settlement, so the personal representative can make a more complete plan before filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for review, including asset details, family information and the documents a lawyer or court office is likely to ask about.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Decatur County filing needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney who understands Chancery Court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a single place to organize estate settlement tasks, documents and next steps without charging families to use the service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Decatur County?
File Decatur County probate matters through the Clerk and Master for the Decatur County Chancery Court in Decaturville. Tennessee's chancery default comes from T.C.A. § 16-16-201, and Decatur County's 1982 attempted transfer to General Sessions did not take effect.
What is the Decatur County probate court address?
The Decatur County Chancery Court is at 22 West Main Street, second floor, Decaturville, TN 38329. The mailing address is P.O. Box 488, Decaturville, TN 38329.
Can I file a Decatur County probate case electronically?
No Decatur County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published. Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system, so call the Clerk and Master before assuming any online filing option exists.
When does Decatur County Chancery Court hear probate matters?
Decatur County Chancery Court convenes on the second floor of the courthouse on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. Call the Clerk and Master to confirm how a probate matter is placed on that calendar.
Can I attend a Decatur County probate hearing by phone or video?
Decatur County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance practice. Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says use of teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology is permissible at the trial court's discretion.
Is there an online search for Decatur County probate cases?
The published decatur.tncrtinfo.com search page lists Circuit Court and General Sessions options, not Chancery. Because Decatur County probate is handled in Chancery Court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201, that published portal does not show the Chancery probate filing path.
Does Decatur County publish probate forms?
Decatur County Chancery Court does not publish a local probate packet on its website. The statewide AOC forms page also does not publish a probate form set, so call the Clerk and Master before preparing a petition under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 or a small estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
How much does it cost to open probate in Decatur County?
The statewide clerk 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 taxes and any costs deposit are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and Decatur County does not publish a local total on its Chancery Court website.
Do I have to travel to Decaturville for a small estate?
Ask the Clerk and Master before making travel plans. A small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 uses limited letters and is subject to the T.C.A. § 30-4-102 property limit and the T.C.A. § 30-4-103 waiting and bond rules, but Decatur County does not publish a separate travel or remote-filing procedure for that path.
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.