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Greene County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Greene County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Greene County Chancery Court, Probate Division |
| Filing office | Greene County Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | Greene County Courthouse, 101 South Main Street, Lower Level, Greeneville, TN 37743 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 263, Greeneville, TN 37744 |
| Phone | (423) 798-1742. The office also publishes (423) 798-1744 and (423) 798-0010 for scheduling. |
| Fax | (423) 798-1743. The office publishes a fax number, but the local rules do not state that estate filings may be sent by fax. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern time. The office does not publish a lunch closure or filing cutoff. |
| Court costs | The statutory probate-estate clerk charge is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Greene County's schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists $377.00 to open an estate with no notice to creditors, $643.40 with notice to creditors, and $653.40 with notice to creditors and an out-of-state fiduciary. The statutory charge rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028 under 2025 Public Chapter 486. |
| Forms | The Clerk and Master does not post a probate petition packet on its website. It does post the Third Judicial District local rules, two January 1, 2026 fee schedules, and a Request to Continue form. |
| Electronic filing | Tennessee has no single statewide trial-court electronic filing system for every county. Greene County Chancery Court is listed on Tennessee's Tybera eFlex portal, and the Third Judicial District rules strongly encourage electronic filing for eligible filings. Ask the Clerk and Master how to handle an original will and whether the case type is accepted. |
| Case lookup | Greene County's online court records search covers Circuit Court and General Sessions, not the Chancery Court where estates are filed. Registered users of the e-filing system and visitors using the office public access terminal may view public electronic case documents that are not sealed. |
| Remote proceedings | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. Greene County's local rule states that court proceedings are presumed to be in person at the court's discretion, and Rule 2.02 addresses Zoom witness testimony under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 43.01. |
| Website | https://www.greenecountytngov.com/clerk-master-office/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you prepare a Greene County probate filing, identify the accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles and beneficiary designations. The local probate rule requires detail about the decedent, the will and codicils if any, the attorney for the estate, and, in intestate estates, the names, ages, relationships and addresses of next of kin and heirs at law.
That asset and family map drives the estate settlement path, the amount to budget for Greene County court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and whether a routine filing can stay on the Clerk and Master's probate docket or needs the Chancellor. Sunset's search covers more than 2,300 institutions so families can find accounts before they commit to the wrong estate settlement plan.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee law sends the estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In counties where no public, private, special or local act provides otherwise, probate jurisdiction is in chancery court and the filing officer is the Clerk and Master (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). Greene County's operative court is the Greene County Chancery Court, Probate Division, and papers go to the Greene County Clerk and Master at the courthouse in Greeneville.
The Greene County Clerk and Master's office serves estates for people who lived in Greeneville, Tusculum, Baileyton, Mosheim and the unincorporated parts of Greene County. The office publishes one courthouse location: 101 South Main Street, Lower Level, Greeneville. Greene County is in Tennessee's Third Judicial District with Hamblen, Hancock and Hawkins counties, which matters for scheduling because one Chancellor serves the district, but the estate filing remains a Greene County filing.
The jurisdiction process
- Inventory the decedent's assets, debts and family information before filing. In Greene County, local Rule 22.02 requires the sworn petition to include the decedent's name, residence and date of death, the attorney for the estate, will and codicil execution details if there is a will, bond information, and next-of-kin details in an intestate estate.
- Prepare the sworn petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Local Rule 22.01 says that, unless the court orders otherwise, only a Tennessee-licensed attorney may represent an estate in matters before the court.
- Sign documents that need original signatures in a conspicuous ink color other than black. Local Rule 5.01 requires that local filing detail.
- Send the petition and supporting papers to the Greene County Clerk and Master in person at 101 South Main Street, Lower Level, Greeneville, by mail to P.O. Box 263, Greeneville, TN 37744, or through the Tybera eFlex system if the Clerk and Master confirms the filing is eligible. A sworn or notarized document filed electronically must be uploaded as a scanned image of the signed original, and the filer must keep the paper original.
- Confirm how the office wants the decedent's original will delivered. The local electronic filing rules do not say what happens to an original will, so do not rely on electronic filing for that physical document without asking the Clerk and Master.
- Pay the Greene County court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The statutory probate-estate clerk charge is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and Greene County's schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists $377.00 with no notice to creditors, $643.40 with notice to creditors, and $653.40 with notice to creditors and an out-of-state fiduciary. Electronic filing adds the current Tybera transaction charge of $5.00 per submission and $1.25 per document download effective July 9, 2026, plus any card-processing convenience charge shown in the transaction.
- The Clerk and Master may approve applications for letters testamentary or letters of administration without a specific order of reference under local Rule 22.09. Solemn form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 goes before the Chancellor, and Greene County prices that category at $377.00 effective January 1, 2026.
- After letters testamentary or letters of administration issue under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, get the certified copies needed for banks and transfer agents. Greene County's chancery fee schedule lists certified copies or seals at $5.00 plus $0.50 per copy, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- If notice to creditors is required, the clerk gives that notice in the name of the personal representative under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. Greene County collects the newspaper charge as part of the January 1, 2026 total when notice runs.
- File the inventory within sixty days of appointment unless excused, as required by T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and Greene County local Rule 22.03. The local rule directs the Clerk and Master to make sure the inventory is filed.
- If a hearing date is needed, call the Clerk and Master's office to check availability on a posted decedents' estates probate docket day, then request the date in writing as well as by phone. Greene County's estate docket begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, and proceedings are presumed to be in person at the court's discretion under Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023.
- Close the estate by the local procedure that fits the case. Local Rule 22.05 allows closing by sworn petition and order in lieu of final settlement when its conditions are met. Otherwise, local Rule 22.06 requires an itemized sworn settlement within fifteen months of qualification and every twelve months after that until final settlement.
Executor duties
Greene County's Rule 22 adds concrete local duties to the statewide personal representative role. The sworn petition must include the decedent's identifying information, the attorney for the estate, will and codicil execution details if applicable, bond information, a statement that due search and inquiry were made for a will, and, for intestate estates, the names, ages, relationships and addresses of next of kin and heirs at law.
The inventory is due within sixty days unless excused under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and local Rule 22.03. If the estate is not closed by a sworn petition and order in lieu of final settlement, an itemized sworn settlement is due within fifteen months of qualification and every twelve months after that under local Rule 22.06. Greene County's schedule charges $0.00 for initial and final accountings and $75.00 for an annual accounting, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Personal representative and attorney fees that need court approval require a noticed petition supported by an affidavit. The Clerk and Master may approve $5,000.00 or less, effective under the local rules revised September 12, 2025. A request above $10,000.00, effective under the same local rules, must include affidavits from two disinterested attorneys and goes to the Chancellor. Neglect of probate duties may forfeit compensation.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Greene County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not provide a statewide probate petition packet. Its self-help material directs most estate and probate matters to the reader's county clerk office, and statewide form availability must be checked as the AOC posts it.
The Greene County Clerk and Master does not post a probate petition, inventory form, estate packet, local probate checklist or small estate petition under T.C.A. § 30-4-103 on its website. Do not use a form from another Tennessee county unless the Greene County Clerk and Master or your attorney tells you to.
What Greene County does post is important: the Third Judicial District Chancery Court Local Rules of Practice revised effective September 12, 2025, including Rule 22 for probate and Appendix F for electronic filing; the probate fee schedule effective January 1, 2026; the chancery fee schedule effective January 1, 2026; and a Request to Continue form for moving a hearing date. The Request to Continue form gives its own routing instructions, but court staff cannot give legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804.
Fees
Greene County is one of the Tennessee counties that posts estate costs in detail. The statutory probate-estate clerk charge is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Greene County's January 1, 2026 chancery schedule shows the local arithmetic as a $268.00 clerk charge plus a $7.00 processing charge, effective January 1, 2026, which equals the statutory $275. The statutory charge rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028 under 2025 Public Chapter 486.
| Estate cost item | Amount and date | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Open an estate with no notice to creditors | $377.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Also the amount Greene County lists for muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111 and for the small estate route under T.C.A. § 30-4-103. |
| Open an estate with notice to creditors | $643.40, effective January 1, 2026 | The total includes the newspaper charge for notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. |
| Open an estate with notice to creditors and an out-of-state fiduciary | $653.40, effective January 1, 2026 | The extra $10.00, effective January 1, 2026, is for Secretary of State service of process. |
| File a creditor claim | $50.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Greene County requires the claim to be filed in triplicate and notarized. |
| File an exception to a claim | $100.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Greene County requires the exception to be filed in triplicate and notarized. |
| Reopen an estate | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Listed on the Greene County probate schedule. |
| Initial or final accounting | $0.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Listed on the Greene County probate schedule. |
| Annual accounting | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Important if the estate stays open past the fifteen-month settlement point in local Rule 22.06. |
| Certified copy or seal | $5.00 plus $0.50 per copy, effective January 1, 2026 | Usually needed for certified copies of letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. |
| Tybera electronic filing charge | $5.00 per submission and $1.25 per document download, effective July 9, 2026 | The Tybera notice says the annual subscription option ended July 9, 2026. The local rules also state that the electronic filing charge is not assessed against a party declared indigent under Rule 29. |
Fees are subject to change without notice on the county schedule. Call (423) 798-1742 before mailing payment. If payment would create a substantial hardship, ask about beginning with a pauper's oath under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 29.
Timeline
- Greene County publishes a separate Clerk and Master's decedents' estates probate docket that begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. The posted dates are subject to change, so call the office before setting or noticing a matter.
- Chancery sessions before the Chancellor begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern under local Rule 2.01. Contested estate matters, solemn form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, and larger fee requests may need the Chancellor rather than the Clerk and Master's routine docket.
- To get a matter on a posted date, call the Clerk and Master's office first to check availability, then send the court-date request in writing and by phone. The office lists (423) 798-1742, (423) 798-1744 and (423) 798-0010 for that purpose.
- Uncontested common form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 may not require a hearing, so do not assume every estate waits for a docket date.
- If witness testimony by video is needed, local Rule 2.02 points to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 43.01 and states that Zoom witness testimony is permitted, but not required, only for good cause shown in compelling circumstances. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the court's discretion.
- File the inventory within sixty days after appointment unless excused, under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and Greene County local Rule 22.03.
- If the estate is not closed by a sworn petition and order in lieu of final settlement, file an itemized sworn settlement within fifteen months after qualification and every twelve months after that under local Rule 22.06.
Local nuance
Greene County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Named probate division | Greene County uses the Greene County Chancery Court, Probate Division. It is not a separate dedicated probate court, but the Clerk and Master publishes a probate schedule and a probate fee sheet for estate matters. |
| Attorney rule | Local Rule 22.01 says that, unless the court orders otherwise, only a Tennessee-licensed attorney may represent an estate in matters before the court. That makes early legal guidance important. |
| Electronic filing | The Third Judicial District has electronic filing rules under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5B, and Greene County Chancery Court appears on the Tybera eFlex participating-courts list. Electronic filing is strongly encouraged, not required, and attorneys and people representing themselves can register. |
| Sworn documents | A sworn or notarized electronic filing must be uploaded as a scanned image of the signed original, and the filer must keep the paper original until the case is over and appeal time has expired. |
| Non-black ink | Local Rule 5.01 requires documents needing an original signature to be signed in a conspicuous ink color other than black. |
| Claims | Claims and exceptions to claims must be notarized and filed in triplicate. The January 1, 2026 amounts are $50.00 for a claim and $100.00 for an exception under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and the Greene County schedule. |
| Remote practice | The Clerk and Master's page and local Rule 2.02 state that proceedings are presumed to be in person at the court's discretion under Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023. |
| Courthouse rules | The Greene County Courthouse rules bar cellphones, smart watches, cameras and other electronic devices, weapons, backpacks, large handbags, outside food and drinks, and the courthouse searches people and items on entry. Courtroom dress rules also apply. |
| Eastern time | The probate docket, chancery sessions and office hours are on Eastern time. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Greene County's probate and chancery court fee schedules took effect. The schedules reflect the current $275 statutory probate-estate clerk charge under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, 2025 Public Chapter 486 and January 1, 2026. |
| September 12, 2025 | The Third Judicial District Chancery Court Local Rules of Practice were revised, including Rule 22 on probate matters and Appendix F on electronic filing. |
| July 9, 2026 | The Tennessee Tybera e-filing service stopped selling and renewing the $300.00 annual subscription option in 2026 and moved Tennessee filers to transaction-based charges of $5.00 per submission and $1.25 per document download, effective July 9, 2026. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Greene County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating nonprobate property from probate assets. If an estate is still needed, the Greene County Clerk and Master handles the filing through the Chancery Court, Probate Division. Local Rule 22.01 makes a Tennessee attorney especially important unless the court orders otherwise. | Sunset helps identify accounts and debts before the spouse spends money opening an estate, and helps generate the estate settlement packet for review by local counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | The small estate route is governed by T.C.A. § 30-4-103. Greene County's January 1, 2026 schedule lists $377.00 for that filing, and $653.40, effective January 1, 2026, for an estate with notice to creditors and an out-of-state fiduciary under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The Clerk and Master can reduce the forty-five-day wait for good cause under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, and the county participates in electronic filing, but call before relying on it for a new estate or an original will. | Sunset helps the adult child decide whether the asset list is small enough for a limited-letters petition under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 and T.C.A. § 30-4-103, and can connect the family to a Tennessee attorney. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually makes the estate more complex than a simple no-notice opening. Greene County local Rule 22 requires a detailed sworn petition, court-supervised fee requests when needed, and later settlement filings. Contested or solemn form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 may need the Chancellor's 10:00 a.m. docket rather than the 1:30 p.m. Clerk and Master's probate docket. | Sunset helps build the asset and liability picture, produces organized estate settlement documents, and helps the parent find a Greene County probate attorney before listing or transferring property. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Greene County Clerk and Master, Chancery Court and Probate Division | The estate filing office. It maintains Chancery Court files, processes filings and payments for the Probate Division, publishes local rules and fee schedules, sets probate docket days, and keeps a public access terminal for public electronic case documents. Court staff cannot give legal advice or choose forms for you under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 101 South Main Street, Lower Level, Greeneville, TN 37743. Mail: P.O. Box 263, Greeneville, TN 37744. Phone: (423) 798-1742. Fax: (423) 798-1743. Website: https://www.greenecountytngov.com/clerk-master-office/ |
| Greene County probate fee schedule | Shows January 1, 2026 amounts for opening an estate with and without notice to creditors, an out-of-state fiduciary, small estate filings under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111, creditor claims, reopening, and accountings under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | Linked from the Clerk and Master's page as the probate fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. |
| Third Judicial District Chancery Court Local Rules of Practice | Rule 22 governs probate procedure in Greene County, including the attorney rule, petition contents, inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, settlements, fee requests and the Clerk and Master's authority. Rule 21 explains accessibility accommodations. Appendix F explains electronic filing. | Linked from the Clerk and Master's page as Local Rules 2025. |
| Tennessee e-Filing, Tybera eFlex | Lists Greene County Chancery Court among participating courts. The local rules strongly encourage electronic filing for eligible filings, allow attorneys and people representing themselves to register, and provide a public access terminal in the Clerk and Master's office. | https://go.tybera.net/tncis/ |
| Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Morristown office | Provides free civil legal help to people who qualify. Its Morristown office lists Greene County in its service area. Its listed practice areas do not name decedents' estate administration, so ask whether your matter fits. | 1001 W. 2nd North St., Morristown, TN 37814. Phone: (423) 587-4850. Toll free: (800) 821-1309. Website: https://laet.org/contact-us/ |
| Tennessee court clerk directory | Helps families identify the correct Tennessee court clerk when the decedent lived in a different county. For Greene County, it lists the Clerk and Master as the chancery filing office. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center/find-court-clerk |
| Accessibility accommodations under local Rule 21 | A party, witness, juror or other person with an interest in a proceeding may ask for an accommodation in writing on the court's form or orally if the court allows. Requests should be made at least five court days ahead when possible, and the court may seal identifying information on request. | Ask the Greene County Clerk and Master at the courthouse or consult Rule 21 in the local rules. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for bank, investment, retirement and insurance accounts so the Greene County filing is based on a complete asset picture instead of guesswork.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet that can be reviewed by a Tennessee attorney and adapted to Greene County's local Rule 22 requirements.
Find a local probate attorney. Greene County's attorney rule makes local counsel especially important. Sunset helps match the family with a vetted probate attorney who understands the Greene County Chancery Court, Probate Division.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next steps and prepare for the Clerk and Master's office without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Greene County?
Estate papers go to the Greene County Clerk and Master for the Greene County Chancery Court, Probate Division. The office is on the lower level of the Greene County Courthouse at 101 South Main Street, Greeneville, TN 37743. Mail goes to P.O. Box 263, Greeneville, TN 37744. Tennessee venue is tied to the county where the person lived at death under T.C.A. § 30-4-102, and Greene County's probate jurisdiction is in chancery court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Does Greene County allow electronic filing for estates?
Greene County Chancery Court appears on Tennessee's Tybera eFlex participating-courts list, and the Third Judicial District local rules strongly encourage electronic filing for eligible filings. Tennessee does not have one statewide trial-court electronic filing system for every county. In Greene County, call the Clerk and Master before relying on electronic filing for a new estate, a probate petition or an original will. The local rule allows attorneys and people representing themselves to register, and sworn or notarized documents must be scanned from signed originals.
How much does probate cost in Greene County?
The statutory probate-estate clerk charge is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Greene County's own schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists $377.00 to open an estate with no notice to creditors, $643.40 with notice to creditors, and $653.40 with notice to creditors and an out-of-state fiduciary. The schedule says fees are subject to change without notice, so call (423) 798-1742 before mailing payment. The statutory charge rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028 under 2025 Public Chapter 486.
Does Greene County have local probate forms?
The Greene County Clerk and Master does not post a probate petition packet, inventory form, estate checklist or small estate petition under T.C.A. § 30-4-103 on its website. It does post the Third Judicial District local rules revised effective September 12, 2025, the probate and chancery fee schedules effective January 1, 2026, and a Request to Continue form.
Do I need a lawyer for a Greene County estate?
Local Rule 22.01 says that, unless the court orders otherwise, only an attorney licensed in Tennessee may represent an estate in matters before the court. That rule does not mean the Clerk and Master can give legal advice. State court staff cannot engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804.
When does Greene County hear estate matters?
The Clerk and Master publishes a separate decedents' estates probate docket that begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern and generally appears about twice each month, with dates subject to change. Chancery sessions before the Chancellor begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern under local Rule 2.01. Call the office to check availability before noticing a matter, then request the date in writing and by phone.
Can I appear by phone or video in Greene County probate?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, makes remote proceedings permissible at the trial court's discretion. Greene County's Clerk and Master's page and local Rule 2.02 state that court proceedings are presumed to be in person at the court's discretion. The local rule addresses Zoom witness testimony under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 43.01, which permits but does not require the court to allow it for good cause shown in compelling circumstances.
Can I look up a Greene County estate online?
Greene County's online court records search covers Circuit Court and General Sessions, not the Chancery Court where estates are filed. Registered users of the court's electronic filing system may view unsealed case documents in that system, and the Clerk and Master's office keeps a public access terminal during office hours. For an estate file, call the Clerk and Master or ask at the counter.
Do I have to travel to Greeneville to handle the estate?
Not always. Filings may be mailed, and Greene County participates in electronic filing for eligible chancery filings, but you should ask the Clerk and Master about the original will and the specific filing before relying on that path. If you go to the courthouse, the county's courthouse rules bar cellphones, smart watches, cameras and other electronic devices, weapons, backpacks, large handbags, outside food and drinks, and everyone is subject to search.
How long does a Greene County estate stay open?
Local Rule 22.06 requires an itemized sworn settlement within fifteen months of qualification and every twelve months after that until the estate is finally settled, unless the estate closes by sworn petition and order in lieu of final settlement under local Rule 22.05. Greene County's schedule lists $0.00 for initial and final accountings and $75.00 for annual accountings, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
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.