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Jefferson County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Jefferson County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Jefferson County Chancery Court, with estate filings directed to the Clerk and Master under the Tennessee chancery default for counties where no different local act controls probate jurisdiction (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). Call before relying on the separate County Clerk probate information page. |
| Courthouse address | 202 W. Main Street, Suite 207, Dandridge, TN 37725 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 5, Dandridge, TN 37725 |
| Phone | (865) 397-2404 |
| Fax | (865) 397-5645 |
| Hours | The Chancery Court page used for this guide does not post public office hours. Call before going to the courthouse. |
| Fee | 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 § 8-21-401, so ask the office for the current total before filing. |
| Forms | The Chancery Court page does not post probate-specific forms. It points to divorce forms only. The separate County Clerk probate page says standard forms are not used and that the clerk's office cannot prepare forms for a filer, so call the Clerk and Master before preparing a packet. |
| E-filing | No trial-court e-filing portal is posted on the Jefferson County Chancery Court page. Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system for probate. |
| Lookup | jefferson.tncrtinfo.com is available. Ask the Clerk and Master whether it includes Jefferson County Chancery Court probate matters. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. Jefferson County Chancery Court posts Zoom procedures for the Fourth and Fifth Judicial Districts, including agreed and uncontested matters, with limits for testimony and trials. |
| Website | https://jeffersoncountytn.gov/chancery-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you start estate settlement in Jefferson County, make a working list of probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, and the people who may need notice. That list determines whether the Chancery Court packet should seek letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, whether a smaller route may fit under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, and what questions to ask the Clerk and Master.
Sunset searches 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, investments, and other assets before papers are filed. Better asset information makes Jefferson County estate settlement cleaner because the petition, creditor work, and closing steps depend on what the estate actually owns and owes.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Jefferson County Chancery Court sits in Dandridge and serves Jefferson County estate matters for people whose legal residence was in Jefferson County at death. Tennessee's county venue rule for this context defines the court as the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the decedent had legal residence on the date of death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102).
For Jefferson County, use the Chancery Court and Clerk and Master contact information unless the office tells you a different filing path applies. The county's website also contains a separate County Clerk probate information page, so a caller should confirm the correct office, current total cost, and document requirements before mailing or bringing papers.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the right local office before preparing the packet. In Jefferson County, start with the Chancery Court and Clerk and Master because Tennessee's default places probate jurisdiction in chancery unless a local law provides otherwise (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). Call the office if the County Clerk probate information page caused confusion.
- Prepare the petition and supporting documents. A standard estate petition asks for letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). Tennessee's statewide court site does not provide a probate packet, and Jefferson County's Chancery Court page does not post probate-specific forms.
- Submit the papers to the Clerk and Master at 202 W. Main Street, Suite 207, Dandridge, or ask whether mailing to PO Box 5 is acceptable for your filing. Ask whether any local cover sheet, bond document, or proposed order is required before you send originals.
- Confirm the amount due. 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. The fee rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028, and litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added under § 8-21-401.
- Handle notice and hearing issues based on the route. Common form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 does not require notice of the opening proceeding, while solemn form probate under § 30-1-117 requires notice to interested persons. After letters issue, the clerk gives notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.
- Ask how the court schedules your matter. Jefferson County's Chancery Court page posts Zoom procedures for agreed and uncontested matters and states that matters involving testimony or trials are not handled by Zoom. It also says participants should be in the Zoom waiting room by 9:00 a.m. and that the judicial assistant should be contacted at (865) 397-3497 at least two business days before the hearing if a Zoom link is needed.
- Receive authority from the clerk if the petition is approved. Tennessee calls the personal representative's authority document letters testamentary or letters of administration (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). For a qualifying small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, the authority is limited letters tied to the property listed in the petition.
- Administer and close the estate. After appointment, keep track of assets, creditor issues, beneficiary communications, inventory duties under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, and closing requirements. Ask the Clerk and Master what Jefferson County requires for a final settlement or closing order before making final distributions.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Jefferson County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not provide a statewide probate form set for estates. Jefferson County's Chancery Court page does not post probate-specific forms, and the Chancery Court page references Tennessee Supreme Court-approved divorce forms rather than estate petitions.
The county website also contains a separate County Clerk probate information page stating that standard forms are not used and that the clerk's office cannot prepare forms for a filer. Because that page contains other stale-looking material, use it only as a prompt to call the Clerk and Master and confirm what petition, order, bond paperwork, and supporting documents the office wants before starting estate settlement.
Local nuance
Jefferson County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Two county web paths discuss probate | The Chancery Court page gives the Clerk and Master address, phone, and fax. A separate County Clerk page also contains probate information, but it includes stale-looking material and undated dollar amounts. | Start with the Chancery Court and Clerk and Master, then call to confirm the correct receiving office and current total cost before relying on the separate County Clerk page. |
| Published Zoom procedures | The Chancery Court page posts procedures for the Fourth and Fifth Judicial Districts, including Jefferson County. It distinguishes agreed and uncontested matters from matters involving testimony or trials. | Do not assume remote access. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. If the court allows Zoom for your matter, contact the judicial assistant at least two business days before the hearing and be in the waiting room by 9:00 a.m. |
| Online lookup needs confirmation | jefferson.tncrtinfo.com exists, but its landing page does not say whether Chancery Court probate matters are included. | Use the portal as a starting point only, and ask the Clerk and Master whether your estate matter will appear there. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| June 1, 2026 | The Jefferson County Chancery Court page lists updated Zoom procedures for the Fourth and Fifth Judicial Districts. | Agreed and uncontested matters may be considered under the posted Zoom practice, but testimony and trials are not handled that way. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, still leaves remote proceedings to the court's discretion. |
| January 1, 2026 | 2025 Public Chapter 486 changed the statutory probate estate fee under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 to $275, effective January 1, 2026, with increases to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. | Undated local dollar figures should be confirmed with the Clerk and Master before filing because litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added under § 8-21-401. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Jefferson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm what property, if any, is actually part of the probate estate before opening a case. If authority is needed, the petition asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 through the Jefferson County Chancery Court and Clerk and Master. | Sunset helps separate probate assets from jointly held or beneficiary-designated assets, then organizes the information needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Ask the Clerk and Master whether the estate can proceed under the Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The $50,000 limit applies under T.C.A. § 30-4-102, the forty-five-day waiting period is governed by T.C.A. § 30-4-103, and limited letters are issued under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-102 and 30-4-103. | Sunset helps find accounts before the petition is prepared, which is especially useful when the petitioner is not local and needs a complete property list. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-estate sale usually calls for attorney help and a regular estate path rather than relying on a personal-property-only small estate route under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. Start with the Clerk and Master, and ask what petition or court order is needed before listing the home. | Sunset gathers financial information, drafts an organized probate packet, and can connect the family with a Jefferson County probate attorney for the sale-related court work. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Chancery Court and Clerk and Master | Primary local contact for the Chancery Court address, mailing address, phone, fax, and Zoom procedures. Court staff can give filing logistics, but Tennessee court employees cannot give legal advice or engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 202 W. Main Street, Suite 207, Dandridge, TN 37725. Phone: (865) 397-2404. Fax: (865) 397-5645. Website: https://jeffersoncountytn.gov/chancery-court/ |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts self-help center | Points estate and probate readers to the county clerk office list and explains the court-staff boundary under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Tennessee court clerks list | Statewide directory for finding court clerk contact information when a Tennessee county's probate filing office is unclear. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list |
| Jefferson County online lookup portal | jefferson.tncrtinfo.com is available as a case lookup starting point. Ask the Clerk and Master whether Jefferson County Chancery Court probate matters appear there. | https://jefferson.tncrtinfo.com/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, heirs disagree, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, the county's two probate web paths create uncertainty, a bond issue arises, or you are trying to manage Jefferson County estate settlement from outside Tennessee. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, and other assets so the family starts estate settlement with a clearer picture of what exists.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized probate packet you can review before contacting the Jefferson County Clerk and Master or a probate attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal guidance, a real-estate sale, a contested hearing, or help with Jefferson County's local filing questions, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next steps, and decide when professional help is needed without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
Start with the Jefferson County Chancery Court and Clerk and Master in Dandridge. Tennessee sends the matter to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102), and the chancery default comes from T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Because Jefferson County's website also has a separate County Clerk probate information page, call the Clerk and Master before mailing or bringing papers.
Does Jefferson County have probate forms online?
The Jefferson County Chancery Court page does not post probate-specific forms. It references divorce forms only. The separate County Clerk probate information page says standard forms are not used and that the clerk's office cannot prepare forms for you, so ask the Clerk and Master what packet is expected.
Can I e-file a Jefferson County probate case?
No trial-court e-filing portal is posted on the Jefferson County Chancery Court page. Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system for probate, so ask the Clerk and Master whether any local electronic submission method is available before assuming one.
What is the Jefferson County probate fee?
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 § 8-21-401, and Jefferson County's Chancery Court page does not post a current total.
Can I attend a Jefferson County Chancery Court hearing by Zoom?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, makes remote proceedings discretionary with the trial court. Jefferson County's Chancery Court page says agreed and uncontested matters may be handled by Zoom, that testimony and trials are not handled by Zoom, and that short contested legal-argument matters are considered case by case. If Zoom is allowed, the page says to contact the judicial assistant at (865) 397-3497 at least two business days before the hearing and be in the waiting room by 9:00 a.m.
Can I look up a Jefferson County probate case online?
jefferson.tncrtinfo.com is available, but the portal landing page does not say whether Jefferson County Chancery Court probate matters are included. Ask the Clerk and Master whether that portal covers the estate matter you need.
What authority document will I receive after appointment?
Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). For a qualifying small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, the clerk issues limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-102 and 30-4-103.
Do I have to travel to Dandridge for every step?
Not always, but do not assume. Ask the Clerk and Master whether papers can be mailed, whether originals are required, and whether any hearing can use the posted Zoom procedure. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the court's discretion.
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.