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Johnson County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | Johnson County Courthouse, 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 196, Mountain City, TN 37683 |
| Phone | (423) 727-7853 |
| Fax | (423) 727-7012 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; call before visiting to confirm the daily public-counter schedule. |
| Costs | Johnson County's January 2026 small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 lists three hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents required when filed. Tennessee's statutory probate-estate clerk charge is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with taxes and local costs added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| County forms | Yes. Johnson County publishes small-estate petitions with and without a will under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103, an estate-claim form effective January 1, 2026, and a Zoom notice form. |
| Electronic filing | No published probate electronic-filing portal. The county provides downloadable forms and directs appointment filing with the Clerk and Master. |
| Online lookup | Johnson County publishes johnson.tncrtinfo.com. Confirm with the clerk whether probate or chancery case types are included before relying on the portal. |
| Remote hearings | Johnson County publishes a Zoom Notice of Hearing form. Statewide, Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, makes teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other remote technology permissible at the trial court's discretion under Rule 55. |
| Website | johnsoncountytnchancerycourt.info |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Mountain City, make a working list of the person's probate assets, debts, known creditors, family members, and any original will. That list drives the petition, the bond question, the cost at filing, and whether the Johnson County small-estate forms under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 fit.
Sunset can search across 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts and assets before the Johnson County paperwork is prepared. Better asset discovery makes estate settlement smoother because the petition, notices, and later administration depend on what the personal representative can actually find.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee venue for a small-estate petition is the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county where the person had legal residence at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). Under the chancery default in T.C.A. § 16-16-201, Johnson County probate is handled in the Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division, and filings go to the Clerk and Master in Mountain City.
The Johnson County courthouse serves estates venued in Johnson County. If the person lived outside Johnson County at death, ask the county where the person lived which court handles that estate.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the correct Johnson County path. For an ordinary estate, Tennessee uses a verified petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. For a qualifying small-estate matter, Johnson County publishes local petitions for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103.
- Gather the required documents. Johnson County's small-estate petition with a will asks for the original will, a certified death certificate, consents from heirs and beneficiaries when used in place of bond, and the property and creditor details required by T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103.
- Call the Johnson County Clerk and Master at (423) 727-7853 to schedule filing. The county's small-estate petition directs filers to make an appointment with the Clerk and Master before bringing the papers to the courthouse in Mountain City.
- Bring or mail the completed packet to the Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division, 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683, or P.O. Box 196, Mountain City, TN 37683, as directed by the clerk.
- Pay the filing cost required at the counter. Johnson County's January 2026 small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 lists three hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents due when filed, while the statewide probate-estate clerk charge is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with taxes and local costs handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- If the matter is opened as an ordinary estate, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. If the matter proceeds under the Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. § 30-4-101, the clerk issues limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-102 and 30-4-103.
- Handle notice and early administration after letters issue. In an ordinary estate, the clerk gives notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and the personal representative handles required notices and any inventory obligations under T.C.A. § 30-2-301.
- If a hearing is needed, ask how Johnson County wants it noticed. The court publishes a Zoom Notice of Hearing form, and Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves use of teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other remote technology to the court's discretion.
- Administer and close the estate. Use the letters, or limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103, to collect authorized assets, address claims and expenses, make lawful distributions, and complete any closing steps the Johnson County Clerk and Master requires.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Johnson County
Johnson County publishes local probate forms on the Johnson County Chancery Court forms page. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set, so use the Johnson County forms and ask the Clerk and Master what the office requires for your filing.
| Form | What Johnson County says it is for |
|---|---|
| Small-estate petition with a will | A Johnson County petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 when there is a will. The county form says the original will is required and a copy is not accepted. |
| Small-estate petition without a will | A Johnson County petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 when there is no will. |
| Estate claim form | A Johnson County claim form marked effective January 1, 2026. Claims in an ordinary estate are governed by T.C.A. § 30-2-307 and the notice process in T.C.A. § 30-2-306. |
| Zoom notice form | A Johnson County notice form for hearings using Zoom. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote court proceedings to the trial court's discretion. |
The Johnson County small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 also states that an appointment with the Clerk and Master is required to file. Call (423) 727-7853 before going to the courthouse.
Fees
Johnson County has a local, dated cost figure for the small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103. The county's January 2026 petition lists three hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents required when filed. That figure is local to the Johnson County small-estate petition and is not a confirmed general-estate total.
State law sets the probate-estate clerk charge at $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486. Taxes and local costs are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, so the amount collected at the Johnson County counter can be higher than the statutory clerk charge. Call the Clerk and Master before filing if you are opening an ordinary estate rather than using the Johnson County small-estate petition.
Local nuance
Johnson County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Appointment filing | Johnson County's small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 says an appointment with the Clerk and Master is required to file. Call (423) 727-7853 before traveling to Mountain City. |
| Original will | The Johnson County small-estate petition with a will under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 says the original will is required and a copy is not accepted. |
| Zoom notice form | The court publishes a Zoom Notice of Hearing form. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, still leaves use of remote technology to the court's discretion. |
| Because public listings conflict and the county listing uses a webmail address with a person's name in it, this page does not publish an email address. Use the phone number or the court's website instead. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Johnson County has unusually specific local small-estate paperwork under the Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. § 30-4-101. The county publishes separate petitions for matters with and without a will, states the $50,000 personal-property cap tied to T.C.A. § 30-4-102, references the forty-five-day wait under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, and requires an appointment with the Clerk and Master to file.
The county's January 2026 small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 lists three hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents due when filed. The statewide probate-estate clerk charge is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with taxes and local costs handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Recent updates
| Current item | What changed or matters locally |
|---|---|
| January 2026 county forms | Johnson County's small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 and the county's estate-claim form are dated January 2026. |
| Courthouse address | The Johnson County Chancery Court contact page and court form use 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Johnson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by separating nonprobate property from assets that need Johnson County probate. If letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, the petition runs through the Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps organize accounts, documents, and ownership information so the Johnson County petition is based on a complete asset picture. |
| out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Johnson County publishes small-estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 and requires an appointment with the Clerk and Master. Call (423) 727-7853 before traveling or mailing documents. | Sunset helps identify assets, generate a probate packet, and coordinate next steps when estate settlement is being handled from outside Tennessee. |
| parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of a home usually requires careful review because Johnson County's small-estate limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 are for personal property. Ask a Tennessee probate attorney which Johnson County filing is needed before signing sale documents. | Sunset helps collect account and debt information, prepare the estate settlement paperwork, and connect the family with a local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division | The local court site publishes the contact page, probate forms, estate-claim form, and Zoom notice form. The Clerk and Master can provide filing information, but court staff cannot give legal advice. |
| Johnson County Clerk and Master phone line | Call (423) 727-7853 to ask about appointments, current costs, and filing logistics for the Johnson County forms. |
| Tennessee courts self-help center | The state self-help page directs estate and probate readers to the clerk in their county. It also states that court employees cannot engage in the practice of law or give legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. |
| Tennessee court clerks directory | The statewide clerks directory can help confirm the correct Tennessee filing office if the person lived in a different county at death. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build the asset list that drives estate settlement, from known bank accounts to retirement, investment, insurance, and other financial relationships.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized probate packet for Johnson County, so you can review the documents before filing with the Clerk and Master.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a contested filing, a real-estate sale, or help beyond court forms, Sunset connects families with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying a fee to Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Johnson County, Tennessee?
Johnson County probate filings go through the Johnson County Chancery Court, Probate Division, at the courthouse in Mountain City. Tennessee venue is tied to the county where the person had legal residence at death for small-estate matters under T.C.A. § 30-4-102, and Johnson County follows the chancery pattern under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Does Johnson County require an appointment to file a small-estate petition?
Yes. Johnson County's small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 says an appointment with the Clerk and Master is required. Call (423) 727-7853 before going to the courthouse.
What does a Johnson County small-estate filing cost?
Johnson County's January 2026 small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 lists three hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents required when filed. State law sets the probate-estate clerk charge at $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and taxes and local costs are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Does Johnson County offer probate electronic filing?
Johnson County does not publish a probate electronic-filing portal. Its court site provides downloadable PDF and DOCX forms, and the county's small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 directs appointment filing with the Clerk and Master.
Can I look up a Johnson County probate case online?
Johnson County publishes johnson.tncrtinfo.com as an online court-records portal. Before relying on it for an estate matter, confirm with the Clerk and Master whether probate or chancery case types are included.
Can a Johnson County probate hearing use Zoom?
Johnson County publishes a Zoom Notice of Hearing form, and the Clerk and Master's office provides the meeting information for that notice. Statewide, Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says remote technology is permissible at the court's discretion.
What Johnson County forms should I use?
Use the forms published by the Johnson County Chancery Court. The site includes small-estate petitions with and without a will under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103, an estate-claim form effective January 1, 2026, and a Zoom notice form.
Do I have to travel to Mountain City to start probate?
The Johnson County small-estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 says an appointment with the Clerk and Master is required to file. If travel is difficult, call (423) 727-7853 and ask what the office will accept before you send anything by mail.
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.