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Knox County, TN Probate Information

Quick facts

ItemKnox County probate information
CourtKnox County Chancery Court, Probate Division
Courthouse addressCity-County Building, 400 Main Street, Suite 352, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Probate Division is on the third floor.
MailingMail probate filings to the same address: Probate Division, City-County Building, 400 Main Street, Suite 352, Knoxville, TN 37902.
PhoneMain Probate Division line: (865) 215-2389. The court instructs callers scheduling a review hearing to wait through the full phone menu without selecting an option. Probate records and copy requests: (865) 215-4117. Conservatorships and guardianships use the Chancery Court side: (865) 215-2654.
FaxProbate Division fax: (865) 215-4289. Fax filing is accepted under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5A with the required Uniform Facsimile Filing Cover Sheet and the court's service charge.
Email[email protected] for probate records requests. Emailed documents are not considered filed.
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The court publishes no Probate Division counter lunch closure.
Filing feeThe initial filing fee under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and the Knox County Probate Division schedule effective January 1, 2026 is $439.50 when the petition is filed within one year after death. It is $50.00 less when filed more than one year after death because no notice to creditors is published then under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. The statewide statutory clerk's fee component is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486; Knox County's posted total already includes litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
FormsKnox County publishes local probate packets and P-1000 series probate forms, including petition packets, cost bond, Rule 10 certification, oath, waivers, inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, TennCare affidavit under T.C.A. § 71-5-116, claims forms, status report, and closing forms.
E-filingThere is no statewide Tennessee trial-court e-filing system. Knox County states that the Chancery Court and Probate Division do not currently accept e-filing and that emailed documents will not be considered filed. Hand delivery, mail, and fax filing are the published filing channels.
Case searchThe clerk's records page states that records are not currently available online. The court announced that cases initiated on or after February 3, 2026 would be available through the Tennessee Online Court Records System, but the Knox County entry was not found there when this page was reviewed. Use the Probate Records Request Coordinator at [email protected] or (865) 215-4117.
Remote appearanceTenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other remote technology to the trial court's discretion. Knox County does not publish a probate remote-appearance procedure; its instructions describe a review hearing before the Clerk and Master.
Websitehttps://www.knoxcounty.org/chancery/

Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities

Before you file in Knox County, build a clear picture of the estate's assets, debts, account numbers, real estate, beneficiaries, and likely creditors. The Probate Division's own petition packets ask for this information, and its personal-representative guidance warns that real estate may or may not be a probate asset depending on how title was held.

Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across 2,300 institutions, organize account and liability information, and generate a filing packet before the review hearing with the Clerk and Master. That preparation matters in Knox County because the Probate Division requires a completed petition, oath, Rule 10 certification, cost bond, and supporting documents before letters testamentary or letters of administration issue under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.

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 most Tennessee counties that court is the chancery court and the filing office is the Clerk and Master under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Knox County follows that pattern, and decedent estates are filed in the Probate Division of the Knox County Chancery Court.

One courthouse serves Knox County probate: the City-County Building at 400 Main Street in downtown Knoxville. The Probate Division serves all of Knox County, including Knoxville and the Town of Farragut. Knox County is the whole Sixth Judicial District under T.C.A. § 16-2-506(6)(A), so probate hearings are requested through the Probate Division rather than scheduled through a multi-county term-of-court structure.

The jurisdiction process

  1. Identify the estate settlement path before choosing forms. Use the Probate Division's petition packets for letters testamentary with a will, letters of administration without a will, or a petition for limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-103 and the Small Estate Probate Act, T.C.A. § 30-4-101. If real estate is involved, follow the court's warning that deputy clerks cannot decide whether the real estate is a probate asset.
  2. Download Knox County's local forms from the Probate Division. The opening packet for a general administration requires the petition, a copy of the death certificate, oath of personal representative, Rule 10 certification, and cost bond. If there is a will, bring the original will and any codicils, plus the subscribing-witness affidavit or witnesses if needed.
  3. Complete the forms before the hearing. If you want a deputy clerk to notarize forms, the court instructs you to wait to sign those forms until you are at the Probate Division.
  4. Schedule the review hearing by calling the Probate Division at (865) 215-2389. The court instructs callers to wait through the entire phone menu without selecting an option so the call rings to a deputy clerk who can schedule the hearing.
  5. Bring the completed forms and documents to the review hearing before the Clerk and Master. Under Local Rule 18, probate matters are set through the Probate Division office, and the Clerk and Master reviews the documents and determines whether additional requirements apply.
  6. Pay the filing fee under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 before leaving. The Probate Division schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists $439.50 when the petition is filed within one year after death, and $50.00 less when the filing is more than one year after death because the publication charge for the notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 does not apply.
  7. Wait for the order and letters. If the requirements are met, the Clerk and Master prepares an order for a chancellor to review and sign. After the order is signed, a deputy clerk mails the letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 to the address on the petition, unless pickup was requested.
  8. Complete the early administration tasks. Knox County's checklist points personal representatives to the sixty-day inventory and beneficiary-notice duties under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, the TennCare affidavit and release process under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 when required, and the known-creditor mailing duty tied to the notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.
  9. Track claims, accountings, status reports, and closing. Knox County requires creditor claims against the estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307 and exceptions to be filed in triplicate. If inventory and interim accountings are waived, the court's checklist uses a Status Report at fifteen months. If they are not waived, the court's checklist uses an interim accounting at fifteen months and annual accountings after that.
  10. Close the estate. The Probate Division requires receipts and waivers, releases for filed claims, any required final accounting or statement in lieu, a final settlement, and payment of final court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The court's own instruction is direct: it is the personal representative's responsibility to close the estate.

Executor duties

Knox County's Probate Division gives personal representatives local tasks in addition to statewide fiduciary duties. The court's P-1005 sheet warns that a fiduciary must manage assets in good faith, keep complete records, avoid commingling estate funds with personal funds, and may be held personally liable for failing to meet fiduciary obligations.

Local dutyKnox County detail
TennCare releaseIf the decedent was 55 or older, the court's checklist requires a TennCare release and says the estate cannot close until it is filed with the Probate Division, T.C.A. § 71-5-116.
Status report or accountingAt fifteen months, file a Status Report if inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and interim accountings were waived, or file the interim accounting if they were not waived.
Appear and Settle noticeIf the estate remains open longer than fifteen months, the court schedules an Appear and Settle hearing. The personal representative can attend, file a Status Report before the hearing, or submit closing documents and pay final court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Receipts and waiversUse the Probate Division's own Receipt and Waiver form for each distribution, sworn before a clerk or notary or executed under penalty of perjury.
Final settlementFile a Final Settlement even if accountings were waived, and hold back a reserve for final court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Address updatesKeep the court supplied with current addresses for the personal representative and interested parties, using Knox County form P-1080 when needed.
Annual cost paymentsIf the estate stays open more than one year, the court encourages annual payment of court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and warns that the personal representative may be personally responsible if no estate funds remain when final costs are due.
Service copiesThe court instructs filers to serve a copy of anything filed with the court on all interested parties.

Forms and documents

Probate forms in Knox County

Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set; its self-help center directs readers to the clerk in their own county. Knox County is a county where that local form set is extensive. The Probate Division publishes four petition packets and many numbered P-1000 series forms for estate settlement.

Form groupKnox County forms
Opening packetsForms Packet: Petition for Letters Testamentary, with will; Forms Packet: Petition for Letters of Administration, without will; Forms Packet: Petition for Small Estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-101, with will; Forms Packet: Petition for Small Estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-101, without will.
Required opening formsRule 10 Certification, P-1020; Cost Bond, P-1021; Oath of Personal Representative, P-1022; death certificate copy; original will and codicils when the person died with a will.
Waiver and proof formsWaiver of Bond, P-1023; Waiver of Inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, P-1024; Waiver of Interim Accountings, P-1025; Declination to Serve forms; affidavits to prove witnessed or holographic instruments.
Administration formsEstate Inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, P-1050; Affidavit of Notice to Creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, P-1052; Affidavit of Notice to Beneficiaries or Heirs, P-1053; Affidavit of Notice to TennCare under T.C.A. § 71-5-116, P-1054; Verified Claim Against Estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, P-1055; Estate Status Report, P-1057.
Closing formsReceipt and Waiver, P-1060; Statement in Lieu of Final Accounting by Personal Representative, P-1062; Statement in Lieu of Final Accounting, P-1063; Address Update or Correction, P-1080; Certificate of Service, P-1083.
General filing formsUniform Facsimile Filing Cover Sheet, required with all fax filings; Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency for deferred payment requests under Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 29.

The court warns that standardized forms may not fully meet every case, that court staff cannot advise which forms to use or how to fill them out, and that legal matters in the Chancery Court or Probate Division can be complex.

Fees

Knox County publishes a dated Probate Division fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The schedule says its listed filing fees include litigation taxes where applicable, but do not include sheriff's service charges. That makes Knox County different from counties that publish only the statutory clerk's fee.

The statewide statutory clerk's fee component for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486. Knox County's total is higher because the Probate Division schedule rolls in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and, for a petition filed within one year after death, the publication charge for the notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.

ChargeAmount and source
General administration opening$439.50, effective January 1, 2026, when filed within one year after death under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and the Knox County Probate Division schedule. It is $50.00 less, effective January 1, 2026, when filed more than one year after death because no publication charge applies.
Publication if paid separately$50.00, effective January 1, 2026, payable to Knox County Probate Division under the Knox County schedule.
Reopen closed estate$75.00, effective January 1, 2026, plus the $50.00 publication charge effective January 1, 2026 if the reopening is within one year after death.
Request to sell real property, year's support, exempt property, homestead, insolvency, or interpretation$200.00, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and the Knox County schedule.
Creditor claim$50.00, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Knox County requires claims against the estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307 to be filed in triplicate.
Exception to creditor claim$100.00, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Knox County requires exceptions to be filed in triplicate.
Fax filing service charge$5.00 per filing plus $1.00 per page, including the cover sheet, effective January 1, 2026, under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5A and the Knox County fax-filing page. The service charge is due within ten days.
Additional letters$5.00 per letter, effective January 1, 2026, under the Knox County schedule.
Copies and certification$0.50 per page and $5.00 per certification, effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and the Knox County schedule.
Deferred payment requestUse the Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency. Knox County describes this as deferred payment: if a chancellor finds indigency under Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 29, payment is deferred until the end of the case, and costs taxed at the end remain payable.

Timeline

  1. Call for a setting. Knox County does not publish a probate docket day. The opening packets and Local Rule 18 direct counsel or unrepresented parties to request a probate hearing from the Probate Division office by calling (865) 215-2389.
  2. Attend the review hearing described by the Probate Division's instructions. Bring the completed packet and supporting documents for the Clerk and Master to review, then pay the filing fee under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 before leaving.
  3. After the hearing, the Clerk and Master prepares the routine order, letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, and notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 for routine administrations. A chancellor reviews and signs the order.
  4. Use the first sixty days for the Knox County checklist items tied to statewide law: beneficiary notices and inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 if not waived, notice-related affidavits, and the TennCare affidavit or release process under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 when required.
  5. At fifteen months, Knox County's local clock starts. If inventory and interim accountings were waived, the first Status Report is due. If they were not waived, the interim accounting is due. The court also schedules an Appear and Settle hearing if the estate remains open longer than fifteen months.
  6. Respond to an Appear and Settle notice by attending, filing a Status Report before the hearing, or submitting closing documents and paying final court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The court says a filed Status Report before the hearing means attendance is not needed.
  7. Small Estate Probate Act matters under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 and T.C.A. § 30-4-103 close automatically on the first anniversary of the issuance of the limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-103.
  8. If no action has been taken for at least one year, Local Rule 24 allows dismissal after the Clerk and Master sends at least thirty days' written notice. Local Rule 18 also says a probate matter set before the Clerk and Master may be continued only by written order, and the Knox County schedule lists a $10.00 continuance charge effective January 1, 2026 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.

Local nuance

Knox County-specific considerations

Local pointWhy it matters in Knox County
Use the Probate Division, not the general chancery counterLocal Rule 17 sends decedents' estates to the Probate Division in Suite 352 on the third floor. Guardianships and conservatorships go to the Chancery Court side in Suite 125 on the first floor.
Cost bond and Rule 10 certificationKnox County requires a cost bond and Rule 10 certification with petitions in the Probate Division. The court publishes forms P-1021 and P-1020.
Published total includes litigation taxesThe Knox County Probate Division schedule effective January 1, 2026 says scheduled filing fees include litigation taxes where applicable under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Sheriff service charges are not included.
Routine papers are prepared by the clerkThe court's December 2025 release says the Clerk and Master prepares orders to probate, letters, and notices to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 for routine administrations.
Fifteen-month check-inKnox County uses the fifteen-month point for an Appear and Settle hearing, Status Report, or interim accounting, depending on the estate.
Triplicate claimsCreditor claims against the estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307 and exceptions to claims must be filed in triplicate.
Fax filing is real, but riskyFax filing is accepted at (865) 215-4289 under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5A, but the court says it does not confirm receipt and the filer takes the risk of fax problems.
No e-filing or email filingThe court states that the Probate Division does not currently accept e-filing and that emailed documents are not considered filed.

Recent updates

DateKnox County probate update
January 1, 2026New Chancery Court and Probate Division fee schedules took effect under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and 2025 Public Chapter 486. The court says the new fees apply to cases started after December 31, 2025, and to services requested on or after January 1, 2026 in older cases.
February 2, 2026The Clerk and Master's office closed to the public for one day to install the new case management system and train staff, accepting no filings that day. The court stated that time computations during the closure would follow Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.01.
February 3, 2026The Chancery Court and Probate Division moved onto the Tennessee Court Information System. Estates opened from that date use a case number instead of a docket number, case numbers are assigned after the initial filing fee under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 is processed, and the court asked filers not to staple documents because filings are scanned.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.

Scenarios

SituationLikely Knox County pathWhere Sunset helps
Surviving spouse with co-owned homeFile the letters testamentary or letters of administration petition under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 at the Probate Division, Suite 352, with the death certificate, oath, Rule 10 certification, cost bond, and original will if there is one. Knox County's own guidance says whether real estate is a probate asset depends on legal factors and deputy clerks cannot decide that for you.Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and the title questions to raise with counsel before the spouse starts estate settlement or spends estate funds on the home.
Out-of-state adult child with small estateUse Knox County's petition packet for the Small Estate Probate Act under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 and T.C.A. § 30-4-103. The court does not accept e-filing or emailed filings, but it publishes hand delivery, mail, and fax filing. The court's instructions describe a review hearing before the Clerk and Master, and the limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-103 are mailed or held for pickup after the order is signed.Sunset helps search for assets before deciding whether the estate belongs on the T.C.A. § 30-4-103 path, prepares the packet remotely, and helps organize questions for the Probate Division.
Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be soldA home sale points to a general administration in the Probate Division. Knox County's schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists a $200.00 request in an open estate to sell real property under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. If letters issue within one year after death, the initial fee includes the $50.00 publication charge effective January 1, 2026 for the notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.Sunset helps build the asset and liability picture, organize documents for the sale decision, and prepare the probate packet for the Knoxville filing.

Self-help resources

ResourceHow it helpsContact
Knox County Chancery Court, Probate DivisionPublishes the local probate packets, P-1007 procedural checklist, fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and forms for estate settlement. Court staff cannot choose forms or provide legal advice.400 Main Street, Suite 352, Knoxville, TN 37902. (865) 215-2389. https://www.knoxcounty.org/chancery/
Knox County Chancery Court, Resources for Unrepresented PartiesLists referral and self-represented resources. The court states that court personnel make no warranties about the quality, availability, or outcome of listed services.https://www.knoxcounty.org/chancery/unrepresented_resources.php
Knoxville Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServiceProvides referrals for Knox, Anderson, Blount, and Sevier County matters. The KBA states that the referral and either a phone or 30-minute office consultation are free, and that after the consultation panel members expect to be paid their normal fees.(865) 522-7501. https://www.knoxbar.org/
Legal Aid of East TennesseeThe Knox County Chancery Court lists this organization among its referrals. Confirm eligibility and subject-matter coverage directly with the organization.Knoxville office: (865) 637-0484. https://www.laet.org/
Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Self-Help CenterThe statewide self-help center's estate section directs readers to the Clerk and Master in their county. The AOC also states that court employees cannot engage in the practice of law or give legal advice, T.C.A. § 16-3-804.https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center
Tennessee Access to Justice and HELP4TNNamed on Knox County's unrepresented-resources page as statewide access-to-justice resources. Confirm services and eligibility directly.https://www.justiceforalltn.com/ and https://www.help4tn.org/
Knox County ArchivesThe Probate Division records page says older Chancery and Probate records are stored off-site in the Knox County Archives, with some records on microfilm.Use the Probate Records Request Coordinator first: [email protected] or (865) 215-4117.

When to hire an attorney

A probate attorney is especially useful in Knox County when real estate may or may not be a probate asset, a will is contested, heirs are missing, a creditor claim is disputed, the estate needs authority to sell a home, or the personal representative is unsure how to complete the court's local forms. The Probate Division can accept prepared filings, but it cannot tell you which forms to file or how to fill them out. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.

How Sunset helps

Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate financial accounts, insurance, employer benefits, debts, and other estate information before filing. That asset map supports the Knox County petition and helps avoid starting estate settlement with an incomplete picture.

Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into a county-aware probate packet, organized around the Knox County Probate Division's filing sequence, required documents, and local form names.

Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, disputed heirs, creditor problems, fiduciary risk, or questions the clerk cannot answer, Sunset helps connect you with a local probate attorney.

Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next steps, and prepare for the Knox County filing without paying Sunset.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file probate in Knox County, Tennessee?

File decedent estates with the Knox County Chancery Court, Probate Division, City-County Building, 400 Main Street, Suite 352, Knoxville, TN 37902. Tennessee's venue rule sends the estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death, T.C.A. § 30-4-102. Knox County probate jurisdiction remains in chancery under T.C.A. § 16-16-201, and Local Rule 17 sends decedent estates to the Probate Division.

Which court handles wills and estates in Knox County?

The Knox County Chancery Court, Probate Division handles wills and estates. The court states that the Probate Division handles estates of deceased individuals, admission of wills to probate, appointment and supervision of personal representatives, and issuing letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.

How much does it cost to open an estate in Knox County?

The Knox County Probate Division schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists $439.50 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 when the petition is filed within one year after death. It is $50.00 less, effective January 1, 2026, when the petition is filed more than one year after death because no publication charge is needed for the notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. The statewide statutory clerk's fee component is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and Knox County's posted total already includes litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.

Can I file my Knox County probate case online?

No. The court states that the Chancery Court and Probate Division do not currently accept e-filing and that emailed documents will not be considered filed. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. Knox County publishes hand delivery, mail, and fax filing as the available channels.

How do I get a hearing date in the Knox County Probate Division?

Call the Probate Division at (865) 215-2389. Knox County's opening packets instruct callers to wait through the entire phone menu without selecting an option so the call rings to a deputy clerk who can schedule the review hearing before the Clerk and Master.

Does Knox County have local probate forms?

Yes. Knox County publishes local petition packets, P-1000 series probate forms, a personal-representative information sheet, and a procedural checklist. Forms include opening petitions for letters testamentary and letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, petition packets for Small Estate Probate Act matters under T.C.A. § 30-4-101, inventory forms under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, TennCare forms under T.C.A. § 71-5-116, and claims forms under T.C.A. § 30-2-307.

Can I look up a Knox County estate case online?

The clerk's records page says records are not currently available online. The court announced that case information for cases initiated on or after February 3, 2026 would be available on the Tennessee Online Court Records System, but the Knox County office was not listed there when this page was reviewed. For now, request records through [email protected] or (865) 215-4117.

Can I appear by video or phone in a Knox County probate hearing?

Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says the use of teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other technology is permissible at the trial court's discretion. Knox County does not publish a probate remote-appearance procedure, and its opening instructions describe a review hearing before the Clerk and Master. Ask the Probate Division before making travel plans.

Do I have to travel to Knoxville to open an estate?

Knox County accepts filings by hand delivery, mail, and fax filing, and it does not accept e-filing or emailed filings. The court's opening instructions also describe a review hearing before the Clerk and Master, so an out-of-county filer should call (865) 215-2389 to ask how the court wants that hearing handled before assuming travel is avoidable.

Where do guardianships and conservatorships go in Knox County?

Local Rule 17 sends decedent estates to the Probate Division in Suite 352. Guardianships and conservatorships go to the Chancery Court side in Suite 125 on the first floor, and the published line for conservatorships and guardianships is (865) 215-2654.

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.

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