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Rhea County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Rhea County details |
|---|---|
| Court and filing office | Rhea County Chancery Court, Clerk and Master. Probate jurisdiction remains in chancery under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. |
| Courthouse address | Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321. |
| Separate mailing address | Rhea County's courts page does not publish a separate mailing address for the Clerk and Master. Call before mailing original documents. |
| Phone | (423) 775-7806. |
| Fax | Rhea County's courts page does not publish a fax number for the Clerk and Master. |
| Hours | Rhea County's courts page does not publish office hours. Call before going to the Justice Center. |
| Cost to start | The state clerk fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit under § 8-21-401 are added on top. Rhea County's courts page does not publish a county total. |
| Forms | Rhea County's courts page does not publish a probate petition, packet or checklist. |
| E filing status | No Rhea County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system for estate filings. |
| Online lookup | Rhea County's courts page does not publish an online probate case lookup. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology to the discretion of the trial court. Ask how Rhea County Chancery Court applies Rule 55. |
| Website | https://rheacountytn.gov/rhea-county-courts/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you start a Rhea County estate settlement, list the assets, debts, account holders, titles, beneficiary designations and any real estate questions. The right path depends on what exists, who is entitled to it and whether a court appointment is needed.
Sunset can help search across 2,300 institutions so you can find accounts before you prepare a petition for the Rhea County Clerk and Master. That asset picture makes estate settlement cleaner and helps you avoid filing a packet that leaves property out.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Rhea County probate filings are handled in Dayton for estates of people who lived in Rhea County at death. Tennessee law sends the estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person had legal residence at death, and Rhea County's court for that purpose is the Chancery Court under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 and T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
The filing office is the Rhea County Clerk and Master at the Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321. The county's courts page also lists separate Circuit, Sessions and Juvenile offices, but the estate filing office is the Clerk and Master for chancery probate.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Rhea County is the right county. Use the decedent's legal residence at death, because Tennessee's venue rule points to the county court exercising probate jurisdiction for that residence (T.C.A. § 30-4-102; T.C.A. § 16-16-201).
- Collect the will, death certificate, asset list, creditor information and names and addresses of heirs or beneficiaries. If the estate may qualify for the small estate route, use the current petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 rather than an outdated affidavit label.
- Prepare the probate petition and any supporting documents. Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117).
- Take the papers to the Rhea County Clerk and Master at the Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321. Call (423) 775-7806 before mailing originals or assuming a filing cutoff, because the county's courts page does not publish hours or a separate mailing address.
- Pay the required costs at filing. The state clerk fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401; litigation taxes and any costs deposit under § 8-21-401 are added on top.
- Use common form or solemn form as the case requires. Common form probate does not require notice of the probate proceeding, while solemn form requires notice to interested persons (T.C.A. § 30-1-117).
- Ask the Clerk and Master how Rhea County schedules any needed hearing. No Rhea County hearing day or waiting period is published on the county's courts page.
- Ask before relying on a remote appearance. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, allows remote technology only at the discretion of the trial court.
- After the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, administer the estate. The clerk gives notice to creditors after letters issue (T.C.A. § 30-2-306), and the personal representative handles required estate tasks such as any inventory required by T.C.A. § 30-2-301.
- Close the estate through the Rhea County Chancery Court process once assets are collected, claims and expenses are handled, required notices or accountings are complete and distribution is ready for court approval.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Rhea County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form packet. Its self-help materials send estate and probate readers to the appropriate county clerk, which for Rhea County is the Clerk and Master for Chancery Court.
Rhea County's own courts page lists the Clerk and Master contact information but does not publish a probate petition, packet, checklist or county fee schedule. Call (423) 775-7806 before visiting the Justice Center so you know what the Clerk and Master will accept for your filing.
Local nuance
Rhea County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Rhea County estate |
|---|---|
| Current filing location | Use the Rhea County Justice Center at 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy in Dayton for the Clerk and Master. The older Market Street courthouse address should not be used as the current estate filing address unless the office tells you otherwise. |
| Chancery remains the probate forum | CTAS historical notes describe Private Acts of 1982, ch. 266, which attempted to assign Rhea probate business to Juvenile Court, but the notes state that act was not approved by the county commission and did not become active. Rhea probate jurisdiction therefore remains with Chancery Court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. |
| No published hours | The county's courts page does not publish Clerk and Master hours. Call before traveling to Dayton, especially if you need to file originals or pay court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Current filing address | Rhea County's current courts page lists the Clerk and Master at the Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321, rather than the historic Market Street courthouse address. |
| Current state probate cost statute | 2025 Public Chapter 486 set the state clerk fee for a probate estate at $275 effective January 1, 2026, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, with additional litigation taxes and any costs deposit under § 8-21-401. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Rhea County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether any accounts or personal property need a Rhea County probate filing. If letters are needed, the petition starts with the Rhea County Clerk and Master in Chancery Court, and letters testamentary or letters of administration come through T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title and beneficiary information and assemble a packet for the local attorney or the Clerk and Master. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Call the Rhea County Clerk and Master before traveling or mailing originals. If the estate fits the small estate process, Tennessee uses a petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, filed in the county court exercising probate jurisdiction under T.C.A. § 30-4-102. | Sunset helps collect the asset list, locate institutions and connect you with local counsel if a Rhea County appearance or signature issue comes up. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If probate authority is needed before a sale, begin in Rhea County Chancery Court through the Clerk and Master. Because a home sale can create title and court-approval questions, speak with counsel before signing sale documents. | Sunset helps find accounts, keep estate settlement tasks organized and connect the family to a vetted probate attorney for the property-sale issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Rhea County Clerk and Master | The local filing office for Rhea County Chancery Court probate matters. Court staff can give office and filing information, but state court employees may not engage in the practice of law or give legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804(b). | https://rheacountytn.gov/rhea-county-courts/ |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts self-help center | The statewide self-help page says most estate and probate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in the county, and it explains the court-staff legal-advice boundary under T.C.A. § 16-3-804(b). | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Tennessee court clerks list | Use this statewide court-clerk directory if you need to confirm that you are contacting the Rhea County Clerk and Master rather than another Rhea County court office. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, benefits and other property so the family can understand what belongs in the Rhea County estate settlement before filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the petition, heir and beneficiary details, asset schedules and supporting documents for the Rhea County Clerk and Master or a local attorney to review.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a real estate sale, a contested issue or a court appearance, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand next steps and get connected to help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start probate in Rhea County?
Start with the Rhea County Clerk and Master for Chancery Court at the Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321. Tennessee sends the estate to the county court exercising probate jurisdiction where the decedent lived at death, and Rhea County remains a chancery probate county under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 and T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Is Rhea County probate handled by Juvenile Court?
No current Rhea County court page points estate filings to Juvenile Court. CTAS historical notes describe Private Acts of 1982, ch. 266, but state that it was not approved by the Rhea County Commission and did not become active. Rhea probate jurisdiction remains in Chancery Court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Which Rhea County address should I use for probate papers?
Use the current Clerk and Master address on the county courts page: Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea Co. Hwy, Dayton, TN 37321. Call (423) 775-7806 before mailing originals because the county page does not publish a separate mailing address.
Can I e-file a Rhea County probate case?
No Rhea County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published, and Tennessee does not have a statewide trial-court e-filing system for estate filings. Plan for paper filing unless the Clerk and Master tells you another current option is available.
Does Rhea County publish probate forms?
Rhea County's courts page does not publish a probate petition, packet or checklist. Call the Clerk and Master before going to the Justice Center so you know what documents the office needs for your situation.
How much does probate cost to open in Rhea County?
The state clerk fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Litigation taxes and any costs deposit under § 8-21-401 are added on top, and Rhea County's courts page does not publish a county total.
Can I appear remotely for a Rhea County probate hearing?
Ask the Rhea County Clerk and Master how the court handles your setting. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, says teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology are permissible at the discretion of the trial court, but it does not create a statewide default.
Can I look up a Rhea County probate case online?
Rhea County's courts page does not publish an online probate case lookup. If you need case status, call the Clerk and Master at (423) 775-7806.
Do I have to travel to Dayton for a Rhea County estate?
Do not travel before calling the Clerk and Master. The county page does not publish hours, a separate mailing address, a remote-appearance practice or an online filing portal, so an out-of-county family should confirm the current filing method before making the trip.
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.