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Rutherford County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Rutherford County details |
|---|---|
| Court that hears estates | The Probate Court of Rutherford County, with a general sessions judge sitting as probate judge under Private Acts of 1947, ch. 384, as amended. Tennessee's default chancery rule is subject to private acts (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). The Chancery Court also publishes its own probate fees and forms. |
| Filing office | Rutherford County Clerk, 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. |
| Hearing location | Rutherford County Judicial Building, 116 W. Lytle Street, Courtroom 3D, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. |
| Mailing | The County Clerk publishes no separate probate mailing box. Mail probate papers to the County Clerk at 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. |
| Phone | Probate filing office: (615) 898-7800, extension 2. Hearing dates: judge's office at (615) 217-1138. |
| Fax | The County Clerk publishes no probate fax filing channel. The Chancery Court fax is (615) 691-5964, but new cases may not be opened by fax there. |
| Hours | County Clerk: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday. Chancery Court: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the building closing to the public at 4:15 p.m. |
| Cost at filing | The County Clerk's schedule, revised July 1, 2018, publishes $418.50 for opening and closing an estate other than a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, and the current small estate petitions publish $229.50 as of August 2026. The statutory clerk fee behind Tennessee probate costs is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486; litigation taxes and other court costs are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Local forms | Yes. The County Clerk publishes small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102, an inventory, an annual or final accounting, and an estate claim form. The Chancery Court publishes a separate probate form set. |
| Electronic filing | There is no statewide trial court electronic filing system in Tennessee. Rutherford County Clerk probate filings are handled in person or by mail. The Chancery Court has a separate electronic filing system for cases in that forum. |
| Case lookup | Rutherford County publishes an online court records system at rutherford.tncrtinfo.com for Circuit Court, General Sessions and Clerk and Master civil and criminal case types. The County Clerk is not listed in that search, and the County Clerk says probate matters are public record available for review in its office. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. Rutherford County publishes no estate-specific remote appearance practice. |
| Website | County Clerk estate page: https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/estate-wills. Chancery Court: https://rcchancery.com/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Rutherford County, identify the assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries and any real estate. That determines whether the estate settlement can use Rutherford County's small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102, or whether an ordinary administration petition under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 is needed.
Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and property before they commit to a probate path. In Rutherford County, that asset picture matters because the filing counter, hearing location, form set, costs and real estate sale rules are unusually local.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Rutherford County probate filings are directed to the County Clerk's Murfreesboro office at 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121. Hearings are held at the Rutherford County Judicial Building, 116 W. Lytle Street, Courtroom 3D, also in Murfreesboro. The County Clerk has other offices in Blackman, Smyrna and Eagleville for other county clerk business, but the probate petitions name only the Murfreesboro office.
Tennessee sends an estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In many Tennessee counties, that means chancery court and the Clerk and Master under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Rutherford County is different: Private Acts of 1947, ch. 384, as amended, gives the general sessions court probate jurisdiction under § 16-16-201's private act exception, and the County Clerk is the filing officer. The County Clerk's forms state that the deceased must have resided in Rutherford County when he or she died.
Rutherford County sits in Tennessee's 16th Judicial District. The locally published materials identify Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville as Rutherford County communities.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide which local path fits. Rutherford County publishes small estate petitions for estates with a will and without a will under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102. If the estate needs ordinary administration, the County Clerk does not publish a general petition form, so the petition must be prepared to meet T.C.A. § 30-1-117 and the local probate rules.
- Prepare the papers. For a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102, the county's petitions call for the petition, signed consents from heirs and, when there is a will, beneficiaries, the original will if there is one, and a certified death certificate.
- File with the Rutherford County Clerk at 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, in person or by mail. The County Clerk accepts cash, checks drawn on Tennessee banks, and credit or debit cards with a 2.25 percent plus $0.25 convenience fee as published August 2026. The County Clerk does not accept out-of-state checks.
- Pay the published costs. The County Clerk's schedule, revised July 1, 2018, publishes $418.50 for opening and closing an estate other than a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The current small estate petitions publish $229.50 as of August 2026. The statutory clerk fee is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes and court costs added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- Give notice to the interested people. The local small estate petition under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102 puts responsibility on the petitioner to give the petition and hearing date to heirs and, when there is a will, beneficiaries. For ordinary estates, the notice to creditors process is tied to T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and Rutherford County's packet says the Clerk's Office mails the personal representative and attorney a copy of the notice within four weeks of appointment.
- Get a hearing date by calling the judge's office at (615) 217-1138. The probate court's published local rules set the regular probate docket Tuesday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. for matters expected to take no more than fifteen minutes.
- Attend the hearing at the Rutherford County Judicial Building, 116 W. Lytle Street, Courtroom 3D, Murfreesboro, and bring the original documents. The published small estate petitions state that no bags of any kind are permitted in the Judicial Building and include a courtroom dress code.
- After appointment, sign the personal representative oath at the County Clerk's office and post any required bond. Rutherford County's packet says the personal representative and attorney execute a cost bond before letters issue.
- Collect the authority document. Under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not. In a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102, the clerk issues limited letters. Rutherford County publishes $6.00 per additional letter as of its July 1, 2018 schedule.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 on the county form when required, keep interested parties copied on accountings, file the annual status report required by the local packet, obtain the TennCare release tied to T.C.A. § 71-5-116 before asking for a closing order, and aim to close within fifteen months unless good cause exists.
Executor duties
Rutherford County adds several local duties to the statewide job of a personal representative. After the appointment hearing, the personal representative signs the oath at the County Clerk's office, executes a cost bond with the attorney, and then receives letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
The County Clerk's procedural packet says accrued court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 should be paid annually if the estate stays open longer than one year. It also requires annual status reports within fifteen months of appointment and every twelve months after that, even when accountings are waived.
For accounting work, the local packet says copies of accountings must be furnished to all interested parties, specific bequest receipts should be filed with the clerk, and the Clerk's Office cannot extend deadlines for an inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, an accounting or an annual status report. If more time is needed, the packet says an attorney must ask the court by motion.
Rutherford County also requires a TennCare release tied to T.C.A. § 71-5-116 before the court will sign an order closing an estate. The probate court's local rules say estates should be closed within fifteen months unless good cause is shown.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Rutherford 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. In Rutherford County, the County Clerk publishes probate forms for estate settlement, and the Chancery Court publishes a separate form set for its concurrent probate forum.
| Office | Published probate forms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherford County Clerk | Small estate petition with a will, small estate petition without a will, inventory of administrators or executors, annual or final accounting, and estate claim form. | The small estate petitions are petitions for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102. The County Clerk's site does not publish a petition form for opening an ordinary estate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. |
| Rutherford County Chancery Court | Agent appointment by nonresident fiduciary, inventory of assets, personal representative oath, notice affidavit, receipt of beneficiary, small estate petition forms, bond waiver, TennCare release form, and verified claim against estate. | This is the Chancery Court's separate probate form set. Do not mix it with the County Clerk's forms unless the court directs you to that forum. |
| Estate claim form | The County Clerk publishes a claim form that must be notarized, filed in triplicate, and supported by the original claim document plus two copies. | The County Clerk's claim instructions publish a $50.00 claim filing charge as of August 2026, payable to the Rutherford County Clerk, and creditor claims are governed by T.C.A. § 30-2-307 and the notice framework in T.C.A. § 30-2-306. |
Fees
Rutherford County has two published probate cost schedules, one from the County Clerk and one from the Chancery Court. That matters because the county's ordinary probate path is through the County Clerk, while Chancery also publishes probate fees and forms for its concurrent forum.
| Charge | Published amount | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Current statutory clerk fee | $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 | The same statute raises the fee to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Litigation taxes and other court costs are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| County Clerk ordinary estate | $418.50, schedule revised July 1, 2018 | The County Clerk publishes this for opening and closing an estate other than a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. Ask the office to confirm the current counter total because the statewide statutory fee changed effective January 1, 2026. |
| County Clerk small estate petition | $229.50, printed on petitions published August 2026 | The amount appears on both current Rutherford County small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102. |
| County Clerk creditor publication | $135.00 Daily News Journal, $125.00 Main Street Media, and $28.00 WGNS, published August 2026 | The County Clerk's packet says to bring a separate check payable directly to the newspaper or publication for notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. |
| County Clerk claim filing | $50.00, published August 2026 | For a claim against an estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, the County Clerk instructs claimants to submit a check or money order payable to the Rutherford County Clerk. |
| County Clerk payment rule | 2.25 percent plus $0.25 card convenience fee, published August 2026 | The County Clerk accepts checks drawn on Tennessee banks only and does not accept out-of-state checks. |
| Chancery probate estate | $439.50 effective January 1, 2026 | The Chancery Court's schedule says this includes $164.50 of litigation tax. The remaining $275.00 matches the statutory fee effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Chancery fax charges | Incoming fax filing is $5.00 plus $1.00 per page, published August 2026; outgoing fax copies are $3.00 plus $0.50 per page, published August 2026 | These apply to the Chancery Court forum. New cases cannot be opened by fax. |
Timeline
- Call the judge's office at (615) 217-1138 to get an available probate hearing date. The judge's office designates available dates for all matters.
- Use the regular probate docket if the matter is expected to take no more than fifteen minutes. The probate court's published local rules set that docket Tuesday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., excluding holidays.
- For motions, the local rules use the same Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. window, in fifteen-minute increments. Motions must be in writing and set by the judge's office.
- After a hearing, orders must state the hearing or docket date and be presented to the court within ten days unless the court grants more time.
- For closing, the local rules say estates should be closed within fifteen months from opening unless good cause is shown.
- If an order to close is lodged, the court waits five days before signing it so objections can be filed.
- For detailed final accountings, the County Clerk's packet says at least thirty days are required for review, and that review and approval for recording usually take thirty to sixty days.
- Estates with no activity for five years are subject to administrative closure on the court's own motion under the local rules.
Local nuance
Rutherford County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The usual Tennessee filing office is not the Rutherford County filing office | Because of Private Acts of 1947, ch. 384, as amended, probate jurisdiction under T.C.A. § 16-16-201 is exercised by the general sessions court sitting as the Probate Court of Rutherford County, and the County Clerk takes the filing. |
| Chancery also publishes probate materials | The Chancery Court lists probate among its case types and publishes its own probate fee schedule and forms. Use the County Clerk path unless the court or an attorney directs you to the Chancery forum. |
| The filing counter and courtroom are different places | Papers go to 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121. Hearings are at 116 W. Lytle Street, Courtroom 3D. |
| The county publishes in-person hearing instructions | The current small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102 tell filers to call for a hearing date, bring original documents to court, and return to the Clerk's office for the certified order. |
| Out-of-state checks are not accepted | The County Clerk accepts checks drawn on Tennessee banks only. That is important for out-of-state family members handling estate settlement from elsewhere. |
| Real estate sale rule | The probate court's local rule says a fiduciary who wants to sell a decedent's real property must file a verified petition for approval, unless the will expressly authorizes the executor to sell. A proposed sale contract must say that it is subject to court approval. |
| Judicial Building security | The published small estate petitions state that no bags of any kind are permitted in the Judicial Building and include a dress code for court. |
Recent updates
| Local update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Chancery fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 | The Chancery Court's probate estate total is $439.50 effective January 1, 2026, including $164.50 of litigation tax under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The $275.00 base matches 2025 Public Chapter 486, effective January 1, 2026. |
| Chancery probate forms updated in 2026 | The Chancery Court's probate form table includes several probate files last modified February 27, 2026, including personal representative oath, notice affidavit, receipt of beneficiary, TennCare release tied to T.C.A. § 71-5-116, and verified claim against estate. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating nonprobate property from property that must pass through the Rutherford County probate process. If court action is needed, filings are directed to the County Clerk in Murfreesboro, not the Chancery filing counter, and any hearing is at the Judicial Building. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title clues before the spouse spends money on the wrong estate settlement route. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use the County Clerk's small estate petition for a will or no-will estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102. Plan for the County Clerk's Tennessee-bank check rule, the judge's office hearing-date call, and the separate courtroom address. | Sunset helps gather asset information, organize the local small estate packet, and flag payment and travel details for an out-of-state filer. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the will does not expressly authorize the sale, Rutherford County's local rule requires a verified petition for court approval before a fiduciary sells the decedent's real estate. The sale contract must say it is subject to court approval. | Sunset helps surface mortgages, bank accounts and property records so the family and attorney can decide whether sale authority must be requested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact or link |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherford County Clerk, probate office | First stop for Rutherford County estate filings, letters, local probate forms, claim filing instructions and the County Clerk probate fee schedule. The clerk's office cannot give legal advice or tell you which forms to file. | 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. (615) 898-7800, extension 2. https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/estate-wills |
| Probate Court local rules and Estate Matters packet | Local court rules and a procedural packet for accountings, closing, creditor notices under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and estate administration steps. Use the current state law for small estate thresholds under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102. | Linked from https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/estate-wills |
| Free legal clinic sponsored by the Rutherford and Cannon County Bar Association | The Chancery Court FAQ points readers to a free legal clinic each Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries. The court does not state that the clinic handles probate questions. | Greenhouse Ministries, 309 South Spring Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Bar association: https://rccba.com/ |
| Rutherford and Cannon County Bar Association directory | The Chancery Court says it cannot recommend attorneys and points readers to the local bar association directory. | https://rccba.com/ |
| Justice for All | The Chancery Court FAQ points self-represented litigants to the Tennessee Supreme Court's Justice for All site. | https://justiceforalltn.com |
| Rutherford County Online Court Records System | Public court records search for Circuit Court, General Sessions and Clerk and Master civil and criminal case types. The County Clerk is not listed as a searched office. | https://rutherford.tncrtinfo.com/ |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful in Rutherford County when the estate has real estate to sell, a will contest, missing heirs, creditor disputes under T.C.A. §§ 30-2-306 and 30-2-307, a need to decide between the County Clerk and Chancery forum, or a petition that the County Clerk does not publish as a fillable form. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset helps families build the asset picture before filing, so the estate settlement starts with a clearer list of accounts, debts, property and possible beneficiaries.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset can help organize the information needed for a Rutherford County probate packet, including the local County Clerk forms, the hearing-date step, and the documents needed for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
Find a local probate attorney
When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a Tennessee probate attorney who understands Rutherford County's County Clerk route, the concurrent Chancery forum, and the local rules for real estate sales.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to make estate settlement more organized before paying court costs, gathering signatures, or traveling to Murfreesboro.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Rutherford County?
File with the Rutherford County Clerk at 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Rutherford County is not the usual Tennessee chancery filing pattern: Private Acts of 1947, ch. 384, as amended, puts probate jurisdiction in the general sessions court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201's private act exception, and the County Clerk is the filing officer.
Which court hears a Rutherford County estate?
The Probate Court of Rutherford County hears estate matters, with a general sessions judge sitting as probate judge. The Chancery Court also publishes probate fees and forms for its concurrent forum, but the county's own estate page directs ordinary probate filings to the County Clerk.
Do I have to go to a hearing to be appointed in Rutherford County?
The County Clerk's procedural packet says a hearing is conducted by the court to appoint the personal representative, and the current small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102 tell filers to call the judge's office for a date and bring original documents to court.
When is the Rutherford County probate docket?
The probate court's published local rules set the regular probate docket Tuesday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., excluding holidays, for matters expected to take no more than fifteen minutes. Call the judge's office at (615) 217-1138 for available dates.
Can I file a Rutherford County probate case electronically?
The Rutherford County Clerk publishes no electronic filing option for probate. Its published route is in person or by mail. The Chancery Court operates a separate electronic filing system for cases in that forum.
Can I look up a Rutherford County estate online?
Rutherford County's online court records system covers Circuit Court, General Sessions and Clerk and Master civil and criminal case types. The County Clerk is not listed as a searched office, and the County Clerk says probate matters are public record available for review in its office.
What does it cost to open an estate in Rutherford County?
The County Clerk's schedule, revised July 1, 2018, publishes $418.50 for opening and closing an estate other than a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. Current small estate petitions publish $229.50 as of August 2026. The statutory clerk fee is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes and other court costs added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Are there local probate forms in Rutherford County?
Yes. The County Clerk publishes small estate petitions under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 and 30-4-102, an inventory form under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, an annual or final accounting form, and an estate claim form. The Chancery Court publishes its own separate probate form set.
Can I appear remotely at a Rutherford County probate hearing?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, says teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for remote proceedings is permissible at the discretion of the trial court. Rutherford County publishes no estate-specific remote appearance practice, so ask the judge's office how the court will handle your setting.
Do I have to travel to Murfreesboro?
The filing office and courtroom are both in Murfreesboro, but they are different addresses. Papers go to 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121. Hearings are held at 116 W. Lytle Street, Courtroom 3D. The County Clerk does not accept out-of-state checks, so plan payment before traveling.
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.