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Sequatchie County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Sequatchie County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Sequatchie County Chancery Court. The court exercises probate jurisdiction in Sequatchie County under the Tennessee chancery default for counties not otherwise provided by law (T.C.A. § 16-16-201). |
| Filing office | Sequatchie County Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | 22 Cherry Street, Dunlap, TN 37327 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 1651, Dunlap, TN 37327 |
| Phone | (423) 949-3670 |
| Fax | The current Clerk and Master page does not list a fax number. |
| The current Clerk and Master page does not list an office email address. | |
| Hours | Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Cost to start | The 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, so call (423) 949-3670 before bringing payment. |
| Forms | Ask the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master which local papers are required before filing. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set. |
| Electronic filing | The county page does not publish an electronic filing portal for Sequatchie County chancery probate filings. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court electronic filing system. |
| Case lookup | The county page does not publish an online probate case lookup, and the Sequatchie tncrtinfo subdomain did not return a working Sequatchie County portal. |
| Remote proceedings | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other technology to the discretion of the trial court. Ask the Clerk and Master how the Sequatchie County Chancery Court applies Rule 55. |
| Website | https://sequatchiecountytn.gov/directory-detail.php?slug=clerk-master |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you prepare a Sequatchie County probate filing, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, account statements, beneficiary designations, real estate, vehicles, and possible creditors. The right estate settlement path depends on what is actually in the probate estate, not just on whether there is a will.
Sunset can search for accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, organize what you find, and help you decide what information belongs in the Sequatchie County probate packet before you contact the Clerk and Master.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Sequatchie County probate filings are handled at the Sequatchie County Chancery Court filing office in Dunlap. The local filing officer is the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master, located at 22 Cherry Street, with mail sent to P.O. Box 1651, Dunlap, TN 37327.
Tennessee law sends an estate to the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102; T.C.A. § 16-16-201). In Sequatchie County, the county's own Clerk and Master page lists estates among Chancery Court matters, so the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master is the local office to contact for estate filings.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the estate assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries, and whether the decedent left a will. Use that information to decide whether the estate needs ordinary letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, or whether a smaller personal-property estate may fit the limited-letters process under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 and § 30-4-102.
- Contact the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master at (423) 949-3670 before preparing papers. Ask which local petition, proposed order, bond, oath, death certificate copy, will, and other supporting papers the office wants for the type of estate you are opening.
- File the petition with the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master at 22 Cherry Street in Dunlap, or mail it to P.O. Box 1651, Dunlap, TN 37327 if the office accepts the papers by mail for your matter. The office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Pay the required amount or ask the court about a pauper's oath if payment would create substantial hardship. The 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, with state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit added. The judge decides pauper's-oath issues under Rule 29 of the Tennessee Rules of the Supreme Court.
- If the court sets a hearing or requires additional proof, ask the Clerk and Master how the Sequatchie County Chancery Court schedules the matter. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, allows remote technology only at the court's discretion.
- After appointment, use the issued letters testamentary or letters of administration as the personal representative's authority document under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Administration timing runs from issuance of letters for creditor-notice purposes under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.
- Handle required estate administration steps after letters issue, including creditor notice handled through the clerk under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, any required inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, creditor review, asset collection, bills, distributions, and closing filings.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sequatchie County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set. Its self-help materials direct estate and probate readers to the clerk in their own county, which matters in Tennessee because the court exercising probate jurisdiction can be a county-specific question under T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
For Sequatchie County, start with the Clerk and Master at (423) 949-3670. Ask which local petition, proposed order, bond, oath, will, death certificate copy, and supporting papers the office wants before you sign or mail anything. If the estate may use the limited-letters process for a small estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-101, ask for the current Sequatchie County procedure before relying on any older form caption or sample from another county.
Recent updates
| Update | What it means |
|---|---|
| Current county page | Sequatchie County's current Clerk and Master page is https://sequatchiecountytn.gov/directory-detail.php?slug=clerk-master. The older county directory path is not the page to use. |
| Current statutory probate charge | The 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 statute schedules increases to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028, before litigation taxes and any costs deposit. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Sequatchie County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how the home is titled and whether any probate assets remain. If a probate estate is needed, contact the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master in Dunlap about opening the estate in Chancery Court and obtaining letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps separate jointly owned property, beneficiary assets, and probate assets so the estate settlement plan does not over-file or miss accounts. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Ask the Clerk and Master whether the limited-letters process under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 fits. The statewide value rule is $50,000 under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 as it stands after 2023 Public Chapter 297, and the process is handled through the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county. | Sunset helps collect balances, account details, and family information before you call the Dunlap office, which is especially useful if you are not in Tennessee. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires ordinary estate authority, not just a personal-property limited-letters process under T.C.A. § 30-4-101. Contact the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master about the petition needed for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, find unknown accounts, and prepare the materials a local probate attorney will need for the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Sequatchie County Clerk and Master | The local filing office for Sequatchie County Chancery Court estate matters. The office page says the Clerk and Master assists with court record information and matters including estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and civil cases handled by Chancery Court. | 22 Cherry Street, Dunlap, TN 37327; mailing address P.O. Box 1651, Dunlap, TN 37327; phone (423) 949-3670; https://sequatchiecountytn.gov/directory-detail.php?slug=clerk-master |
| Tennessee courts self-help center | The statewide court self-help page directs estate and probate readers to the clerk in their own county. It also notes that state court employees may not engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804, so court staff cannot give legal advice. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Tennessee court clerks list | The statewide clerks list is the court-system directory for finding the correct county clerk office when a Tennessee probate jurisdiction question depends on county law under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list |
| Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Chattanooga office | The Chattanooga office publishes a service area that includes Sequatchie County. Ask the office directly whether your estate issue fits its current services. | 100 W Martin Luther King Blvd., Suite 402, Chattanooga, TN 37402; (423) 756-4013; toll free (800) 572-7457; https://laet.org/contact-us/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting legal help if the will may be contested, heirs disagree, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, creditor issues are unclear, a bond is required, or you live outside Tennessee and need someone local to handle Sequatchie County filings. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so the Sequatchie County estate settlement starts with a complete picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for petitions, asset lists, family details, and supporting documents, then helps you prepare for the Clerk and Master's local filing requirements.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal work in Sequatchie County Chancery Court, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families use Sunset at no cost to organize estate settlement, understand next steps, and move from asset discovery to probate filing with less confusion.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sequatchie County?
Sequatchie County probate papers go through the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master for the Sequatchie County Chancery Court. The office is at 22 Cherry Street in Dunlap, with mail sent to P.O. Box 1651, Dunlap, TN 37327. 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; T.C.A. § 16-16-201).
What are the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master hours?
The current office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call (423) 949-3670 before you travel if you need a same-day filing or payment instructions.
Can I use electronic filing for a Sequatchie County estate?
The county page does not publish an electronic filing portal for Sequatchie County chancery probate filings. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court electronic filing system, so call the Clerk and Master before assuming any electronic delivery method is accepted.
How much does it cost to start probate in Sequatchie County?
The 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 statute schedules increases to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit are added, and Sequatchie County's current office page does not publish a total amount, so call (423) 949-3670 before bringing payment.
Does Sequatchie County publish probate forms online?
Start by calling the Sequatchie County Clerk and Master. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set, and a small estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-101 is a court process for limited letters tied to the value rule in T.C.A. § 30-4-102.
Can I look up a Sequatchie County probate case online?
The county page does not publish an online probate case lookup. The Sequatchie tncrtinfo subdomain did not return a working Sequatchie County portal, so call the Clerk and Master if you need status information.
Do I have to travel to Dunlap for a probate hearing?
Ask the Clerk and Master how the Sequatchie County Chancery Court wants your matter handled. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, says remote technology for court proceedings is permissible at the discretion of the trial court, but it does not create a statewide default for probate hearings.
What document gives the personal representative authority in Sequatchie County?
Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). In a qualifying small estate under T.C.A. § 30-4-101, the court issues limited letters tied to the property described in the petition under T.C.A. § 30-4-102.
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.