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Union County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Union County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Union County Chancery Court |
| Filing office | Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | 901 Main Street, Suite 206, Maynardville, TN 37807, on the 2nd floor of the Union County Courthouse |
| Mailing address | Use 901 Main Street, Suite 206, Maynardville, TN 37807 unless the Clerk and Master gives a different mailing instruction |
| Phone | (865) 992-5942 |
| Fax | (865) 992-9338. Ask the office before sending any filing by fax |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on holidays |
| Costs to start | The statutory clerk charge for a probate estate is $275.00, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Union County's itemized court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 add state and county litigation taxes and other local charges, making the pre-publication subtotal just over $335 on the Clerk and Master's fee page effective January 1, 2026. If creditor publication is required, the same page lists a $415.50 total, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Forms | The Clerk and Master's site does not list a dedicated probate-forms page in its main menu. Call the office before preparing the petition packet |
| E-filing status | Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. The Union County Clerk and Master's site does not publish a probate e-filing option |
| Case lookup | A Tennessee Online Court Records System portal exists at https://union.tncrtinfo.com/. The landing page does not state whether chancery or probate case types are included |
| Remote practice | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology to the trial court's discretion. Ask the Union County Chancery Court how it handles a particular hearing |
| Website | https://www.unioncountytn.gov/clerk-and-master/ and https://www.unioncountytnclerkandmaster.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you contact the Union County Clerk and Master, identify the decedent's probate assets, debts, real estate issues and likely heirs or beneficiaries. The right petition, bond question and notice path depend on what property is actually part of the probate estate.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, balances and assets before they prepare a Union County filing. That asset picture helps you decide whether you are ready to ask for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, or whether you need attorney help first.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Union County Chancery Court in Maynardville serves probate filings for decedents whose legal residence was in Union County. 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 counties where probate is not moved by local law, chancery is the default court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201, and Union County's filings go to the Clerk and Master.
The Maynardville office is the local filing point for Union County, not for other Tennessee counties or for Union County in another state. If the decedent lived outside Union County at death, confirm venue under T.C.A. § 30-4-102 before filing there.
The jurisdiction process
- Build the asset and debt list. Gather the will, death certificate, addresses for heirs and beneficiaries, account information, real estate information, creditor information and any prior court papers before starting the estate settlement packet.
- Choose the petition path. For a standard estate, prepare a verified petition for letters testamentary if there is a will or letters of administration if there is not, using the information required by T.C.A. § 30-1-117. If the estate may qualify for the small estate process, use the petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 rather than an affidavit-only shortcut.
- Check Union County's form expectations. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not provide a statewide probate form packet, and the Union County Clerk and Master's site does not list a dedicated probate-forms page in its main menu. Call Suite 206 before you finalize papers.
- File in Maynardville. Take or mail the petition packet to the Union County Clerk and Master, 901 Main Street, Suite 206, Maynardville, TN 37807. Ask before relying on fax or any electronic delivery method.
- Pay the required costs. The statutory probate estate clerk charge is $275.00, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Union County's fee page effective January 1, 2026 adds state litigation tax, county litigation tax and other local charges under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and lists $415.50 when publication is required.
- Address notice and hearing needs. Common form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 does not require notice of the probate proceeding, while solemn form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 requires notice to interested persons. The clerk gives notice to creditors after letters issue when publication is required under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.
- Ask how the hearing will be handled. Local Rule 3 for the 8th Judicial District says regular sessions open at 9:00 a.m. or another time directed by the court, and motion or uncontested matters may be heard before contested matters or on designated calendar dates. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, allows remote technology at the court's discretion, so call the Union County office about the specific setting.
- Receive authority from the clerk. When the court approves the appointment, the Clerk and Master issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Financial institutions and buyers usually need those letters before working with the personal representative.
- Administer and close the estate. Follow the Union County local probate rule on inventory timing, the statewide inventory statute in T.C.A. § 30-2-301, creditor deadlines under T.C.A. §§ 30-2-306 and 30-2-307, and any court order before distribution and closing.
Executor duties
Union County's local probate rule adds a local timing point to the statewide personal representative duties. Local Rule 17.01 of the 8th Judicial District says executors, administrators and personal representatives must file an inventory within 30 days of appointment unless waived. That local rule is shorter than the statewide inventory period in T.C.A. § 30-2-301, so ask the Clerk and Master how the rule applies before waiting on the longer statewide deadline.
The same local rule addresses bond. It states that estates valued at $25,000.00 or more must post bond unless the court waives it, and that a fiduciary must post a corporate surety bond for the decedent's personal property estate unless the court or will waives it. The rule also allows financial proceeds to be lodged with the Clerk and distributed by court order without a corporate surety bond.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Union County
Probate forms in Union County are local because Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set. The AOC Self-Help Center says probate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in your county, and in Union County that means the Clerk and Master in Maynardville.
The Union County Clerk and Master's site lists pages for local rules, fees and costs, court-ordered sales, county offices and contact information, but it does not list a dedicated probate-forms page in its main menu. Call (865) 992-5942 before preparing a petition, bond, proposed order or letters for a Union County estate settlement.
Fees
Union County publishes an itemized probate cost schedule on the Clerk and Master's fee page effective January 1, 2026. The statutory probate estate clerk charge is $275.00, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and the county's page then adds litigation taxes and local charges under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
| Charge | Amount | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Probate estate clerk charge | $275.00, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401 | Standard probate estate charge, including general administrations, small estates under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 and muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111 |
| State litigation tax | $23.75, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page and charged with T.C.A. § 8-21-401 costs | Added to the clerk charge |
| County litigation tax | $33.75, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page and charged with T.C.A. § 8-21-401 costs | Added to the clerk charge |
| Court clerk education tax | $2.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Added to the opening cost |
| Law library charge | $1.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Added to the opening cost |
| Publication charge | $80.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Added when creditor publication is required under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 |
| Total with publication | $415.50, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Union County's published total when publication is required |
| Reopen a probate case | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Later reopening request |
| Creditor claim | $50.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page and under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 | For claims against the estate under T.C.A. § 30-2-307 |
| Exceptions to a claim | $100.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | When contesting a filed claim |
| Request on an existing case | $25.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Later request after the case is open |
| Other document on an existing case | $7.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page and under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 | Document charge not otherwise listed |
| Order on an existing case | $20.00, effective January 1, 2026 on the Union County fee page | Order other than a closing order |
Timeline
- Initial filing is made with the Union County Clerk and Master in Maynardville. The office publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on holidays.
- For court settings, Eighth Judicial District Local Rule 3 provides that regular sessions open at 9:00 a.m. or at another time the court directs.
- Under the same local rule, motion and uncontested matters are heard before contested matters or on designated dates set on the court calendar.
- After appointment, Eighth Judicial District Local Rule 17.01 requires the personal representative to file an inventory within 30 days unless waived; the statewide inventory statute is T.C.A. § 30-2-301.
Local nuance
Union County-specific considerations
Local inventory deadline. Local Rule 17.01 of the 8th Judicial District says personal representatives must file an inventory within 30 days of appointment unless waived. Because the statewide inventory statute, T.C.A. § 30-2-301, uses a longer statewide period, Union County filers should follow the local rule unless the court waives it.
Bond and court-held proceeds. The same local rule says bond is required for estates valued at $25,000.00 or more unless waived by the court, and that any fiduciary must post a corporate surety bond for the decedent's personal property estate unless waived by the court or the will. As an alternative, all financial proceeds may be lodged with the Clerk and distributed by court order without a corporate surety bond.
Calendar practice. Local Rule 3 says regular sessions open at 9:00 a.m. or another time the court directs, and that motion or uncontested matters may be heard before contested matters or on dates set on the court calendar. Call the Clerk and Master for the Union County date that applies to your case.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Probate cost schedule effective January 1, 2026 | Union County's Clerk and Master publishes itemized probate costs tied to the statutory $275.00 probate estate clerk charge, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, plus litigation taxes and local charges. |
| 8th Judicial District local probate rule | The local rules, effective January 1, 2015 and amended March 1, 2016, include Rule 17.01 on probate bonds and a 30-day local inventory requirement unless waived, read with T.C.A. § 30-2-301. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Union County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate and whether any separate probate assets still require letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. If a court filing is needed, the Union County Clerk and Master in Maynardville is the filing office. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can see whether a full Union County estate settlement is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Check whether the Tennessee small estate process under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-103 fits the assets, then call the Union County Clerk and Master before mailing or traveling with a petition for limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-102. | Sunset organizes the asset list and helps the child decide what to confirm with the Maynardville office before making the trip. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires careful review of title and authority. The parent may need appointment through the Union County Chancery Court before signing sale documents, and should plan for letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 if there is no will. | Sunset helps gather account information, property details and attorney-ready documents so the sale can be coordinated with probate authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Union County Clerk and Master | The local office accepts Union County Chancery Court probate filings and can answer administrative questions about address, hours, costs and scheduling. Court staff cannot choose forms, perform legal research or give legal advice because state court employees may not engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 901 Main Street, Suite 206, Maynardville, TN 37807. Phone: (865) 992-5942. Website: https://www.unioncountytnclerkandmaster.com/ |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Self-Help Center | The AOC Self-Help Center says probate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in your county and also explains that court staff cannot give legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands | The Oak Ridge office lists Union County among the counties it serves. Its office-location page does not state that probate or estate matters are included, so contact the office about eligibility and available help. | 575 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 201, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Phone: 865-483-8454 or 1-800-238-1443. Website: https://las.org/get-help/office-locations-and-the-counties-we-serve/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor issues are unclear, a bond question is difficult, or the Union County local inventory rule may be hard to satisfy on time. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate financial accounts, insurance, debts and other assets so the Union County petition is based on a complete estate settlement picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the petition, heirs, beneficiaries, asset list and supporting documents so you can review the packet with the Clerk and Master or an attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Union County estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying a fee to get organized and understand the next step.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Union County?
File Union County probate papers with the Clerk and Master for the Union County Chancery Court at 901 Main Street, Suite 206, Maynardville, TN 37807. Tennessee sends probate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the decedent lived at death under T.C.A. § 30-4-102, and Union County follows the chancery default in T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
What phone number should I use for the Union County probate office?
Call the Union County Clerk and Master at (865) 992-5942. The office also lists fax number (865) 992-9338, but you should ask before sending any filing by fax.
Does Union County publish probate forms online?
The Union County Clerk and Master's site does not list a dedicated probate-forms page in its main menu. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form packet, and its Self-Help Center directs probate matters to the Clerk and Master in your county.
Can I e-file a Union County probate case?
Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. The Union County Clerk and Master's site does not publish a probate e-filing option, so call the Maynardville office before relying on any electronic delivery method.
Can I look up a Union County estate case online?
A Union County Tennessee Online Court Records System portal exists at https://union.tncrtinfo.com/. The landing page does not state whether chancery or probate case types are included, so use it as a starting point and call the Clerk and Master if the case does not appear.
How much does it cost to start probate in Union County?
The statutory probate estate clerk charge is $275.00, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Union County's fee page effective January 1, 2026 adds state and county litigation taxes and other local charges under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. When publication is required under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, the published total is $415.50, effective January 1, 2026.
Can I attend a Union County probate hearing by phone or video?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says using teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for court proceedings is permissible at the trial court's discretion. The rule creates no statewide default, so ask the Union County Chancery Court about the specific hearing.
Who issues letters testamentary or letters of administration in Union County?
The Union County Clerk and Master issues letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not, after the court approves the appointment under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
What local deadline catches Union County personal representatives by surprise?
Local Rule 17.01 of the 8th Judicial District says personal representatives must file an inventory within 30 days of appointment unless waived. That local rule should be read together with the statewide inventory statute, T.C.A. § 30-2-301.
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.