Missouri Probate Court Finder
For detailed information about the probate court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code or select your county. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the probate court in your area.
Missouri Probate Courts
-
Saint Louis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clayton) FIPS: 29189 - pop.1,004,125 -
Jackson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kansas City) FIPS: 29095 - pop.717,204 -
Saint Charles County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Charles) FIPS: 29183 - pop.405,262 -
Saint Louis City Probate Court
County Seat: (St. Louis) FIPS: 29510 - pop.301,578 -
Greene County Probate Court
County Seat: (Springfield) FIPS: 29077 - pop.298,915 -
Clay County Probate Court
County Seat: (Liberty) FIPS: 29047 - pop.253,335 -
Jefferson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hillsboro) FIPS: 29099 - pop.226,739 -
Boone County Probate Court
County Seat: (Columbia) FIPS: 29019 - pop.183,610 -
Jasper County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carthage) FIPS: 29097 - pop.122,761 -
Cass County Probate Court
County Seat: (Harrisonville) FIPS: 29037 - pop.107,824 -
Platte County Probate Court
County Seat: (Platte City) FIPS: 29165 - pop.106,718 -
Franklin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Union) FIPS: 29071 - pop.104,682 -
Christian County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ozark) FIPS: 29043 - pop.88,842 -
Buchanan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Joseph) FIPS: 29021 - pop.84,793 -
Cape Girardeau County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jackson) FIPS: 29031 - pop.81,710 -
Cole County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jefferson City) FIPS: 29051 - pop.77,279 -
Saint Francois County Probate Court
County Seat: (Farmington) FIPS: 29187 - pop.66,922 -
Lincoln County Probate Court
County Seat: (Troy) FIPS: 29113 - pop.59,574 -
Newton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Neosho) FIPS: 29145 - pop.58,648 -
Taney County Probate Court
County Seat: (Forsyth) FIPS: 29213 - pop.56,066 -
Johnson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warrensburg) FIPS: 29101 - pop.54,013 -
Pulaski County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waynesville) FIPS: 29169 - pop.53,955 -
Phelps County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rolla) FIPS: 29161 - pop.44,638 -
Callaway County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fulton) FIPS: 29027 - pop.44,283 -
Pettis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sedalia) FIPS: 29159 - pop.42,980 -
Camden County Probate Court
County Seat: (Camdenton) FIPS: 29029 - pop.42,745 -
Butler County Probate Court
County Seat: (Poplar Bluff) FIPS: 29023 - pop.42,130 -
Howell County Probate Court
County Seat: (West Plains) FIPS: 29091 - pop.39,750 -
Webster County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marshfield) FIPS: 29225 - pop.39,085 -
Scott County Probate Court
County Seat: (Benton) FIPS: 29201 - pop.38,059 -
Lawrence County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mount Vernon) FIPS: 29109 - pop.38,001 -
Laclede County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lebanon) FIPS: 29105 - pop.36,039 -
Warren County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warrenton) FIPS: 29219 - pop.35,532 -
Barry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cassville) FIPS: 29009 - pop.34,534 -
Lafayette County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lexington) FIPS: 29107 - pop.32,984 -
Polk County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bolivar) FIPS: 29167 - pop.31,519 -
Stone County Probate Court
County Seat: (Galena) FIPS: 29209 - pop.31,076 -
Stoddard County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bloomfield) FIPS: 29207 - pop.28,672 -
Marion County Probate Court
County Seat: (Palmyra) FIPS: 29127 - pop.28,525 -
Dunklin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kennett) FIPS: 29069 - pop.28,283 -
Adair County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kirksville) FIPS: 29001 - pop.25,314 -
Audrain County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mexico) FIPS: 29007 - pop.24,962 -
Miller County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tuscumbia) FIPS: 29131 - pop.24,722 -
Randolph County Probate Court
County Seat: (Huntsville) FIPS: 29175 - pop.24,716 -
Texas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Houston) FIPS: 29215 - pop.24,487 -
Washington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Potosi) FIPS: 29221 - pop.23,514 -
Saline County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marshall) FIPS: 29195 - pop.23,333 -
McDonald County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pineville) FIPS: 29119 - pop.23,303 -
Ray County Probate Court
County Seat: (Richmond) FIPS: 29177 - pop.23,158 -
Crawford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Steelville) FIPS: 29055 - pop.23,056 -
Henry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clinton) FIPS: 29083 - pop.21,946 -
Nodaway County Probate Court
County Seat: (Maryville) FIPS: 29147 - pop.21,241 -
Clinton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Plattsburg) FIPS: 29049 - pop.21,184 -
Morgan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Versailles) FIPS: 29141 - pop.21,006 -
Vernon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Nevada) FIPS: 29217 - pop.19,707 -
Benton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warsaw) FIPS: 29015 - pop.19,394 -
Perry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Perryville) FIPS: 29157 - pop.18,956 -
Saint Genevieve County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sainte Genevieve) FIPS: 29186 - pop.18,479 -
Wright County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hartville) FIPS: 29229 - pop.18,188 -
Andrew County Probate Court
County Seat: (Savannah) FIPS: 29003 - pop.18,135 -
Pike County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bowling Green) FIPS: 29163 - pop.17,587 -
Cooper County Probate Court
County Seat: (Boonville) FIPS: 29053 - pop.17,103 -
Dallas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Buffalo) FIPS: 29059 - pop.17,071 -
New Madrid County Probate Court
County Seat: (New Madrid) FIPS: 29143 - pop.16,434 -
Bates County Probate Court
County Seat: (Butler) FIPS: 29013 - pop.16,042 -
Pemiscot County Probate Court
County Seat: (Caruthersville) FIPS: 29155 - pop.15,661 -
Moniteau County Probate Court
County Seat: (California) FIPS: 29135 - pop.15,473 -
Macon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Macon) FIPS: 29121 - pop.15,209 -
Gasconade County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hermann) FIPS: 29073 - pop.14,794 -
Livingston County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chillicothe) FIPS: 29117 - pop.14,557 -
Dent County Probate Court
County Seat: (Salem) FIPS: 29065 - pop.14,421 -
Cedar County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stockton) FIPS: 29039 - pop.14,188 -
Osage County Probate Court
County Seat: (Linn) FIPS: 29151 - pop.13,274 -
Madison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fredericktown) FIPS: 29123 - pop.12,626 -
Mississippi County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charleston) FIPS: 29133 - pop.12,577 -
Linn County Probate Court
County Seat: (Linneus) FIPS: 29115 - pop.11,874 -
Barton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lamar) FIPS: 29011 - pop.11,637 -
Douglas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ava) FIPS: 29067 - pop.11,578 -
Montgomery County Probate Court
County Seat: (Montgomery City) FIPS: 29139 - pop.11,322 -
DeKalb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Maysville) FIPS: 29063 - pop.11,029 -
Wayne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Greenville) FIPS: 29223 - pop.10,974 -
Ripley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Doniphan) FIPS: 29181 - pop.10,679 -
Bollinger County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marble Hill) FIPS: 29017 - pop.10,567 -
Ralls County Probate Court
County Seat: (New London) FIPS: 29173 - pop.10,355 -
Howard County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fayette) FIPS: 29089 - pop.10,151 -
Lewis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Monticello) FIPS: 29111 - pop.10,032 -
Grundy County Probate Court
County Seat: (Trenton) FIPS: 29079 - pop.9,808 -
Iron County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ironton) FIPS: 29093 - pop.9,537 -
Saint Clair County Probate Court
County Seat: (Osceola) FIPS: 29185 - pop.9,284 -
Caldwell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kingston) FIPS: 29025 - pop.8,815 -
Monroe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Paris) FIPS: 29137 - pop.8,666 -
Oregon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alton) FIPS: 29149 - pop.8,635 -
Ozark County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gainesville) FIPS: 29153 - pop.8,553 -
Carroll County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carrollton) FIPS: 29033 - pop.8,495 -
Maries County Probate Court
County Seat: (Vienna) FIPS: 29125 - pop.8,432 -
Daviess County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gallatin) FIPS: 29061 - pop.8,430 -
Hickory County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hermitage) FIPS: 29085 - pop.8,279 -
Harrison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bethany) FIPS: 29081 - pop.8,157 -
Dade County Probate Court
County Seat: (Greenfield) FIPS: 29057 - pop.7,569 -
Chariton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Keytesville) FIPS: 29041 - pop.7,408 -
Shannon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Eminence) FIPS: 29203 - pop.7,031 -
Clark County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kahoka) FIPS: 29045 - pop.6,634 -
Gentry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Albany) FIPS: 29075 - pop.6,162 -
Shelby County Probate Court
County Seat: (Shelbyville) FIPS: 29205 - pop.6,103 -
Reynolds County Probate Court
County Seat: (Centerville) FIPS: 29179 - pop.6,096 -
Sullivan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Milan) FIPS: 29211 - pop.5,999 -
Atchison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rock Port) FIPS: 29005 - pop.5,305 -
Carter County Probate Court
County Seat: (Van Buren) FIPS: 29035 - pop.5,202 -
Scotland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Memphis) FIPS: 29199 - pop.4,716 -
Putnam County Probate Court
County Seat: (Unionville) FIPS: 29171 - pop.4,681 -
Holt County Probate Court
County Seat: (Oregon) FIPS: 29087 - pop.4,223 -
Schuyler County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lancaster) FIPS: 29197 - pop.4,032 -
Knox County Probate Court
County Seat: (Edina) FIPS: 29103 - pop.3,744 -
Mercer County Probate Court
County Seat: (Princeton) FIPS: 29129 - pop.3,538 -
Worth County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grant City) FIPS: 29227 - pop.1,973
How Missouri Probate Courts Work
What Is Probate?
Probate refers to the legal process through which a deceased person's will is validated by a court. This process ensures that the deceased's assets are distributed according to their wishes as stated in the will, after any debts and taxes are paid.
What Are Probate Courts?
Probate courts, which are specialized judicial bodies, oversee these proceedings.
They also handle matters related to:
- estate administration,
- guardianships, and conservatorships
- when a will is not present
- or in cases of dispute.
It's important to note that the specific procedures and requirements of probate courts can vary significantly from one county to another across the United States. This variation is due to differences in state laws and local court rules. As a result, engaging with a probate court in one jurisdiction might be quite different from doing so in another.
Also, every state has simplified procedures for dealing with small estates... and most estates end up being "small," and most estates do not require the full probate process, especially if the deceased person owned property in one or more of the ways described below.
Types of Property That Does NOT Pass Through Probate Court
Many types of property are designed to bypass the probate process, allowing for a more streamlined transfer of assets upon someone's death. These include:
-
Jointly Owned Property: Assets owned in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety automatically pass to the surviving owner without the need for probate. This is common with real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly by two or more individuals.
-
Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Accounts: Financial accounts and securities that are designated as payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) can be transferred directly to the named beneficiary upon the account holder's death. This designation allows these assets to skip probate.
-
Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Policies: Funds from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, and the proceeds from life insurance policies, when a beneficiary is named outside of the will, do not go through probate. These assets go directly to the beneficiaries named in the policies or account documents.
-
Living Trusts: Property held in a living trust is another major category that avoids probate. The trust owns the assets, and upon the death of the individual who created the trust (the grantor), the property is transferred according to the terms of the trust, without the need for probate intervention.
These mechanisms are designed to simplify the transfer of assets, reduce the time and cost associated with probate, and ensure privacy since probate is a public process. Understanding which assets fall into these categories can be crucial for estate planning and ensuring a smooth transition of assets to beneficiaries.