Tennessee 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.
Tennessee Probate Courts
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Shelby County Probate Court
County Seat: (Memphis) FIPS: 47157 - pop.929,744 -
Davidson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Nashville) FIPS: 47037 - pop.715,884 -
Knox County Probate Court
County Seat: (Knoxville) FIPS: 47093 - pop.478,971 -
Hamilton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chattanooga) FIPS: 47065 - pop.366,207 -
Rutherford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Murfreesboro) FIPS: 47149 - pop.341,486 -
Williamson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Franklin) FIPS: 47187 - pop.247,726 -
Montgomery County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clarksville) FIPS: 47125 - pop.220,069 -
Sumner County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gallatin) FIPS: 47165 - pop.196,281 -
Sullivan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blountville) FIPS: 47163 - pop.158,163 -
Wilson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lebanon) FIPS: 47189 - pop.147,737 -
Blount County Probate Court
County Seat: (Maryville) FIPS: 47009 - pop.135,280 -
Washington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jonesborough) FIPS: 47179 - pop.133,001 -
Bradley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cleveland) FIPS: 47011 - pop.108,620 -
Maury County Probate Court
County Seat: (Columbia) FIPS: 47119 - pop.100,974 -
Madison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jackson) FIPS: 47113 - pop.98,823 -
Sevier County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sevierville) FIPS: 47155 - pop.98,380 -
Putnam County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cookeville) FIPS: 47141 - pop.79,854 -
Anderson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clinton) FIPS: 47001 - pop.77,123 -
Robertson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Springfield) FIPS: 47147 - pop.72,803 -
Greene County Probate Court
County Seat: (Greeneville) FIPS: 47059 - pop.70,152 -
Hamblen County Probate Court
County Seat: (Morristown) FIPS: 47063 - pop.64,499 -
Cumberland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Crossville) FIPS: 47035 - pop.61,145 -
Tipton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Covington) FIPS: 47167 - pop.60,970 -
Coffee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Manchester) FIPS: 47031 - pop.57,889 -
Hawkins County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rogersville) FIPS: 47073 - pop.56,721 -
Carter County Probate Court
County Seat: (Elizabethton) FIPS: 47019 - pop.56,356 -
Loudon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Loudon) FIPS: 47105 - pop.54,886 -
Jefferson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dandridge) FIPS: 47089 - pop.54,683 -
Dickson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlotte) FIPS: 47043 - pop.54,315 -
Roane County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kingston) FIPS: 47145 - pop.53,404 -
McMinn County Probate Court
County Seat: (Athens) FIPS: 47107 - pop.53,276 -
Gibson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Trenton) FIPS: 47053 - pop.50,429 -
Bedford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Shelbyville) FIPS: 47003 - pop.50,237 -
Monroe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Madisonville) FIPS: 47123 - pop.46,250 -
Lawrence County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lawrenceburg) FIPS: 47099 - pop.44,159 -
Franklin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Winchester) FIPS: 47051 - pop.42,774 -
Fayette County Probate Court
County Seat: (Somerville) FIPS: 47047 - pop.41,990 -
Cheatham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ashland City) FIPS: 47021 - pop.41,072 -
Warren County Probate Court
County Seat: (McMinnville) FIPS: 47177 - pop.40,953 -
Campbell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jacksboro) FIPS: 47013 - pop.39,272 -
Dyer County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dyersburg) FIPS: 47045 - pop.36,801 -
Cocke County Probate Court
County Seat: (Newport) FIPS: 47029 - pop.35,999 -
Lincoln County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fayetteville) FIPS: 47103 - pop.35,319 -
Marshall County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lewisburg) FIPS: 47117 - pop.34,318 -
Weakley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dresden) FIPS: 47183 - pop.32,902 -
Rhea County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dayton) FIPS: 47143 - pop.32,870 -
Henry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Paris) FIPS: 47079 - pop.32,199 -
Claiborne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tazewell) FIPS: 47025 - pop.32,043 -
Obion County Probate Court
County Seat: (Union City) FIPS: 47131 - pop.30,787 -
Giles County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pulaski) FIPS: 47055 - pop.30,346 -
Marion County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jasper) FIPS: 47115 - pop.28,837 -
Carroll County Probate Court
County Seat: (Huntingdon) FIPS: 47017 - pop.28,440 -
Henderson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lexington) FIPS: 47077 - pop.27,842 -
White County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sparta) FIPS: 47185 - pop.27,351 -
Hardin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Savannah) FIPS: 47071 - pop.26,831 -
McNairy County Probate Court
County Seat: (Selmer) FIPS: 47109 - pop.25,866 -
Hardeman County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bolivar) FIPS: 47069 - pop.25,462 -
Macon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lafayette) FIPS: 47111 - pop.25,216 -
Lauderdale County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ripley) FIPS: 47097 - pop.25,143 -
Hickman County Probate Court
County Seat: (Centerville) FIPS: 47081 - pop.24,925 -
Grainger County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rutledge) FIPS: 47057 - pop.23,527 -
Overton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Livingston) FIPS: 47133 - pop.22,511 -
Scott County Probate Court
County Seat: (Huntsville) FIPS: 47151 - pop.21,850 -
Morgan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wartburg) FIPS: 47129 - pop.21,035 -
DeKalb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Smithville) FIPS: 47041 - pop.20,080 -
Smith County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carthage) FIPS: 47159 - pop.19,904 -
Union County Probate Court
County Seat: (Maynardville) FIPS: 47173 - pop.19,802 -
Humphreys County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waverly) FIPS: 47085 - pop.18,990 -
Fentress County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jamestown) FIPS: 47049 - pop.18,489 -
Johnson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mountain City) FIPS: 47091 - pop.17,948 -
Unicoi County Probate Court
County Seat: (Erwin) FIPS: 47171 - pop.17,928 -
Haywood County Probate Court
County Seat: (Brownsville) FIPS: 47075 - pop.17,864 -
Polk County Probate Court
County Seat: (Benton) FIPS: 47139 - pop.17,544 -
Chester County Probate Court
County Seat: (Henderson) FIPS: 47023 - pop.17,341 -
Wayne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waynesboro) FIPS: 47181 - pop.16,232 -
Benton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Camden) FIPS: 47005 - pop.15,864 -
Sequatchie County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dunlap) FIPS: 47153 - pop.15,826 -
Bledsoe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pikeville) FIPS: 47007 - pop.14,913 -
Cannon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Woodbury) FIPS: 47015 - pop.14,506 -
Crockett County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alamo) FIPS: 47033 - pop.13,911 -
Stewart County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dover) FIPS: 47161 - pop.13,657 -
Grundy County Probate Court
County Seat: (Altamont) FIPS: 47061 - pop.13,529 -
Meigs County Probate Court
County Seat: (Decatur) FIPS: 47121 - pop.12,758 -
Lewis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hohenwald) FIPS: 47101 - pop.12,582 -
Jackson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gainesboro) FIPS: 47087 - pop.11,617 -
Trousdale County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hartsville) FIPS: 47169 - pop.11,615 -
Decatur County Probate Court
County Seat: (Decaturville) FIPS: 47039 - pop.11,435 -
Perry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Linden) FIPS: 47135 - pop.8,366 -
Houston County Probate Court
County Seat: (Erin) FIPS: 47083 - pop.8,283 -
Clay County Probate Court
County Seat: (Celina) FIPS: 47027 - pop.7,581 -
Lake County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tiptonville) FIPS: 47095 - pop.7,005 -
Hancock County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sneedville) FIPS: 47067 - pop.6,662 -
Moore County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lynchburg) FIPS: 47127 - pop.6,461 -
Van Buren County Probate Court
County Seat: (Spencer) FIPS: 47175 - pop.6,168 -
Pickett County Probate Court
County Seat: (Byrdstown) FIPS: 47137 - pop.5,001
How Tennessee 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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.