Use This County Probate Reference Before You File
This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Clerk & Master contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Hancock County.
Local Fee Schedule
Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.
Court Rules and Orders
Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.
Clerk and Filing Logistics
Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.
Hancock County Clerk & Master Guide
3rd Judicial District of Tennessee · Clerk & Master information · Updated June 2026
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Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Formal Administration Standard probate for larger estates | $230 |
Small Estate Affidavit For estates under threshold (no court filing needed) | $41 |
Note: Hancock County's Clerk and Master (Judith H. Trent) handles the case files for both the Chancery and Probate Courts in the 3rd Judicial District. No separate published online probate fee schedule was captured in this pass, so the statewide statutory clerk fees apply as the documented baseline: about $230 to open and close a full estate and about $41 to file a small estate petition (Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401), plus local litigation taxes, publication, and certified-copy charges. Verify current local amounts with the Hancock County Clerk and Master before relying on a figure.
Hancock County's Clerk and Master (Judith H. Trent) handles the case files for both the Chancery and Probate Courts in the 3rd Judicial District. No separate published online probate fee schedule was captured in this pass, so the statewide statutory clerk fees apply as the documented baseline: about $230 to open and close a full estate and about $41 to file a small estate petition (Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401), plus local litigation taxes, publication, and certified-copy charges. Verify current local amounts with the Hancock County Clerk and Master before relying on a figure.
Required Documents
- Original Will
If a will exists, the original must be filed with the Clerk and Master (or Probate Court). Tenn. Code Ann. 32-1-104 / 32-2-110.
- Petition for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
Opens the estate: Letters Testamentary when there is a will, Letters of Administration when there is none. Local Clerk and Master form.
- Oath of the Personal Representative
Signed and notarized oath of the executor or administrator.
- Fiduciary Bond
Required unless waived by the will or by the court/beneficiaries. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-1-201.
- Order Admitting Will to Probate and Granting Letters
The court order appointing the personal representative and (if applicable) admitting the will.
- Notice to Creditors
Published notice to creditors; the four-month claim period runs from first publication. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-306(b).
- Inventory of the Estate
Filed within 60 days of appointment unless waived by the will or all residuary distributees. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-301.
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Records portal
Use this county-linked source to check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.
Tennessee's statewide Public Case History portal covers appellate-level cases (Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals) and does not include county trial-court probate records. Tennessee has no unified statewide trial-court probate search; county probate records are held by the local Clerk and Master. Confirm specific estate case details directly with the Hancock County Clerk and Master.
Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- Verify locally
- Creditor Claims
- 4 months
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first publication of notice to creditors
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Sources (9)
- https://www.hancockcountytn.com/local_public_service_directory/clerk_and_master.php
- https://www.tncourts.gov/clerks
- https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/public-case-history
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-8/chapter-21/part-4/section-8-21-401/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-4/section-30-4-102/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-4/section-30-4-103/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-2/part-3/section-30-2-306/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-2/part-3/section-30-2-307/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-32/chapter-2/