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 Hawkins 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.
Hawkins 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 | $430 |
Small Estate Affidavit For estates under threshold (no court filing needed) | $141 |
Note: Hawkins County publishes an official Chancery Court filing-fee schedule (revised February 2024). The all-in cost to open and close an estate other than a small estate is $429.50 (deduct $100.00 for a notice-to-creditors muniment-of-title-only probate); filing a small estate affidavit is $140.50 (no notices/letters; add $5.00 to lodge the original will); guardianship and conservatorship filings are $259.50. The order of publication (check payable to the Rogersville Review) is $30.00. These published amounts already include local litigation taxes. Verify the current schedule with the Hawkins County Chancery Court (Clerk and Master) before relying on a figure.
Hawkins County publishes an official Chancery Court filing-fee schedule (revised February 2024). The all-in cost to open and close an estate other than a small estate is $429.50 (deduct $100.00 for a notice-to-creditors muniment-of-title-only probate); filing a small estate affidavit is $140.50 (no notices/letters; add $5.00 to lodge the original will); guardianship and conservatorship filings are $259.50. The order of publication (check payable to the Rogersville Review) is $30.00. These published amounts already include local litigation taxes. Verify the current schedule with the Hawkins County Chancery Court (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 Hawkins 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 (10)
- https://www.hawkinscountytn.gov/chancery_court_clerk_master.html
- 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/
- https://www.hawkinscountytn.gov/uploads/FILING%20FEES%20revised%20feb%202024.pdf