Estate Planning & Trusts practice with attorneys in the Montgomery and Birmingham offices. Represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries in probate and trust administrations, will contests and suits over the construction of wills and trusts, and estate and gift tax audits before the IRS.
Probate in Shelby County
Probate Court Record
Shelby County Probate Court
Shelby County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
112 North Main Street, Room A101, Columbiana, AL 35051
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
How to file probate in Shelby County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Shelby County? →Settling an estate in Shelby County →
Probate Litigation Firms Serving Shelby County
Birmingham firm on 21st Way South with a second office in Gardendale, serving the Birmingham metro area. Its attorneys represent personal representatives in probate and estate administration, represent fiduciaries and family members in will contests and other estate-related probate litigation, and draft wills and powers of attorney.
Greensboro Avenue practice a short walk from the Tuscaloosa County Probate Court, taking estates in Tuscaloosa County and across Alabama. Luke Barry handles probate from petition to closing, trust and estate administration with accountings and estate tax returns, and will contests and trust disputes. Flat fees are quoted before work starts.
Downtown Birmingham firm in the Renasant Bank Building, a short walk from the Jefferson County Courthouse, practicing mainly in Jefferson and Shelby counties with estates open in 47 Alabama counties. Lindsey Eastwood handles probate and estate administration and litigates will contests, undue influence claims, beneficiary designation disputes and fiduciary breaches by executors and trustees.
Daphne firm on U.S. Highway 98 representing executors, beneficiaries and family members in probate, guardianship and conservatorship matters across Baldwin and Mobile counties. It handles will contests and disputes over executor conduct, accountings and creditor claims, along with trust administration. Consultations are held in Daphne or by Zoom.
Prattville sole-practitioner firm on East Main Street serving Autauga, Elmore and Montgomery counties. Walker N. Kowalchyk represents executors, trustees, heirs and beneficiaries in will contests, executor and trustee disputes and disputes over distributions, and assists with probate and estate administration, wills, trusts and powers of attorney.
All 12 Alabama probate litigation firms serving Shelby County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Alabama
Free Alabama forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Alabama.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In Alabama, a will is signed before 2Ala. Code § 43-8-131Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyAla. Code § 43-8-131Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Alabama
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Alabama: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Alabama.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Alabama costs an estimated $23,489Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.6%Modeled estimate under Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.5%Modeled estimate under Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Alabama, a surviving spouse takes the first $50,000 plus half of the restAla. Code § 43-8-41Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per capita with representationAla. Code § 43-8-45Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Alabama, creditors have 6 monthsAla. Code § 43-2-350Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from the personal representative's appointment to present claims; late claims are barred.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Alabama: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysAla. Code §§ 43-2-835, 43-2-836Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsAla. Code §§ 43-2-60, 43-2-61, 43-2-350, 43-2-354, 43-2-371Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Alabama pays executors reasonable compensationAla. Code § 43-2-848 (reasonable compensation capped at 2.5% of property received/controlled + 2.5% of disbursements; court may award more for extraordinary services)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
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