Probate Litigation Attorneys in Kentucky

38 probate litigation firms in Kentucky, by city, county and firm type.

State

County

City

Practice Area

All Areas

Planning ahead

Estate Planning36 Tax Planning8 Special Needs Planning7 Asset Protection8 Medicaid Planning9

Settling an estate

Trust Administration17 Probate38 Probate Litigation38 Trust Litigation6

Capacity and care

Elder Law9 Conservatorship11 Guardianship16

Firm Type

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.

38 firms

Brightwell Elder and Probate Law

713 East Market Street, Suite 100, Louisville, KY 40202

Louisville and New Albany, Indiana practice of Bruce A. Brightwell, taking probate cases in Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham, Shelby, Meade, Hardin and Nelson counties. He walks executors from opening the estate through debts, taxes and distribution to closing, and represents clients in probate litigation and will disputes.

Solo PracticeSince 1998Serves 7 countiesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawGuardianship+2

1-502-589-9254

Bunch & Brock, PSC

126 W. Maxwell St., #200, Lexington, KY 40508

Lexington firm established in 1976, serving Lexington, Frankfort, Georgetown, Nicholasville, Richmond and Versailles. Its attorneys open estates, handle inventories, creditor claims, tax filings and court settlements, and represent parties in will contests and contested trust matters. Most small-estate petitions to dispense with administration are a flat fee.

Since 1976Serves 6 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

1-859-254-5522

Cooley & Offill Law Firm

1412 Frederica Street, Owensboro, KY 42301

Owensboro firm founded in 1994 that handles probate statewide from offices in Owensboro, Lexington and Louisville. Its attorneys guide executors and administrators through probate, carry out trust administration tasks, and resolve will contests over undue influence, capacity or unclear language. The firm reports handling well over 500 probate cases.

Since 1994Serves the whole stateFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationBankruptcy+3

1-270-685-5586

Cooper & Cooper Law Offices, PLLC

215 N Mulberry St, Elizabethtown, KY 42701

Elizabethtown father-son practice of Thomas E. Cooper and Joshua M. P. Cooper, serving Hardin and LaRue counties. They secure the executor's appointment, gather assets, pay taxes and debts, distribute to beneficiaries, and handle contested wills. Executors living outside Kentucky can have the firm attend most hearings and file on their behalf.

Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationAsset ProtectionBusiness Law+2

1-270-561-6155

Crow Estate Planning & Probate, PLC

203 E 9th St, Hopkinsville, KY 42240

Hopkinsville office serving Christian County, part of a firm John Crow founded in 2019 with five more offices in Tennessee. Its attorneys guide families through Kentucky probate, from debts and taxes to distribution, and handle estate and trust administration, small estates and will contests. Fees are flat rates quoted upfront.

Since 2019Serves 1 countyFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationElder Law+6

1-270-321-3564

Caleb Bland Law, PLLC

2825 Ring Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701

An Elizabethtown firm serving Hardin, Meade, Grayson, Breckinridge, Nelson, LaRue, Hart, Bullitt and Jefferson counties. Its attorneys guide court-appointed executors and administrators through probate, help trustees and beneficiaries with trust administration, and represent family members contesting a will. The firm also handles adult guardianship and drafts wills, trusts and powers of attorney.

Serves 9 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationGuardianshipWills Trusts

1-270-506-0712

Clauson Law Office

210 E. Union Street, Munfordville, KY 42765

A Munfordville solo practice serving Hart, LaRue, Hardin, Green, Barren, Nelson, Taylor, Grayson and Metcalfe counties. Will Clauson gathers the documents needed to open probate, explains the executor's role in estate administration, and negotiates or litigates estate disputes and will or trust contests. He also handles elder law, Medicaid planning and special needs trusts.

Solo PracticeServes 9 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawSpecial Needs PlanningMedicaid Planning

1-270-524-4529

Combs Law, PLLC

322 North Main Street, London, KY 40741

A London firm serving Laurel County and nearby towns including Corbin, Barbourville, Williamsburg, Manchester and McKee. Its probate work runs from filing court petitions to managing creditor claims, distributing assets and closing the estate, with probate court representation and help with disputes over a will or inheritance. The firm is locally and veteran owned.

Serves 5 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationAsset Protection

1-606-222-8785

Davis & Haymond, P.S.C.

230 N. Second Street, Richmond, KY 40475

Serves Madison and Estill counties from offices in Richmond and Irvine, as it has since 1995. The firm counsels estate and trust administrators on their legal duties, sees that debts are settled, assets distributed and taxes paid, attends probate court proceedings, and handles will contests, guardianships and conservatorships. It also drafts wills, trusts and powers of attorney.

Since 1995Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationElder Law+4

1-859-624-3380

Dunlap Law Firm, PLLC

102 N Main Street, Versailles, KY 40383

A Versailles practice serving Woodford, Fayette and Madison counties and courts across Central Kentucky. Whitney Dunlap III guides executors and beneficiaries from the petition to probate the will through claims against the estate, tax returns, deeding real estate and closing the estate, and represents clients in will contests. He brings over thirty years of litigation experience.

Solo PracticeServes 19 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationCivil LitigationWills Trusts

1-859-214-4326

Dodd & Dodd Attorneys, PLLC

12004 La Grange Road, Louisville, KY 40223

A Louisville firm on La Grange Road serving Jefferson, Oldham, Bullitt, Shelby, Spencer and Hardin counties. Its attorneys administer estates from inventory and appraisals through state and federal tax returns and distribution, advise executors and trustees, and litigate will contests, trust mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duty. The firm was founded in 1869.

Since 1869Serves 6 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+2

1-502-584-1108

Don Thomas, Attorney At Law

1101 Poplar Street, Benton, KY 42025

A Benton solo practice on Poplar Street serving Marshall County and Paducah in McCracken County. Don Thomas guides personal representatives through probate, from notifying heirs and creditors to paying final taxes and distributing property, and handles will contests. He was an elected county attorney and later a district judge.

Solo PracticeServes 2 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate Litigation

1-270-406-6171

Elder Law Advisors PLLC

856 Porter Place, Lexington, KY 40508

Lexington law office on Porter Place, handling probate in Fayette District Court. Attorney Dustin C. Beard supports executors and administrators from the petition through asset collection, creditor claims, and the final settlement, and represents families when undue influence or a contested will is raised. He also prepares wills, trusts, and special needs trusts. Consultations are free.

Solo PracticeServes 1 countyFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawConservatorship+5

1-859-494-7301

Elder Law Guidance (The Elder Law Practice of Scott E. Collins, PLLC)

815 W Main St, Richmond, KY 40475

An elder-law firm with offices in Richmond (Madison County) and London (Laurel County), serving Central and Southeastern Kentucky. Its attorneys administer estates in District Court, including small-estate affidavits, intestate estates and farmland or mineral-rights transfers, and handle will contests and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Owner Scott Collins is a U.S. Army veteran.

Serves 52 countiesFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawConservatorship+4

1-859-592-1386

Ecton & Shannon, PLLC

127 South Third Street, Richmond, KY 40475

A downtown Richmond practice in Madison County, in a renovated 1931 bus station on South Third Street. Attorney Walter G. Ecton Jr. represents clients in estate administration, notification of heirs and creditors, estate taxes and distribution, will contests and guardianships, and drafts wills, trusts and powers of attorney. The practice began in 1929.

Solo PracticeSince 1929Serves 1 countyEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationGuardianshipReal EstateWills Trusts

1-859-535-0098

Gibson Law Offices

3339 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205

A Louisville practice off the Watterson Expressway in Jefferson County, run by attorney Ken Gibson. It handles probate and intestate administration, guides executors through the inventory of assets, and litigates contested wills and probate disputes. Probate administration is billed as a fee-based service rather than a percentage of the estate, and the initial consultation is free.

Solo PracticeServes 1 countyFree consultationProbateProbate LitigationCriminal DefenseFamily LawLitigation+2

1-502-403-2798

Riley & Stewart, P.S.C.

1634 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42001

A Paducah firm on Broadway in McCracken County. It advises executors, administrators and trustees on their fiduciary duties through probate and estate administration, including court filings and appearances, estate and inheritance tax returns, and final settlements and accountings; its litigators handle estate disputes. Founded in 1998 as Bradley & Freed, P.S.C.

Since 1998Serves 1 countyEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTax Planning+3

1-270-443-0040

Harlin Parker

519 East 10th Avenue, Bowling Green, KY 42101

Bowling Green firm practicing since 1906 and representing clients across South Central Kentucky. Mark D. Alcott, a probate lawyer since 1992, settles estates in and out of probate court and represents both people challenging a will and executors defending one. The firm also handles estate planning, real estate and bankruptcy.

Since 1906Serves 1 countyFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationBankruptcyReal Estate

1-270-842-5611

Hunt & Greene, PSC

123 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431

Madisonville father-daughter firm of L. Rush Hunt and Lara R. Hunt. It probates wills, collects assets, pays debts, files the tax returns and distributes to beneficiaries, and litigates will and trust construction, will challenges and fiduciary breaches. Rush Hunt previously supervised trust administration as a trust services vice-president at Citizens Bank of Kentucky.

Serves 1 countyEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust LitigationTax PlanningAsset Protection

1-270-821-4901

John D. Meyers, Attorney at Law

4896 Pleasant Grove Road, Lexington, KY 40515

Lexington probate lawyer with over 25 years of experience in estate administration. He helps executors and administrators probate the will, file inventories and accountings, handle claims and distribute assets, advises trustees, represents estate and trust beneficiaries, and brings or defends will contests. He is not taking new estate planning clients.

Solo PracticeServes 1 countyTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigation

1-859-552-5151

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Estate planning attorneys in Kentucky average $273 an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $819 to $1,638 for a simple individual will and $3,440 to $5,160 for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the Kentucky will cost calculator sets the two side by side.

In Kentucky, estates with personal property of $30,000 or less qualify for the Petition to Dispense with Administration, a court procedure short of full probate. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The Kentucky probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.

In Kentucky, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship; a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; meaningful sums left to a beneficiary who is not a spouse or child (Kentucky taxes those inheritances); substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.

Filter the directory by county and by the practice area you need, and look for experience with your situation; a board certification in estate planning, trust or probate law is a strong signal. Most Kentucky estate planning attorneys offer an initial consultation, some free and some for a flat fee. Ask up front whether the firm bills by the hour or by package, and what your situation is expected to cost.

Probate Litigation Attorneys in Kentucky

Estate planning attorneys in Kentucky charge $273 per hour for wills and estates work. A simple will done through an attorney typically runs $819–$1,638; online services cost $30–$300 for the same document.

Kentucky imposes an inheritance tax — paid by the beneficiary, not the estate, and the rate depends on who inherits. Families leaving money to non-traditional beneficiaries (close friends, unmarried partners, more distant relatives) often want planning help to structure around the rates.

Estates under $30,000 in Kentucky can use a simplified affidavit instead of formal probate. Most families in that range can handle it without retaining counsel.

Legal Sources

(4)·Updated October 15, 2026

SimplyTrust Editorial

Data sourced from Kentucky statutes and official state code. How we research.

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Kentucky

Free Kentucky forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Kentucky.

$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

Get Started

Free

Last Will and Testament

In Kentucky, a will is signed before 2 witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony.

Get Started

All Kentucky forms

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Kentucky

Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Kentucky: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Kentucky.

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Kentucky costs an estimated $23,308. Attorney fees run 1.5% to 2.4% of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.

Calculate Costs

Who Inherits Without a Will?

Without a will in Kentucky, a surviving spouse takes the entire estate when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per stirpes.

Check the Rules

What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

In Kentucky, creditors have 6 months from the personal representative's appointment to present claims; late claims are barred.

Check the Rules

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Kentucky: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 days of appointment; creditors have 6 months to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.

See the Steps

How Much Can an Executor Charge?

Kentucky pays executors reasonable compensation, typically 2.2% to 3.8% of the estate.

Calculate the Fee

All Kentucky tools

Probate Litigation Attorneys in Kentucky

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Kentucky

Revocable Living Trust

Last Will and Testament

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Kentucky

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Who Inherits Without a Will?

What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

How Do I Settle an Estate?

How Much Can an Executor Charge?

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Probate Litigation Attorneys in Kentucky