Brentwood estate planning and estate administration firm serving Williamson, Davidson and the rest of Middle Tennessee. For executors and trustees it probates wills, prepares affidavits of heirship, collects and values estate assets, and handles will contests. Russ Cook was the first attorney recognized as an estate planning specialist by the Tennessee Board of Certification and Specialization.
Franklin is in Williamson County.
More Probate Litigation Firms in Williamson County
Evans Petree PC has practiced in Memphis since 1907, with a second Memphis office and one in Brentwood. Its tax, trusts and estate planning group represents executors, trustees and administrators in probate and trust administration, prepares fiduciary tax returns, and handles will contests and breach of fiduciary duty actions.
Harris Shelton keeps a Covington office in Tipton County beside its Memphis, Brentwood and Oxford, Mississippi offices. Its trusts and estates group represents fiduciaries and families after a death in probate administration, fiduciary and estate tax compliance, will contests, estate and trust litigation, and conservatorships.
Patterson Bray has offices in Memphis and Brentwood, serving Shelby County and Nashville-area clients. Its estate attorneys handle probate and post-death administration of estates and revocable living trusts, and its estate litigators take on will contests, undue influence and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Lindsay Jones is President of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Memphis.
Probate in Williamson County
Probate Court Record
Williamson County Chancery Court
Williamson County · 21st Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
135 Fourth Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37064
Website
Files probate
Probate - Estates
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Williamson County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Williamson County? →Settling an estate in Williamson County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Tennessee
Free Tennessee forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Tennessee.
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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 Tennessee, a will is signed before 2T.C.A. § 32-1-104Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyT.C.A. § 32-1-104Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Tennessee
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Tennessee: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Tennessee.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Tennessee costs an estimated $24,527T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentageVerified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentage: the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentage: 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 Tennessee, descendants divide what passes to them per capita with representationTenn. Code §§ 31-2-104(b)(1), 31-2-106Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and an heir must survive the decedent by 120 hoursTenn. Code § 31-3-108Verified Oct 21, 2026View source to inherit.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Tennessee, creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(A) (4 months from first publication or posting), cl. (1)(B) (60 days from actual notice), cl. (2) and § 30-2-310(a) (12-month bar from death); § 30-2-307(a)(1); § 30-2-321Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Tennessee: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-301Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. §§ 30-2-306, 30-2-307, 30-2-310, 30-2-314, 30-2-317Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Tennessee pays executors reasonable compensationT.C.A. § 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)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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