Serves Raleigh County from Main Street in Beckley. Handles probate and estates, wills and trusts, including the administration of trusts, alongside tax planning and financial exploitation cases.
Probate in Mercer County
Probate Court Record
Mercer County Circuit Court
Mercer County · Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
Mercer County Courthouse, 1501 West Main Street, Suite 111, Princeton, WV 24740
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
How to file probate in Mercer County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Mercer County? →Settling an estate in Mercer County →
Probate Firms Serving Mercer County
Serves Raleigh County from the firm's North Kanawha Street office in Beckley, one of three offices with Charleston and Lewisburg. Drafts wills and trusts, and handles trust administration, will and trust contests, probate and trust accountings, administrator appointments and guardianship proceedings.
Serves Kanawha County and clients statewide from Charleston. Guides executors and trustees through probating a will, notifying creditors and distributing assets, drafts wills, trusts and transfer-on-death deeds, and represents clients in will contests and fiduciary-duty disputes. Managing member Christopher J. Winton was appointed Chair of the West Virginia State Bar Probate Committee in 2019.
Serves Kanawha County from Charleston, with offices in Beckley and Lewisburg. Drafts wills and trusts, guides trustees and families through trust administration, and litigates will contests, trust contests, fiduciary-duty claims and probate and trust accountings. Represents both beneficiaries and fiduciaries in estate disputes.
Serves Kanawha County from Charleston and assists with estate administration in counties throughout West Virginia. Represents clients in will contests, will construction litigation and breach of fiduciary duty claims, and handles federal estate tax planning for larger estates. Drafts wills, trusts and powers of attorney and plans business transfers to the next generation.
Serves clients across West Virginia from its Huntington office. Handles probate and estate administration, will contests and beneficiary-rights disputes, along with wills, trusts and powers of attorney. Managing partner Leon K. Oxley is also a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the U.S. Tax Court bar.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in West Virginia
Free West Virginia forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for West Virginia.
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Revocable Living Trust
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Last Will and Testament
In West Virginia, a will is signed before 2W.Va. Code § 41-1-3Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and the witnesses sign an affidavit at probate instead of a self-proving affidavitW.Va. Code § 41-1-3Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in West Virginia
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in West Virginia: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in West Virginia costs an estimated $30,331W.Va. Code § 44-4-12 (attorney fees as reasonable expenses of the fiduciary, allowed by the fiduciary commissioner; no statutory schedule); § 44-3A-42(c) (fee vouchers); § 44-2-1(a) ($300 ceiling)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.6%Modeled estimate under W.Va. Code § 44-4-12 (attorney fees as reasonable expenses of the fiduciary, allowed by the fiduciary commissioner; no statutory schedule); § 44-3A-42(c) (fee vouchers); § 44-2-1(a) ($300 ceiling): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 2.6%Modeled estimate under W.Va. Code § 44-4-12 (attorney fees as reasonable expenses of the fiduciary, allowed by the fiduciary commissioner; no statutory schedule); § 44-3A-42(c) (fee vouchers); § 44-2-1(a) ($300 ceiling): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in West Virginia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysW. Va. Code § 44-1-14Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 2 monthsW. Va. Code §§ 44-1-14a, 44-2-4, 44-2-21, 44-2-26Verified 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?
West Virginia sets executor compensation by statute — about $20,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 4.0%W.Va. Code § 44-4-12a(a) (5% first $100K, 4% to $400K, 3% to $800K, 2% above $800K, on personal estate and real estate sold); §§ 44-4-12a(b) (unsold real estate 1%), 44-4-12a(d), 44-4-12a(f)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
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Do I Need Probate?
In West Virginia, estates with personal property of $50,000W.Va. Code § 44-1A-2Verified Sep 9, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate AffidavitW.Va. Code § 44-1A-2Verified Sep 9, 2026View source, 60 daysW.Va. Code § 44-1A-2Verified Sep 9, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In West Virginia, the 2 monthsW.Va. Code § 44-1-14a(a)(7) (sixty days from the date of first publication); § 44-3A-4(b) (the same sixty days in fiduciary-supervisor counties)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source period after first publication of the creditor notice protects a representative who distributes after it; late claims can still reach undistributed assets.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
West Virginia has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableW.Va. Code § 44-12-1 (clerk of the county commission admits wills and qualifies executors and administrators in vacation, ex parte); § 44-1-4(a) (the county commission or its clerk during recess)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
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