Ashley's J.H. Williams & Sons is on Minter Avenue in Selma, in Dallas County. Its site carries an online pre-arrangements form, and it states it creates an online memorial and a tribute video for families and sends a year of daily grief support emails.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Dallas County, Alabama
How probate works in Dallas County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Dallas County Probate Court
Dallas County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
105 Lauderdale Street, Selma, AL 36701
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
P.O. Box 987
Selma, AL 36702
Fax
1-334-874-2553
About the court
- Probate Judge also serves as Chair of the County Commission.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Dallas County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Dallas County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 105 Lauderdale Street, Selma.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Alabama intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Alabama estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. 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 a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in Dallas County
What probate costs in Dallas County, Alabama comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Probate Court at 105 Lauderdale Street, Selma.
Alabama's statutory fee for probating a will or granting letters of administration is $45, with $3 for each page beyond five on a will and beyond ten on a final settlement. Local acts set higher charges in many counties, from $45 in Shelby and Mobile to $175 for a will in Jefferson. The estate pays the county probate court's own scheduleAla. Code § 12-19-90(a)(1); Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(2)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Alabama are negotiated, typically 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 estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Alabama allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payAla. 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. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Alabama requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Ala. Code § 43-2-851Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Alabama typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Probate Court
Probate cases in Dallas County are filed at the Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Alabama, informal probate is not availableAla. Code §§ 43-2-20, 43-2-40 (letters granted by the probate court; Alabama has no registrar/informal-appointment track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Dallas County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Probate Court: Sworn (verified) petition for letters / for probate of will, stating the decedent, domicile, date of death, heirs/devisees, and the estimated value of the estate; Original will and any codicils (testate estates), to be admitted to probate before letters testamentary issueAla. Code §§ 43-2-20 to 43-2-27 (letters testamentary); §§ 43-2-40 to 43-2-48 (letters of administration); § 43-2-851 (bond)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Dallas County
In Alabama a death is registered locally, and in Dallas County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Dallas County Health Department as well as by Alabama Department of Public Health - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Dallas County · Dallas County Health Department
Phone
Hours
7:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
100 Samuel O. Moseley Drive, Selma, AL 36701
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Fax
1-334-777-1366
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $6 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Dallas County · Dallas County Coroner's Office
Phone
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Dallas County
6 funeral homes and crematories in Dallas County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Aubrey Larkin's Lewis Brothers Funeral Home is on Minter Avenue in Selma, in Dallas County. Its about page states the home has served Selma, Dallas County and the surrounding areas since 1942, and the site carries an online pre-arrangements form.
Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home is on Citizens Parkway, Alabama Highway 22 North, in Selma, serving Selma, Valley Grande and the surrounding areas. The site states the firm began in Selma in 1866 as Breslin Furniture & Undertakers, and that its directors and staff are available around the clock.
This is the crematory licence of Randall Miller Funeral Service in Selma, Dallas County. The site states the home added one of the area's first crematoriums in 2018 and has provided full service and direct cremation in Dallas County and surrounding areas since 2018.
Randall Miller Funeral Service is on St. Phillips Street in Selma, Dallas County. It states it is family-owned and has been black-owned and operated since 1946, and that it added a crematorium in 2018 and opened a 10-acre cemetery, Miller's Memorial Garden, in 2022. The site names ground burial, full service and direct cremation, and a pre-planning services office.
Walker Mortuary is on Broad Street in Selma, in Dallas County. Its site carries service pages for burial, cremation, green burial, pre-need planning, repatriation and veteran funeral services, and lists Camden, Demopolis, Marion and Uniontown among the areas it serves.
Funeral homes by city: Selma
Cremation Services in Dallas County
2 listings
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in Dallas County
1 listing
Burial Services in Dallas County
1 listing
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Dallas County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Judge of Probate.
Deeds and other real property documents for Dallas County are recorded with the Judge of Probate at 105 Lauderdale Street, Selma, AL 36701. Phone: 1-334-877-0625. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 987, Selma, AL 36702-0987.
The Judge of Probate charges $16 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Dallas County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile and CSC.
Recording Office Record
Judge of Probate
Dallas County · Recording Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
105 Lauderdale Street, Selma, AL 36701
Website
E-recording
P.O. Box 987
Selma, AL 36702-0987
Fax
1-334-874-2553
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $16 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
Ala. Code 12-19-90(b)(22), (b)(24); Ala. Code 40-22-1(c); Dallas County Recording Fees (effective April 1, 2021)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Dallas County
Alabama allows independent administrationAla. Code § 43-2-834Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Alabama are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Dallas County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Selma firm founded in 1923 that regularly represents clients in Black Belt counties including Dallas, Perry, Lowndes, Wilcox and Marengo. It administers estates and trusts for named executors and trustees and prepares wills, estate tax plans and powers of attorney. One attorney holds advanced degrees in tax law, and the firm handles estate and fiduciary income tax matters.
Downtown Enterprise practice near the Coffee County Courthouse, Enterprise Division, working primarily in Coffee County. Ashley Cranford Marshall handles estate and probate work, will drafting and guardian nominations for children, including for military families, and also mediates. Virtual consultations are available.
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.
Government Street firm founded by Vaughan Drinkard, Jr. in 1977, serving Mobile and the surrounding areas, Alabama and Southern Mississippi. It handles probate administration, including the paperwork, filings and court proceedings to settle an estate, along with revocable living trusts, wills and business entity formation. Partner Tara Drinkard Barber is admitted in Alabama and Mississippi.
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.
Birmingham firm founded in 2007 that practices probate and estate planning statewide from offices in Birmingham, Chelsea, Huntsville and Montgomery. It opens, administers and closes estates with or without a will, including small estates by summary distribution, and administers trusts after a death. Probate phone consultations are free; in-person consultations are $100.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(10)·
- Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(1); Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(2)
- Ala. Code § 43-2-834
- Ala. 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)
- Ala. Code §§ 43-2-20 to 43-2-27 (letters testamentary); §§ 43-2-40 to 43-2-48 (letters of administration); § 43-2-851 (bond)
- Ala. Code §§ 43-2-20, 43-2-40 (letters granted by the probate court; Alabama has no registrar/informal-appointment track)
- Ala. Code §§ 43-2-60, 43-2-61, 43-2-350, 43-2-354, 43-2-371
- Ala. Code 12-19-90(b)(22), (b)(24); Ala. Code 40-22-1(c); Dallas County Recording Fees (effective April 1, 2021)
- Dallas County Probate Court, official page
- Dallas County Judge of Probate, official page
- Dallas County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Alabama statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Alabama
Free tools for settling an estate in Alabama: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Alabama.
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.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Alabama happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeAla. Code § 19-3B-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysAla. Code §§ 19-3B-813, 19-3B-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Alabama, informal probate is not availableAla. Code §§ 43-2-20, 43-2-40 (letters granted by the probate court; Alabama has no registrar/informal-appointment track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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