Greenview Memorial Park & Chapel is on Old Chisholm Road in Florence, in Lauderdale County. It states the memorial park was established in October 1950 on 100 acres on the northern boundary of Florence, and its Garden of Love Mausoleum, built in 1999, holds crypts and cremation niches. Its chapel seats around 150.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Lauderdale County, Alabama
How probate works in Lauderdale County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Lauderdale County Probate Court
Lauderdale County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
200 South Court Street, Florence, AL 35630
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Departments
- Recording1-256-760-5800
About the court
- Probate case records and land records can be searched online through the county probate office records portal.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 200 South Court Street, Florence.
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 Lauderdale County
What probate costs in Lauderdale 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 200 South Court Street, Florence.
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 Lauderdale County are filed at the Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Recording.
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 Lauderdale County Self-Filing Assessment.
Lauderdale County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Other Requirements
The Probate Judge cannot give legal advice or provide forms for guardianships and conservatorships
The court states that the legal complexity of guardianships and conservatorships normally calls for an attorney, since the Probate Judge cannot advise on the law or provide forms.
SourceWhat 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 Lauderdale County
In Alabama a death is registered locally, and in Lauderdale County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Lauderdale County Health Department as well as by Alabama Department of Public Health - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Lauderdale County · Lauderdale County Health Department
Phone
Hours
7:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4112 Chisholm Road, Florence, AL 35630
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
P.O. Box 3569
Florence, AL 35630
Fax
1-256-764-4185
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
Lauderdale County · Lauderdale County Coroner
Phone
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Lauderdale County
6 funeral homes and crematories in Lauderdale County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Morrison Funeral Home's Florence location is on Highway 20 in Florence, Lauderdale County, opened in 2003 by a family-owned group that has served Shoals area families since 1959. The group also runs a cremation care center in Tuscumbia, and its funeral directors coordinate military funeral honors with the honors teams a family chooses.
Saints Funeral Home is on West Tennessee Street in Florence, Lauderdale County. Its site states it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, and it posts obituaries, an online pre-arrangements form and veterans pages on headstones and burial flags.
Spry-Williams Funeral Home, which its site calls Williams Funeral Home, is on Helton Drive in Florence. It states that arrangements and pre-arrangements can be made in the family's own home, and that it honors pre-arrangements made with other funeral homes. The about page states the funeral home was purchased by its current owners in 2008.
Thompson and Son Funeral Home in Florence is on South Poplar Street, one of the two locations of a firm that also runs a funeral home in Tuscumbia. The site states the firm serves Northwest Alabama and Northeast Mississippi, and it posts obituaries and an online preplanning form.
Rogersville Funeral Home is on Highway 72 one mile east of Rogersville in Lauderdale County, across the street from Oliver Church of Christ. It states it is family owned and operated and has served the greater Rogersville area since 2003, and it also offers a florist for floral needs.
Funeral homes by city: Florence, Rogersville
Cremation Services in Lauderdale County
1 listing
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in Lauderdale County
1 listing
Veterans Funeral Services in Lauderdale County
1 listing
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County are recorded with the Judge of Probate at 200 South Court Street, Florence, AL 35630. Phone: 1-256-760-5800. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 1059, Florence, AL 35631-1059.
The Judge of Probate charges $16 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Judge of Probate
Lauderdale County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
200 South Court Street, Florence, AL 35630
Website
P.O. Box 1059
Florence, AL 35631-1059
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); Lauderdale County Probate Office Recording Costs
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale 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.
Florence elder law firm on East Tennessee Street. It handles wills, trusts and estates, estate administrations, guardianship and conservatorship petitions, Medicare and Medicaid advocacy, and trusts for disabled family members. Managing partner Troy A. Skipworth has practiced elder law since 2006.
Downtown Florence firm representing clients across Northwest Alabama in probate and estate matters. Handles probate administration, probate litigation, conservatorships and guardianships, along with wills, durable powers of attorney and advance directives.
Haleyville and Hamilton firm serving Northwest Alabama since 1971. Handles probate administration and represents executors and families, along with trust administration, wills, living and testamentary trusts, powers of attorney and advance directives.
Florence practice serving the Shoals, led by attorney Nathan Ryan. Administers estates for named personal representatives and for families of people who left no will, defends wills against challenges, and brings trust and estate litigation against fraudulent wills and trust amendments. Offers a free consultation and virtual appointments.
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.
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); Lauderdale County Probate Office Recording Costs
- Lauderdale County Probate Court, official page
- Lauderdale County Judge of Probate, official page
- Lauderdale 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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