Required for attorneyseFlex e-filing is mandatory for non-fee filings in existing cases. The case-initiating petition and fee-bearing filings are filed on paper with the circuit clerk. On paper: Case-initiating documents, including the petition opening an estate; Filings that require a fee.
Fax
1-870-578-4427
Departments
County Clerk (probate filings)1-870-578-4410 · 401 Market Street
About the court
Decedent estate filings in Poinsett County are made with the County & Probate Clerk (401 Market Street, Harrisburg; 870-578-4410), who serves as clerk for the probate court.
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 Poinsett County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 401 Market Street, Harrisburg. The court sits in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. The same 2nd Judicial Circuit also serves Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene and Mississippi.
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 Arkansas intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Arkansas estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsArk. Code §§ 28-50-101, 28-50-103, 28-50-104, 28-50-105, 28-50-106, 28-1-112, 28-40-111Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Poinsett County
What probate costs in Poinsett County, Arkansas 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 Circuit Court - Probate Division at 401 Market Street, Harrisburg. The court is part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit.
Arkansas charges $165Ark. Code Ann. §§ 21-6-403(b)(1), 21-6-416(b)(2)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Arkansas sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.
Arkansas allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.03% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay, capped by statute at 3.03%Ark. Code § 28-48-108(a) (just and reasonable; not to exceed 10% first $1K + 5% next $4K + 3% balance of personal property passing through PR's hands)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Arkansas requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Arkansas typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court - Probate Division
Probate cases in Poinsett County, Arkansas are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 2nd Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for County Clerk (probate filings).
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Arkansas has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableArk. Code § 28-40-119 (the circuit court admits the will and grants letters); § 28-1-106(b)(1) (clerk appointment only in the judge's absence); no informal probate trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Self-represented filers file on paper unless the court has mandated e-filing in their case
eFlex accounts are open to attorneys and to a self-represented litigant in a case where the court has mandated electronic filing. A self-represented filer otherwise files with the circuit clerk's office in person or by mail. Statewide probate forms: arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms.
In Poinsett County the County Clerk (County & Probate Clerk) serves as clerk for the county and probate courts, files the instruments in decedent estate cases, and keeps adoption and guardianship records. County & Probate Clerk: 401 Market Street, Harrisburg; phone 870-578-4410; fax 870-578-2441.
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court - Probate Division: Death certificate (customary, not required by statute or by any official Arkansas probate form); Original will and any codicils (for testate estates) lodged with the court (filed with Form 3); Proof of the will's execution (proof of will / self-proving affidavit) at presentation of the petition; Probate Cover Sheet (statewide AOC form required by Administrative Order No. 8); Acceptance of Appointment as Personal Representative (Form 8), where no bond is required; Bond of Personal Representative (Form 6), only if the court requires a bond (Ark. Code Ann. § 28-48-201(a))Ark. Code Ann. § 28-40-102 (venue); § 28-40-107 (contents of the petition for probate & appointment); § 28-48-102 (letters & power to act); § 28-48-201, § 28-48-206 (bond)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Poinsett County
In Arkansas a death is registered locally, and in Poinsett County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Poinsett County Local Health Unit as well as by Arkansas Department of Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Poinsett County · Poinsett County Local Health Unit
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 Circuit Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Poinsett County are recorded with the Circuit Clerk at 401 Market Street, Harrisburg, AR 72432. Phone: 1-870-578-4420.
The Circuit Clerk charges $15 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.
Arkansas uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Poinsett County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Arkansas are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every Poinsett County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Circuit Court - Probate Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court - Probate Division, 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.
Jonesboro firm practicing exclusively in estate planning, elder law, and probate for families across Craighead and surrounding Northeast Arkansas counties. Attorney Chad R. Oldham handles trust and estate administration, wills and trusts, special-needs planning, and estate and trust taxation — a single-area practice rather than a general one.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Jonesboro firm serving Craighead and surrounding Northeast Arkansas counties, led by Carrie Russom Quraishi, who pairs legal and wealth-management work. Handles probate, trust administration, estate and trust taxation, elder law, and special-needs planning. Integrates estate work with ongoing tax and financial planning under one roof.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more
Jonesboro firm serving Craighead County and northeast Arkansas. For families administering an estate, the firm guides executors and administrators through Craighead County probate from appointment through the claims process to final distribution, and prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Offers a free consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateBanking Lawand 3 more
Office
111 East Huntington Ave., 2nd FloorJonesboro, AR 72401
Jonesboro firm serving Craighead County and the surrounding area. For families administering an estate, the firm guides named executors and personal representatives through probate, and handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and adult guardianships. Offers free consultations and payment plans.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipand 3 more
Jonesboro firm serving Craighead County and Northeast Arkansas for decades. Waddell, Cole & Jones handles probate, estate and trust administration, and guardianships alongside its litigation and business practice, working with local families as well as larger institutional clients. Estate planning is a core practice area.
Little Rock firm on Cantrell Road handling probate and estate administration in Pulaski County and courts statewide. Walks executors through will validation, appointment of personal representatives, asset inventory and valuation, creditor claims, and final distribution under Arkansas law.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateBusiness Lawand 3 more
Office
8114 Cantrell Road, Suite 100Little Rock, AR 72227
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.
Data sourced from Arkansas statutes and official state code. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Arkansas
Free tools for settling an estate in Arkansas: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Arkansas.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Arkansas: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysArk. Code § 28-49-110Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsArk. Code §§ 28-50-101, 28-50-103, 28-50-104, 28-50-105, 28-50-106, 28-1-112, 28-40-111Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Arkansas happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeArk. Code Ann. § 28-73-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysArk. Code §§ 28-73-813, 28-73-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Arkansas has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableArk. Code § 28-40-119 (the circuit court admits the will and grants letters); § 28-1-106(b)(1) (clerk appointment only in the judge's absence); no informal probate trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source.
Enter the estate value to see Arkansas attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Arkansas lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
