Ferdinand funeral home owned and operated by the Becher family, on the same site since its founding in 1937; the building was extensively renovated in 1975.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Dubois County, Indiana
How probate works in Dubois County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Dubois County Circuit Court
Dubois County · Judicial District 25
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
One Courthouse Square, Jasper, IN 47546
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file estate and guardianship cases through an Indiana certified e-filing provider; self-represented filers may file on paper with the clerk. On paper: Self-represented filers are not required to e-file.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Circuit Court posts its instruction sheets for personal representatives of unsupervised estates and for guardians, and links the statewide Indiana Self-Service Legal Center.
County forms
- Personal Representatives of Unsupervised Estates InstructionsCircuit Court instructions the personal representative of an unsupervised estate signs and files
- Guardian InstructionsCircuit Court instructions for court-appointed guardians
- Estate Claim FormForm for a creditor to file a claim against an estate
Fax
1-812-481-7030
Departments
- Clerk1-812-481-7035 · clerk@duboiscountyin.org · Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM; Wednesday 8:00 AM-6:00 PMThe Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts probates wills and keeps the court records.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Dubois 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 Dubois County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at One Courthouse Square, Jasper. The court sits in the Judicial District 25.
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 Indiana intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Indiana estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsIC 29-1-14-1, 29-1-7-7, 29-1-14-9, 29-1-14-10Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Dubois County
What probate costs in Dubois County, Indiana 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 at One Courthouse Square, Jasper. The court is part of the Judicial District 25.
Indiana charges $177IC § 33-37-4-7(a) (as amended by P.L.106-2025); IC §§ 33-37-5-20, -21, -21.2, -25, -26, -27, -31Verified 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:
Attorney fees in Indiana are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): 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.
Indiana allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payIC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Indiana requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Indiana typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Dubois County, Indiana are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the Judicial District 25.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Clerk.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Indiana has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableIC 29-1-7-13(b) (court grants letters); IC 29-1-10-3 (clerk administers oath only)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Dubois County Self-Filing Assessment.
Dubois County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
The Circuit Court has exclusive jurisdiction over all probate matters in the county.
SourceDocument Requirements
The personal representative of an unsupervised estate signs the court's instruction sheet and submits a copy to the court.
The sheet lists the duties, including an inventory with date-of-death values within two months of appointment and a closing statement once administration is complete.
SourceCourt Appearances
Communication with the judge happens only in open court, by telephone with all parties, or in writing copied to all parties.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Original will and any codicils, delivered to the court that has jurisdiction of the administration (IC 29-1-7-3); A certified copy of the death certificate is commonly requested by the court or by asset holders, but it is not an element of the petition under IC 29-1-7-5; Petition for probate of will and issuance of letters / petition for appointment, with the contents required by IC 29-1-7-5 (decedent, heirs, devisees/legatees, domicile, date of death, and the attorney who is to represent the personal representative)IC 29-1-7 (probate of wills & issuance of letters; petition contents IC 29-1-7-5); IC 29-1-10 (appointment & qualification of personal representatives); IC 29-1-7.5 (unsupervised administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Dubois County
In Indiana a death is registered locally, and in Dubois County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Dubois County Health Department, Vital Records as well as by Indiana Department of Health - Division of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Dubois County · Dubois County Health Department, Vital Records
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1187 South Saint Charles Street, Jasper, IN 47546
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Order online
Fax
1-812-481-7069
Local rule
- The office issues certificates for deaths in Dubois County and stays open over the lunch hour for issuance.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Dubois County · Dubois County Coroner
Phone
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Dubois County
4 funeral homes and crematories in Dubois County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Huntingburg funeral home whose facilities accommodate funerals and memorials large and small, public or private.
Family owned and operated Jasper funeral home, the downtown one of the firm's two homes in Jasper.
Family owned and operated Jasper funeral home, the north-side one of the firm's two homes in Jasper.
Funeral homes by city: Ferdinand, Huntingburg, Jasper
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Dubois 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 County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Dubois County are recorded with the County Recorder at One Courthouse Square, Jasper, IN 47546. Phone: 1-812-481-7067. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $25 flat, regardless of page count.
Dubois County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Simplifile, ePN and Indecomm.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Dubois County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
One Courthouse Square, Jasper, IN 47546
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $25 |
| County Auditor's real property endorsement (transfer)Applies to a TOD deed | $10 |
| SDF-1 (State Form 46021) Sales Disclosure FormNot required for a TOD deed | $20 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
IC 36-2-7-10(c)(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Dubois County
Indiana allows independent administrationIC 29-1-7.5-1, IC 29-1-7.5-2, IC 29-1-7.5-3Verified 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 Indiana are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Dubois County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit 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.
Jasper and Evansville practice serving southern Indiana, led by John Collins, a Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer since 2013. Work covers estate and trust administration -- representing personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries -- plus will and trust contests, creditor claims against estates, elder law and Medicaid planning, and farm and business succession.
Jasper firm in Dubois County handling probate administration for personal representatives, from filing the will and inventorying assets through creditor notice, payment of debts and taxes, and closing the estate. Also handles trust administration, guardianships, wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives.
General practice on Jackson Street in Jasper, in Dubois County, serving individuals and businesses throughout southwestern Indiana. Settlement-side work includes estate and trust administration and guardianships. Also handles elder-law matters and Medicaid applications for nursing-home and waiver services.
Huntingburg firm in Dubois County (formerly Schneider Law Office), practising there for over 70 years. Estate administration and probate is a named focus of both partners, Phil Schneider and Taylor O'Bryan: preparing the documentation, filing taxes, preparing accountings and distributing assets, plus adult and minor guardianships and elder-law work.
Bedford firm in Lawrence County, founded in 2022 by David A. and Patrick J. Smith. David handles probate and trust administration, elder law and long-term-care planning, special-needs and Miller trusts, and guardianships, and is also licensed in Florida for Indiana clients holding property there.
Vincennes firm led by Knox County native Tanner Bouchie, frequently representing clients in Knox, Daviess, Sullivan, Greene, Pike, and Dubois counties. Handles wills, trusts and estates and guardianship arrangements for loved ones, alongside business formation, real estate, and family law. Clients book appointments online and meet remotely.
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)·
- IC § 33-37-4-7(a) (as amended by P.L.106-2025); IC §§ 33-37-5-20, -21, -21.2, -25, -26, -27, -31
- IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- IC 29-1-14-1, 29-1-7-7, 29-1-14-9, 29-1-14-10
- IC 29-1-7 (probate of wills & issuance of letters; petition contents IC 29-1-7-5); IC 29-1-10 (appointment & qualification of personal representatives); IC 29-1-7.5 (unsupervised administration)
- IC 29-1-7-13(b) (court grants letters); IC 29-1-10-3 (clerk administers oath only)
- IC 29-1-7.5-1, IC 29-1-7.5-2, IC 29-1-7.5-3
- IC 36-2-7-10(c)(1)
- Dubois County Circuit Court, official page
- Dubois County Recorder, official page
- Dubois County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Indiana 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 Indiana
Free tools for settling an estate in Indiana: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Indiana.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Indiana: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysIC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsIC 29-1-14-1, 29-1-7-7, 29-1-14-9, 29-1-14-10Verified 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 Indiana happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteInd. Code 30-4-1-1 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Indiana has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableIC 29-1-7-13(b) (court grants letters); IC 29-1-10-3 (clerk administers oath only)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
Get the Answer
Hire an Indiana Probate Attorney
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