What to Do When Someone Dies in Harrison County, Indiana

How probate works in Harrison County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

Probate Court Record

Harrison County Circuit Court

Harrison County · Judicial District 24

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Office

300 North Capitol Avenue, 3rd Floor, Corydon, IN 47112

Self-represented filing

Allowed

E-filing

Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file estate, guardianship and trust 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.

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Harrison 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 Harrison County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 300 North Capitol Avenue, 3rd Floor, Corydon. The court sits in the Judicial District 24. The same Judicial District 24 also serves Crawford, Orange and Washington.

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 Harrison County

What probate costs in Harrison 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 300 North Capitol Avenue, 3rd Floor, Corydon. The court is part of the Judicial District 24.

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 Harrison County, Indiana are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the Judicial District 24.

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 Harrison County Self-Filing Assessment.

Harrison 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

Estates, guardianships and trusts are filed in the Circuit Court

Harrison County files every estate, guardianship and trust case in the Circuit Court. The Superior Court takes criminal, small claims and eviction cases.

Source

Motions come with a proposed order

A motion to set a hearing, continue, withdraw an appearance or similar relief is filed with a proposed order naming who tendered it. A lawyer's motion to withdraw in an estate or guardianship case is not granted automatically at filing.

Source

Other Requirements

Cell phones are turned off in the courtroom

Cell phones and other electronic devices must be switched off in the courtroom, and firearms are not allowed in or near the courthouse or the Justice Center.

Source

What 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 Harrison County

In Indiana a death is registered locally, and in Harrison County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Harrison County Health Department, Vital Records as well as by Indiana Department of Health - Division of Vital Records.

Vital Records Office Record

Local Health Department

Harrison County · Harrison County Health Department, Vital Records

Office

241 Atwood Street, Level B1, Corydon, IN 47112

Certified copies

At the counter

Fax

1-812-738-4292

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

Coroner

Harrison County · Harrison County Coroner

Office

241 Atwood Street, Corydon, IN 47112

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Funeral Homes in Harrison County

4 funeral homes and crematories in Harrison County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.

Funeral homes in Harrison County →

Funeral homes by city: Corydon, Palmyra, Ramsey

Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.

Transferring Property in Harrison 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 Harrison County are recorded with the County Recorder at 245 Atwood Street Northeast, Suite 201, Corydon, IN 47112. Phone: 1-812-738-3788. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.

The County Recorder charges $25 flat, regardless of page count.

Harrison County accepts electronic recording through ePN, Simplifile and CSC.

Recording Office Record

County Recorder

Harrison County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM

Office

245 Atwood Street Northeast, Suite 201, Corydon, IN 47112

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 deedNo 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

Probate Attorneys Serving Harrison 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 Harrison 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.

New Albany elder law and probate firm led by Bruce Brightwell, serving Floyd, Clark, Harrison, Orange, Scott, and Washington counties. Handles estate opening, appointment of executors, payment of estate debts and taxes, asset distribution, and probate litigation over will disputes. Practising in Indiana since 1998.

Since 1998Serves 6 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawGuardianship+3

New Albany firm guiding families through probate in Floyd County and neighboring Southern Indiana counties (Clark, Harrison, Scott, Jefferson, Washington). Handles estate administration — filing the will, valuing assets, paying debts and taxes, distributing to beneficiaries — and will contests based on undue influence, lack of capacity, or fraud.

Serves 6 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder LawSpecial Needs Planning+3

Corydon firm in Harrison County, tracing its roots to 1879. Handles probate and all types of trust administration alongside will, trust, power-of-attorney and living-will drafting, and reviews existing estate plans for updating. Also a title-services and real-estate practice.

Since 1879Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipAgricultural LawWills Trusts

Jeffersonville firm in Clark County, grown from a practice commenced in 1905 and serving southern Indiana and the Louisville metro. Its probate work covers getting the personal representative appointed, accounting for and preserving estate assets, final tax filings, and distribution under the will or the intestacy statutes.

Since 1905Serves 5 countiesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipWills Trusts

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.

Solo PracticeServes the whole stateFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningGuardianshipWills Trusts

New Albany firm serving Floyd County and southern Indiana from offices in New Albany, Corydon, and Salem. Handles supervised and unsupervised estate administration, small-estate and intestate matters, creditor claims and asset distribution, and estate and trust litigation. Gary Banet also takes guardianships, elder law, and special-needs planning.

Serves the whole stateEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationElder Law+5

See all 19 firms serving Harrison County →

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)·

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.

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