Corydon funeral home with two chapels and a lounge, carrying on a funeral home established in Mauckport in 1894 that moved to Corydon in the early 1900s. The building is handicap accessible.
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
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
E-filing
Fax
Departments
- Clerk1-812-738-4289 · 300 North Capitol Avenue, Room 203 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PMEstate, guardianship and trust cases are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the courthouse. The clerk's second office at the Justice Center, 1445 Gardner Lane NW, serves the Superior Court.
About the court
- The Circuit Court on the third floor of the courthouse hears every estate, guardianship and trust case in Harrison County. The Superior Court sits at the Justice Center on Gardner Lane.
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.
SourceMotions 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.
SourceOther 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.
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 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
Website
Certified copies
Fax
Local rule
- The office holds records from February 1, 1882 and takes no request by phone or internet. An applicant is at least 18 and provides picture identification.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $12 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Harrison County · Harrison County Coroner
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.
Family-owned Corydon funeral home in funeral service since 1916, downtown one block from the historic square, with a second home in Georgetown. It has two chapels and an in-house selection room.
Palmyra funeral home with a large chapel, a reception lobby and a casket and urn showcase. Staff give tours of the building on request.
Ramsey funeral home in Harrison County, begun as a partnership of funeral directors formed in August 1905; one family provided funeral service in Ramsey and Harrison County for over 100 years.
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
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
E-recording
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
- Harrison County Circuit Court, official page
- Harrison County Recorder, official page
- Harrison 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.
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.
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.
Hire an Indiana Probate Attorney
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Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
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