Austin funeral home established in 1935, in its present building since 1956 and run today by the third generation of the founding family.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Scott County, Indiana
How probate works in Scott County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Scott County Circuit Court
Scott County · Judicial District 23
Phone
Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 AM-4:15 PM; Wednesday 8:00 AM-noon
Office
One East McClain Avenue, Suite 212, Scottsburg, IN 47170
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file estate and guardianship cases through an Indiana certified e-filing provider. On paper: Self-represented filers are not required to e-file.
Accepted payment
- At the counterThe clerk does not accept personal checks or cashier's checks, and takes no payments after 4:00 p.m.
Fax
1-812-752-8431
Departments
- Clerk1-812-752-8420 · 1 East McClain Avenue, Suite 120 · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PMThe Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts takes estate and guardianship filings and collects the filing fees.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Scott 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 Scott County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at One East McClain Avenue, Suite 212, Scottsburg. The court sits in the Judicial District 23. Scott County shares the Judicial District 23 with Clark and Floyd.
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 Scott County
What probate costs in Scott 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 East McClain Avenue, Suite 212, Scottsburg. The court is part of the Judicial District 23.
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 Scott County, Indiana are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the Judicial District 23.
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 Scott County Self-Filing Assessment.
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 Scott County
In Indiana a death is registered locally, and in Scott County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Scott County Health Department, Vital Records Department as well as by Indiana Department of Health - Division of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Scott County · Scott County Health Department, Vital Records Department
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1296 North Gardner Street, Scottsburg, IN 47170
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Fax
1-812-752-6023
Local rule
- The office holds records from February 1882 and in most cases can issue records from all Indiana counties. Call before coming in for another county's record.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Scott County · Scott County Coroner
Phone
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Scott County
4 funeral homes and crematories in Scott County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Scottsburg funeral home and crematory on the Westwood Golf Course, Scott County's newest funeral home. The family-owned firm also has funeral homes in Crothersville and Henryville.
Christensen-Hoagland Funeral Home is the Scottsburg location of Christensen Family Funeral Homes, a local family firm serving local families that expanded to Scottsburg in 2022.
Collins Funeral Home is a Scottsburg funeral home serving the Scott County area of Indiana.
Funeral homes by city: Austin, Scottsburg
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Scott 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 Scott County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1 East McClain Avenue, Suite 100, Scottsburg, IN 47170. Phone: 1-812-752-8442. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $25 flat, regardless of page count.
Scott County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile and CSC.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Scott County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1 East McClain Avenue, Suite 100, Scottsburg, IN 47170
Website
E-recording
Fax
1-812-752-6430
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 Scott 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 Scott 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.
Scottsburg firm serving Scott County with estate and trust administration and Indiana probate, including assistance to out-of-state family members settling a local decedent's estate. Attorney Tinisha Bowles-Densford handles estate planning and probate; the firm also covers elder and disability law, including preserving Medicaid eligibility without depleting the estate.
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.
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.
Century-old Seymour firm serving Jackson County and southern Indiana from a single office. Attorney Greg S. Morin handles estate administration and trusts alongside estate planning, and the firm's elder-law practice covers Medicaid and long-term-care planning, incapacity planning, and guardianships.
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)
- Scott County Circuit Court, official page
- Scott County Recorder, official page
- Scott 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
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