Main office on Madison Avenue in Kansas City with a by-appointment Lenexa, Kansas office, serving Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties. Works with executors on valuing assets, creditor claims, unclear wills, heir disputes, and contested estates, plus guardianships and conservatorships. Founded by Stacey Janssen; Jeremy Keel also practices with the firm.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Clay County, Missouri
How probate works in Clay County: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Clay County Circuit Court - Probate Division
Clay County · 7th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
11 South Water Street, Liberty, MO 64068
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases in PDF format through the statewide Missouri eFiling System. The original will is filed on paper with the probate division. On paper: Unrepresented parties may file paper copies, which the circuit clerk scans; the eFiling system is open to Missouri attorneys and approved agency filers.
Self-represented filing
AllowedLocal Rule 72.2.1 requires an attorney for letters testamentary or of administration and for a small estate affidavit when real estate is an asset; a spousal or creditor refusal of letters needs no attorney. The probate department lists the small estate affidavit without real property, refusals of letters and filing a will among filings made without an attorney, and clerks may help complete refusal of letters forms.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCheck, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.The clerk accepts money orders, cashier's checks, personal checks and Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit and debit cards for filing fees. Card transactions under $50 carry a $2 processing fee and those of $50 or more a 4% fee, and cash is not mailed.
County forms
- Clay County Probate Court Costs and Other FeesThe administrative order setting the costs due with each probate filing, including estates, small estates and refusals of letters.
Departments
- Division 41-816-407-3940 · div4@circuit7.netDivision 4 of the circuit court acts as the Probate Division; proposed judgments go to this mailbox.
- Circuit Clerk1-816-407-3900
About the court
- The 7th Judicial Circuit is Clay County. The Probate Division, Division 4 of the circuit court, is in the James S. Rooney Justice Center in Liberty.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Clay 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 Clay County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 11 South Water Street, Liberty. The court sits in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
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 Missouri intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Missouri estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Clay County
What probate costs in Clay County, Missouri 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 11 South Water Street, Liberty. The court is part of the 7th Judicial Circuit.
The Circuit Court - Probate Division charges $115 - $565 (based on estate value)Mo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Missouri 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.
Missouri sets executor compensation by statute — about $14,050 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.8%RSMo § 473.153(1) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M, on personal property administered and court-ordered real estate sales)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Missouri requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under RSMo §§ 473.157 (requirement), 473.160 (waiver by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Missouri typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court - Probate Division
Probate cases in Clay County, Missouri are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Division 4 and Circuit Clerk.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Clay County Self-Filing Assessment.
Clay 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
A proposed judgment is emailed to Division 4 before the case is set for hearing.
SourceApplications to the Probate Division are made under oath and signed by the applicant.
Inventories, claims and settlements are filed on color-coded forms the probate clerk provides: inventories yellow, claims pink, decedent settlements green.
SourceDocument Requirements
Every decedent estate filing includes a copy of the death certificate; a certified copy is not needed.
SourceCourt Appearances
Routine probate motions are heard Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
A motion likely to take more than 30 minutes is set specially, and uncontested probate cases are heard at the routine motion times.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court - Probate Division: Copy of the death certificate; Original will and any codicils, delivered to the probate division after death (RSMo 473.043); OSCA: "the Original Will must be filed with Probate (RSMo 473.043) before Letters will be granted"; Application for Letters Testamentary / of Administration stating decedent, heirs/devisees, probable value of the estate, the attorney for the applicant, and whether supervised or independent administration is sought (RSMo 473.017.1(1)-(10)); Bond, unless waived by the will or excused by the court (RSMo 473.157, 473.160)RSMo 473.017 (application for letters - content); 473.020 (who may apply / time limits); 473.023 (court or clerk to grant letters); 473.073 (proof required for probate and grant of administration); 473.110 (priority for letters); 473.780-.843 (independent administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Clay County
In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in Clay County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Clay County Public Health Center as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Clay County · Clay County Public Health Center
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
800 Haines Drive, Liberty, MO 64068
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Order online
Local rule
- A photo identification card is required to obtain copies in person. The center takes no card orders by phone; online orders go through the linked vendor.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $14 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $11 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Clay County · Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
950 East 21st Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
Website
Serves this county
Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Clay 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 Recorder of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Clay County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 1 Courthouse Square, Liberty, MO 64068. Phone: 1-816-407-3550. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (no recordings after 4:00 PM).
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 238, Liberty, MO 64069.
The Recorder of Deeds charges $26 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Clay County accepts electronic recording through CSC.
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
Clay County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (no recordings after 4:00 PM)
Office
1 Courthouse Square, Liberty, MO 64068
E-recording
available via CSC
P.O. Box 238
Liberty, MO 64069
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $26 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
RSMo 59.310.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800, 50.1190
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Clay County
Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Clay County without hiring an attorney. 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 Missouri are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every Clay 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.
Liberty elder law firm handling probate for families whose loved one lived in Kansas City, Liberty, Gladstone, Parkville, or anywhere in Clay or Platte counties. Guides executors through small-estate and full administration, intestate estates, and determinations of heirship. Cassie M. Rocha, Kara T. Burgess, and Tessa R. Carr also handle Medicaid and nursing home planning.
Serves Ray, Clay, Caldwell, and Clinton counties from Excelsior Springs, with clients drawn from the Liberty and Richmond areas. Prepares wills and powers of attorney and helps executors through probate, alongside a general practice that also covers personal injury, DWI, and criminal defense.
Sits across the street from the historic Lafayette County Court House in Lexington and has practiced there since 1951, now in its third generation with Gary R. Bradley and Douglas R. Bradley. Handles wills, trusts, probate, and trust and estate litigation, and takes on step-family real estate disputes that surface while an estate is going through probate. A second office operates in Kansas City.
Serves Buchanan County and western Missouri from St. Joseph. Represents personal representatives and family members through estate administration and probate litigation, including will contests, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Offers a free initial consultation.
Clinton County firm with offices in Plattsburg and Lathrop, representing clients across northwest Missouri including DeKalb, Andrew, Buchanan, Caldwell and Daviess counties. Helps families administer trusts and estates, including the estate of a deceased parent, and drafts wills and trusts. Also handles estate and succession planning for family farm, business and real estate holdings.
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
(9)·
- Mo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580
- RSMo § 473.153(1) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M, on personal property administered and court-ordered real estate sales)
- RSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)
- RSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444
- RSMo 473.017 (application for letters - content); 473.020 (who may apply / time limits); 473.023 (court or clerk to grant letters); 473.073 (proof required for probate and grant of administration); 473.110 (priority for letters); 473.780-.843 (independent administration)
- RSMo 59.310.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800, 50.1190
- Clay County Circuit Court - Probate Division, official page
- Clay County Recorder of Deeds, official page
- Clay County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Missouri 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 Missouri
Free tools for settling an estate in Missouri: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Missouri.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Missouri: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 30 daysRSMo §§ 473.233, 473.240Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Missouri happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMo. Rev. Stat. § 456.1-101 et seq. (Missouri Uniform Trust Code)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 120 daysRSMo §§ 456.8-813, 456.10-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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