How probate works in Laclede County: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Laclede County · 26th Judicial Circuit
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About the court
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Laclede County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 200 North Adams Avenue, Lebanon. The court sits in the 26th Judicial Circuit. The same 26th Judicial Circuit also serves Camden, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan.
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 Laclede 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 200 North Adams Avenue, Lebanon. The court is part of the 26th Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: A decedent's estate other than a summary proceeding opens with a $200 deposit; refusals of letters, small estates and settlements are paid for when filed; The court may order a paper courtesy copy of exhibits, attachments and settlements filed electronically.
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.
Probate cases in Laclede County, Missouri are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 26th Judicial Circuit.
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 Laclede County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
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.
In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in Laclede County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Laclede County Health Department as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Laclede County · Laclede County Health Department
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| First certified copy | $14 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $11 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Laclede County · Laclede County Coroner
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Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
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 Laclede County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 200 North Adams Avenue, Lebanon, MO 65536. Phone: 1-417-532-4011. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The Recorder of Deeds charges $26 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Laclede County accepts electronic recording through iCounty.
Recording Office Record
Laclede County
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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
Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Laclede 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 Laclede 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.
FirmLebanon, MO
Serves Laclede and Pulaski counties from offices in Lebanon and Waynesville. Prepares living trusts, wills, and powers of attorney, and handles Medicaid planning and death tax planning aimed at keeping assets out of probate. Consultations are free.
PracticesEstate PlanningMedicaid PlanningBusiness LawCriminal Defenseand 2 more
FirmOsage Beach, MO
Lake of the Ozarks firm with offices in Osage Beach and Columbia, serving the mid-Missouri region including Hickory, Benton and Morgan counties. Guides executors through Missouri probate: filing the will, notifying heirs and creditors, the inventory, paying debts and the final accounting, and drafts wills and trusts. Partner Staci Birdsong also handles minor and adult guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipCriminal DefenseFamily Law
FirmLebanon, MO
Lebanon firm practicing in Laclede, Pulaski, Webster, Camden, Dallas, and Wright counties. Helps families with probate and the disposition of property after a loss, estate and probate litigation, and guardianships for adults and minor children, alongside trusts, wills, and probate-avoidance planning. Tom O'Neil has practiced in Lebanon since 1972 and Bob O'Neil since 2002.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationGuardianshipand 3 more
FirmLebanon, MO
Serves Camden and Laclede counties from offices in Lebanon and Camdenton. Handles decedent's estates, guardianships, and conservatorships, and prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and deeds. Its two attorneys are Gary Smith and Sarah Gustafson, and the firm has represented Missouri families since 1980; Gary Smith also serves as Municipal Judge of Osage Beach.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 3 more
Solo PracticeSpringfield, MO
Springfield practice representing clients in Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk, Dallas, Lawrence, Laclede, and Ozark counties. Handles full probate administration, small estate affidavits, creditor and spousal refusal of letters, determination of heirship, and adult and minor guardianship and conservatorship. Evening and weekend appointments can be arranged.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianship
FirmSpringfield, MO
Serves southwest Missouri from Springfield and nine more offices, from Bolivar and Lebanon to Branson and Joplin. Handles probate after a death (validating the will, paying debts and final expenses, distributing to heirs), guardianship and conservatorship, special needs planning, Medicaid coverage, and elder abuse matters. Lori Rook is managing attorney; the first consultation is free.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawConservatorshipand 3 more
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.
Data sourced from Missouri statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Browse vetted Missouri attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Missouri attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Missouri lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
