Founded in Ste. Genevieve, with additional offices in Festus and Perryville reaching Jefferson and Perry counties. Handles trust and probate administration for families settling an estate, along with revocable trust planning, wills, powers of attorney, asset protection, estate tax and Medicaid planning, and business succession. James M. Kreitler directs the estate planning practice.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Perry County, Missouri
How probate works in Perry County: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Perry County Circuit Court - Probate Division
Perry County · 32nd Judicial Circuit
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
400 West St. Joseph Street, Perryville, MO 63775
Website
Files probate
Probate
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases through the statewide Missouri eFiling System. The original will is filed on paper with the probate division. On paper: Self-represented filers file on paper with the clerk; the eFiling system is open to Missouri attorneys and approved agency filers.
Self-represented filing
AllowedA self-represented filer who is not a lawyer is not required to e-file, under 32nd Circuit Local Rule 4. Any publication cost is paid directly to the newspaper.
County forms
- 32nd Judicial Circuit Local Rules (Appendix C, Probate Divisions fee schedule)The circuit's schedule of deposits for probate filings, including letters, small estate affidavits, refusals of letters and wills.
Departments
- Probate1-573-547-6581 ext. 6 · Takes probate filingsThe Circuit Clerk's probate desk, reached through the main number.
About the court
- Part of the 32nd Judicial Circuit serving Bollinger, Cape Girardeau and Perry Counties. The court hears criminal, civil, domestic, probate, juvenile and City of Perryville municipal cases.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Perry 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 Perry County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 400 West St. Joseph Street, Suite 4, Perryville. The court sits in the 32nd Judicial Circuit. The same 32nd Judicial Circuit also serves Bollinger and Cape Girardeau.
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 Perry County
What probate costs in Perry 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 400 West St. Joseph Street, Suite 4, Perryville. The court is part of the 32nd 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 Perry County, Missouri are filed at the Probate of the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 32nd Judicial Circuit.
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 Perry County Self-Filing Assessment.
Perry 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 small estate affidavit for an estate over $15,000 requires publication, and publication costs are billed directly by the newspaper.
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 Coroner in Perry County
In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in Perry County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Perry County Health Department as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Perry County · Perry County Health Department
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (first Monday of the month until 18:00)
Office
406 North Spring, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775
Website
Fax
1-573-547-3908
Local rule
- A photo document is required, or at least two alternate forms of identification. A request sent by mail must be notarized.
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
Coroner
Perry County · Perry County Coroner
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Perry 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 Perry County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 15 West Ste. Marie Street, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775. Phone: 1-573-547-1611. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The Recorder of Deeds charges $26 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Perry County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
Perry County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
15 West Ste. Marie Street, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775
E-recording
available via Simplifile
Fees
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 Perry County
Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Perry 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 Perry 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.
Practices in the Cape Girardeau, Perry, and Scott county probate courts from offices in Cape Girardeau and Perryville. Guides families through probate, from filing the will to paying debts and distributing the estate, and assists with trust administration, special needs trusts, and Medicaid planning. Founding attorney John A. Layton has practiced since 1972; the first consultation is free.
Festus practice of attorney Jackie Gonz, who opened her own practice in 1995 and serves Ste. Genevieve, Jefferson, Perry, St. Francois, Cape Girardeau, Madison, and Washington counties. The firm is led by divorce and child custody work and also lists estate planning and guardianship among the matters it handles. Evening and weekend appointments are available by request.
Springfield firm serving Greene County and southwest Missouri, handling probate in county courts throughout the state. Runs estate administrations, small estates, refusals of letters, heirship determinations and affidavits, guardianship and conservatorship estates, and ancillary probate. Its elder law practice covers Medicaid (MO HealthNet) planning and special needs trusts.
Laurie practice of attorney Andrew W. Renken, serving the Lake of the Ozarks and Camden, Miller, Morgan, and Laclede counties, and taking estate planning cases throughout Missouri. Handles probate administration, guardianships, and conservatorships, and prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and living wills. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
Columbia firm serving clients throughout Missouri. Handles probate decedent estates from small estates to full administration, administers trusts after a death, and litigates will and trust contests, breach of fiduciary duty, accountings, and removal of fiduciaries. Also handles guardianships, conservatorships, and special needs planning; new probate clients get a complimentary consultation.
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
- Perry County Circuit Court - Probate Division, official page
- Perry County Recorder of Deeds, official page
- Perry 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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