A Medina office serving Medina County through the Medina County Probate Court. Its estate administration practice carries executors through probate — collecting and distributing the assets a decedent held in their sole name — and administers trusts, alongside elder law and Medicaid work. Marie Mirro Edmonds is an OSBA certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Medina County, Ohio
How probate works in Medina County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Medina County Probate Court
Medina County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
225 East Washington Street, 4th Floor, Medina, OH 44256
Website
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedCase filings and case-related correspondence are submitted in person at the court. Pleadings that open a new case or require payment of costs are filed by 4:30 p.m.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court provides a PR Self-Representation Acknowledgment form for self-represented filers. Court staff are prohibited by law from giving legal advice, and the Medina County Bar Association takes attorney referrals.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card.Payments are made in person or by mail by cash, check, money order or credit card, with the case number on the payment form, and a 3% fee applies to credit card payments. The court does not take payments over the phone, by fax or by email.
County forms
- PR Self-Representation AcknowledgmentRequired acknowledgment for self-represented (pro se) probate filers.
Fax
1-330-725-9119
Departments
- Juvenile Court1-330-725-9709
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Medina 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 Medina, probate runs through the Probate Court at 225 East Washington Street, 4th Floor, Medina.
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 Ohio intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Ohio estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsR.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the date of death.
What Probate Costs in Medina County
What probate costs in Medina County, Ohio 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 Probate Court at 225 East Washington Street, 4th Floor, Medina.
The Probate Court charges $200ORC § 2101.16 (as amended by HB 96, 136th GA, eff. 9/30/2025)Verified 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:
Attorney fees in Ohio are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (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 ORC § 2113.36 (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.
Ohio sets executor compensation by statute — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%ORC § 2113.35Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
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 ORC §§ 2109.04, 2109.09Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Ohio typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Probate Court
Probate cases in Medina County are filed at the Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Juvenile Court.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Ohio, informal probate is not availableORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Medina County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Probate Court: Certified copy of the death certificate (standard county Probate Court filing requirement); If there is a will: the original will plus a SEPARATE Application to Probate Will (Form 2.0) [R.C. 2107.11, 2107.18, 2107.19] — the will must be admitted before letters testamentary can issue (R.C. 2113.05), and Form 4.0 only offers the checkbox "Decedent's Will has been admitted to probate in this Court"; Application for Authority to Administer Estate (Form 4.0), with the names/addresses of the surviving spouse and next of kin and a statement of estate value (R.C. 2113.07)R.C. 2113.05/2113.06 (grant of letters); R.C. 2109.02, 2109.07 (acceptance & application for authority); R.C. 2113.07 (application contents); Ohio Civ.R. 73.2 (standard probate forms), 73.11 (application for letters of authority; notice)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Medina County
In Ohio a death is registered locally, and in Medina County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Medina County Health Department, Vital Statistics as well as by Ohio Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Medina County · Medina County Health Department, Vital Statistics
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
4800 Ledgewood Drive, Medina, OH 44256
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Fax
1-330-723-9659
Local rule
- A death certificate is held in the county where the death occurred.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Medina County · Medina County Coroner's Office
Phone
Office
144 North Broadway Street, Room 110, Medina, OH 44256
Website
Mail and offices
Fax
1-330-722-6771
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Medina 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 Medina County are recorded with the County Recorder at 144 North Broadway Street, Room 117, Medina, OH 44256. Phone: 1-330-725-9782. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $34 for the first 2 pages plus $8 for each page beyond 2.
Medina County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, ePN and CSC.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Medina County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
144 North Broadway Street, Room 117, Medina, OH 44256
Website
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 2 pages) | $34 |
| Each page beyond 2 | $8 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
ORC 317.32(A)(1); ORC 317.36(A)
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 Medina County
Ohio uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Medina County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Ohio are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Medina County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate 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.
Serves Lorain and Erie counties from Chester Road in Avon, filing in the Lorain County Probate Court in Elyria, with a second office in Sandusky. Its estate planning and probate team handles trust, estate, and probate litigation and business succession alongside private foundation counseling and tax-efficient property transfers.
Founded in 1880, Williams & Batchelder is one of the oldest law firms in Medina County with over 140 years of continuous practice. The six-attorney firm handles estate planning, probate, wills and trusts, and IRS tax dispute resolution.
Cianciola Law serves clients in Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Ashtabula counties with estate planning, trusts, probate, corporate law, and real estate. Shannon Cianciola is a National Business Institute faculty member and member of the Lake County Bar Association.
The Cleveland-based Private Wealth Services group serves clients across Ohio. It handles estate settlement, trust administration, and fiduciary services, along with asset protection, charitable planning, and succession planning for closely held companies. Chambers HNW ranked.
Founded in 1980, Ibold & O'Brien is one of the largest law firms in Geauga County, with offices in Chardon and Orwell. The estate planning practice handles wills, trusts, probate, guardianships, and powers of attorney. Dennis Ibold has been recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer for 18 consecutive years.
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)·
- ORC § 2101.16 (as amended by HB 96, 136th GA, eff. 9/30/2025)
- ORC § 2113.35
- ORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)
- R.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25
- R.C. 2113.05/2113.06 (grant of letters); R.C. 2109.02, 2109.07 (acceptance & application for authority); R.C. 2113.07 (application contents); Ohio Civ.R. 73.2 (standard probate forms), 73.11 (application for letters of authority; notice)
- ORC 317.32(A)(1); ORC 317.36(A)
- Medina Probate Court, official page
- Medina County Recorder, official page
- Medina County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Ohio 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 Ohio
Free tools for settling an estate in Ohio: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Ohio.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Ohio: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysR.C. §§ 2115.02, 2115.06, 2113.69Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsR.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25Verified Oct 19, 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 Ohio happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeORC § 5801.01 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysR.C. §§ 5808.13, 5810.05Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Ohio, informal probate is not availableORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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