Downtown Pittsburgh firm, a division of Jones, Gregg, Creehan & Gerace, with a practice limited to probate estate administration, estate planning and real estate, and five offices across Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Petitions to have the executor or administrator appointed by the Register of Wills, handles creditor claims, prepares the inheritance and estate tax returns and the pleadings to close the estate, and takes on Orphans' Court will contests and trustee-malfeasance claims. Most probate work is billed at a written flat fee paid when the administration is complete.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
How probate works in Westmoreland County: the Orphans' Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Westmoreland County Orphans' Court
Westmoreland County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Office
Westmoreland County Courthouse Annex, 2 North Main Street, Suite 301, Greensburg, PA 15601
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe office posts a probate form packet with the notice of estate administration and the other post-probate forms. Staff cannot give legal advice.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCredit card, Debit card.The office takes Visa, Mastercard and Discover credit and debit cards for all fees except inheritance tax payments, in person or by phone.
Hearing schedule
- Audits of accounts begin at 9:00 a.m. on a Tuesday of each month, with the last day to file accounts about six weeks before. The dates are on the Orphans' Court audit schedule.
County forms
- Probate Form PacketThe notice of estate administration and the other forms a personal representative files after probate.
- AI AffidavitThe affidavit regarding generative artificial intelligence that accompanies every filing.
- Orphans' Court Cover SheetThe cover sheet for Orphans' Court filings.
Fax
1-724-850-3976
Departments
- Marriage Licenses1-724-830-3196The marriage license line of the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County, probate runs through the Orphans' Court at Westmoreland County Courthouse Annex, 2 North Main Street, Suite 301, Greensburg.
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 Pennsylvania intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Pennsylvania estates take 9 months to 14 months to move through this process. Creditors have 12 months20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3162, 3381-3392, 3532Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Westmoreland County
What probate costs in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 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 Orphans' Court at Westmoreland County Courthouse Annex, 2 North Main Street, Suite 301, Greensburg.
The Orphans' Court charges $50 - $950+ (based on estate value)42 P.S. § 21022.1; 42 Pa.C.S. § 3733; 204 Pa. Code § 29.351(c), (g)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 Pennsylvania are negotiated, typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under In re Trust Estate of LaRocca, 431 Pa. 542, 246 A.2d 337 (1968); In re Estate of Preston, 560 A.2d 160, 165 (Pa. Super. 1989); Estate of Andrews, 2026 PA Super 168 (no statutory fee schedule): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%Modeled estimate under In re Trust Estate of LaRocca, 431 Pa. 542, 246 A.2d 337 (1968); In re Estate of Preston, 560 A.2d 160, 165 (Pa. Super. 1989); Estate of Andrews, 2026 PA Super 168 (no statutory fee schedule): 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.
Pennsylvania allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay20 Pa.C.S. § 3537 (compensation "reasonable and just"; no statutory percentage); In re Estate of Sonovick, 541 A.2d 374, 376 (Pa. Super. 1988); Estate of Andrews, 2026 PA Super 168Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Pennsylvania 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 20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3171, 3174 (bond before letters except as § 3174 provides; a PA-resident PR named in the will or sole residuary legatee excused); § 3175 (bond may still be required)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Pennsylvania typically runs 9 months to 14 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Orphans' Court
Probate cases in Westmoreland County are filed at the Orphans' Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Marriage Licenses.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Pennsylvania, informal probate is available20 Pa.C.S. § 901 (register jurisdiction over probate and letters), § 3155 (register grants letters), § 908 (appeal from the register's decree to the Orphans' Court)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Westmoreland County Self-Filing Assessment.
Westmoreland 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
Generative AI affidavit with every filing
Under a court administrative order, every filing includes an affidavit regarding generative artificial intelligence. The office posts the form.
SourceRecords Access
Estate records from 1773; online records from 1988
Estate records date from 1773 and marriage licenses from 1885. Most records from 1988 to the present are online; older records are viewed in the office.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Orphans' Court: Original will and any codicils, presented to the Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s last family or principal residence (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3131, 3132); Original (raised-seal) death certificate, presented at the county Register of Wills — county intake practice, not a statutory, rule, or statewide-form requirement for a grant of letters; Completed RW-02 Petition for Grant of Letters (rev. 10/11/2011), including the Oath of Personal Representative on page 220 Pa.C.S. §§ 3155-3157 (persons entitled; nonresidents); § 901 (register’s jurisdiction)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Westmoreland County
In Westmoreland County certified copies of the death certificate come from Pennsylvania Department of Health - Division of Vital Records; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public.
Vital Records Office Record
Pennsylvania Department of Health - Division of Vital Records
Westmoreland County · State vital records office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM (except holidays; Philadelphia by appointment only)
Website
Certified copies
From Pennsylvania Department of Health - Division of Vital Records; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public
Division of Vital Records
Death Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
Phone
1-724-656-3100Monday-Friday 7:15 AM-6:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $20 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Westmoreland County · Westmoreland County Coroner's Office
Phone
Office
2503 South Grande Boulevard, Greensburg, PA 15601
Website
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
Fax
1-724-830-3064
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 40 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 420, Greensburg, PA 15601. Phone: 1-724-830-3518. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (record research Tuesday and Thursday by appointment only).
The Recorder of Deeds charges $110 for the first 4 pages plus $2 for each page beyond 4.
Westmoreland County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile and CSC.
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
Westmoreland County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (record research Tuesday and Thursday by appointment only)
Office
40 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 420, Greensburg, PA 15601
Website
E-recording
Fax
1-724-853-4647
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 4 pages) | $110.25 |
| Each page beyond 4 | $2 |
County fee schedule adopted under the Recorder of Deeds Fee Law (Act 87 of 1982, 16 P.S. § 11011-1 et seq.), 42 Pa.C.S. § 3733(a.1)(1)(v), and 53 Pa.C.S. § 6011
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Westmoreland County
Pennsylvania allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Westmoreland 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 Pennsylvania are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Westmoreland County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Orphans' 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.
Greensburg firm practicing wills, trusts, estate planning and estate administration in Westmoreland County since 1985, with further offices in Latrobe, Pittsburgh and Johnstown. Handles estate administration and probate, small estates, family settlement agreements, first and final accountings, lost wills and estate litigation, with attorneys and accountants together on the estate's federal estate and Pennsylvania inheritance tax work. Also prepares wills, trusts and powers of attorney and handles guardianships and elder law.
Uniontown firm on East Main Street, with a Belle Vernon office, where attorneys Benjamin F. Goodwin and Amanda M. Como handle estate and probate work. Guides personal representatives from the petition for letters at the Register of Wills through estate publication, notice to heirs and the Department of Human Services, inheritance and estate tax returns, and payment of debts in priority, and opens ancillary estates for out-of-state owners of Pennsylvania real estate. Also prepares wills and trusts and handles adult and minor guardianships; initial consultations are free.
Greensburg firm one block from the Westmoreland County courthouse, open since 1980 and serving as local probate counsel for executors who live out of state. Handles estate administration and executor assistance, probate court services, wills and trusts disputes and litigation, and guardianships and conservatorships, alongside family law, real estate, and bankruptcy.
Estate planning and elder law firm based in Canonsburg (McMurray), with offices in Delmont and Cranberry Township, serving Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Guides personal representatives and trustees through Pennsylvania probate and trust administration from the first filing to the final distribution, including the inheritance tax return and estate inventory. Also handles Medicaid and veterans pension eligibility, special needs planning, and guardianships, with social workers on staff.
Solo general civil practice in Indiana, PA, opened by Marshall D. Chriswell in 2012, handling matters across Indiana, Armstrong, Clearfield, Westmoreland, Cambria and Jefferson counties. Represents executors, administrators and beneficiaries in estate, probate and trust administration, from obtaining Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration through Pennsylvania and non-resident decedent inheritance tax returns and Medical Assistance reimbursement claims. Also handles wills and estate planning, real estate, family law and small business matters.
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)·
- 20 Pa.C.S. § 3537 (compensation "reasonable and just"; no statutory percentage); In re Estate of Sonovick, 541 A.2d 374, 376 (Pa. Super. 1988); Estate of Andrews, 2026 PA Super 168
- 20 Pa.C.S. § 901 (register jurisdiction over probate and letters), § 3155 (register grants letters), § 908 (appeal from the register's decree to the Orphans' Court)
- 20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3155-3157 (persons entitled; nonresidents); § 901 (register’s jurisdiction)
- 20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3162, 3381-3392, 3532
- 42 P.S. § 21022.1; 42 Pa.C.S. § 3733; 204 Pa. Code § 29.351(c), (g)
- County fee schedule adopted under the Recorder of Deeds Fee Law (Act 87 of 1982, 16 P.S. § 11011-1 et seq.), 42 Pa.C.S. § 3733(a.1)(1)(v), and 53 Pa.C.S. § 6011
- Westmoreland County Orphans' Court, official page
- Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds, official page
- Westmoreland County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Free tools for settling an estate in Pennsylvania: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Pennsylvania: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 270 days20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3301-3303Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 12 months20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3162, 3381-3392, 3532Verified 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 Pennsylvania happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code20 Pa.C.S. § 7701 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 30 days20 Pa.C.S. § 7780.3Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Pennsylvania, informal probate is available20 Pa.C.S. § 901 (register jurisdiction over probate and letters), § 3155 (register grants letters), § 908 (appeal from the register's decree to the Orphans' Court)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
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