What to Do When Someone Dies in Campbell County, Tennessee

Probate in Campbell County runs through the Chancery Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.

When someone dies in Campbell County, settling their estate runs through the Chancery Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.

Probate Court Record

Chancery Court

Campbell County · 8th Judicial District

Address

570 Main Street, Suite 110Jacksboro, TN 37757Mailing: P.O. Box 182

Fax

423-562-9732

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Visit court website →
Paper filing available

Accepted paymentCheck. All fees due at time of filing; checks payable to "Campbell County Clerk & Master." Notice-to-creditors publication requires separate checks payable directly to WLAF and The LaFollette Press.

Verified July 4, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Campbell 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 Campbell County, probate runs through the Chancery Court at 570 Main Street, Suite 110, Jacksboro. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District. The same 8th Judicial District also serves Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union.

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 Tennessee intestacy law when there is no will.

Most Tennessee estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. The 4 monthsT.C.A. § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(A) (4 months from the date of first publication or posting); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(B) (60 days from receipt of actual notice, where actual notice arrives within 60 days of the 4-month date); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (2) and § 30-2-310(a) (12-month outer bar from the date of death); § 30-2-307(a)(1) (claims barred unless filed within the period prescribed in the § 30-2-306(b) notice); § 30-2-321 (that period is computed from the date of first publication). Verified 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.

What Probate Costs in Campbell County

What probate costs in Campbell County, Tennessee 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 Chancery Court at 570 Main Street, Suite 110, Jacksboro. The court is part of the 8th Judicial District.

The Chancery Court charges $275Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401(c)(1) (as enacted by Pub. Ch. 486, HB 487, 114th Gen. Assemb., eff. 1/1/2026). Re-verified 2026-09-08 against the enrolled act at publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0486.pdf, whose "FILING FEES IN COURTS ADMINISTERING ESTATES" table reads "Probate estates (including general administrations, small estates, insolvent estates, and muniment of title); conservatorships; or guardianships — $275 [as of January 1, 2026] / $300 [2027] / $325 [2028]", and whose SECTION 9 reads "This act takes effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it." No later act amends the section: all 1,142 published public chapters of the 114th Gen. Assemb. were downloaded and scanned 2026-09-08 (positive control "Tennessee Code Annotated" matched 1,136 of 1,142; nonsense control 0) — the only chapters mentioning § 8-21-401 are Pub. Ch. 268 and Pub. Ch. 1115, both of which merely CROSS-REFERENCE it (expunction clerk fees; victims assistance assessment) rather than amend it. Corroborated by Davidson Co. (Nashville) Probate Court 2026 fee schedule ($334.50 total = $275 base + state litigation tax).Verified Sep 8, 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 Tennessee are negotiated, typically 1.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.

Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.

Tennessee requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.

A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%T.C.A. § 30-1-201(a) (bond required unless the will excuses it, the PR is the sole beneficiary, all adult beneficiaries consent, or the PR is a bank excused under § 45-2-1005); § 30-1-201(a)(2) sets the penal sum at not less than the value of the estate subject to administration and not more than double it. Verified 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.

Probate in Tennessee typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Chancery Court

Probate cases in Campbell County are filed at the Chancery Court. File in person during business hours or by mail. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District.

How to File Your Documents

Paper Filing Available

You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Chancery Court is realistic.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Campbell County Self-Filing Assessment.

Campbell 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

Probate claims and exceptions must be filed in triplicate

Claims against probate estates, exceptions to claims, and requests for issuance of summons, subpoenas, citations, writs, and notices must be filed in triplicate.

Source: Campbell County Clerk & Master Filing Fees, updated 01/01/2026 (https://campbellcountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Filing-fees-updated-March-2025_202505011219559224-3.pdf)

Before You Go

Accepted payment

Check. All fees due at time of filing; checks payable to "Campbell County Clerk & Master." Notice-to-creditors publication requires separate checks payable directly to WLAF and The LaFollette Press.

What to Bring

To file at the Chancery Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.

Transferring Property in Campbell 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 Register of Deeds.

Deeds and other real property documents for Campbell County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 570 Main Street, Suite 302, Jacksboro, TN 37757. Phone: (423) 562-3864.

Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 435.

The Register of Deeds charges $10 for the first 2 pages plus $5 for each page beyond 2.

Recording Office Record

Register of Deeds

Campbell County

Address

570 Main Street, Suite 302Jacksboro, TN 37757Mailing: P.O. Box 435
Visit recorder website →

Recording fees

Base fee (first 2 pages)$10
Each page beyond 2$5
Register's Data Processing FeeRequired with most deeds$2
Additional Instrument Fee$5
Electronic Filing (eFile) Submission Fee$2
Transfer Tax Receipt Fee$1

Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-1001(b)(3)-(5), (c), (j); 67-4-409(a), (d)(3)

Verified July 14, 2026 · Source

Probate Attorneys Serving Campbell County

Tennessee uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Campbell 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 Tennessee are based on reasonable compensation — typically 1.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Campbell County firm to quote a structure up front.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Chancery 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.

Solo PracticeLaFollette, TN

Bullock Law Firm, PLLC

Since 2016 · Serves 4 counties

Bullock Law Firm was founded by Adam Bullock in 2016 in Campbell County, Tennessee. The firm provides estate planning and probate administration services throughout East Tennessee, with a second office in Knoxville.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateWills

Office
124 Independence LaneLaFollette, TN 37766
Free consultation

FirmClinton, TN

The Cantrell Law Firm

Serves 4 counties

The Cantrell Law Firm serves Anderson, Morgan, and Campbell counties from its office in Clinton, East Tennessee. Lucas Arnold handles estate planning, trusts, and probate administration, and the firm was named 2023 Best Law Firm in Anderson County.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrustsWills

Office
362 S. Charles G. Seivers Blvd.Clinton, TN 37716
Free consultation

FirmNashville, TN

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC

Serves the whole state

Baker Donelson is one of the largest law firms in the U.S., and its Nashville office serves Davidson County and clients statewide. The trusts and estates group handles probate estate administration, revocable and irrevocable trust administration, estate and trust litigation, and estate planning, with tax and fiduciary-litigation support.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more

Office
1600 West End Avenue, Suite 2000Nashville, TN 37203

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.

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Legal Sources

Data sourced from Tennessee statutes and official state code. How we research.