Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file probate cases through eFileTexas; self-represented filers may e-file or file on paper. When an application to probate a will is e-filed, the original will goes to the clerk within three business days. On paper: Original wills: filed with the clerk on paper within three business days after the application is e-filed.
Fax
1-903-782-1100
Departments
County Court at Law1-903-782-1104The County Court at Law shares probate jurisdiction with the constitutional County Court; both sit in the courthouse.
About the court
Probate cases are filed with the County Clerk in the courthouse. Probate filings fax to the clerk's civil, criminal, probate and mental health line; vital records and deeds use a separate fax.
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 Lamar County, probate runs through the County Court and County Court at Law at 119 North Main Street, Paris.
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 Texas intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Texas estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsTex. Estates Code §§ 308.051-308.056, 355.001-355.004, 355.060, 355.064, 355.102Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the written notice the representative sends them, not from publication.
What Probate Costs in Lamar County
What probate costs in Lamar County, Texas 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 County Court and County Court at Law at 119 North Main Street, Paris.
Texas charges a $360 statewide base for an original probate filing: the $137 state consolidated fee plus the $223 local consolidated fee. Counties add charges for issuing citation and for the sheriff or constable posting notice, so county totals for a will probate run from $360 to about $520Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §§ 133.151(a)(1), 135.102(a)(1) (consolidated filing fees); SB 41 (87th Leg., Acts 2021, ch. 472)Verified Oct 17, 2026. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Texas are negotiated, typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; 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.
Texas allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payTex. Est. Code §§ 352.002, 352.003Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Texas 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 Tex. Est. Code § 305.101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Texas typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the County Court and County Court at Law
Probate cases in Lamar County, Texas are filed at the County Court and County Court at Law.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for County Court at Law.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Texas requires an attorney of record to open formal probate, and informal probate is not available; a qualifying small estate can still be collected without one.
Filed with the opening petition at the County Court and County Court at Law: Application to admit the will to probate and/or for letters testamentary or of administration (Tex. Est. Code ch. 256 / ch. 301; contents per § 301.052) — drafted by counsel, no statewide form; Original will and any codicils, filed with the application (Tex. Est. Code ch. 256); Certified copy of the death certificate / proof of death; Citation issued by the county clerk and served — by posting where the will is produced in court — before the court may act on the application, and proof of that service (Tex. Est. Code §§ 258.001, 258.003; §§ 256.151(4), 301.151(4))Tex. Est. Code ch. 256 (probate of wills / application; § 256.052 contents; § 256.003 four-year limit to admit a will), ch. 301 (application for letters testamentary or of administration; § 301.052 contents; § 301.002 four-year deadline to apply for letters), ch. 305 (qualification & bond), ch. 306 (granting & issuance of letters); ch. 401-404 (independent administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Justice of the Peace in Lamar County
In Texas a death is registered locally, and in Lamar County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by County Clerk, Vital Records, Lamar County as well as by Texas Department of State Health Services - Vital Statistics Section.
The County Clerk holds deaths that occurred in Lamar County outside the City of Paris, which holds its own from 1950. An online order is mailed or picked up after the office sends notice that it is ready.
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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Lamar County are recorded with the County Clerk at 119 North Main Street, Paris, TX 75460. Phone: 1-903-737-2420. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM.
The County Clerk charges $25 for the first page plus $4 for each additional page.
Lamar County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC and ePN.
Texas allows independent administrationTex. Est. Code §§ 401.001 (testate/will), 401.002 (testate/agreement), 401.003 (intestate/agreement)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. 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 Texas are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Lamar County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the County Court and County Court at Law, 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.
Paris, Texas solo practice serving Lamar County and Northeast Texas with more than 25 years of experience. Handles estate planning — wills, living wills, powers of attorney, elder care, and farm, ranch and business transfers — alongside real estate and corporate work. Sydney Young is board certified in residential, commercial, and farm and ranch real estate law.
PracticesEstate PlanningElder LawBusiness LawPower Of Attorneyand 2 more
Paris law firm offering estate planning and probate, real estate, corporate and business representation, and appellate work for clients across Lamar County and Northeast Texas. Brad Hutchison and Don Biard practice from 38 First Northwest in Paris.
Elder law and estate planning firm with offices in Texarkana, Tyler, and Paris, Texas plus Magnolia and Hot Springs, Arkansas. Guides executors and administrators through estate settlement, will probate, and probate litigation over executor misconduct and inheritance disputes, and handles guardianship, Medicaid planning, asset protection, and special needs trusts.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 5 more
Paris firm practicing in Lamar County since 1893, working a five-county area that also takes in Delta, Red River, Fannin, and Hopkins counties. Assists executors and personal representatives through probate, including estate inventory, debt payment, tax filings, and asset distribution, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipAsset Protectionand 4 more
Rockwall solo practice serving Rockwall, Dallas, Kaufman, and Collin counties, and Texas statewide since 1994. Michael Cramer drafts wills, revocable living trusts, and special needs trusts, handles trust administration, and litigates will and trust contests. Services are offered in English and Spanish, and the initial case evaluation is complimentary.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTrust Litigationand 3 more
Beaumont-headquartered Texas firm whose estate group serves Jefferson, Orange, and Hardin counties from its home office. Principals Christopher D. Leavins and Gary W. Coker advise executors, trustees, and beneficiaries on settling estates and managing trusts, handle guardianships, and litigate will contests and trust disputes. Offices in five Texas cities.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 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 Texas 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 Texas
Free tools for settling an estate in Texas: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Texas.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Texas: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysTex. Estates Code §§ 309.001, 309.051, 309.056, 309.101Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsTex. Estates Code §§ 308.051-308.056, 355.001-355.004, 355.060, 355.064, 355.102Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Texas happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteTex. Prop. Code § 111.001 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Texas requires an attorney of record to open formal probate, and informal probate is not available; a qualifying small estate can still be collected without one.
Enter the estate value to see Texas attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
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.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Texas 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.
