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Use This County Probate Reference Before You File

This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Clerk & Master contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Hawkins County.

Local Fee Schedule

Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.

Court Rules and Orders

Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.

Clerk and Filing Logistics

Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.

Hawkins County Clerk & Master Guide

Settled Estate records a 4-month creditor claim period for the Hawkins County Chancery Court (Probate), read from 11 linked sources and last verified June 14, 2026.

By Settled Estate Editorial Team

3rd Judicial District of Tennessee · Clerk & Master information · Updated June 2026

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Filing & Fees

Fee Schedule Signals

Probate Filing Fees

Filing TypeFee
Small Estate Affidavit
For estates under threshold (no court filing needed)
$0

Note: Hawkins County's published Chancery Court filing-fee schedule is revised February 2024, before 2025 Tenn. Pub. Ch. 486 rewrote the statutory base on January 1, 2026. That schedule listed $429.50 to open and close an estate other than a small estate, $140.50 for a small estate affidavit and $259.50 for a guardianship or conservatorship, with local litigation taxes included, and $30.00 for the order of publication. Those totals predate the new base and are not carried as current figures. Since January 1, 2026, Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401(c)(1) sets one standard probate estate fee for a full administration and a small estate alike: $275 as of January 1, 2026, $300 as of January 1, 2027 and $325 as of January 1, 2028, before local litigation taxes. The $275 figure applies through December 31, 2026. Ask the Hawkins County Clerk and Master for the current schedule before relying on a total.

Required Documents

  • Certified Death Certificate

    Order several certified copies from the Tennessee Office of Vital Records ($15 each); the court and asset holders each need one.

  • Original Will

    If a will exists, the original must be filed with the Clerk and Master (or Probate Court). Tenn. Code Ann. 32-1-104 / 32-2-110.

  • Petition for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration

    Opens the estate: Letters Testamentary when there is a will, Letters of Administration when there is none. Local Clerk and Master form.

  • Oath of the Personal Representative

    Signed and notarized oath of the executor or administrator.

  • Fiduciary Bond

    Required unless waived by the will or by the court/beneficiaries. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-1-201.

  • Order Admitting Will to Probate and Granting Letters

    The court order appointing the personal representative and (if applicable) admitting the will.

  • Notice to Creditors

    Published notice to creditors; the four-month claim period runs from first publication. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-306(b).

  • Inventory of the Estate

    Filed within 60 days of appointment unless waived by the will or all residuary distributees. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-301.

E-Filing & Filing Methods

Case SearchProbate Forms

Records portal

Check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.

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Filing Methods: in person, by appointment

Timelines & Proceedings

Deadlines & Creditor Claims

Key Deadlines

Will Deposit
Verify locally
Creditor Claims
4 months

Creditor Claims

Period Starts
first publication of notice to creditors
Statute
Tenn. Code § 30-2-306

Related Proceedings

Property Recording

Source ↗