Daviess County
Probate Court
In Indiana, estates are probated in the Circuit Court / Superior Court (Probate Division). This page gathers where to file in Daviess County, the state rules that apply, and where every detail comes from.
Where to file in Daviess County
- Handled by
- Circuit Court / Superior Court (Probate Division)In Indiana, probate jurisdiction resides in the Circuit Court and Superior Court of each county (with specialized Probate Courts such as Marion County and St. Joseph County). Indiana offers supervised and unsupervised administration.
- Location
- Probate filings are made in the county seat, Washington. We have not found an open, verifiable address for the office yet — use the county website below.
- Phone
- No phone number published in an open source. Use the county website's contact page — we don't list numbers we can't source.
- Opening hours
- Not published in an open source. Check the court or county website before you go.
- County website
- daviess.orgWikidata
- State courts & e-filing
- in.govCase search: Indiana Courts Online Case Search (mycase.in.gov)
How probate runs in Daviess County
Six stages, with the Indiana rules that set the pace.
- 01
Secure the original will
Find the original signed will and order certified death certificates. Indiana deadline: No fixed delivery deadline (custodian delivers on demand/court order, IC 29-1-7-3); will generally must be presented for probate within 3 years after death (IC 29-1-7-15.1).
- 02
Pick the right track
If the probate estate is under $100,000, a small-estate procedure (Ind. Code § 29-1-8-1 (Small Estate Affidavit)) may avoid full administration.
- 03
Petition the court
File the petition with the Circuit Court / Superior Court (Probate Division) for Daviess County. The court appoints the executor or administrator and issues letters.
- 04
Inventory the estate
Open an estate bank account (the IRS issues the EIN), list assets at date-of-death values and file the inventory if the court requires it.
- 05
Notify creditors
Publish or send notice to creditors. Window: 3 months after date of first publication of notice to creditors, or 9 months from death.
- 06
Account and distribute
Pay debts, taxes and fees (Ind. Code § 29-1-10-13), file the final account if required, distribute to heirs and ask to close the estate.
Where to get help.
We don't sell leads or take referral fees. Eligibility, availability and fees depend on the provider; confirm them directly.
- 01 Indiana courts — self-help & formsOfficial judiciary website: forms, filing rules and e-filing.
- 02 Legal aid directory — LawHelp.orgNonprofit directory of free and low-cost legal aid by state, including probate and estates.
- 03 Find a probate lawyer — American Bar AssociationState-by-state links to bar lawyer-referral services and pro bono programs.
Indiana rules that apply here
Probate law is state law — these apply in all 92 Indiana counties.
- Small estates
- $100,000 for deaths after June 30, 2022 ($50,000 for earlier deaths); personal property onlyInd. Code § 29-1-8-1 (Small Estate Affidavit) · wait 45 days
- Filing the will
- No fixed delivery deadline (custodian delivers on demand/court order, IC 29-1-7-3); will generally must be presented for probate within 3 years after death (IC 29-1-7-15.1)
- Creditor claims
- 3 months after date of first publication of notice to creditors, or 9 months from deathInd. Code § 29-1-14-1
- Executor fees
- Reasonable compensation approved by court based on local county fee guidelines (typically 2% to 4%)Ind. Code § 29-1-10-13 · estimate the fee
- Handwritten wills
- Not recognized without witnesses. Indiana does NOT recognize unwitnessed holographic wills. Must be executed with two disinterested attesting witnesses.
- Estate tax
- No state estate tax.Indiana has no state estate tax.
- Inheritance tax
- No.Indiana inheritance tax was repealed effective January 1, 2013.
- Typical duration
- 6 to 12 monthsA lawyer is not required by statute, though most formal estates use one.
Rules re-checked Sept 2026 against: iga.in.gov · law.justia.com (statute)