Access Madison County Probate Court Records
Madison County is in central Kentucky. The county seat is Richmond. Madison District Court handles all probate and estate matters. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains the records. You can search for wills, estates, and guardianships at the courthouse.
Madison County Quick Facts
Madison County Circuit Court Clerk
The Madison County Circuit Court Clerk is David M. Fernandez. The clerk maintains records for Circuit Court and handles traffic cases. The office is at the Madison County Courthouse.
| Office | Madison County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Name | David M. Fernandez |
| Address | Madison County Courthouse 101 W. Main St. Richmond, KY 40475 |
| Phone | 859-624-4713 (Main & Circuit) 859-624-4722 (Traffic) |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
Madison County Clerk
The Madison County Clerk has two offices. The Richmond office handles most services. The Berea office provides additional access for southern Madison County residents.
| Richmond Office | 321 N. Madison Ave. (859) 624-4703 8 AM - 4:30 PM Passports until 3:45 PM |
|---|---|
| Berea Office | 304 Chestnut St. (859) 986-1460 8 AM - 4:30 PM Closed for lunch 12 PM - 1 PM |
Madison County Probate Court Process
Madison District Court handles probate and estate matters. This includes decedents who lived in the county at death. Kentucky probate follows KRS Chapters 394 and 395.
Common probate forms include:
- Form AOC-805: Petition for Probate of Will
- Form AOC-805: Petition for Appointment of Administrator
- Form AOC-830: Petition to Dispense with Administration
The Petition to Dispense with Administration is for small estates. This applies when the estate is valued at $30,000 or less. This simplified process has lower fees.
Filing fees include:
- Formal probate petition: approximately $161.00
- Dispense with administration: $53.50 - $85.00
- Certified copies of Letters: approximately $5.00 each
- Publication costs: approximately $50.00 - $100.00
Statutory fees cap executor compensation at 5% of the personal estate value. This is set by Kentucky law.
Note: Publication notice must run in the Richmond Register.
How to Search Madison County Probate Records
You can search for probate records in Madison County at the courthouse. The District Court handles probate matters. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains records.
E-filing is available for attorneys. Pro se litigants typically file in person or by mail. You can submit written requests to the Circuit Court Clerk.
Kentucky CourtNet 2.0 provides online case access. Visit kcoj.kycourts.net to search.
Note: Inventory must be filed in duplicate within 60 days of appointment.
Cities in Madison County
Richmond is the county seat. Berea is another major city. Both have County Clerk office access.