Probate in Nashville: where to start

Where probate happens in Nashville

In most other Tennessee counties, probate is handled by the Chancery Court. Davidson County is one of the exceptions, so the Nashville court is different from the one in Franklin or Murfreesboro.

Do you need probate at all?

Not always. Some things pass outside probate: accounts with a named beneficiary, life insurance, retirement accounts, and property owned jointly with a right of survivorship. Probate is mainly for what was in the person’s name alone. Tennessee also has a simpler small estate process. The clerk’s office can tell you which forms apply, though it cannot give legal advice.

What to gather first

• Certified copies of the death certificate
• The original will, if there is one
• A list of what the person owned in their name alone, and any debts
• Names and addresses of close family and anyone named in the will

Tennessee has not had an inheritance tax since 2016, so there is no state inheritance tax return for recent deaths. Tennessee Department of Revenue

When to ask for help

If there is a house, a business, a dispute in the family, or debts larger than the estate, talk with a Tennessee probate attorney. Hestia can’t give legal advice.

Plan it together, for free

A Hestia family space keeps the decisions, tasks, guests and costs in one private place, so nobody has to piece it together from texts and calls.