DeKalb County, Tennessee Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Court filing fees in DeKalb County, Tennessee are collected by the DeKalb County Probate Court in Smithville according to Tennessee's statutory fee schedule, plus any local surcharges authorized by county ordinance. Tennessee's court structure — Circuit Court (civil/family) / Chancery Court (equity/divorce) / Probate Court (county-level) / General Sessions (small claims) — determines which courthouse accepts which case types and what fees apply.

The DeKalb County Probate Court operates as a smaller court handling civil matters alongside other case types. Confirming the current fee schedule with the clerk's office is recommended, as fees can change when new state legislation takes effect or when the county updates its local surcharge schedule.

For the full Tennessee court filing fee schedule, see our Tennessee Court Filing Fees.

The DeKalb County Chancery Court is located at 1 Public Sq, Smithville, TN 37166. The court clerk can be reached at (615) 597-4139.

Visit the court's website for current forms, fee schedules, and filing instructions.

Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.

• Filing fees in DeKalb County are based on Tennessee's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $75–$155 (Probate Court / Circuit Court — Probate
• varies by county)
• civil complaints and appearances — $185–$275 (Circuit Court) / $75–$100 (General Sessions Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $185–$275 (Circuit Court / Chancery Court — Domestic)
• small claims filings — $65–$100 (General Sessions Court). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the DeKalb County Probate Court in Smithville may include additional local charges.

As a smaller jurisdiction, DeKalb County typically operates with modest local surcharges, though the base state filing fees apply uniformly.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, DeKalb County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Tennessee), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in DeKalb County, request the full fee schedule from the DeKalb County Probate Court clerk in Smithville before initiating the proceeding.

Tennessee is expanding e-filing across its court system. The DeKalb County Probate Court in Smithville may still accept or require paper filings for some case types.

Contact the clerk directly to confirm requirements for your case type and whether a convenience fee (typically $2–$8 per transaction) applies. For full statewide e-filing details, see our Tennessee Court Filing Fees.

• DeKalb County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under Tenn.
• Code Ann. § 20-12-127.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the DeKalb County Probate Court clerk's office in Smithville at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in DeKalb County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in Tenn.
• Code Ann. § 20-12-127 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the DeKalb County Probate Court clerk in Smithville for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the DeKalb County Probate Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In DeKalb County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.