Court Rules


Rule 72 - Probate

Rule 72.1 - Docket Numbering

1. Any matter filed in the probate division to which a number was assigned prior to January 2, 1979, shall carry that number. Any file opened on or after January 2, 1979, shall be numbered under the numbering system in effect in the probate division on January 2, 1979, as such numbering system may be changed from time to time.

2. All pleadings pertaining to probate shall be filed in the probate division in either Independence or Kansas City pursuant to R.S.Mo. §478.473. All cases filed in the Independence probate division shall bear the prefix of the last two digits of the year the matter was filed and “P9”. All matters filed in the Kansas City probate division shall likewise bear a prefix of the last two digits of the year the matter was filed and “P8”. Any adversary proceeding, as defined by the Probate Code, filed prior to January 1, 2017, for which a separate case number is established by the probate division shall bear the prefix as indicated for the Independence or Kansas City probate division and the letters "PR" and a five digit number referencing the case number to the estate number and a two digit suffix distinguishing one case number file from another relating to the same estate. Such case number shall appear thus: "00P9-PR00000-00" or “00P8-PR00000-00.” Any adversary proceeding, as defined by the Probate Code, filed on January 1, 2017 and after, for which a separate case number is established by the probate division shall bear the prefix as indicated for the Independence or Kansas City probate division and the letters “PR” and a new five digit number. Case numbers will related to the estate number via docket text. No two digit suffix will be used for cases filed January 1, 2017 and after.

3. Any case transferred from the probate division to another division shall retain the case number assigned to it by the probate division. Any case transferred to the probate division shall retain the case number assigned to it by the Office of Court Administrator.





Adopted 8/18/17
Effective 9/15/17