Missouri Laws 473.010 – Venue
1. The will of any decedent shall be probated and letters testamentary or of administration shall be granted:
(1) In the county in which the domicile of the deceased is situated;
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 473.010
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
(2) If he had no domicile in this state then in any county wherein he left any property; except that when the major part of a nonresident decedent’s estate in this state consists of real estate, the will shall be probated and letters testamentary or of administration shall be granted in the county in which the real estate or the major part thereof is located;
(3) If the decedent had no domicile in this state and left no property therein, in any county in which the granting thereof is required in order to protect or secure any legal right.
2. If proceedings are commenced in more than one county, they shall be stayed except in the county where first commenced until final determination of venue in the county where first commenced. The proceedings are deemed commenced by the filing of an application for letters; and the proceedings first legally commenced extends to all of the property of the estate in this state.
3. All orders, settlements, trials and other proceedings pertaining to any estate shall be had or made in the county in which the letters were granted.