Do You Need a Lawyer for Missouri's Determination of Heirship?
The statute lets any person claiming an interest as an heir or through an heir petition (RSMo § 473.663.1), and Jackson County's petition form includes signature lines for a self-represented petitioner. But the process has a hearing, four weeks of newspaper publication, mailed notice to every named person, and a clerk's checklist that returns petitions for missing items such as a proposed judgment; the Jackson County manual's procedural text is written for attorneys. Whether other circuits accept self-represented petitions was not verified. Where heirs are disputed, unknown or hard to find, or a lien or claim has to be resolved, a licensed Missouri attorney is worth the fee. This is informational only and is not legal advice.
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What an attorney typically charges
A probate attorney typically charges $1,500–$4,200+ to handle determination of heirship in Missouri — work that is, in practice, preparing and filing a court petition under RSMo § 473.663, giving the required notice, and appearing at the hearing.
What you can typically do yourself
The statute lets any person claiming an interest as an heir or through an heir petition (RSMo § 473.663.1), and Jackson County's petition form includes signature lines for a self-represented petitioner. But the process has a hearing, four weeks of newspaper publication, mailed notice to every named person, and a clerk's checklist that returns petitions for missing items such as a proposed judgment; the Jackson County manual's procedural text is written for attorneys. Whether other circuits accept self-represented petitions was not verified. Where heirs are disputed, unknown or hard to find, or a lien or claim has to be resolved, a licensed Missouri attorney is worth the fee.
When the fee is worth it anyway: a contested estate, disputed heirship, unresolved debts beyond what RSMo § 473.663 allows, or real property with a complicated title history. Those are fact-specific questions this guide doesn't answer — for them, consult a licensed Missouri attorney regardless of which mechanism applies.
Either way, know before you go
Whether you hire an attorney or file it yourself, the same steps decide how smoothly it goes. See where a court-filed process slows or stalls and what resolves each.
Whichever way you go, these are the steps that decide how smoothly it goes
Not the petition itself — the notice, clearance, and follow-up steps around it. Free one-pager: what to have ready at each step, emailed now. Then a few short follow-ups over the next few weeks — then we stop.