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Dillingham, AK Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Dillingham court information |
|---|---|
| Court | Alaska Superior Court at the Dillingham court under AS 22.10.020 |
| Courthouse address | 476 Emperor Way South, Dillingham, AK 99576 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 909, Dillingham, AK 99576 |
| Phone | (907) 842-5215, customer service. No separate probate line is published. |
| Fax | (907) 842-5746, record requests only |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The clerk's office is closed Fridays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. The court states that all front-counter services other than bail are offered on Friday afternoons. |
| Filing fee | $250 to open a probate of estates case, set by Administrative Rule 9 and published as effective May 1, 2023 |
| Local forms | The Alaska Court System publishes statewide P-series probate forms. The Dillingham court does not publish local probate forms of its own. |
| E-filing status | TrueFiling exists statewide, but the Alaska Court System lists Estates, Trusts, Wills, and Will Registration among case types that still have paper case files and cannot be submitted through TrueFiling. Check courts.alaska.gov/eFile/index.htm before filing. |
| Case search | CourtView Public Access at records.courts.alaska.gov. Dillingham estate case numbers begin with 3DI and probate cases end with PR. |
| Remote appearance | Telephonic, video or internet participation is governed by Civil Rule 99. The statewide hearing order makes probate hearings presumptively remote except listed matters such as contested estate hearings. Call the court for the meeting ID. |
| Website | courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/3di.htm |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Dillingham, make a first pass at what the person owned, how each account was titled, what debts exist, and whether any asset already passes by beneficiary designation or co-ownership. That early asset map keeps estate settlement from becoming a court filing that does not solve the family's real problem.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help locate accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before you choose the Dillingham filing path. Bring the asset list, the certified death certificate and the original will, if there is one, to the next step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for people who lived in and around Dillingham is filed with the clerk of court at the Dillingham court, a trial-court location of the Alaska Superior Court in the Third Judicial District under AS 22.10.020 and AS 13.16.055.
Venue for the first probate proceeding lies in the judicial district where the person who died was domiciled, or for a non-Alaska domiciliary, where Alaska property or a qualifying fiduciary connection exists (AS 13.16.055). Dillingham sits in the Dillingham Census Area, and Alaska's civil subdivisions are boroughs, unified municipalities and census areas, with more than half the state in the Unorganized Borough. Probate venue follows the judicial district, not those civil subdivisions.
Alaska has no separate court for decedents' estates: estate settlement is a case class of the superior court, the state's trial court of general jurisdiction, whose jurisdiction extends over the whole of the state and which sits at court locations grouped into four judicial districts (AS 22.10.010; AS 22.10.020). Papers are filed with the clerk of court at the Dillingham court, and venue for the first proceeding lies in the judicial district where the person who died was domiciled (AS 13.16.055). Alaska's other trial court, the district court, is a court of limited jurisdiction and does not hear estates (AS 22.15.010). Alaska's civil subdivisions are boroughs, unified municipalities and census areas, and more than half the state lies in the Unorganized Borough; probate venue follows none of them, it follows the judicial district.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Alaska probate route before filing. For an uncontested opening, the statewide informal probate request uses P-315 when there is a will or P-325 when there is no will, under AS 13.16.080. If the matter needs a formal probate request, the statewide forms point to AS 13.16.145.
- Assemble the opening packet. With a will, use the certified death certificate, the original will, P-315, P-316 and P-335. Without a will, use the certified death certificate, P-325, P-326 and P-336. The original will must reach the court in paper form.
- File with the clerk of court at the Dillingham court, 476 Emperor Way South, Dillingham, AK 99576, or mail the packet to PO Box 909, Dillingham, AK 99576. Plan around the Friday 8:00 am to 9:00 am clerk's-office closure.
- Pay the $250 probate of estates filing fee, set by Administrative Rule 9 and published as effective May 1, 2023, or submit TF-920 with the case if you are asking for a fee waiver.
- Do not expect to submit the estate opening through TrueFiling. The Alaska Court System's TrueFiling page at courts.alaska.gov/eFile/index.htm lists Estates, Trusts, Wills, and Will Registration as case types that cannot be submitted through TrueFiling.
- If the court sets a hearing, ask the Dillingham court which meeting ID applies. Telephonic, video or internet participation is controlled by Civil Rule 99, and the statewide order treats probate hearings as presumptively remote except listed matters such as contested estate hearings.
- After appointment, use the issued letters testamentary or letters of administration as the authority document for estate settlement (AS 13.16.015).
- Administer the estate by giving required notices, including notice to creditors under AS 13.16.450, handling claims, gathering assets, paying proper expenses and distributing property under the authority of the appointment.
- Close the estate using the statewide closing form that matches the case type, and keep certified copies of the letters if banks, title companies or other institutions ask for them.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dillingham
The Alaska Court System publishes statewide probate forms in the P series, and the Dillingham court does not publish local probate forms of its own. Use the statewide forms for a Dillingham filing.
| Need | Statewide form |
|---|---|
| Start informal probate when there is a will | P-315, P-316 and P-335 under AS 13.16.080 and AS 13.16.015 |
| Start informal probate when there is no will | P-325, P-326 and P-336 under AS 13.16.080 and AS 13.16.015 |
| Start formal probate | P-320 or P-330, with the matching proposed order, under AS 13.16.145 |
| Ask to waive the filing fee | TF-920 fee waiver request |
| Request copies from the court | TF-311 record request form |
Local nuance
Dillingham-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Dillingham filing |
|---|---|
| Friday morning closure | The court is open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, but the clerk's office is closed Fridays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. The court states that all front-counter services other than bail are offered on Friday afternoons. |
| Filing route | The Dillingham court publishes a mailing address and a counter address. It publishes no general email address, and the fax number is labeled for record requests only. Filing by email or by fax is governed by Civil Rule 5.1 when an order or written permission allows it. |
| Resident superior court seat | Dillingham is a resident Superior Court seat under AS 22.10.020, so the ordinary local-court framing applies. |
| Hearing connection details | The court system publishes more than one Dillingham meeting ID. Use the toll-free conference line and ask the court which meeting ID applies to your probate hearing under Civil Rule 99. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Dillingham path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | First identify what passes outside the estate by title or beneficiary designation. If a probate case is still needed, file with the clerk of court at 476 Emperor Way South or mail to PO Box 909, and plan around the Friday 8:00 am to 9:00 am closure. Notary services are free at Alaska court offices. | Sunset helps separate jointly held or beneficiary-designated assets from property that may need estate settlement, then organizes the Dillingham filing packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Review the statewide small estate path under AS 13.16.690 before opening a case. If a Dillingham-domiciled decedent needs a case, the filing is a Third Judicial District matter under AS 13.16.055, and mailing to PO Box 909 may be the practical route. The fax line is for record requests only, and no general email address is published. | Sunset helps identify whether a court case is needed, generates the forms for the selected path and helps you prepare questions for the Dillingham clerk before you mail anything. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires an appointed personal representative with letters testamentary or letters of administration under AS 13.16.015. Budget for the $250 opening fee under Administrative Rule 9, effective May 1, 2023, or ask about TF-920, and request certified copies of the letters for closing and title work. | Sunset helps find accounts and debts, prepare the probate packet and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale, title issue or dispute makes legal help important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dillingham court directory | Local address, mailing address, phone, hours, fax label and courthouse links. | courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/3di.htm |
| Alaska Court System probate self-help hub | Plain-language probate guidance for Alaska estates. | courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/index.htm |
| Statewide probate forms | P-series probate forms used for Dillingham filings. | courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/forms.htm |
| CourtView Public Access | Free docket search at records.courts.alaska.gov. Dillingham estate case numbers begin 3DI and probate cases end PR. | records.courts.alaska.gov |
| Alaska Court System law libraries | Statewide law library help by phone and email. | 1-888-282-2082 |
| Alaska Lawyer Referral Service | Alaska Bar Association referral to lawyers, including probate lawyers. | alaskabar.org |
| Fee waiver form | TF-920 is filed with the case when asking the court to waive the filing fee. | public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/tf-920.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if family members disagree about who should serve, the original will is missing, real estate must be sold, a business or remote property is involved, creditor claims are disputed under AS 13.16.450, or you are unsure whether a Dillingham filing is the right estate settlement path. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank accounts, retirement assets, insurance, investment accounts and other property before choosing a Dillingham probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet, including the statewide Alaska forms that match whether there is a will, whether an informal probate request under AS 13.16.080 fits, and whether the case needs attorney review.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Dillingham estate involves a home sale, disagreement, unclear title, creditor issues under AS 13.16.450 or formal probate under AS 13.16.145, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the next steps, organize documents and move estate settlement forward without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dillingham?
File with the clerk of court at the Dillingham court, 476 Emperor Way South, Dillingham, AK 99576, or mail the packet to PO Box 909, Dillingham, AK 99576. A Dillingham probate case is in the Third Judicial District under AS 13.16.055, and the superior court has probate jurisdiction under AS 22.10.020.
What are the Dillingham court's hours?
The Dillingham court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The clerk's office is closed Fridays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, and the court states that all front-counter services other than bail are offered on Friday afternoons. Call (907) 842-5215 before traveling.
Can Dillingham probate papers go through TrueFiling?
No. TrueFiling operates statewide, but the Alaska Court System lists Estates, Trusts, Wills, and Will Registration among case types that still have paper case files and cannot be submitted through TrueFiling. The court system says probate is planned to transition by the end of 2026, so check courts.alaska.gov/eFile/index.htm before filing.
Can I email or fax papers to the Dillingham court?
The Dillingham court publishes no general email address, and its fax line is labeled record requests only. Filing by email or by fax is governed by Civil Rule 5.1 when a presiding-judge order or written permission allows it, so call the court before relying on either method for probate papers.
Is there a resident judge for a probate case in Dillingham?
Dillingham is listed by the Alaska Court System as a resident Superior Court seat. The page does not name individual judges, and all estate filings still go through the clerk of court at the Dillingham court under AS 22.10.020.
Can I take part in a Dillingham probate hearing by telephone?
Telephonic, video or internet participation is governed by Civil Rule 99. The statewide remote-hearing order makes probate hearings presumptively remote except listed matters such as contested estate hearings, but the court controls the format for a particular hearing. Use the toll-free conference line, 1-888-788-0099, and ask the Dillingham court which meeting ID applies.
How much does it cost to open probate in Dillingham?
The filing fee is $250 to open a probate of estates case, set by Administrative Rule 9 and published as effective May 1, 2023. If you cannot afford the fee, submit TF-920 with the filing to ask for a fee waiver.
Does Dillingham have its own probate forms?
The Dillingham court does not publish local probate forms of its own. Use the Alaska Court System's statewide P-series forms, including P-315 for an informal probate request with a will under AS 13.16.080, P-325 for an informal request without a will, and the matching letters forms under AS 13.16.015.
How do I look up a Dillingham probate case?
Use CourtView Public Access at records.courts.alaska.gov. Dillingham estate case numbers begin with 3DI, probate cases end with PR, and deposited wills can be searched by name with the WI suffix.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.