Back to Alaska
Utqiagvik, AK Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Utqiagvik court information |
|---|---|
| Court | Alaska Superior Court at the Utqiagvik court (AS 22.10.020(a)) |
| Judicial district and case prefix | Second Judicial District; Utqiagvik estate case numbers begin with 2BA and estate cases use the PR suffix (AS 13.16.055) |
| Courthouse address | 1250 Agvik Street, Utqiagvik, AK 99723 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 270, Utqiagvik, AK 99723 |
| Phone | (907) 852-4800. No separate probate line is published. |
| Fax | None published by the Utqiagvik court. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, with the clerk's office closed Tuesdays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am |
| Filing fee | $250 to open a probate of estates case, Administrative Rule 9, effective May 1, 2023 |
| Local forms | The Alaska Court System publishes statewide P-series forms; the Utqiagvik court publishes none of its own. |
| Probate email route | The Utqiagvik court lists [email protected] for probate filings. Email filing is governed by Civil Rule 5.1, and an original will still needs to reach the court in paper form. |
| TrueFiling | Alaska uses TrueFiling at court locations, but estates, trusts, wills and will registration are not currently submitted through TrueFiling according to courts.alaska.gov/eFile/index.htm. |
| Case search | CourtView Public Access at https://records.courts.alaska.gov/ |
| Remote appearance | Probate hearings are presumptively remote under Supreme Court Order No. 2012 unless they fall into an in-person category, and telephonic participation is governed by Civil Rule 99. Call the court for the correct meeting ID. |
| Website | https://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/2ba.htm |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Utqiagvik, list what the person owned, what debts may exist, whether there is an original will, and which assets already pass by joint ownership or beneficiary designation. That first pass determines whether you need an estate case, which Utqiagvik forms fit, and whether someone needs letters testamentary or letters of administration to act for the estate (AS 13.16.015).
Sunset helps with that first estate settlement step by searching more than 2,300 institutions for accounts, insurance, investments and other assets. A clearer asset picture makes it easier to choose the right probate path before you contact the clerk of court at the Utqiagvik court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for people who lived in and around Utqiagvik is filed with the Alaska Superior Court at the Utqiagvik court, one of the Alaska Court System's trial-court locations in the Second Judicial District. Venue for the first probate proceeding lies in the judicial district where the person who died was domiciled (AS 13.16.055(a)(1); AS 22.10.020(a)).
Utqiagvik sits in the North Slope Borough, and the Utqiagvik court is the Alaska Court System location that serves it. 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 (AS 13.16.055).
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). Alaska's other trial court, the district court, is a court of limited jurisdiction and does not hear estates (AS 22.15.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Alaska Court System probate packet. For informal probate with a will, use P-315, P-316 and P-335; for informal probate without a will, use P-325, P-326 and P-336 (AS 13.16.080). If a formal probate case is needed, use the formal probate request for a will or no-will case, including P-320 or P-330 as applicable (AS 13.16.145).
- Prepare the opening papers, the certified death certificate, and any original will. If there is an original will, arrange for the paper original to reach the court.
- File with the clerk of court at 1250 Agvik Street, mail the packet to PO Box 270, Utqiagvik, AK 99723, or use the Utqiagvik court's published probate email address, [email protected]. Email filing is governed by Civil Rule 5.1, and you should ask the court how to handle payment and any original will before sending the packet.
- Pay the $250 filing fee for a probate of estates case, Administrative Rule 9, effective May 1, 2023, or submit TF-920 if you are asking for a fee waiver.
- The court reviews the request. If the requirements are met, the court opens the case and issues letters testamentary or letters of administration, which give the personal representative authority to act for the estate (AS 13.16.015).
- Handle required notice after appointment, including notice to creditors under AS 13.16.450. If the court schedules a hearing, probate hearings are presumptively remote under Supreme Court Order No. 2012 unless the hearing falls into an in-person category, and telephonic participation is governed by Civil Rule 99.
- Administer the estate, use CourtView Public Access at https://records.courts.alaska.gov/ to follow the docket, and close the case with the Alaska Court System closing form that fits the type of estate settlement.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Utqiagvik
The Alaska Court System publishes statewide probate forms for use in Utqiagvik. The Utqiagvik court publishes no separate local probate form or local cover sheet of its own.
| Need | Form path |
|---|---|
| Informal probate with a will | P-315, P-316 and P-335 (AS 13.16.080) |
| Informal probate without a will | P-325, P-326 and P-336 (AS 13.16.080) |
| Formal probate | P-320 for a will case or P-330 for a no-will case, with the matching proposed order forms (AS 13.16.145) |
| Fee waiver request | TF-920 |
| Record request | TF-311 for locations other than Anchorage, Fairbanks and Palmer |
Forms are posted at https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/forms.htm. If you plan to send papers to [email protected], contact the Utqiagvik court first about payment and any original will.
Local nuance
Utqiagvik-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for filing |
|---|---|
| Published probate email route | The Utqiagvik court lists [email protected] for probate filings. Email filing is governed by Civil Rule 5.1, and any original will still needs to reach the court in paper form. |
| Tuesday morning closure | The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, but the clerk's office is closed Tuesdays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. Call (907) 852-4800 before planning a time-sensitive visit. |
| Resident superior court judge | Utqiagvik has a resident superior court judge, so probate is filed with the Alaska Superior Court at the Utqiagvik court in the ordinary Second Judicial District path (AS 22.10.020(a); AS 13.16.055). |
| No published fax | The Utqiagvik court does not publish a fax number. Use the counter, mail, or the court's published probate email route as Civil Rule 5.1 allows. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying what passes outside probate and what still needs court authority. If an estate case is needed, file at 1250 Agvik Street, by mail to PO Box 270, or through the court's published probate email route under Civil Rule 5.1. Plan around the Tuesday 8:00 am to 9:00 am clerk's-office closure. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title questions before you decide whether estate settlement requires a Utqiagvik filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Review the statewide small estate procedure before opening a full estate case (AS 13.16.690). If a Utqiagvik filing is needed, the case is in the Second Judicial District, and the court publishes [email protected] for probate filings under Civil Rule 5.1. | Sunset helps gather asset information, organize the probate packet and flag when local counsel may be useful from outside Alaska. |
| 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 (AS 13.16.015). File with the Utqiagvik court and budget for the $250 probate of estates filing fee, Administrative Rule 9, effective May 1, 2023, unless you request a fee waiver with TF-920. | Sunset helps find assets, prepare the filing set and connect the family with an Alaska probate attorney when a sale or title issue needs legal work. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Utqiagvik court directory | Current court address, hours, phone number and probate email instructions for this location | https://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/2ba.htm |
| Alaska Court System probate self-help hub | Plain-language probate information, form links, flowcharts and AVA probate assistance | https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/index.htm |
| Alaska Court System probate forms | Statewide P-series forms for informal probate, formal probate, notices and closing papers | https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/forms.htm |
| CourtView Public Access | Free docket search for public estate cases and deposited wills; Utqiagvik estate cases begin 2BA and end PR | https://records.courts.alaska.gov/ |
| Alaska Court System law libraries | Remote research help from the court system's law libraries | 1-888-282-2082 |
| Alaska Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to lawyers who practice in probate | https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/resources.htm |
| Fee waiver form | Use TF-920 to ask the court to waive filing fees | https://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/tf-920.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and other assets that may affect estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns what you know about the estate into an organized Alaska probate packet, including the Utqiagvik filing details, the court's mailing address and the published probate email route.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal advice, a contested hearing, real estate work or help with formal probate, Sunset can connect you with an Alaska probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand next steps and decide whether they need court filing support without paying Sunset for the planning tools.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Utqiagvik?
File with the clerk of court at the Utqiagvik court, 1250 Agvik Street, Utqiagvik, AK 99723, by mail to PO Box 270, Utqiagvik, AK 99723, or through the court's published probate email address, [email protected], as Civil Rule 5.1 allows. A Utqiagvik estate is a Second Judicial District case for venue purposes (AS 13.16.055).
What are the Utqiagvik court's hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The clerk's office is closed Tuesdays from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, so call (907) 852-4800 before a time-sensitive trip.
Can I file probate electronically in Utqiagvik?
Not through TrueFiling. Alaska uses TrueFiling, but estates, trusts, wills and will registration are excluded from TrueFiling according to courts.alaska.gov/eFile/index.htm. The Utqiagvik court instead publishes [email protected] for probate filings, with email filing governed by Civil Rule 5.1.
Can I email papers to the Utqiagvik court?
The Utqiagvik court's directory page names [email protected] for probate filings. Email filing is governed by Civil Rule 5.1, and an original will still needs to reach the court in paper form.
Is there a judge in Utqiagvik for a probate case?
Yes. Utqiagvik has a resident superior court judge, and probate is filed with the Alaska Superior Court at the Utqiagvik court (AS 22.10.020(a)). The page does not need a judge's personal name to explain where to file.
Can I take part in a Utqiagvik probate hearing by telephone?
Probate hearings are presumptively remote under Supreme Court Order No. 2012 unless they fall into an in-person category, including contested estate hearings. Telephonic, video or internet participation is governed by Civil Rule 99, and the statewide toll-free conference line is 1-888-788-0099. Ask the Utqiagvik court which meeting ID applies to your hearing.
How much does it cost to open probate in Utqiagvik?
The filing fee is $250 to open a probate of estates case, Administrative Rule 9, effective May 1, 2023. If you cannot afford the fee, submit TF-920 to ask for a fee waiver.
Are there Utqiagvik probate forms?
The Utqiagvik court publishes no separate local probate forms. Use the Alaska Court System statewide P-series forms, including P-315 for informal probate with a will under AS 13.16.080 and P-320 for formal probate with a will under AS 13.16.145.
How do I look up a Utqiagvik probate case?
Use CourtView Public Access at https://records.courts.alaska.gov/. Utqiagvik estate case numbers begin with 2BA and end with the PR case-type 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.