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Adams County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Adams County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Adams County District Court, at the Adams County Justice Center |
| Judicial district | 17th Judicial District, Adams County and the City and County of Broomfield (C.R.S. § 13-5-118) |
| Courthouse address | Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601 |
| Mailing address | 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601 |
| Filing office | Clerk of the District Court, Adams County Justice Center |
| Probate registrar phone | (303) 654-3227 |
| Main courthouse phone | 303-659-1161 |
| Fax | No clerk or probate fax number is published. |
| Clerk hours | Clerk's Office windows are open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Clerk's Office is closed to the public from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The building is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $229 for a first filing in a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). The same posted list shows $113 for a small estate eligible for summary administrative procedures with no real property, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). |
| Local forms | Adams County publishes no local probate forms. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys file through Colorado Courts E-Filing, which covers probate. The Judicial Branch system for people without a lawyer is open only in domestic relations and eviction cases, so a self-represented personal representative files at the counter or by mail. |
| Case lookup | Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets shows scheduled hearings and includes the PR case class. It is a calendar search, not a document search. |
| Remote appearance | An uncontested informal probate proceeding is presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023. Adams County's virtual courtroom page still directs that virtual appearance requires prior approval from the court, so confirm with the assigned division. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/adams-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Adams County, build a complete picture of the assets, debts, beneficiaries and real estate. Colorado's route choice depends on that picture: an informal application goes to the probate registrar without advance notice to interested persons, while a formal petition goes before a judge or magistrate with notice (C.R.S. § 15-10-201(21), (26)). Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before the first estate settlement filing lands in Brighton.
The local calendar also rewards preparation. The filing windows, phone hours, fourth-Wednesday midday counter closure, Court Resource Center hours, monthly probate clinic and separate Recording Department location all affect how quickly a family can move from forms to Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Adams County probate is filed with the Clerk of the District Court at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601. Adams County is part of the 17th Judicial District with the City and County of Broomfield (C.R.S. § 13-5-118), but an Adams County estate is filed in Brighton, not at the Broomfield courthouse. Colorado also requires a term of court in each county within a judicial district at that county's seat (C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled or resident at death. If the decedent was neither domiciled nor resident in Colorado, venue may be in a Colorado county where the decedent's property was located at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201(1)). For Adams County, that rule covers Brighton, Arvada, Aurora, Bennett, Commerce City, Federal Heights, Lochbuie, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster and the county's unincorporated areas when the venue facts point to Adams County.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Adams County is the right venue. Use the county where the decedent was domiciled or resident at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, a Colorado county where the decedent owned property at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201(1)).
- Identify the assets, debts, heirs, devisees and any Adams County real estate before choosing the route. That asset picture drives the estate settlement forms and the registrar's review.
- If there is a will, get it to the court. The person holding the will must deliver it within ten days after death, or as soon after learning of the death as possible, to the court with probate jurisdiction for lodging in the court records (C.R.S. § 15-11-516(1)). For an Adams County decedent, use the Clerk of the District Court at 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton.
- Choose the Colorado route. An informal application is directed to the probate registrar and is handled without notice to interested persons. A formal petition goes before a judge or magistrate with notice (C.R.S. § 15-10-201(21), (26); C.R.S. § 15-12-301(1)).
- Prepare the statewide JDF forms. Adams County publishes no local probate forms. Use JDF 705 as the case information sheet, JDF 910 for an informal application with a will, JDF 916 for an informal application without a will, JDF 920 for a formal petition with a will, JDF 922 for a formal petition without a will, and JDF 911 for acceptance of appointment.
- File at the correct office. Attorneys file through Colorado Courts E-Filing, which covers probate. A personal representative without a lawyer brings the paperwork to the Clerk's Office at the Adams County Justice Center or mails it to 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601. The filing windows are open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a public closure from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
- Pay the first filing amount or request a waiver. The amount for a first filing in a decedent's estate is $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). JDF 205 and JDF 206 are the forms to ask to file without payment.
- Expect registrar review for an informal application. The Adams County probate registrar's direct line is (303) 654-3227. The registrar reviews informal estate filings, decides on the appointment of personal representatives in informal estate cases, may ask for additional information and can provide procedural information, not legal advice.
- Use local procedural help when needed. The Adams County Court Resource Center is in the Justice Center, can schedule in-person or virtual meetings, and can be reached at 303-654-3213 or [email protected]. The district also runs a free probate and estate clinic on the second Monday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., virtually and with no registration for the 2026 schedule.
- If a hearing is needed, use the statewide hearing forms. JDF 709 explains how to set a probate hearing, JDF 710 is the notice to set a hearing, JDF 712 covers an uncontested matter and JDF 711 is the notice of hearing after a date is assigned. Adams County publishes no probate setting schedule, so ask the assigned division.
- Confirm appearance instructions before the hearing. Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023, treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but Adams County's virtual courtroom page directs that virtual appearance requires prior approval from the court. A livestream is for watching only and does not count as appearing.
- Obtain the authority document. Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration issue on JDF 915. An informal appointment establishes the personal representative's status and powers just as fully as a formal appointment (C.R.S. § 15-12-307(2)).
- Give required notices and administer the estate. Notice to creditors uses JDF 943 for publication and JDF 944 for mailed notice. The inventory form is JDF 941.
- Handle real estate recording outside the courthouse. Documents recorded against Adams County real estate go to the Adams County Recording Department at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., Suite E2400, Brighton. The county recording charge is $43 per document, effective July 1, 2025, under C.R.S. § 30-1-103, and the department lists no charge for recording a death certificate or verification of death.
- Close the estate. Informal closing uses JDF 965, with JDF 959 as the instruction sheet. The small-estate closing statement is JDF 966, with JDF 958 as the instruction sheet.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Adams County
Adams County does not publish its own probate forms or local probate packets. The county's Court Resource Center points people to the Colorado Judicial Branch's statewide JDF forms, which are free to download.
| Need | Statewide form |
|---|---|
| Probate case information sheet | JDF 705 |
| Instructions with a will | JDF 906 |
| Instructions without a will | JDF 907 |
| Informal application with a will | JDF 910 |
| Informal application without a will | JDF 916 |
| Formal petition with a will | JDF 920 |
| Formal petition without a will | JDF 922 |
| Acceptance of appointment | JDF 911 |
| Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration | JDF 915 |
| Notice to creditors | JDF 943 for publication and JDF 944 for mailed notice |
| Inventory | JDF 941 |
| Informal closing | JDF 965, with JDF 959 instructions |
Use the statewide probate forms page at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 or the form search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-forms.
Local nuance
Adams County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for an estate |
|---|---|
| Different window and phone hours | The Clerk's Office takes filings at the counter from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but answers the phone only from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The building itself is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Fourth-Wednesday closure | The Clerk's Office is closed to the public from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. |
| Shared district registrar | One probate registrar covers the 17th Judicial District for Adams County and Broomfield County. The direct line for Adams County estate matters is (303) 654-3227. |
| Adams filing stays in Brighton | Adams County and Broomfield County share the 17th Judicial District, but each has its own courthouse. An Adams County estate is filed at the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton. |
| Free monthly clinic | The 17th Judicial District runs a free probate and estate clinic with the 1st and 12th judicial districts on the second Monday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The 2026 schedule is virtual and needs no registration. |
| Court Resource Center | The Adams County Court Resource Center is in the Justice Center, is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, closes from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday, and schedules in-person or virtual meetings at 303-654-3213 or [email protected]. |
| No local probate forms | Adams County uses the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms and publishes no county probate packets. |
| Records route | Probate records are requested through the Records Unit at 303-654-3239, [email protected], or the Judicial Branch record request form. Probate is one category that may require a government-issued photo ID, and the request form states that responses are normally provided within three business days. |
| Transcripts instead of audio | The 17th Judicial District does not provide audio recordings of court hearings except when required by law, so a written transcript is the route for what was said at a hearing. |
| Recording is separate | Documents recorded against Adams County real estate go to the Adams County Recording Department at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., Suite E2400, Brighton. The county recording charge is $43 per document, effective July 1, 2025, under C.R.S. § 30-1-103. A death certificate or verification of death is listed at no recording charge. |
| Interpreter services | Interpreter services are arranged through the courthouse main number, 303-659-1161. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | The Adams County Recording Department changed its recording charge to $43 per document, effective July 1, 2025, under C.R.S. § 30-1-103. This is a county recording charge, not a court filing amount, and the department lists no recording charge for a death certificate or verification of death. |
| March 27, 2026 | The 2026 free legal clinic schedule for the 1st, 12th and 17th judicial districts was revised. The schedule includes a probate and estate clinic on the second Monday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., held virtually with no registration needed, with 2026 sessions running through December 14. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Adams County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | The estate opens with the Clerk of the District Court at the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton. If the paperwork fits the informal route, the application is reviewed by the district's probate registrar rather than set first for a noticed hearing. Anything that must be recorded against the Adams County home goes separately to the Adams County Recording Department at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., Suite E2400, with a county recording charge of $43 per document, effective July 1, 2025, under C.R.S. § 30-1-103. | Sunset identifies accounts, titles and debts before filing, so the spouse knows what is actually in the estate and what passed outside it. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | The court publishes the same Brighton address for mail, the Court Resource Center schedules virtual meetings, the free probate and estate clinic is virtual for the 2026 schedule, and the registrar answers on (303) 654-3227. If a will exists, it still has to reach the court for lodging within ten days after death, or as soon as the death is known, under C.R.S. § 15-11-516(1). | Sunset builds the asset picture and the packet remotely, so an out-of-state child is not traveling to Brighton only to learn that the filing is incomplete. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Open the estate in Brighton and expect a buyer, title company or lender to ask for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration on JDF 915. A certified copy can be requested through the Adams County Records Unit, and certification is $20, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-104(1)(f). If the sale needs court time, ask the assigned division because Adams County publishes no probate setting schedule. Closing documents are recorded at the Adams County Recording Department, not at the courthouse. | Sunset's asset discovery surfaces the mortgage, liens, accounts and paperwork needed to decide whether the sale can move forward. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County Court Resource Center | Self-Represented Litigant Coordinators, known in Colorado courts as Sherlocks, help people without a lawyer understand forms, rules and court steps. They give procedural information, not legal advice. The office schedules in-person or virtual meetings. | Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton. 303-654-3213. [email protected]. In person from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. closure on the fourth Wednesday of each month. |
| Free probate and estate clinic | The 17th Judicial District runs a free clinic with the 1st and 12th judicial districts for probate and estate questions. The 2026 schedule is virtual and requires no registration. | Second Monday of each month, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ask the Court Resource Center for the current clinic link or local attendance options. |
| Probate registrar | The registrar reviews informal estate filings, decides on the appointment of personal representatives in informal estate cases and may ask for more information to correct paperwork. The registrar can provide procedural information, not legal advice. | (303) 654-3227 |
| Colorado Legal Services, Denver office | Colorado Legal Services is the statewide civil legal aid provider serving Adams County. Its published programme areas do not include probate, so call to ask whether help is available rather than assuming representation. | 1560 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80203. 303-837-1313. New applicants are listed for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday until 3:00 p.m.; the phone line is listed until 4:00 p.m. |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate self-help hub | Statewide probate explanations and links to approved forms. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-and-court-forms/probate?resource_type=1047 |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | Statewide JDF probate forms for opening, administering and closing a decedent's estate. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | Public brochures linked by the Judicial Branch, including probate and personal representative materials. | https://www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures |
| Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search | Search scheduled hearings by county, courthouse, party name, case number and PR case class. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets |
When to hire an attorney
Colorado does not impose a blanket lawyer requirement on a personal representative, and Adams County has statewide JDF forms, a Court Resource Center and a monthly free probate clinic. Those resources are procedural, not legal advice. Counsel makes more sense when an estate is contested, when real estate must be sold, when a claim must be litigated, or when someone asks for supervised administration, which carries $198 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(c), as shown on the Colorado Judicial Branch's posted fee list in August 2026. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney at no cost.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, insurers, brokerages and benefits sources so families can see what exists before choosing an Adams County probate route.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate information into a practical filing packet built around the Colorado JDF forms and the Adams County filing path, so the documents are ready for the counter in Brighton or for attorney filing.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate settlement involves a contest, a home sale, supervised administration or a disputed claim, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Colorado probate attorney familiar with Adams County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery and attorney matching without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Adams County?
With the Clerk of the District Court at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601. Attorneys file through Colorado Courts E-Filing; anyone without a lawyer brings the paperwork to the counter or sends it by mail to the same address, which the court publishes as its mailing address.
What is the phone number for probate in Adams County?
(303) 654-3227 reaches the probate registrar for the 17th Judicial District, who handles Adams County and Broomfield County estate filings. 303-659-1161 is the Adams County Justice Center's main number and the Clerk's Office general line, and it is not the probate line.
What are the clerk's hours at the Adams County Justice Center?
The Clerk's Office windows are open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the office answers the phone from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed to the public from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The building is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Can I e-file a probate case in Adams County?
Attorneys can, because Colorado Courts E-Filing covers probate. The Judicial Branch's system for people without a lawyer is open only in domestic relations and eviction cases, which is how Adams County's own resource page labels it, so a self-represented personal representative files at the counter in Brighton or by mail.
How much does it cost to file probate in Adams County?
$229 for a first filing in a decedent's estate and $113 for a small estate eligible for summary administrative procedures with no real property (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (1)(b), (7)), as shown on the Judicial Branch's posted fee list in August 2026. The fee is set by statute for every Colorado county, so there is no Adams County surcharge, and JDF 205 with JDF 206 is how to ask the court to waive it.
Are there Adams County probate forms as well as the statewide ones?
No. Adams County publishes no local probate forms, and its own Court Resource Center points people to the Colorado Judicial Branch's statewide JDF forms, which are free to download. The opening papers are JDF 705 with JDF 910 or JDF 916 for an informal application, or JDF 920 or JDF 922 for a formal petition.
Is there free help with an Adams County probate question?
Two routes, both free. The Adams County Court Resource Center at the Justice Center helps people without a lawyer with procedural questions, in person Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or by phone on 303-654-3213 or email at [email protected], and it will schedule an in-person or a virtual meeting. The 17th Judicial District also runs a free probate and estate clinic on the second Monday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., held virtually with no registration. Neither can give legal advice.
Can I appear remotely for an Adams County probate hearing?
Colorado's statewide Virtual Proceedings Policy makes an uncontested informal probate proceeding a presumptively flexible appearance, so a party may elect a virtual appearance unless the court finds good cause for in-person attendance (Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023). Adams County publishes a virtual courtroom for each of its divisions and directs on the same page that you will not be allowed to appear virtually without prior approval from the court, so confirm with the division assigned to the case. The county's livestream link is for watching only and does not count as an appearance.
Can I look up an Adams County probate case online?
The Colorado Judicial Branch's Docket Search covers Adams County and includes the probate case class, so a scheduled estate hearing can be found by county, courthouse, case number or party name. It is a calendar search, not a document search: the Judicial Branch states that trial court case documents and files are not available through its website and that copies must be obtained from the court where they were filed. For an Adams County file, use the Judicial Branch's record request form or contact the Records Unit on 303-654-3239 or at [email protected], expect to show a government-issued photo ID because probate is one of the record categories that may require one, and allow three business days.
Do I have to travel to Brighton to settle an Adams County estate?
Less than you might think. The court takes mail at 1100 Judicial Center Dr., the Court Resource Center will meet virtually, the monthly probate clinic is virtual, the probate registrar answers on (303) 654-3227, and an uncontested informal probate proceeding is presumptively a flexible appearance under Colorado's virtual-proceedings policy. Two things stay local: a will has to reach the court within ten days of the death for lodging (C.R.S. § 15-11-516(1)), and anything recorded against Adams County real estate goes to the Adams County Recording Department at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy.
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.