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Custer County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Custer County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Custer County District Court, sitting at Custer Combined Court |
| Judicial district | 11th Judicial District, shared with Chaffee, Fremont and Park counties |
| Courthouse address | 205 S. 6th St., Westcliffe, CO 81252 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 60, Westcliffe, CO 81252 |
| Probate registrar phone | (719) 783-2274 |
| Fax | (719) 735-1706. The court directs Wednesday and Friday pleadings to this fax number when the clerk counter is closed, with a callback phone number included for payment arrangements. |
| Clerk hours | Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except state holidays. The Clerk's Office closes for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| First filing fee | $229 for a first filing in a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)). A small estate first filing is $113, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)). |
| Local probate forms | No Custer County probate packet or local probate form is published. Use the statewide Colorado JDF forms. |
| E-Filing status | Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. Self-represented probate filers use the counter on an open day, mail, or the court's Wednesday and Friday fax process. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search includes Custer County and the PR probate case class for scheduled hearings. It is a docket tool, not a document download tool. |
| Remote appearance | Colorado's Virtual Proceedings Policy treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but Custer County virtual courtroom instructions require prior court approval and the correct WebEx link for parties. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/custer-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Custer County filing path, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries, and title documents. Colorado uses different probate routes depending on whether you are asking the probate registrar for an informal appointment or asking a judge for a formal order, and the right route depends on facts gathered before the first filing.
Sunset's estate settlement platform helps families search across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organize liabilities, and turn that information into a clearer probate packet for the Custer County District Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The District Court for Custer County serves probate filings for decedents domiciled in Custer County, with filings made at the Custer Combined Court in Westcliffe. Venue is tied to the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, and Colorado law separately provides that a term of district court is held in each county at the county seat (C.R.S. § 15-12-201; C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
Custer County is part of the 11th Judicial District with Chaffee, Fremont and Park counties. That shared district matters for judge assignments, district-wide orders, and self-help resources, but it does not move a Custer County estate filing to another county courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether the opening paper is an informal application to the Custer County probate registrar or a formal petition for a judge. Use JDF 910 for informal probate with a will, JDF 916 for informal appointment without a will, JDF 920 for formal probate with a will, or JDF 922 for formal appointment without a will.
- Prepare the statewide JDF opening forms, including JDF 705 Probate Case Information Sheet, the will if there is one, any required renunciations or nominations, the proposed order, JDF 911 Acceptance of Appointment, and JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at Custer Combined Court. Self-represented filers may file at the counter on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, mail the packet to PO Box 60, Westcliffe, CO 81252, or use the court's Wednesday and Friday fax process for pleadings at (719) 735-1706 with a callback phone number for payment arrangements.
- Pay the first filing fee. As of August 2026, the first filing in a decedent's estate is $229 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)). If the filing qualifies as a small estate first filing, the fee is $113 as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)).
- If the matter is formal, contested, or requires notice, set and serve the hearing papers using the Colorado probate hearing forms. If the matter is informal, the probate registrar reviews the application and may ask for additional information before appointment.
- For any hearing, check the Custer County virtual courtroom instructions. Statewide policy makes an uncontested informal probate proceeding presumptively flexible, but the local virtual courtroom page tells parties to obtain prior approval and use the party WebEx information rather than the public livestream link.
- After appointment is approved, obtain JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration. Those letters are the document banks, brokerages, title companies, and other institutions usually ask to see before working with the personal representative.
- Administer the estate by giving required notices, publishing notice to creditors when required, gathering assets, paying valid claims and expenses, accounting to interested persons, distributing property, and closing the case with the correct Colorado JDF closing form.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Custer County
Custer County uses Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms. The county's court page and its self-help resources page do not publish a Custer-only probate packet, cover sheet, or local decedent-estate form.
| Need | Common Colorado form |
|---|---|
| Start with a will, informal route | JDF 910 Application for Informal Probate of a Will |
| Start without a will, informal route | JDF 916 Application for Informal Appointment of Personal Representative |
| Start with a will, formal route | JDF 920 Petition for Formal Probate of Will and Formal Appointment |
| Start without a will, formal route | JDF 922 Petition for Adjudication of Intestacy and Formal Appointment |
| Authority document after appointment | JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
| Collect qualifying personal property without a court case | JDF 998 Guide and JDF 999 Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit |
Local nuance
Custer County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Custer County filing |
|---|---|
| Three-day counter schedule | The Clerk's Office is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Plan signatures, notarization, payment and filing around those days. |
| Wednesday and Friday fax process | The court states that if you need to file pleadings on Wednesday or Friday, you may fax the forms to (719) 735-1706 and include a phone number where you can be reached for payment arrangements. |
| Probate registrar is the clerk office role | The Custer County probate registrar is listed with the title Clerk of Court, Probate Registrar. The registrar handles informal estate applications and procedural questions, but not legal advice. |
| Self-help schedule | The 11th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator holds Custer County virtual office hours on the last Monday of each month from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., through the county's self-help resources page. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| September 3, 2024 | Custer County Clerk's Office closed Wednesdays. The court lists open counter hours as Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a Wednesday and Friday fax option for pleadings at (719) 735-1706 and payment handled by callback. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Custer County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether there are probate assets in Custer County. If a court appointment is needed, file in Westcliffe through the Custer County District Court, not with the clerk and recorder. | Sunset organizes title information, account discovery, debts and beneficiary details so the spouse can see whether an estate settlement filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether the Colorado collection of personal property by affidavit is enough, or whether a Custer County court filing is needed. If filing is needed and the child is self-represented, use mail or coordinate around the Monday, Tuesday and Thursday counter schedule. | Sunset helps gather institution information, generate the right form set, and decide what questions to ask the probate registrar before mailing a packet. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-property sale usually requires careful authority documents and may require formal court orders depending on title and interested-person issues. File the estate case in the Custer County District Court if the child was domiciled in Custer County. | Sunset helps assemble asset and debt information, identify missing accounts, and connect the parent with a Colorado probate attorney when a sale or dispute makes counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator | Provides procedural help for people without lawyers. The coordinator serves Custer County and holds Custer County virtual office hours on the last Monday of each month from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Use the Custer County self-help resources page for the current scheduling method. |
| Custer County probate registrar | Reviews informal probate applications, may request additional information, and provides procedural information about estate cases. | (719) 783-2274 |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | Provides statewide JDF forms for opening, administering and closing Colorado decedent estates. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Colorado Legal Services, Salida office | Statewide civil legal aid provider serving Custer, Chaffee and Park counties. Its published program areas are not a probate program list, so call to ask what help may be available for your situation. | 1604 H St Ste 201, Salida. (719) 539-4251 |
| Custer County self-help resources page | Links free legal clinics, an Ask an Attorney resource, Colorado Legal Services, and a Colorado Bar Association lawyer directory. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/custer-county/custer-county-self-help-resources?topic=22&wrapped=true |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | Offers public information about Colorado probate, personal representatives, wills, and what to do when someone dies. | https://www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer makes sense in a Custer County estate when there is a dispute among heirs, a home or land must be sold, a creditor issue is contested, the will is unclear, the decedent lived outside Colorado, or the personal representative is uncomfortable managing notices, claims and closing papers. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate accounts, insurance, debts and property information so the personal representative starts with a clearer estate picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate information you collect into organized Colorado probate forms and filing instructions tailored to Custer County's court location and filing options.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate settlement involves a dispute, real estate sale, creditor problem or formal hearing, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Colorado probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand next steps and get matched with professional help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Custer County?
File with the Clerk of the District Court at Custer Combined Court, 205 S. 6th St., Westcliffe, CO 81252. Mail may be sent to PO Box 60, Westcliffe, CO 81252.
What days is the Custer County clerk counter open?
The Clerk's Office is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except state holidays, with lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. The office is closed Wednesdays.
What if I need to file something on Wednesday or Friday?
The court states that Wednesday and Friday pleadings may be faxed to (719) 735-1706. Include a phone number where you can be reached so payment arrangements can be made.
What is the Custer County first filing fee for a decedent's estate?
As of August 2026, the first filing in a decedent's estate is $229 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)). A small estate first filing is $113 as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)).
Can a self-represented person use Colorado Courts E-Filing for a Custer County probate case?
No. Colorado's non-attorney E-Filing system is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases. A self-represented probate filer in Custer County uses the counter on an open day, mail, or the court's Wednesday and Friday fax process for pleadings.
Does Custer County publish its own probate forms?
No Custer County probate packet or local probate form is published. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms.
How do I look up a Custer County probate hearing?
Use Colorado Docket Search and select Custer County with the PR case class if you are searching for a scheduled probate hearing. The docket tool does not provide copies of filed documents.
Do I have to travel to Westcliffe for a probate hearing?
Check the hearing notice and contact the division before the hearing. Colorado's statewide policy treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but the Custer County virtual courtroom instructions still require prior court approval and the correct WebEx information for parties.
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.