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Hinsdale County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Hinsdale County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Hinsdale County District Court, sitting at the Hinsdale County Courthouse |
| Judicial district | 7th Judicial District, shared with Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties |
| Courthouse address | Hinsdale County Courthouse, 317 Henson St., Lake City, CO 81235 |
| Mailing address | Hinsdale County publishes PO Box 245, Lake City, CO 81235 for court mail. Call (970) 944-2227 before mailing a first filing. |
| Probate registrar phone | (970) 944-2227 |
| Fax | (970) 944-2289, published as an office contact. The court does not publish whether probate filings may be sent by fax. |
| [email protected], published as a clerk office contact. The court does not publish whether probate filings may be sent by email. | |
| Clerk hours | Third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Check the Judicial Branch holiday closure page and call before traveling. |
| First filing amount | $229 for a first filing in a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026 and cited by the Judicial Branch to C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). A small estate filing is $113, current as of August 2026 and cited to C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). |
| Local forms | No local probate packet or cover sheet is published for Hinsdale County. Use Colorado statewide JDF forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through Colorado Courts E-Filing, which covers probate. Self-represented filers do not have a Colorado probate e-filing route, because the non-attorney system covers domestic relations and eviction cases. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets covers scheduled hearings, includes Hinsdale County and the PR probate case class, and does not provide case documents. |
| Remote appearance | Chief Justice Directive 23-03 makes an uncontested informal probate proceeding presumptively flexible, but the Hinsdale County virtual courtroom page says prior approval is required to appear virtually. Confirm with the court before the hearing. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/hinsdale-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing, identify the assets, debts, account locations and real property issues. Colorado route choice depends on what is in the estate, and the probate registrar may ask for more information if an informal application is missing required facts. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can begin the estate settlement with a clearer asset picture.
That preparation matters more in Hinsdale County because the court counter is open the third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a self-represented filer does not have a probate e-filing route. Call (970) 944-2227 before mailing or traveling, and try to send or bring a complete packet the first time.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Hinsdale County District Court serves probate matters for decedents domiciled in Hinsdale County, including Lake City, the county seat and only municipality. Venue for administration of a decedent's estate is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201), and Colorado law provides for a term of court in each county within a judicial district at that county's seat (C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
Hinsdale County is part of the 7th Judicial District with Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties. The district matters because district judges travel to manage district court cases in Hinsdale County and the district's standing orders apply, but it is not the filing place. A Hinsdale County estate is filed as a Hinsdale County case in Lake City.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Colorado route before you prepare forms. An informal estate uses an application to the probate registrar, while a formal estate uses a petition to a judge. For an informal opening, use JDF 910 if there is a will or JDF 916 if there is no will. For a formal opening, use JDF 920 if there is a will or JDF 922 if there is no will.
- Build the opening packet with the statewide JDF forms. Most packets begin with JDF 705 Probate Case Information Sheet, the appropriate application or petition, JDF 911 Acceptance of Appointment, any needed renunciation or nomination on JDF 912, and a proposed JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration.
- Decide how the packet will reach the Clerk of the District Court. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing. A self-represented filer does not have a probate e-filing route, so the practical options in Hinsdale County are the counter on the third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., or mail after calling (970) 944-2227.
- If mailing, use the court mail information carefully. Hinsdale County publishes PO Box 245, Lake City, CO 81235 for court mail, while the courthouse street address is 317 Henson St., Lake City, CO 81235. Call (970) 944-2227 before sending a first filing to confirm the address and payment instructions.
- Pay the statewide court amount or file a fee-waiver request. 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). A small estate filing is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). Use JDF 205 and JDF 206 if you are asking to file without payment.
- For an informal estate, the probate registrar reviews the application. The registrar can decide informal personal representative appointments, may ask for more information to correct a deficient filing, and can give procedural information about estate actions but not legal advice.
- For a formal estate, follow the court's hearing and notice instructions. Use the statewide hearing and notice forms the court requires for the specific petition. If a hearing is set, rely on the court's notice for the date, place and appearance instructions.
- Handle remote appearance only after checking the court's instructions. CJD 23-03 makes an uncontested informal probate proceeding presumptively flexible, but the Hinsdale County virtual courtroom page says you will not be allowed to appear virtually without prior approval from the court.
- After appointment, use JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration as the authority document. If you later need certified copies, the Colorado Judicial Branch record and document request form lists Hinsdale County and Probate, and certification is $20 per record on file, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-104(1)(f).
- Administer and close the estate using the statewide closing forms. Informal closing commonly uses JDF 965 Statement of Personal Representative Closing Administration. If real property is involved, keep the court filing office separate from the county recording office downstairs, which handles recording matters.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hinsdale County
Hinsdale County does not publish a local probate form packet, local cover sheet or county-specific probate form. The county page has no local forms section, and the 7th Judicial District orders published for Hinsdale County do not add a local probate packet. Use Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms.
| Need | Statewide form |
|---|---|
| Choose the route | JDF 906 Instructions for Probate with a Will or JDF 907 Instructions for Probate without a Will |
| Case information | JDF 705 Probate Case Information Sheet |
| Informal, with a will | JDF 910 Application for Informal Probate of a Will |
| Informal, no will | JDF 916 Application for Informal Appointment of Personal Representative |
| Formal, with a will | JDF 920 Petition for Formal Probate of Will and Formal Appointment |
| Formal, no will | JDF 922 Petition for Adjudication of Intestacy and Formal Appointment |
| Accept appointment | JDF 911 Acceptance of Appointment |
| Authority document | JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
| Close informally | JDF 965 Statement of Personal Representative Closing Administration |
The Judicial Branch probate hub is https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-and-court-forms/probate?resource_type=1047. The full probate forms list is https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047.
Local nuance
Hinsdale County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a probate filer |
|---|---|
| One monthly court counter window | The published court hours are the third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Call (970) 944-2227 before traveling or mailing a first filing. |
| Limited court days and traveling district judges | The court states that the Clerk of Court office is open only on limited days, the county judge also has court only on limited days, and district judges travel to manage district court cases in Hinsdale County. |
| District assignment order | Administrative Order 2008-06, amended and effective July 15, 2026, assigns the Hinsdale County district court caseload, including probate, to Division 2 of the 7th Judicial District. |
| Help between open days | Hinsdale County directs readers to the Gunnison Combined Courts at (970) 642-8300 for immediate assistance. That is a help line, not the filing venue for a Hinsdale County estate. |
| Two counters in one building | The court is on the second floor. The county recording office is downstairs and keeps separate hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Recording is separate from probate filing. |
| Accessibility before travel | The county publishes that the upstairs courtroom is not handicap accessible. If stairs are a concern, call the court and use the Judicial Branch ADA accommodations route before the trip. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| July 15, 2026 | Administrative Order 2008-06, concerning division of the 7th Judicial District caseload, was amended and effective July 15, 2026. It assigns the Hinsdale County district court caseload, including probate, to Division 2 of the district. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with how the home is titled and what else is in the estate. The court filing office is upstairs at the Hinsdale County Courthouse and is open the third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The county recording office is downstairs and has a separate weekday schedule, which matters for recorded real-property documents such as a beneficiary deed under C.R.S. § 15-15-404 or a recorded affidavit tied to a real-estate lien under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201(3.5). | Sunset's asset search helps the spouse see the accounts, debts and title issues before choosing whether a court administration is needed, and Sunset assembles the estate settlement packet for mailing or for the Lake City counter. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A trip is not always the first move. A self-represented filer does not have a Colorado probate e-filing route, so mail and the third-Friday counter are the practical channels. Hinsdale County publishes PO Box 245, Lake City, CO 81235 for court mail, and the clerk phone is (970) 944-2227. If the decedent was not a Colorado resident, the registrar delays an informal appointment until thirty days have passed since death unless an exception applies (C.R.S. § 15-12-307(1)). | Sunset lets the adult child work from outside Colorado, find accounts, build the Colorado packet, and connect with a probate attorney if the facts no longer fit an uncontested route. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually means the personal representative will need JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration and certified copies for the title company. The first filing is $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). Certified copies can be requested through the Judicial Branch record and document request form, which lists Hinsdale County and Probate, instead of waiting for the next counter day. | Sunset organizes the asset picture, prepares the estate settlement packet, and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale, title and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Hinsdale County Courthouse, Colorado Judicial Branch | Court address, court hours, closures and delays, docket search, virtual courtroom links and district orders. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/hinsdale-county |
| Hinsdale County probate registrar | Reviews informal estate filings, decides informal personal representative appointments, may ask for more information, and gives procedural information but not legal advice. | (970) 944-2227, https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/probate-registrar |
| Colorado probate forms and self-help | Statewide JDF probate forms, instructions, glossary and probate self-help materials. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-and-court-forms/probate?resource_type=1047 |
| 7th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator | The self-represented litigant coordinator, known in Colorado courts as a Sherlock, can provide information about forms, rules and steps for non-criminal cases, but cannot provide legal advice. | [email protected], 970-252-4312 |
| Colorado Legal Services, Durango office | Statewide civil legal aid provider for Hinsdale County. Its published program areas do not include probate, so call to ask whether any help or referral is available. | 970-247-0266, 679 East 2nd Avenue, Suite B, Durango, CO 81301 |
| Colorado Judicial Branch record and document request form | Online route to request court records or documents, including probate records for Hinsdale County. Probate records may require a United States government-issued photo ID. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form |
| Colorado Judicial Branch docket search | Searches scheduled hearings by county, courthouse, date range, case number, party name and PR probate case class. It is not a document search. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets |
| Colorado Bar Association public resources | Free public brochures, including Probate in Colorado, So Now You Are A Personal Representative, What to Do When Someone Dies and Wills in Colorado, plus a public lawyer directory. | https://cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures |
When to hire an attorney
Colorado law does not make a lawyer a condition of serving as personal representative, and the Judicial Branch publishes statewide probate forms, a probate registrar contact and a 7th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator for procedural help. Counsel becomes more important when real property must be sold, an heir or creditor objects, a claim is disputed, the will is challenged, the personal representative lives out of state, or supervised administration is requested. Supervised administration adds $198, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(c). In Hinsdale County, an attorney also has the practical advantage of using Colorado Courts E-Filing, while a self-represented filer works by mail or the monthly counter window. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and debts before the family chooses a probate route. That asset picture is the foundation of a smoother estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into the Colorado JDF forms used in Hinsdale County, organized for the Clerk of the District Court in Lake City or for mailing after you confirm instructions with the clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, an out-of-state personal representative or a likely hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Colorado probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset serves all 64 Colorado counties, including Hinsdale County, and families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to open an estate in Hinsdale County?
File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Hinsdale County Courthouse, 317 Henson St., Lake City, CO 81235. Venue is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201), and Colorado provides for a term of court at each county seat (C.R.S. § 13-5-101). A Hinsdale County estate stays in Lake City even though Hinsdale County shares the 7th Judicial District with other counties.
When is the Hinsdale County courthouse open for court business?
The published court hours are the third Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The court states that the Clerk of Court office is open only on limited days and that district judges travel to manage district court cases in Hinsdale County. Check the Judicial Branch holiday closure page and call (970) 944-2227 before traveling.
Can I mail a probate filing to Hinsdale County, or do I have to use e-filing?
A self-represented personal representative does not have a Colorado probate e-filing route. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing, which covers probate, but the non-attorney system covers domestic relations and eviction cases. Hinsdale County publishes PO Box 245, Lake City, CO 81235 for court mail, and you should call (970) 944-2227 before mailing a first filing.
What does it cost to open an estate in Hinsdale County?
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). A small estate filing is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). Those amounts include the $30 equal justice fee under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(7), effective January 1, 2025. Hinsdale County does not add a local probate charge. If you need a waiver request, use JDF 205 and JDF 206.
Does Hinsdale County have its own probate forms?
No. Hinsdale County publishes no local probate packet, form or cover sheet. Use Colorado statewide JDF forms, including JDF 705, JDF 910, JDF 916, JDF 920, JDF 922, JDF 911 and JDF 915, depending on the route and facts.
Do I have to travel to Lake City to settle an estate in Hinsdale County?
Not for every step. Opening paperwork can often be handled by mail after you call the clerk, certified copies can be requested through the Judicial Branch record and document request form, and an uncontested informal probate proceeding may qualify for a flexible appearance under CJD 23-03. If you do travel, remember the court counter's third-Friday schedule and the county's published statement that the upstairs courtroom is not handicap accessible.
Can I appear remotely in a Hinsdale County probate hearing?
Possibly, but confirm before the date. CJD 23-03 makes an uncontested informal probate proceeding a presumptively flexible appearance unless the court finds good cause to require in-person attendance. The Hinsdale County virtual courtroom page also says you will not be allowed to appear virtually without prior approval from the court.
Can I look up a Hinsdale County estate case online?
You can search scheduled hearings through Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets. It includes Hinsdale County, the Hinsdale County Courthouse and the PR probate case class. It is a calendar search, not a document search, and trial court case documents are not provided through the Judicial Branch website.
How do I get certified copies of letters in Hinsdale County?
Use the Colorado Judicial Branch record and document request form, which lists Hinsdale County and Probate, or ask the clerk on the open counter day. Probate records may require a United States government-issued photo ID. Certification is $20 per record on file, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-104(1)(f).
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.