Back to Colorado
Mineral County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Mineral County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Mineral County District Court, sitting at Mineral Combined Court |
| Judicial district | 12th Judicial District, shared with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties |
| Courthouse address | 1201 North Main, Creede, CO 81130 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 337, Creede, CO 81130 |
| Clerk phone | (719) 658-2575 |
| Probate registrar phone | (719) 657-3394, the shared 12th Judicial District registrar line |
| [email protected], for questions to the clerk's office. No published rule says estate filings may be sent by email. | |
| Fax | No fax number is published for Mineral Combined Court. |
| Hours | The Mineral County court page states Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays. A separate courthouse location page gives a narrower Friday listing, so call (719) 658-2575 before traveling or sending a time-sensitive filing. |
| First estate filing cost | $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). A small estate first filing is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). |
| Local forms | No Mineral County probate packet is published. The court's Probate resource entry says, "Information coming soon." Use Colorado JDF forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. A self-represented personal representative files by mail or at the Mineral Combined Court counter because the non-attorney system is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases. |
| Case lookup | Colorado Docket Search shows scheduled hearings and includes the PR probate case class. It is a docket search, not a document search. |
| Remote appearance | Chief Justice Directive 23-03 treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as a flexible appearance unless the court finds good cause to require attendance in person. The Mineral County virtual courtroom page also states that virtual appearances require prior court approval, so confirm with the division before the hearing. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/mineral-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Creede, identify the accounts, real property, debts, beneficiary designations and family relationships that drive the Colorado probate route. Mineral County uses the statewide JDF probate forms, but the shared 12th Judicial District registrar line means the person reviewing an informal application may not be at the Mineral Combined Court counter.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and assets before choosing a filing path. That asset picture makes it easier to decide whether you need a court estate case, a collection of personal property by affidavit, or attorney help before mailing papers to the Clerk of the District Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Mineral County decedent estate at the Mineral County District Court at the Mineral Combined Court in Creede. Colorado venue for a decedent estate is tied to the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, among other venue rules (C.R.S. § 15-12-201), and Colorado law requires a term of district court to be held in each county at the county seat (C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
Mineral County is part of the 12th Judicial District with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. The shared district matters for regional resources, including the probate registrar phone and the self-represented litigant coordinator, but it does not move a Mineral County estate filing out of Creede.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Colorado path. An informal case uses an application directed to the probate registrar. A formal case uses a petition for a judge when notice and a hearing are required.
- Prepare the statewide JDF forms. Common openers include JDF 910 for informal probate of a will, JDF 916 for informal appointment when there is no will, JDF 920 for formal probate of a will, and JDF 922 for formal adjudication of intestacy. Include JDF 705 and any supporting documents required by the form instructions.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at Mineral Combined Court, 1201 North Main, Creede, CO 81130, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 337, Creede, CO 81130. A self-represented personal representative does not use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate, so call (719) 658-2575 first to confirm current counter hours.
- Pay the first estate filing cost or submit a fee-waiver request. The first filing in a decedent estate is $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). A small estate first filing is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7).
- For an informal application, direct procedural questions about registrar review to the shared 12th Judicial District probate registrar line at (719) 657-3394. For counter, mailing, and local file questions, use the Mineral Combined Court clerk line at (719) 658-2575.
- If a formal hearing is needed, follow the court's instructions for setting and giving notice. Colorado Docket Search can help locate scheduled hearings by county, party, case number, or PR case class, but it does not provide copies of filings.
- Check remote appearance instructions before the hearing. Chief Justice Directive 23-03 gives uncontested informal probate a flexible-appearance presumption unless the court finds good cause for in-person attendance, while the Mineral County virtual courtroom page says virtual attendance requires prior court approval.
- After appointment, obtain JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration. The personal representative then gives required notices, gathers assets, handles claims, accounts for the estate, distributes property, and closes the estate using the appropriate Colorado closing forms.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Mineral County
Mineral County does not publish a local probate packet or local decedent-estate cover sheet. Its Court Business Resources page includes a Probate heading and states, "Information coming soon." That means a Mineral County filer uses Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms unless the court gives case-specific instructions.
| Need | Colorado form path | Local Mineral County note |
|---|---|---|
| Start with a will, informal route | JDF 910, with JDF 913 and JDF 915 as applicable | File with the Clerk of the District Court in Creede. Registrar questions go to the shared 12th Judicial District line. |
| Start without a will, informal route | JDF 916, with JDF 917 and JDF 915 as applicable | Use the statewide JDF forms. Mineral County has no published local add-on packet. |
| Start with a will, formal route | JDF 920, with JDF 921 and hearing-notice forms as applicable | Follow Mineral County District Court instructions for any hearing setting. |
| Start without a will, formal route | JDF 922, with JDF 923 and hearing-notice forms as applicable | Use the Mineral Combined Court mailing address if not filing at the counter. |
| Collect personal property by affidavit | JDF 998 and JDF 999 | This route is not filed with the court. For a 2026 death, the ceiling is $88,000 under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201, with other statutory conditions. |
Local nuance
Mineral County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Mineral County estate |
|---|---|
| Shared registrar line | The probate registrar for informal matters is a 12th Judicial District resource for Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. Use (719) 657-3394 for registrar questions, but file Mineral County estate papers in Creede. |
| Separate clerk line | The Mineral Combined Court clerk line is (719) 658-2575. Use it for counter hours, mailing questions, and local file handling. |
| Office email | [email protected] is an office-level email published for the Mineral Combined Court. It is appropriate for questions, but no published Mineral County rule says probate filings may be emailed. |
| Hours need a call-first check | The main Mineral County court page lists weekday hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays, while a separate location page has a narrower Friday listing. Call before an in-person visit. |
| Local probate resources pending | Mineral County's Probate resource entry says, "Information coming soon," and no local probate packet is published. Use statewide JDF forms. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Mineral County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Review title, debts, and whether any court authority is needed. If an estate case is required for a Mineral County decedent, file at the Mineral Combined Court in Creede and use the statewide JDF forms. | Sunset helps organize accounts, property information, debts, and family details so the surviving spouse can decide what belongs in the probate packet and what may pass outside the estate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate fits Colorado's collection of personal property by affidavit route, JDF 999 may avoid a court filing. For a 2026 death, the personal-property ceiling is $88,000 under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201, and at least ten days must have passed. If a court case is needed, mail the packet to the Clerk of the District Court in Creede. | Sunset helps identify accounts before the child chooses between affidavit collection, a small estate court filing, or a full estate case, and helps assemble the documents for mailing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-property sale usually requires careful review of title and authority. If a Mineral County estate case is needed, file in the Mineral County District Court and consider legal advice before signing a listing agreement, deed, or sale paperwork. | Sunset helps gather asset information, build the estate settlement checklist, and connect the parent with a Colorado probate attorney when a house sale or family dispute makes counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to contact it | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 12th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator, known as a Sherlock | 719-589-7621, [email protected]. Mineral County's court page directs self-help users to the Alamosa Justice Center, 8955 Independence Way, Alamosa, and to the Alamosa County self-help page for resources. | Provides procedural information, court-form direction, and court-process help for people without lawyers. The coordinator does not give legal advice. |
| Mineral Combined Court clerk | (719) 658-2575, [email protected] | Use for Mineral County counter hours, mailing questions, and local filing logistics. Do not rely on email for filing unless the court instructs you to do so. |
| Probate registrar for the 12th Judicial District | (719) 657-3394 | Handles registrar review for informal probate matters across the six-county district, including Mineral County. |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 | Statewide JDF forms for opening, administering, and closing a Colorado decedent estate. |
| Colorado Legal Services, Alamosa office | 715 Main St., Alamosa, 719-589-4993 | Statewide civil legal aid provider serving Mineral County. Its published program areas do not include probate, so call to ask what help or referrals may be available. |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | https://www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures | Public legal brochures linked by the Judicial Branch, including Colorado probate and personal representative topics. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families organize what the decedent owned, owed, and named beneficiaries for. That asset map is the starting point for a smoother estate settlement in Mineral County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into a practical filing checklist and helps prepare the Colorado JDF packet for the route that fits the estate. For Mineral County, that means paperwork ready for the Clerk of the District Court in Creede or for mailing to the P.O. Box.
Find a local probate attorney. When a home sale, disagreement, creditor issue, or formal hearing makes professional help important, Sunset helps connect the family with a Colorado probate attorney who understands district court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to start the estate settlement process, organize documents, and understand next steps without paying Sunset for access.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Mineral County?
File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Mineral County District Court, sitting at the Mineral Combined Court, 1201 North Main, Creede, CO 81130. The mailing address is P.O. Box 337, Creede, CO 81130.
Who is the probate registrar for Mineral County?
Mineral County uses the shared 12th Judicial District probate registrar line at (719) 657-3394. That registrar line covers Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. The Mineral Combined Court clerk's own phone number is (719) 658-2575.
Can I send my Mineral County probate filing through Colorado Courts E-Filing?
Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. A self-represented personal representative files by mail or at the Mineral Combined Court counter because Colorado's non-attorney e-filing system is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases.
What are the Mineral County court hours for an estate filing?
The main Mineral County court page states Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays. A separate court location page gives a narrower Friday listing, so call (719) 658-2575 before traveling to Creede or mailing something time-sensitive.
Are there Mineral County local probate forms?
No Mineral County local probate packet is published. The court's Probate resource entry says, "Information coming soon." Use Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms unless the court gives different case-specific instructions.
How much does it cost to start a Mineral County estate case?
The first filing in a decedent estate costs $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). A small estate first filing costs $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7).
Can I look up a Mineral County probate hearing online?
Colorado Docket Search includes Mineral County and the PR probate case class, so scheduled hearings can be searched by county, case number, party name, or date range. It is a docket search only. Court documents and copies must be requested from the court where the case was filed.
Can I attend a Mineral County probate hearing remotely?
Chief Justice Directive 23-03 treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as a flexible appearance unless the court finds good cause to require in-person attendance. The Mineral County virtual courtroom page also says virtual appearances require prior court approval, so confirm the instructions for your division before the hearing.
Do I have to travel to Creede if I live outside Colorado?
Not always. A self-represented filer may mail a probate packet to the Clerk of the District Court at P.O. Box 337, Creede, CO 81130. If a hearing is set, check the court's remote appearance instructions and call the clerk or the assigned division before making travel plans.
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.