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Moffat County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Moffat County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Moffat County District Court, sitting at the Moffat Combined Court facility |
| Judicial district | 14th Judicial District, shared with Grand and Routt counties |
| Courthouse address | 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published for the Moffat Combined Court |
| Probate registrar phone | 970-824-8254 |
| Clerk hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Initial estate fee | $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7) |
| Small estate court fee | $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a),(7) |
| Local forms | No local probate packet is published. Moffat County uses Colorado statewide JDF probate forms. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. A self-represented filer uses in-person delivery, mail, or Moffat County's local email document-submission process. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search shows scheduled hearings and includes the PR probate case class. It is a docket search, not a document search. |
| Remote appearance | Uncontested informal probate proceedings are presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, but the Moffat County virtual courtroom page tells parties they need prior court approval to appear virtually. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/moffat-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Colorado probate route, list the decedent's assets, debts, account locations, beneficiary designations, real estate, vehicles, and any safe deposit box. The right first filing in Moffat County depends on what exists, who is entitled to it, whether there is a will, and whether the family needs the authority of a personal representative.
Sunset's estate settlement platform can search across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts and assets before you spend time at the Craig courthouse. That asset picture also helps determine whether a court case is needed or whether a non-court transfer process may be enough.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Moffat County probate matters are filed in the Moffat County District Court in Craig. Moffat County is part of Colorado's 14th Judicial District with Grand and Routt counties (C.R.S. § 13-5-115), so district court resources are shared across those counties.
Venue for administration of a decedent's estate is generally the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201). Colorado also provides that a term of district court is held in each county at its county seat, so a Moffat County estate is filed in Craig, not in another county in the district (C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the route. Use an informal application when the matter can be handled by the probate registrar, or use a formal petition when a judge must decide the issue. The common Colorado openers are JDF 910 for an informal will case, JDF 916 for an informal no-will case, JDF 920 for a formal will case, and JDF 922 for a formal no-will case.
- Prepare the opening packet. Include JDF 705, the will if there is one, the proposed order, JDF 911 acceptance, any required renunciations or nominations, and JDF 915 for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Moffat Combined Court, 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing. A self-represented filer may file in person or by mail, and Moffat County also publishes a local email document-submission process at [email protected]. If you want to use email for an initial estate packet, call the clerk first because the published guidelines say a document is not filed until the Clerk's Office accepts it.
- Pay the court fee or request a fee waiver. The first-filed decedent estate fee is $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7). If the estate qualifies for the small estate court fee, the amount is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a),(7).
- Complete notice. Formal matters require notice to interested persons before the hearing. After appointment, the personal representative gives information of appointment and handles creditor notice under Colorado law, including publication when required by C.R.S. § 15-12-801.
- Set and attend any hearing. Colorado's statewide Virtual Proceedings Policy treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but Moffat County's virtual courtroom page says prior court approval is required before appearing virtually. Confirm the assigned division's instructions before the hearing.
- Obtain authority. Once the court appoints the personal representative and the acceptance is complete, the court issues JDF 915 Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration so banks, title companies, and other holders know who has authority to act for the estate.
- Administer and close. The personal representative gathers assets, inventories property, addresses creditor claims, pays valid expenses, distributes property, and closes informally with JDF 965 or through a formal final settlement when a court order is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Moffat County
Moffat County publishes no local probate form packet. Its court page lists frequently requested general forms, including transcript, research, blank motion, blank order, and general answer or reply forms, but those are not local probate packets.
| Need | Colorado form source |
|---|---|
| Probate forms hub | Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms category: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Forms search | Colorado Judicial Branch self-help forms search: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-forms |
| Informal opening forms | Use the statewide JDF forms, including JDF 910 for a will case or JDF 916 for a no-will case, plus the related order, acceptance, and letters forms. |
| Formal opening forms | Use the statewide JDF forms, including JDF 920 for a will case or JDF 922 for a no-will case, plus hearing and notice forms. |
| Authority document | JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
Local nuance
Moffat County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a filer |
|---|---|
| Local email document submission | Moffat County publishes an email route at [email protected] for self-represented documents. The document must be legible, complete, signed, include a case number when filing into an existing case, include ID when required, and is not filed until accepted by the Clerk's Office. |
| Not statewide e-filing | The Moffat email route is not Colorado Courts E-Filing. Attorneys use the statewide system for probate, while a self-represented filer uses in person, mail, or the local email process if the clerk accepts that document. |
| 14th Judicial District probate delegation | Chief Judge Order 24-01, dated January 19, 2024, delegates probate functions described in that order to the clerks of the Grand, Moffat, and Routt County Combined Courts, among others. |
| Self-help by appointment | Moffat County publishes a free self-help program by appointment. Call 970-824-8254 ext. 7 to schedule. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| January 19, 2024 | Chief Judge Order 24-01 for the 14th Judicial District superseded the prior probate delegation order and delegated probate functions described in that order to the clerks of the Grand, Moffat, and Routt County Combined Courts, among others. |
| August 2026 | Moffat County court hours are published as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Moffat County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether beneficiary designations or other non-probate transfers apply. If court authority is needed for assets in the decedent's name alone, file in the Moffat County District Court in Craig. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues so the spouse does not open a court case before knowing what property actually needs estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether the Colorado collection of personal property by affidavit route applies before opening a court case. For a 2026 death, that affidavit route is tied to $88,000 under C.R.S. § 15-12-1201 and is not filed with the court. If a court case is needed, the Craig court is the filing location for a Moffat County decedent. | Sunset can help organize the asset list and generate a probate packet so an out-of-state child can reduce trips to Craig and ask the clerk targeted questions. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Real estate usually requires court authority unless a valid non-probate transfer controls. The parent should expect to open an estate in the Moffat County District Court and obtain JDF 915 Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration before signing sale documents for the estate. | Sunset helps collect property information, find missing accounts, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale, creditor issue, or family disagreement makes the case more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| 14th Judicial District Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator, known in Colorado courts as a Sherlock | Provides procedural information, form direction, and help navigating non-criminal court steps. The program does not give legal advice. | [email protected]. For a Moffat County appointment, call 970-824-8254 ext. 7. |
| Moffat County probate registrar | Handles registrar functions for informal probate matters and procedural questions within the limits of court staff authority. | 970-824-8254 |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | Statewide JDF forms for opening, administering, and closing a decedent estate. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate registrar page | Statewide page for county probate registrar contact information. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/probate-registrar |
| Northwest Colorado Legal Services Project | Colorado Legal Services' Craig office serves Moffat County by appointment only. Its published program areas do not include probate or estates, so call to ask whether any civil legal help or referral is available. | 1111 W Victory Way Ste 109, Craig, CO 81625. Phone: 1-800-521-6968. |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | Free public brochures on 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
Consider a probate attorney if the will is contested, heirs disagree, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, creditors are disputed, a business interest is involved, or you need formal court orders rather than an informal appointment. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build the asset picture needed for estate settlement in Moffat County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you collect into organized Colorado probate documents and a filing checklist for the Moffat County District Court.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Moffat County estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney who handles Colorado probate matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, identify next steps, and decide whether court filing or attorney help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Moffat County?
File a Moffat County estate with the Clerk of the District Court at the Moffat Combined Court, 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625.
Can I send Moffat County probate documents by email?
Moffat County publishes a local email document-submission process at [email protected]. The document must be legible, complete, signed, include a case number when filing into an existing case, and include ID when required. A document is not filed until the Clerk's Office accepts it, so call before relying on email for an initial estate packet.
Do self-represented filers use Colorado Courts E-Filing for Moffat County probate?
No. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. A self-represented personal representative uses in-person delivery, mail, or Moffat County's local email document-submission process if the clerk accepts that document.
What does it cost to open an estate in Moffat County?
The first-filed decedent estate fee is $229, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7). A qualifying small estate court case is $113, current as of August 2026, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a),(7).
Does Moffat County have local probate forms?
Moffat County does not publish a local probate packet. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms from the Colorado Judicial Branch.
Can I appear remotely for a probate hearing in Moffat County?
Colorado's statewide Virtual Proceedings Policy treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03. Moffat County's virtual courtroom page also says prior court approval is required before appearing virtually, so confirm the procedure with the assigned division before the hearing.
How do I look up a Moffat County probate hearing?
Use Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets and search Moffat County with the PR case class, case number, party name, or date range. The search shows docket information for hearings, not filed documents.
Do I have to travel to Craig for Moffat County probate?
Not always. You may be able to file by mail, and Moffat County publishes a local email document-submission process. If the court requires an in-person appearance or the clerk needs original documents, plan for the Craig courthouse.
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.