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Phillips County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Phillips County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Phillips County District Court, sitting at Phillips Combined Court |
| Judicial district | 13th Judicial District |
| Courthouse address | Phillips Combined Court, 221 S. Interocean Avenue, 2nd Floor, Holyoke, CO 80734 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address: 221 S. Interocean Avenue, 2nd Floor, Holyoke, CO 80734 |
| Clerk phone | 970-762-7010 |
| Probate registrar phone | 970-854-3279, the shared Phillips County and Sedgwick County probate registrar line |
| Fax | 970-458-7742. The court does not state that probate filings may be sent by fax. |
| [email protected], for clerk questions rather than a filing channel | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| First filing charge | $229 as of August 2026 for a decedent estate first filing, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7) |
| Local forms | No local Phillips County probate packet is published. Use Colorado statewide JDF forms. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. Self-represented filers do not use the non-attorney e-filing system for probate, because that system is limited to domestic relations and eviction. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search, https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets, shows scheduled hearings and includes the PR probate case class. It is not a document search. |
| Remote appearance | Phillips County states that appearances are in person unless the court has entered an order stating otherwise. Confirm virtual access before any hearing. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/phillips-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Colorado probate form, identify the assets, debts, title documents, account balances, beneficiary designations and any urgent bills. In Phillips County, that preparation matters because a self-represented filer who needs the courthouse counter must plan around Holyoke public hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then uses what is found to help assemble the local probate packet and decide whether the Phillips County District Court is needed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Phillips County District Court serves probate filings for Phillips County from Phillips Combined Court in Holyoke. Phillips County is part of the 13th Judicial District, which it shares with Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties under C.R.S. § 13-5-114.
Venue for a Colorado decedent estate is generally in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201). Colorado also requires a term of court at each county seat within a judicial district, so a Phillips County estate is filed in Holyoke rather than in another county in the district (C.R.S. § 13-5-101).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the route. An informal estate starts with an application directed to the probate registrar, usually JDF 910 for an informal case with a will or JDF 916 for an informal case without a will. A formal estate starts with a petition to a judge, usually JDF 920 for a case with a will or JDF 922 for a case without a will.
- Prepare the statewide JDF forms. Phillips County does not publish a local probate packet, so use the Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms page and include the case information sheet, acceptance of appointment, any renunciations or nominations, the proposed order and JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration as the case requires.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at Phillips Combined Court, 221 S. Interocean Avenue, 2nd Floor, Holyoke, CO 80734. A self-represented filer should file in person or by mail. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate.
- Pay the current first filing charge or submit a fee-waiver request. As of August 2026, the decedent estate first filing charge is $229 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7).
- Complete notice. Formal proceedings require notice to interested persons before the hearing. After appointment, the personal representative gives information of appointment and handles creditor notice using the statewide JDF notice forms when required by Colorado law.
- Handle any hearing setting. Informal applications are reviewed by the probate registrar. Formal matters are heard by the district court. Phillips County states that appearances are in person unless the court has entered an order stating otherwise, so confirm any virtual appearance before relying on it.
- Obtain authority. Once the court appoints the personal representative and the required acceptance is filed, JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration is the document third parties look for during estate settlement.
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, deals with creditors, keeps interested persons informed, distributes property and closes by the appropriate Colorado closing route, such as JDF 965 for an informal closing or formal final settlement forms when a court order is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Phillips County
Phillips County uses Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms and does not publish a separate local probate packet for decedent estates. Start from the statewide probate forms page rather than a county-specific form page.
| Need | Common Colorado form |
|---|---|
| Probate with a will | JDF 906 instructions, JDF 910 application for informal probate of a will, or JDF 920 petition for formal probate of will and formal appointment |
| Probate without a will | JDF 907 instructions, JDF 916 application for informal appointment of personal representative, or JDF 922 petition for adjudication of intestacy and formal appointment |
| Case opening information | JDF 705 probate case information sheet |
| Accept appointment | JDF 911 acceptance of appointment |
| Authority document | JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
| Notice and administration | JDF 940 information of appointment, JDF 943 notice to creditors by publication, JDF 944 notice to creditors by mail, JDF 941 inventory and JDF 942 accounting |
| Informal closing | JDF 959 instructions and JDF 965 statement of personal representative closing administration |
Statewide probate forms are at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047. Printed form instructions are free at the courthouse, and printed form packets carry the statewide per-page print charge listed by the Colorado Judicial Branch.
Local nuance
Phillips County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Phillips County filing |
|---|---|
| Shorter public hours | Phillips Combined Court publishes public hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plan in-person filing and copy requests before mid-afternoon. |
| Shared probate registrar line | The Phillips County probate registrar is reached at 970-854-3279, a line shared with Sedgwick County. The clerk's general courthouse phone is different: 970-762-7010. |
| In-person appearance warning | Phillips County states that Combined Court appearances are in person unless the court has entered an order stating otherwise. Colorado's statewide Virtual Proceedings Policy treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, but local instructions still require court approval or an order before relying on virtual access. |
| No local probate packet | Phillips County does not publish local decedent-estate probate forms. Use the statewide JDF probate forms and ask the clerk about local filing logistics. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm how the home is titled before opening a Phillips County case. If probate is needed for other assets, file the correct statewide JDF application or petition with the Clerk of the District Court in Holyoke. | Sunset identifies accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can see whether a court estate settlement is needed and which documents belong in the packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Start by determining whether a court case is needed at all. If a Phillips County filing is required, a self-represented filer should use mail or plan an in-person visit during the 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. courthouse hours. | Sunset organizes the asset list and can help prepare the Colorado forms for review, reducing back-and-forth with a rural courthouse from outside Colorado. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of a home usually requires clear authority from the Phillips County District Court if the property is part of the probate estate. Formal probate or additional orders may be needed if heirs, title or sale authority are disputed. | Sunset helps gather financial information, build the filing packet and connect the family with a Colorado probate attorney when the home sale needs legal guidance. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | Phillips County information |
|---|---|
| Self-represented litigant coordinator, known in Colorado courts as a Sherlock | For Phillips County, call 970-526-3978 or email [email protected]. The coordinator can help with court information and forms for non-criminal matters but cannot give legal advice. |
| Colorado Legal Services | The Fort Collins office serves Phillips County: 215 W Oak St Ste 800, Fort Collins, 970-493-2891. Its published program areas do not list probate or estates, so call to ask what help or referral may be available. |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | Use the statewide probate forms page: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047. |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate registrar page | The probate registrar contact page lists the Phillips County shared registrar phone as 970-854-3279: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/probate-registrar. |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | The Judicial Branch links public probate brochures from the Colorado Bar Association, including brochures on probate, being a personal representative and what to do when someone dies: https://www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is often worth involving when heirs disagree, a will may be challenged, a creditor issue is significant, real estate must be sold, the estate involves a business, or the personal representative lives outside Colorado and needs filings handled efficiently in Holyoke. 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 build the asset picture before a Phillips County filing is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to assemble the Colorado JDF forms that fit the estate path, with Phillips County filing details included.
Find a local probate attorney. When a home sale, dispute, creditor issue or formal hearing makes legal help important, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Colorado probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without a charge while deciding what court steps, if any, are needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Phillips County?
File a Phillips County probate case with the Clerk of the District Court at Phillips Combined Court, 221 S. Interocean Avenue, 2nd Floor, Holyoke, CO 80734.
What is the Phillips County probate registrar phone number?
The Phillips County probate registrar is reached at 970-854-3279. That is the shared Phillips County and Sedgwick County registrar line. The clerk's general courthouse phone is 970-762-7010.
What are the courthouse hours for a Phillips County estate filing?
Phillips Combined Court publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plan an in-person visit before mid-afternoon.
Can I use e-filing for a Phillips County probate case?
Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. A self-represented probate filer should file in person or by mail because Colorado's non-attorney e-filing system is limited to domestic relations and eviction case types.
Does Phillips County have local probate forms?
No local Phillips County decedent-estate probate packet is published. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms, including the correct application or petition, JDF 705, JDF 911 and JDF 915 when appointment is requested.
How much is the first court charge to open a Phillips County probate estate?
As of August 2026, the first filing charge for a Colorado decedent estate is $229 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b),(7). This is a statewide court charge, not a Phillips County-specific amount.
Can I appear remotely for a Phillips County probate hearing?
Do not assume remote access. Colorado's statewide Virtual Proceedings Policy creates a presumption of flexible appearance for an uncontested informal probate proceeding under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, but Phillips County states that Combined Court appearances are in person unless the court has entered an order stating otherwise. Confirm with the court before the hearing.
Can I look up a Phillips County probate hearing online?
Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets can show scheduled hearings and includes the PR probate case class. It is a docket and calendar tool. Copies of filed documents must be requested from the court where the case was filed.
Do I have to travel to Holyoke to handle a Phillips County estate?
Not always. A self-represented filer may be able to file by mail, and an attorney can file through Colorado Courts E-Filing. If a hearing is set, check the court's order and Phillips County's appearance instructions 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.