Back to Colorado
Saguache County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Saguache County District Court, sitting at the Saguache Combined Court |
| Judicial district | 12th Judicial District, shared with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral and Rio Grande counties |
| Courthouse address | Saguache Combined Court, 501 4th Street, Saguache, CO 81149 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 197, Saguache, CO 81149 |
| Probate registrar phone | (719) 657-3394, the shared 12th Judicial District probate registrar line |
| Clerk phone and email | 719-655-2522, [email protected] |
| Hours | Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays |
| First filing fee | $229 as of January 2025 for a decedent's estate, under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7) |
| Local forms | No Saguache County probate forms are published; use Colorado JDF forms |
| E-filing status | Attorneys file through Colorado Courts E-Filing. Self-represented probate filers use in-person or mail filing. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets, for scheduled hearings and docket information, not document copies |
| Remote appearance | Uncontested informal probate proceedings are presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023, but Saguache County's virtual courtroom page requires prior court approval for virtual appearance. |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/saguache-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing forms, list the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiary designations, joint accounts, real estate, vehicles and known creditors. In Saguache County, that asset list determines whether you need a court case at the Saguache Combined Court, a registrar-reviewed informal application, or a judge-reviewed formal petition.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts before the estate settlement packet is assembled. That matters in a rural multi-county district because the filing location stays local, but the probate registrar reviewing informal filings serves the whole 12th Judicial District.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Saguache County probate matters are filed in the Saguache County District Court at the Saguache Combined Court in the town of Saguache. The filing office is the Clerk of the District Court.
Saguache County is part of the 12th Judicial District with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral and Rio Grande counties (C.R.S. § 13-5-113). Venue for a decedent's estate is generally 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). That means the shared district registrar phone does not move a Saguache County filing to another county.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether the case is informal or formal. Informal probate uses an application to the probate registrar, while formal probate uses a petition for a judge.
- Choose the statewide JDF opener. Use JDF 910 for an informal case with a will, JDF 916 for an informal case without a will, JDF 920 for a formal case with a will, or JDF 922 for a formal case without a will.
- Prepare the required supporting forms, including JDF 705 Probate Case Information Sheet, JDF 911 Acceptance of Appointment when needed, any renunciations or nominations, and a proposed JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Saguache Combined Court, 501 4th Street, Saguache, CO 81149. A self-represented filer may also mail the packet to P.O. Box 197, Saguache, CO 81149.
- Pay the statewide first filing charge. As of January 2025, the first filing charge for a decedent's estate is $229 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). If the estate qualifies for the court small-estate charge, that amount is $113 as of January 2025 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7).
- If the filing is informal, the 12th Judicial District probate registrar reviews the application, may request corrections or more information, and decides whether informal appointment papers can issue.
- If the filing is formal, follow the court's hearing-setting and notice instructions. Formal proceedings require notice to interested persons, and creditor notice is handled under Colorado's statewide probate rules.
- Before relying on a remote appearance, confirm the setting with the court. Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023, treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but Saguache County's virtual courtroom page says virtual appearance requires prior court approval.
- After appointment, use JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration to show authority to banks, title companies and other institutions, then administer the estate, handle notices, inventory, claims and distributions.
- Close the estate using the appropriate statewide closing forms, commonly JDF 965 for informal closing or formal settlement forms when a court order is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Saguache County
Saguache County publishes no local probate packet or local probate cover sheet. The county uses Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms.
| Need | Common statewide form |
|---|---|
| Instructions with a will | JDF 906 |
| Instructions without a will | JDF 907 |
| Case information sheet | JDF 705 |
| Informal application with a will | JDF 910 |
| Informal application without a will | JDF 916 |
| Formal petition with a will | JDF 920 |
| Formal petition without a will | JDF 922 |
| Acceptance of appointment | JDF 911 |
| Authority document | JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
| Informal closing | JDF 965 |
Local nuance
Saguache County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Saguache filing |
|---|---|
| Shared probate registrar | The 12th Judicial District uses one probate registrar phone, (719) 657-3394, for Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. Use that number for registrar questions, but file a Saguache County estate in Saguache. |
| Local filing counter | The Saguache Combined Court is at 501 4th Street in Saguache, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 197, Saguache, CO 81149. |
| Current courthouse status | The Saguache County court page lists the courthouse as operating normally and gives weekday public hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Saguache County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Separate assets that pass outside probate from assets titled only in the decedent's name. If a Saguache County court appointment is needed, file at the Saguache Combined Court and request JDF 915 after appointment. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title information and prepare the estate settlement packet for the local filing office. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Start by deciding whether a court case is needed. If a Saguache court case is required, self-represented filing is by mail or in person, not by non-attorney e-filing. The court small-estate first filing charge is $113 as of January 2025 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7). | Sunset helps gather asset information remotely, assemble forms and connect the family with local counsel when travel or signing logistics are difficult. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A sale usually requires clear authority from the court-appointed personal representative. File the appropriate informal application or formal petition in Saguache County, then use JDF 915 to show authority after appointment. | Sunset helps organize debts, assets, title issues and attorney referrals so the sale can fit into the broader estate settlement plan. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Saguache Combined Court clerk | Receives local filings and answers procedural questions for the Saguache filing office. | 719-655-2522, [email protected] |
| 12th Judicial District probate registrar | Reviews informal probate filings and appointment requests for the six counties in the district. The registrar can provide procedural information but not legal advice. | (719) 657-3394 |
| Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator, known in Colorado courts as a Sherlock | Provides court-form and process information for self-represented litigants in the 12th Judicial District. | [email protected], 719-589-7621 |
| Saguache County Self-Help Resources & Services page | Local court self-help entry point linked from the Saguache County court page. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/saguache-county |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | Statewide JDF probate forms used in Saguache County. | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Colorado Legal Services, Alamosa office | Statewide civil legal aid provider serving Saguache County. Its published program areas do not list probate, so call to ask what help may be available. | 715 Main St., Alamosa, 719-589-4993 |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | Free public 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
Counsel is worth considering when heirs disagree, a will may be challenged, a creditor claim is disputed, real estate must be sold, a nonresident decedent owned Colorado property, or the family needs a formal hearing rather than an informal registrar review. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families identify accounts, balances and property leads before choosing the Saguache County probate path.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet using the Colorado JDF forms that Saguache County accepts.
Find a local probate attorney
When the estate needs legal judgment, formal court work or help with real estate, Sunset can connect the family with a probate attorney familiar with Colorado practice.
Sunset is free for families
Families can use Sunset to organize the work, understand next steps and move the estate settlement forward without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Saguache County?
File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Saguache Combined Court, 501 4th Street, Saguache, CO 81149. Mail filings go to P.O. Box 197, Saguache, CO 81149.
Does Saguache County have its own probate court?
No. In Saguache County, probate is handled by the Saguache County District Court at the Saguache Combined Court. It is not a stand-alone court for probate. Colorado's district courts handle probate in every county except for one constitutionally distinct court elsewhere in the state.
Can I e-file a Saguache County probate case?
Attorneys file Colorado probate cases through Colorado Courts E-Filing, which covers probate. Self-represented filers in probate do not use the non-attorney e-filing system because that system is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases, so they file in person or by mail.
What is the Saguache County charge to open a decedent's estate?
As of January 2025, the statewide first filing charge for a decedent's estate is $229 under C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7). Saguache County does not add a county-specific charge to that amount.
Why is the probate registrar phone different from the Saguache clerk phone?
Saguache County shares the 12th Judicial District probate registrar line, (719) 657-3394, with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral and Rio Grande counties. The Saguache clerk's local phone is 719-655-2522. The shared registrar phone does not change where a Saguache County estate is filed.
Can I attend a Saguache County probate hearing remotely?
Chief Justice Directive 23-03, effective August 1, 2023, treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible. Saguache County's virtual courtroom page also states that virtual appearance requires prior court approval, so confirm with the court before the hearing.
Can I look up a Saguache County probate hearing?
Colorado Docket Search includes the PR probate case class and can be used to look for scheduled hearings by county, case number or party name. It is a docket tool, not a place to read wills, inventories or other case documents.
Does Saguache County have local probate forms?
No local Saguache County probate forms are published. Use Colorado's statewide JDF probate forms, including JDF 705, JDF 910, JDF 916, JDF 920, JDF 922, JDF 911 and JDF 915 as the case requires.
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.