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Sedgwick County, CO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Sedgwick County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Sedgwick County District Court, at Sedgwick Combined Court |
| Judicial district | 13th Judicial District, shared with Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Washington and Yuma counties |
| Courthouse address | 315 Cedar Street, Julesburg, CO 80737 |
| Mailing address | 315 Cedar Street, Julesburg, CO 80737 |
| Clerk phone | (970) 474-3627 |
| Probate registrar phone | (970) 854-3279, shared for Phillips and Sedgwick counties |
| Fax | (970) 458-7755 |
| Office email | [email protected] |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; call before traveling because the office closes mid-afternoon |
| First case charge | $229 for a first filing in a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)) |
| Small estate court charge | $113 for a qualifying small estate court filing, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)) |
| Local forms | No Sedgwick County probate packets are published; use statewide Colorado JDF forms |
| E-filing | Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate. Self-represented filers use the counter or mail because non-attorney access is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases. |
| Case search | Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets, for hearing and docket information, not case documents |
| Remote appearance | Uncontested informal probate proceedings are presumptively flexible under Chief Justice Directive 23-03, but Sedgwick County's virtual courtroom page says prior approval is required before a virtual court appearance |
| Website | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/sedgwick-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, accounts, vehicles, real estate, beneficiaries and possible creditors. Sedgwick County's court counter closes at 3:00 p.m., so it helps to know what you need before you call or make the trip to Julesburg.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then uses what is found to help build the probate packet and decide whether a Sedgwick County filing is needed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Sedgwick County District Court serves probate matters for decedents who were domiciled in Sedgwick County at death. Venue for a Colorado estate is generally in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.R.S. § 15-12-201), and Colorado law requires a term of district court to sit in each county at the county seat (C.R.S. § 13-5-101). For Sedgwick County, that county seat courthouse is in Julesburg.
Sedgwick County is part of the 13th Judicial District with Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Washington and Yuma counties. The shared district matters for judges, self-help resources and the probate registrar line, but it does not change where a Sedgwick County estate is filed.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether the estate should start informally with an application to the probate registrar or formally with a petition to a judge. Informal proceedings are handled by a registrar, while formal proceedings are before a judge with notice to interested persons (C.R.S. § 15-10-201(26), (21)).
- Prepare the statewide Colorado JDF forms. Common starting points are JDF 906 or JDF 907 for instructions, JDF 705 for the case information sheet, 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.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at Sedgwick Combined Court, 315 Cedar Street, Julesburg, CO 80737. Self-represented filers use the counter or mail; attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing. The clerk's published hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Pay the required court charge or include a fee-waiver request. A first filing in a decedent's estate is $229, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)); a qualifying small estate court filing is $113, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)).
- For an informal case, the probate registrar for Phillips and Sedgwick counties reviews the application and may ask for corrections or more information. The registrar's direct phone is (970) 854-3279, which is different from the Sedgwick clerk's main line.
- For a formal case, follow the court's hearing and notice instructions. Sedgwick County does not publish a probate hearing day or setting window, so call the clerk before assuming a date or travel plan.
- Check remote appearance instructions before any hearing. Chief Justice Directive 23-03 treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible, but Sedgwick County's virtual courtroom page states that prior approval is required before appearing virtually.
- After appointment, the personal representative uses JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration as the authority document, gives required notices, handles assets and creditor issues, and closes the estate by the appropriate Colorado closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County does not publish local probate packets or county-specific probate cover sheets. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms for Sedgwick County estate settlement filings.
| Need | Statewide form path |
|---|---|
| Probate forms hub | Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 |
| Start with a will | JDF 906 instructions, then JDF 910 for an informal application or JDF 920 for a formal petition |
| Start without a will | JDF 907 instructions, then JDF 916 for an informal application or JDF 922 for a formal petition |
| Appointment and authority | JDF 911 Acceptance of Appointment and JDF 915 Letters Testamentary/of Administration |
| Close informally | JDF 959 instructions and JDF 965 Statement of Personal Representative Closing Administration |
Local nuance
Sedgwick County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Shared probate registrar | Sedgwick County shares a probate registrar with Phillips County. Use (970) 854-3279 for registrar questions about informal estate applications. |
| Separate clerk line | The Sedgwick Combined Court clerk line is (970) 474-3627. Use that number for courthouse, counter, mailing and general filing questions. |
| Shorter public hours | The court publishes Monday through Friday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., so plan counter filings earlier in the day. |
| Office email and fax are not filing permission | The court publishes [email protected] and fax (970) 458-7755, but no published Sedgwick County instruction says probate filings may be submitted by email or fax. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Sedgwick County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how title is held before opening a case. If probate is needed for other assets, file in the Sedgwick County District Court in Julesburg and use the statewide JDF estate forms. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can decide whether a court estate settlement is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Sedgwick clerk about mailing logistics and the registrar line about informal application questions. If a Colorado court case is needed, self-represented filings go by mail or to the Julesburg counter, not through non-attorney e-filing. | Sunset organizes the asset picture and generates a packet the child can review before mailing or bringing forms to court. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real estate sale often requires appointment of a personal representative and Letters Testamentary/of Administration. File the Sedgwick County case in Julesburg and get legal help if title, heirs or creditors are disputed. | Sunset helps find assets, prepare the probate packet and connect the family with a local probate attorney when the home sale needs court authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to contact it | What it can do |
|---|---|---|
| 13th Judicial District self-represented litigant coordinator | (970) 526-3978; [email protected] | Provides procedural information and form direction for people without lawyers. The coordinator cannot provide legal advice. |
| Sedgwick Combined Court clerk | (970) 474-3627; [email protected] | Answers clerk's office questions about local filing logistics, hours and court contact procedures. |
| Probate registrar for Phillips and Sedgwick counties | (970) 854-3279 | Reviews informal estate applications and may request corrections or additional information. The registrar cannot provide legal advice. |
| Colorado Legal Services, Fort Collins office | 215 W Oak St Ste 800, Fort Collins; (970) 493-2891 | Statewide civil legal aid provider for Sedgwick County. Its published program areas do not include probate or estates, so call to ask what help or referrals may be available. |
| Colorado Judicial Branch probate forms | https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/taxonomy/term/1047?form_category=1047 | Statewide JDF forms for opening, administering and closing Colorado estate cases. |
| Colorado Bar Association public brochures | https://www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/Legal-Brochures | Public brochures on Colorado probate and personal representative responsibilities. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Colorado probate attorney when heirs disagree, a will is challenged, real estate must be sold, creditor claims are contested, the decedent lived outside Colorado, or the estate needs formal court orders. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families build a clearer inventory before choosing a Sedgwick County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to assemble the documents and next-step checklist for a Colorado probate filing, including the local Sedgwick County court details.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a court hearing, a real estate sale or help with a dispute, Sunset can connect the family to a vetted Colorado probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset, from asset discovery through probate preparation and attorney matching.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sedgwick County?
File a Sedgwick County estate with the Sedgwick County District Court at Sedgwick Combined Court, 315 Cedar Street, Julesburg, CO 80737. The published clerk hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Is Sedgwick County probate handled in Phillips County because the registrar is shared?
No. A Sedgwick County estate is filed in Julesburg. The shared point is the probate registrar phone, (970) 854-3279, for Phillips and Sedgwick counties.
Can I submit a Sedgwick County probate case electronically if I do not have a lawyer?
No. Attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing for probate, but the statewide non-attorney system is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases. A self-represented filer uses the Sedgwick counter or mail.
What does it cost to start a Sedgwick County estate case?
A first filing in a decedent's estate is $229, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7)). A qualifying small estate court filing is $113, current as of August 2026 (C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(a), (7)).
Does Sedgwick County have local probate forms?
No local Sedgwick County probate packets are published. Use the statewide Colorado JDF probate forms from the Colorado Judicial Branch.
How do I look up a Sedgwick County probate hearing?
Use Colorado Docket Search at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets and select Sedgwick County and the PR case class if needed. The search is for docket and hearing information, not for downloading wills, inventories or other case documents.
Can I appear remotely for a Sedgwick County probate hearing?
Chief Justice Directive 23-03 treats an uncontested informal probate proceeding as presumptively flexible. Sedgwick County's virtual courtroom page also states that prior approval is required before a virtual court appearance, so confirm the procedure with the court before the hearing.
Do I have to travel to Julesburg to start probate?
Not always. Self-represented filers may use mail, and attorneys use Colorado Courts E-Filing. If you plan to file at the counter, call the clerk first because the published public hours end at 3:00 p.m.
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.