Back to Iowa
Chickasaw County, IA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Chickasaw County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court for Chickasaw County |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, Chickasaw County Courthouse |
| Judicial district | Iowa's First Judicial District, filed in New Hampton |
| Courthouse address | 8 East Prospect Street, New Hampton, IA 50659 |
| Mailing address | No separate post office box is published. Address mail to the clerk of the district court at the courthouse street address. |
| Phone | 641-394-2106 |
| Fax | 641-394-5106, for the clerk's office, not an EDMS filing channel |
| [email protected], for office contact, not an EDMS filing channel | |
| Hours | Courthouse building hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Department hours may vary and holidays close the courthouse, so call before traveling. |
| Filing fee | Court costs are 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31, plus the flat items set by that section. Ask the clerk how payment is collected in your case. |
| Local forms | No Chickasaw County probate form, cover sheet or checklist is published. |
| E-filing | EDMS is required for attorneys and self-represented filers under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, with paper exceptions available through the clerk or by court order. |
| Case search | Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index, and public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed. |
| Remote appearance | Court proceedings are presumed in person. A party asks for remote appearance by motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302, and the judge decides case by case. |
| Website | Chickasaw County government site: chickasawcounty.iowa.gov. Court contact information is also maintained by the Iowa Judicial Branch. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate route in Chickasaw County, make a full list of the decedent's assets, debts, account titles, beneficiaries and any real estate. Iowa treats court administration, small estate administration, and the affidavit for distribution of property differently, so the estate settlement path depends on what property exists and how it is titled.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts, insurance, investments and liabilities before a filing decision is made. That gives you a cleaner estate settlement picture before you call the New Hampton clerk, start an EDMS filing, or ask a lawyer which Iowa route fits.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Chickasaw County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Chickasaw County Courthouse in New Hampton. The courthouse serves the county's incorporated cities, including Alta Vista, Bassett, Fredericksburg, Ionia, Lawler, Nashua, New Hampton and North Washington.
Venue follows Iowa Code 633.12. The district court of the county where the decedent resided at death administers the estate. For a nonresident decedent, the case belongs in the Iowa county where the decedent had property subject to administration, where the decedent died leaving property, or where the property is later brought.
Chickasaw County sits in Iowa's First Judicial District with Allamakee, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard and Winneshiek counties. That district is administrative. A Chickasaw County probate case is filed in New Hampton, not in another county seat.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, account information, debts, beneficiary designations and real estate information. A person holding the will after learning of the death must deliver it to the court that has jurisdiction over the estate under Iowa Code 633.285.
- Choose the Iowa route before filing. The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit for distribution of property is used outside court when it fits. Chapter 635 small estate administration is a court case, and the clerk issues letters of appointment under Iowa Code 635.1. A will may also be admitted without administration, or the estate may proceed through chapter 633 administration.
- Register for EDMS or ask about an exception. Iowa requires EDMS filing for attorneys and self-represented filers under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. If you cannot reasonably file electronically, ask the Chickasaw County clerk how to request a one-time paper filing or a case-long exception.
- E-file the petition with the clerk of the district court for Chickasaw County in New Hampton. If there is an original will, scan and e-file it, keep the paper original as required, and after e-filing you may submit the paper original to the clerk for nonelectronic preservation under Iowa Ct. R. 16.411.
- Complete the oath and any bond the court requires. After the required oath or certification and any required bond are filed, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration in a chapter 633 estate under Iowa Code 633.178, or letters of appointment in a chapter 635 small estate under Iowa Code 635.1.
- Give notice. After letters issue, the personal representative publishes notice once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the estate is pending and mails notice to known creditors. In a testate estate, notice also goes to the surviving spouse, heirs and devisees whose identities are reasonably ascertainable under Iowa Code 633.304.
- File the report and inventory. The report and inventory is due within 120 days after qualification unless the court grants more time, under Iowa Code 633.361. Court costs are then based on 0.2% of the probate assets listed in that report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31.
- Handle claims, debts and distributions. Claims are filed with the clerk and are barred unless filed by the later of four months after the second publication of notice or one month after notice was mailed to a reasonably ascertainable creditor under Iowa Code 633.410.
- Close the estate. A chapter 635 small estate closes by closing statement, with the clerk closing the estate as provided in Iowa Code 635.8. A chapter 633 estate closes through the final report and the court's order approving the report and discharging the personal representative.
- Ask the clerk how any contested matter is set. Most Iowa probate administration is handled on the papers, but an objection, a contested filing, or a court order can require a hearing in Chickasaw County.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Chickasaw County
Chickasaw County does not publish a local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. Iowa also does not publish a statewide probate form packet for decedent estates, and its free interactive court forms do not cover probate petitions, inventories or notices.
A self-represented filer should call the Chickasaw County clerk of the district court at 641-394-2106 before filing to ask what the New Hampton counter wants with a probate submission. Court staff can explain filing logistics, but they cannot choose a probate route, draft a petition, or give legal advice.
Local nuance
Chickasaw County-specific considerations
- Chickasaw County probate has one filing counter: the clerk of the district court at the Chickasaw County Courthouse in New Hampton.
- The county lists a separate Juvenile Court Office at 116 Chestnut Street in New Hampton. That is a different office for juvenile matters, not a probate filing location.
- The clerk's fax number is 641-394-5106 and the office email is [email protected]. EDMS remains the filing system for probate documents under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302.
- The county publishes courthouse building hours of weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with department hours that may vary. Call 641-394-2106 before traveling because the clerk's separate counter hours, lunch closure and filing cutoff are not posted.
- No local Chickasaw County probate paperwork is published, so petition content and notice content come from Iowa law or from an attorney's drafting.
Recent updates
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Affidavit for distribution of property | The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit reaches eligible personal-property estates of $100,000 or less, with no interest in real estate, effective July 1, 2026. |
| Report and inventory timing | The report and inventory deadline is 120 days after qualification under Iowa Code 633.361, effective July 1, 2026. |
| Iowa inheritance tax | Deaths on or after January 1, 2025 are outside Iowa inheritance tax under Iowa Code 450.98. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Chickasaw County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. Joint tenancy property is not part of the Iowa Code 633.31 probate-asset cost base. If a probate case is still needed, it is filed through EDMS with the Chickasaw County clerk in New Hampton. | Sunset finds accounts and helps build the estate settlement inventory before the family decides whether a court filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit route fits, the affidavit is presented to the property holder rather than filed with the clerk. If court administration is needed, chapter 635 may apply, and an out-of-state personal representative qualifies by court order under Iowa Code 633.64. | Sunset helps the child work from another state, locate accounts, organize documents and prepare questions for the New Hampton clerk or a lawyer. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Once real estate must be sold, the affidavit route does not handle the house. The estate usually needs letters from the clerk and a court case in New Hampton, with costs based on the probate assets in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31. | Sunset organizes the asset picture, generates a probate packet using the Chickasaw County filing details, and connects the family with a local probate attorney for the sale issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Chickasaw County | Chickasaw County Courthouse, 8 East Prospect Street, New Hampton, IA 50659. Phone 641-394-2106, fax 641-394-5106, email [email protected]. The clerk receives probate filings, issues letters and collects court costs. The clerk cannot give legal advice or complete a petition. |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Free civil legal help for low-income Iowans, subject to eligibility and case-type priorities. Call 1-800-532-1275 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Iowans age 60 and older may call 1-800-992-8161. |
| Iowa Free Legal Answers | At iowa.freelegalanswers.org, an income-eligible Iowan can post a civil legal question for a volunteer Iowa attorney to answer. It is not representation. |
| Iowa Find-A-Lawyer | The Iowa State Bar Association service at iowabar.org lets you search by practice area, county and city. Participating lawyers offer a reduced fee for up to thirty minutes of initial consultation. |
| Application to Defer Costs | If you cannot afford court costs, file a written Application to Defer Costs with the clerk in New Hampton. A judge decides whether payment will be postponed, and a free Iowa Interactive Court Forms guided interview is available for that request. |
| Iowa Courts Online | Use https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame for free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index. Public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal. Technical help is available at 1-800-831-1396 on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., except holidays. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and liabilities. That gives the family a clearer estate settlement inventory before filing in Chickasaw County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the petition, inventory, notices and local filing details, including the New Hampton courthouse contact information and EDMS requirements under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves real estate, a dispute, an out-of-state fiduciary or a missing document, Sunset can connect the family with an Iowa probate attorney who understands the Chickasaw County filing process.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, track documents and decide what help they need without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Chickasaw County?
File with the clerk of the district court at the Chickasaw County Courthouse, 8 East Prospect Street, New Hampton, IA 50659. Chickasaw County is in Iowa's First Judicial District, but the case is filed in New Hampton.
Do I have to use EDMS for a Chickasaw County probate filing?
Yes. Iowa requires EDMS filing for attorneys and self-represented filers under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. If you cannot reasonably file electronically, ask the clerk how to request a one-time paper filing or a case-long exception.
What are the Chickasaw County courthouse hours?
The courthouse building is open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with department hours that may vary and holiday closures. Call the clerk at 641-394-2106 before traveling because the clerk's separate counter hours and filing cutoff are not posted.
Does Chickasaw County have local probate forms?
No local Chickasaw County probate form, cover sheet or checklist is published. Iowa does not provide a statewide decedent-estate form packet, so many families use an attorney or a document-preparation service for the petition and notices.
What does probate cost in Chickasaw County?
Iowa uses a statewide probate court-cost structure. For a decedent's estate, the main court cost is 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31, plus flat items listed in that same section. Ask the clerk how payment will be collected in your case.
Will there be a hearing in a Chickasaw County probate case?
Many Iowa probate matters are handled on the papers filed with the clerk. A hearing can be needed if someone objects, if a contested issue arises, or if the court orders one. Call the clerk to ask how a particular Chickasaw County matter is set.
Can I appear remotely for a Chickasaw County probate hearing?
Court proceedings are presumed in person. A party who wants remote appearance files a motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302, and the judge decides case by case. The clerk can tell you how to submit the request in your case.
How do I look up a Chickasaw County probate case?
Use Iowa Courts Online for free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index of filings and events. Public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed.
Do I have to travel to New Hampton to start probate?
Most filings are submitted through EDMS under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, so starting the case may not require a trip to the courthouse. Travel can still be needed for paper exceptions, courthouse document access, or a hearing unless the judge grants remote appearance under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
What should I do if I have the original will?
After learning of the death, a person holding the will must deliver it to the court with jurisdiction under Iowa Code 633.285. For EDMS filing, the will is scanned and e-filed, the filer keeps the paper original as required, and the paper original may be submitted to the clerk for nonelectronic preservation under Iowa Ct. R. 16.411.
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.