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Butler County, KS Probate Information

Quick facts
| Item | Butler County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Butler County District Court, in Kansas's 13th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-214) |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, appointed for each county under K.S.A. 20-343 |
| Courthouse address | Butler County Judicial Center, 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042 |
| Mailing address | Clerk of the District Court, 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042 |
| Phone | Main clerk line: 316-322-4370. Probate line published by the court: 316-322-4371. |
| Fax | 316-321-9486 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. and also from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Thursday for a district-wide staff meeting. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, $131.50 for probate of an estate or of a will, made up of the $109.50 statutory docket fee plus the $22 surcharge (K.S.A. 59-104). Other court costs are taxed and billed as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)). |
| Local forms | No Butler County probate petition form is published. Use statewide Kansas Judicial Council forms where they apply, including the case-filing cover sheet, the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form and the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b. |
| E-filing | Kansas-licensed attorneys must file electronically under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 122. A self-represented filer files in person, by mail, by fax or in the drop box, not through an attorney filing account. |
| Drop box | Clearly marked, inside the north entrance of the Butler County Judicial Center. Court staff collect it each weekday at 8:00 a.m.; a Kansas court drop-box filing deposited by 4:00 p.m. local time counts as filed that day. |
| Case search | Kansas Courts CaseSearch: https://casesearch.kscourts.gov/. Butler County documents can appear online from the court's Kansas eCourt start date, November 1, 2021. Paper file review is by appointment with the clerk. |
| Remote appearance | A phone or video appearance is discretionary under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 103. Use the Kansas Judicial Council motion form and ask the clerk how this court handles the request. |
| Website | 13th Judicial District: https://www.13thjudicial.org/. Butler County page: https://www.13thjudicial.org/27/Butler-County. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Butler County, identify the assets, debts, accounts and real estate involved. The docket fee is flat, but the right estate settlement path depends on what exists, whether there is real estate, whether the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b can be used, and what the inventory and valuation due within 30 days after letters must contain (K.S.A. 59-1201). Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so the starting list is not guesswork.
Then plan the filing around El Dorado. The clerk's counter closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. every weekday and from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Thursday, paper file review needs an appointment, and the drop box inside the north entrance is collected at 8:00 a.m. each weekday. Those details matter because a Kansas will must be petitioned for probate within six months of death to pass property (K.S.A. 59-617).
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Butler County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Butler County Judicial Center, 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042. The Butler County District Court sits in Kansas's 13th Judicial District, which consists of Butler, Greenwood and Elk counties (K.S.A. 4-214). Each county has its own clerk of the district court (K.S.A. 20-343), so Greenwood County estates are filed in Eureka, Elk County estates are filed in Howard and Butler County estates are filed in El Dorado.
Butler County communities, including Andover, Augusta, Benton, Cassoday, Douglass, Elbing, El Dorado, Latham, Leon, Potwin, Rose Hill, Towanda and Whitewater, use the El Dorado filing office for Butler County probate. Venue under K.S.A. 59-2203 turns on where the decedent lived and where the decedent owned real property: if a Kansas resident owned real property in the county of residence, file in that county; if not, file in the county of residence or in a county where the decedent owned real property; for a nonresident, file in a county where estate property is to be administered. The first properly started Kansas proceeding reaches the decedent's Kansas property, and a case filed in the wrong county is transferred to the proper county rather than dismissed.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate and the will. Watch the six-month will deadline first: a will of someone who died a Kansas resident cannot pass property unless a petition for probate of the will is filed within six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617). If the family is not ready to open a full estate, filing a will and affidavit, or a copy of the will and affidavit, can preserve the will for later probate (K.S.A. 59-618a).
- Choose the path before drafting. Some estates use the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, which is furnished to the bank or other holder and is not filed with the clerk. Others may need refusal to grant letters under K.S.A. 59-2287, determination of descent after the required waiting period under K.S.A. 59-2250, informal administration under K.S.A. 59-3301 and following, or simplified or supervised administration under K.S.A. 59-3202.
- Prepare the petition from the Kansas statutory requirements. Use K.S.A. 59-2219 for administration and K.S.A. 59-2220 for probate of a will. If you want simplified administration, ask for it in the petition and give reasons (K.S.A. 59-3202). Butler County does not publish a fill-in probate petition form.
- Add the statewide case-filing cover sheet. If you are representing yourself, also add the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form. Both are free Kansas Judicial Council forms.
- File with the clerk of the district court at the Butler County Judicial Center, 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042. As of August 2026, the docket fee to open a probate estate is $131.50, which is the $109.50 statutory fee plus the $22 surcharge (K.S.A. 59-104), or you may file a Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104(b) if you cannot pay.
- If you are filing without a lawyer, use one of the self-represented filing channels: in person at the counter, by mail to the same address, by fax to 316-321-9486, or in the drop box inside the north entrance of the Judicial Center. Put drop-box papers in a sealed envelope. A Kansas court drop-box filing deposited by 4:00 p.m. local time counts as filed that day. Kansas-licensed attorneys must use e-filing under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 122.
- The court fixes the time and place of the hearing on the petition (K.S.A. 59-2222). Butler County does not publish a probate hearing day or waiting time, so ask the clerk at 316-322-4370 or the probate line at 316-322-4371 how the case will be set.
- Publish and mail the hearing notice. When K.S.A. 59-2209 applies, notice runs once a week for three consecutive weeks in a county newspaper, first publication is made within 30 days after the hearing order, and within seven days after first publication the petitioner mails notice to known heirs, devisees and legatees with the petition, attachments and will. Notice to creditors is published within 30 days after filing the petition (K.S.A. 59-709).
- Mail the surviving spouse the required will copy and elective-share notice within 10 days when K.S.A. 59-2233 applies.
- Attend the hearing. If travel to El Dorado is a problem, ask the judge for a phone or video appearance under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 103 and use the free Kansas Judicial Council motion form. The judge decides whether to allow it.
- If the petition is granted, the judge admits the will and grants letters testamentary to an executor when K.S.A. 59-701 applies, or letters of administration to an administrator when K.S.A. 59-705 applies.
- File the inventory and valuation within 30 days after the letters unless the court allows more time (K.S.A. 59-1201). Sunset can help assemble the account and asset list needed for this estate settlement step.
- Handle creditor claims, debts and taxes. A demand is barred unless it is presented within the later of four months from first publication or 30 days after actual notice to a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor (K.S.A. 59-2239).
- Close with a petition for final settlement and accounting and the court's final decree assigning the estate (K.S.A. 59-2247, K.S.A. 59-2249). If real estate is assigned, a certified copy goes to the county clerk's transfer record under K.S.A. 59-2249.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Butler County
Kansas publishes free statewide forms through the Kansas Judicial Council, and several are important in Butler County. The small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b is the form the statute itself recognizes, and it is given to the bank or other holder of personal property rather than filed with the clerk. A new court case needs the case-filing cover sheet, and anyone representing themselves also files the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form.
| Form or resource | Where to find it | Use in Butler County |
|---|---|---|
| Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/small-estates-affidavit-k-s-a-59-1507b | Used with the holder of personal property when the K.S.A. 59-1507b requirements are met. It is not filed as a Butler County court case. |
| Case Filing Cover Sheets | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/case-filing-cover-sheets | Required with a new case and linked from the 13th Judicial District site. |
| Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/self-represented-litigant-srl-certification-form | Required if you file without a lawyer. |
| Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104(b) | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/poverty-affidavit | Used to ask the court to waive all or part of the docket fee under K.S.A. 59-104. |
| Probate Notice of Hearing | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/probate/-folder-611-431 | Statewide probate notice form. |
| Petition for Allowance of Demand | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/probate/-folder-612-431 | Statewide creditor claim form. |
| Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/asking-to-attend-court-by-phone-or-video | Used to ask for a phone or video appearance under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 103. |
| Butler County Request for Public Records Form | https://www.13thjudicial.org/DocumentCenter/View/225/Request-for-Public-Records-Form-07_07_2025 | Used to request court information or copies from a file. The clerk's office responds within three business days. |
Butler County does not publish a probate petition form, probate checklist or probate cover sheet of its own. Kansas also does not publish a fill-in petition to open a probate estate; that petition is drafted from K.S.A. 59-2219 or K.S.A. 59-2220, or with help from a Kansas attorney.
Fees
Butler County has no county add-on to the statutory Kansas probate docket fee. As of August 2026, the 13th Judicial District's court fee and surcharge chart lists probate of an estate or of a will at $131.50, made up of the $109.50 statutory docket fee plus the $22 surcharge (K.S.A. 59-104). The same district chart lists, as of August 2026, determination of descent at $71.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), filing a will and affidavit at $70.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), refusal to grant letters at $70.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), termination of joint tenancy at $70.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), guardianship, conservatorship or trusteeship at $91.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), certified probate proceedings from another county at $45.50 (K.S.A. 59-104), and probate decrees from another state at $195.00 (K.S.A. 59-104).
The court also publishes local copy and records charges. As published in August 2026, copies are a minimum of $0.50 per page, certified documents are a minimum of $1.00 per certified document, and research is a minimum of $12.00 per hour. These are copy and records charges, not the docket fee under K.S.A. 59-104.
Payment depends on how you file. In person, payment may be made by check, credit or debit card, money order or cash. By mail or drop box, payment is by check or money order. By fax, payment is by credit or debit card. Other probate expenses, including publication costs, appraiser fees, executor fees and attorney fees, are additional court costs taxed and billed as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)).
Timeline
- The clerk's counter is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- The counter is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. every weekday, and also from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Thursday for a district-wide staff meeting.
- Court staff collect the drop box inside the north entrance of the Judicial Center each weekday at 8:00 a.m.
- A Kansas court drop-box filing deposited by 4:00 p.m. local time counts as filed that day. A later deposit counts as filed the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or Kansas Supreme Court holiday.
- The clerk must process a self-represented filing as quickly as possible and not more than eight business hours after receiving it.
- The court fixes the hearing on the petition (K.S.A. 59-2222). When K.S.A. 59-2209 applies, the hearing date is not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the last publication of notice.
- The inventory and valuation is due within 30 days after letters unless the court allows more time (K.S.A. 59-1201).
- A written request for court information receives a response from the clerk's office within three business days.
Local nuance
Butler County-specific considerations
| Consideration | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two buildings in El Dorado | The district court filing counter is at the Butler County Judicial Center, 201 W Pine, Suite 101. County government offices are in the Butler County Historic Courthouse at 205 W Central Avenue. A transfer-on-death deed under K.S.A. 59-3501 is recorded during life with the register of deeds under K.S.A. 59-3502, but probate filings go to the district court at 201 W Pine. |
| Three-county district, separate filing counters | Butler, Greenwood and Elk counties make up Kansas's 13th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-214), but each county has its own clerk of the district court (K.S.A. 20-343). Butler County filings stay in El Dorado. |
| Midday and Thursday closures | The clerk's counter closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. every weekday and from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Thursday. |
| Published drop-box location | The drop box is clearly marked inside the north entrance of the Butler County Judicial Center, and court staff collect it each weekday at 8:00 a.m. |
| Paper file review by appointment | To review a public paper file, call 316-322-4370 with the case number. The court uses a designated room for public file review and also provides a public access computer separate from court offices. |
| Direct probate phone line | The court publishes 316-322-4371 as the line for probate questions, in addition to the main clerk line at 316-322-4370. |
| Kansas eCourt start date | Butler County joined the Kansas eCourt case management system on November 1, 2021. That date affects whether documents in a Butler County case can appear online through Kansas Courts CaseSearch. |
| Local court rules page | The 13th Judicial District publishes its local court rules and administrative orders on its Court Administration page, and the Kansas Judicial Branch links that page as the district's local rules page. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2021 | Butler County District Court began operating on the Kansas eCourt case management system. Documents in Butler County cases can appear online through Kansas Courts CaseSearch from that date. |
| July 1, 2023 | The Kansas small estates affidavit amount under K.S.A. 59-1507b became $75,000, effective July 1, 2023. The affidavit is a statewide form and is not a Butler County court filing. |
| July 1, 2025 | The 13th Judicial District's current fee and surcharge chart took effect for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. It lists probate of an estate or of a will at $131.50, made up of the $109.50 fee plus the $22 surcharge (K.S.A. 59-104). |
| November 2025 | Kansas Courts CaseSearch became the statewide district court case search tool, and the 13th Judicial District links it from its own site. |
| April 3, 2026 | The $22 surcharge authority was extended through June 30, 2030, so the Butler County total for probate of an estate or of a will remains $131.50 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104). |
| April 9, 2026 | A nonresident fiduciary's Kansas resident agent may reside anywhere in Kansas, rather than in the county of appointment, after the 2026 amendment to K.S.A. 59-1706. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Butler County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with the deed for the El Dorado, Andover, Augusta or other Butler County home. If the deed made the spouses joint tenants, termination of joint tenancy is a separate filing that the district chart lists at $70.50 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104). If an estate is opened, the spouse may need to evaluate the homestead allowance under K.S.A. 59-6a215, the allowance to a spouse and minor children under K.S.A. 59-403, and the spouse's right to receive a copy of the will and the statutory notice within 10 days under K.S.A. 59-2233. Plan any counter trip around the noon closure and the Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. closure. | Sunset finds accounts and debts across institutions so the inventory and valuation due within 30 days after letters is based on a complete list (K.S.A. 59-1201). |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate has $75,000 or less in probate assets and no real estate, the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b may let you collect personal property from the bank or other holder without opening a Butler County court case. If letters are needed, an out-of-state personal representative can serve after appointing a Kansas resident agent in writing, with the agent's address and written acceptance filed in the district court (K.S.A. 59-706, K.S.A. 59-1706). Filing can be done by mail to 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042, by fax to 316-321-9486, or by a Kansas attorney through e-filing under Rule 122. A phone or video appearance can be requested under Rule 103. | Sunset locates assets from out of state and assembles the estate settlement packet so the family can avoid unnecessary trips to El Dorado. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b cannot transfer a house. A sale usually means discussing refusal to grant letters under K.S.A. 59-2287, informal administration under K.S.A. 59-3301 and following, or simplified or supervised administration under K.S.A. 59-3202. The six-month will deadline still matters (K.S.A. 59-617). A notice of a petition to sell real property is still required even in a simplified estate (K.S.A. 59-3203(d)). The 13th Judicial District chart does not list a fee for informal administration, so ask the clerk before filing that petition. | Sunset builds the asset and debt picture, helps prepare for the inventory and valuation under K.S.A. 59-1201, and connects the family to a local probate attorney when a sale needs court clearance. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Contact or link |
|---|---|---|
| Butler County self-help room | The Kansas Judicial Branch lists a Butler County self-help room open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is not staffed and offers a computer and printer. | At the courthouse. Ask the clerk for the room location. |
| Butler County legal aid day | Held in the law library on the third Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., walk-ins only. | Butler County Judicial Center |
| Kansas Judicial Branch self-help, probate and elder law | Statewide probate information and links to forms. The 13th Judicial District links this resource from its own site. | https://self-help.kscourts.gov/ProbateAndElderLaw |
| Kansas Judicial Council forms | Free statewide forms, including the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, case-filing cover sheet, Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form, Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104 and Rule 103 phone or video appearance motion. | https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms |
| Kansas Courts CaseSearch | Free statewide case search. Butler County documents can appear online from November 1, 2021. | https://casesearch.kscourts.gov/ |
| Kansas Legal Services | Free and reduced-cost civil legal help to low and moderate income Kansans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Intake is available by phone Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | 316-267-3975. https://www.kansaslegalservices.org/ |
| Kansas Elder Hotline | Kansas residents age 60 and older may be eligible for free legal advice through Kansas Legal Services. | 316-267-3975 |
| Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a Kansas lawyer. It is a referral route, not a promise of free or reduced-fee representation. | https://www.ksbar.org/?pg=clientreferrals |
Court staff, the unstaffed self-help room and Kansas Judicial Council staff cannot provide legal advice or prepare your petition. Use the resources for information, forms and referrals, then ask a Kansas attorney when legal judgment is needed.
When to hire an attorney
A Kansas probate attorney is especially useful in Butler County when real estate must be sold or title cleared, when the six-month will deadline is close (K.S.A. 59-617), when beneficiaries disagree, when the estate may be insolvent, or when an out-of-state personal representative wants local filing and notice handled without repeated travel to El Dorado. Counsel can also help decide whether refusal to grant letters under K.S.A. 59-2287, informal administration under K.S.A. 59-3301, or simplified administration under K.S.A. 59-3202 fits the estate. Kansas compensation for fiduciaries and attorneys is allowed as just and reasonable by the court (K.S.A. 59-1717). Sunset connects the family to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, debts and other estate property. That gives the family a stronger starting point for Butler County estate settlement and for the inventory and valuation required after letters (K.S.A. 59-1201).
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list and family information into an organized packet for the Kansas route you choose, including the information needed for the petition, the statewide cover sheet and self-represented filing materials when they apply.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real estate, a sale, a dispute, an out-of-state fiduciary or a deadline problem, Sunset helps connect the family with a Kansas probate attorney who can file in the Butler County District Court and handle local notice and hearing practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset does not charge families to get organized, understand the next step and connect with local help. The goal is to make estate settlement clearer before money is spent on avoidable filings or unnecessary trips.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Butler County, Kansas?
File with the clerk of the district court at the Butler County Judicial Center, 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042. The filing is in the Butler County District Court, which sits in Kansas's 13th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-214), and each county has its own clerk of the district court (K.S.A. 20-343). Call 316-322-4370 for the clerk's main line, 316-322-4371 for the probate line, or fax 316-321-9486.
How much does it cost to open a probate estate in Butler County?
As of August 2026, opening probate of an estate or of a will in Butler County costs $131.50, made up of the $109.50 statutory docket fee plus the $22 surcharge (K.S.A. 59-104). Butler County adds no local docket fee under K.S.A. 59-104. A Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104(b) can ask the court to waive all or part of the fee, and other court costs are handled under K.S.A. 59-104(d).
Can I e-file a Butler County probate case if I do not have a lawyer?
No. Kansas-licensed attorneys must use e-filing under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 122. If you are handling the estate without a lawyer, file in person, by mail to 201 W Pine, Suite 101, El Dorado, KS 67042, by fax to 316-321-9486, or in the drop box inside the north entrance of the Judicial Center. A new case also needs a case-filing cover sheet and, if you represent yourself, the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form.
What are the clerk's hours in El Dorado?
The clerk's counter is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. every weekday and from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. every Thursday for a district-wide staff meeting.
Where is the Butler County drop box?
The drop box is clearly marked inside the north entrance of the Butler County Judicial Center. Court staff collect it each weekday at 8:00 a.m. Put papers in a sealed envelope. A Kansas court drop-box filing deposited by 4:00 p.m. local time counts as filed that day, and payment by drop box is made by check or money order.
How do I get a probate hearing date in Butler County?
The court fixes the time and place of the hearing after the petition is filed (K.S.A. 59-2222). When K.S.A. 59-2209 applies, the hearing is set not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the last publication of notice. Butler County does not publish a probate day or average wait, so ask the clerk at 316-322-4370 or the probate line at 316-322-4371 how the case will be set.
Do I have to travel to El Dorado for the hearing?
Maybe not. Kansas Supreme Court Rule 103 lets a district court allow a remote phone or video appearance in its discretion, including when travel time or expense outweighs the benefit of appearing in person. You must ask by motion and notify the other parties, and the judge may deny the request. The Kansas Judicial Council publishes a free Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video, and the clerk can tell you how this court handles the request.
Can I look up a Butler County probate case online?
Yes. Kansas Courts CaseSearch is the statewide public case search at https://casesearch.kscourts.gov/. Butler County began operating on Kansas eCourt on November 1, 2021, so documents can appear online from that date. To review a paper file, call the clerk at 316-322-4370 with the case number and make an appointment. The court also provides a public access computer separate from court offices.
Are there Butler County probate forms?
Butler County publishes a records-request form, but it does not publish a probate petition form, probate cover sheet or probate checklist. Use the statewide Kansas Judicial Council forms where they apply, including the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, the case-filing cover sheet, the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form, the Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104 and the probate notice of hearing. Kansas does not provide a fill-in petition for opening an estate.
Is there a deadline to probate a will in Kansas?
Yes. A will of someone who died a Kansas resident cannot pass property unless a petition for probate of the will is filed within six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617). Filing a will and affidavit, including a copy when allowed, can preserve the will for later probate (K.S.A. 59-618a). The 13th Judicial District chart lists filing a will and affidavit at $70.50 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104), while the statewide chart also carries a no-fee line for filing a will after death, so ask the clerk which applies.
Is there help at the courthouse in El Dorado if I am doing this myself?
The Kansas Judicial Branch lists a Butler County self-help room with a computer and printer, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and states that it is not staffed. A legal aid day is held in the law library on the third Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., walk-ins only. Court staff cannot give legal advice or prepare your forms. Kansas Legal Services intake is 316-267-3975, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to eligibility.
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.