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Greeley County, KS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Greeley County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Greeley County District Court |
| Judicial district | Kansas's 25th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-226). The case is still filed in Tribune, not in another county's seat. |
| Courthouse address | Greeley County Courthouse, 616 2nd Street, Tribune, KS 67879 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 516, Tribune, KS 67879. This is the court's mailing box, not the county government's box at the same street address. |
| Phone | 620-272-3652 |
| Fax | 620-376-2351. A person filing without a lawyer may file by fax with the required fax transmission sheet and card payment. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time. No lunch closure is posted. Papers handed over the counter after 3 p.m. may not be processed until the next business day, so call before travelling. |
| Filing fee | Opening a probate estate is $131.50 as of August 2026, made up of the $109.50 statutory charge and the $22 surcharge authorized through June 30, 2030 (K.S.A. 59-104). Other court costs are taxed against the estate as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)). A Poverty Affidavit can ask for a waiver under K.S.A. 59-104. |
| Local forms | No Greeley County probate form, local probate cover sheet or local probate checklist is posted. The court website points readers to free statewide Kansas Judicial Council forms. |
| E-filing | Kansas-licensed attorneys must use electronic filing under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 122. A person filing without a lawyer files in person, by mail to P.O. Box 516, by fax to 620-376-2351 or in the courthouse drop box by 4 p.m. Mountain Time. |
| Case search | Kansas Courts CaseSearch is the statewide search tool. Case information is searchable online, and documents in Greeley County cases are online from September 12, 2022, the date this court joined Kansas eCourt. Public records computers are in the front of the clerk's office. |
| Remote appearance | A phone or video appearance is discretionary on motion under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103, effective October 14, 2025. The Kansas Judicial Council publishes a free motion form. Ask the clerk which platform the court uses. |
| Website | The court website is the 25th Judicial District site with a Greeley County page. The county government's website is separate. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Tribune, collect the death certificate, the will if there is one, the heirs' contact information, the debts, and a list of every account, vehicle and parcel of land. Greeley County has no local probate packet, the clerk cannot choose a probate route for you, and the courthouse is on Mountain Time with a 3 p.m. counter processing rule, so a complete estate settlement picture helps avoid a rejected filing or a wasted trip.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts and balances before they decide whether court is needed, which papers to prepare, and whether a Kansas probate attorney should be involved in the estate settlement.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Greeley County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Greeley County Courthouse in Tribune, with mail to P.O. Box 516. The courthouse serves Greeley County's two communities, Tribune and Horace.
Kansas venue for probate of a will or administration depends on residence and real property. If the decedent was a Kansas resident and owned real property in the county of residence, the case is filed there. If the resident decedent owned no real property in the county of residence, the case may be filed in the county of residence or in any county where the decedent owned real property. If the decedent was not a Kansas resident, the case may be filed in any Kansas county where estate property is to be administered (K.S.A. 59-2203). The first-filed proceeding controls, and if the case belongs in another county the district court transmits the file to the proper county.
Greeley County shares Kansas's 25th Judicial District with Finney, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott and Wichita counties (K.S.A. 4-226), but that shared district does not move the filing. Kansas law places a clerk of the district court in every county (K.S.A. 20-343), so a Greeley County case is filed in Tribune.
The jurisdiction process
- Find the death certificate and the will, if there is one. If the person died a Kansas resident, decide within six months after death whether to petition for probate of the will or at least file the will or a copy with an affidavit under K.S.A. 59-618a, because the will deadline is six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617).
- Choose the Kansas route before you prepare papers. A small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b can be used for qualifying personal property and is given to the holder, not filed in Tribune. Court routes include refusal to grant letters (K.S.A. 59-2287), determination of descent (K.S.A. 59-2250), informal administration (K.S.A. 59-3301), and simplified or supervised administration, which the court decides under K.S.A. 59-3202.
- Prepare the verified petition. If you want simplified administration, ask for it in the petition and give the reasons for it under K.S.A. 59-3202.
- Add the required case filing cover sheet. If you are representing yourself, also add the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form.
- File with the clerk of the district court in Tribune (K.S.A. 20-343). You may file at 616 2nd Street, mail to P.O. Box 516, fax to 620-376-2351 with the fax transmission sheet, or use the courthouse drop box. A drop-box filing counts that day only if it is deposited by 4 p.m. Mountain Time, and papers handed over the counter after 3 p.m. may not be processed until the next business day.
- Pay the $131.50 filing charge for a probate estate as of August 2026, or file a Poverty Affidavit if you are asking for a waiver (K.S.A. 59-104).
- The court fixes the time and place for the hearing (K.S.A. 59-2222). Notice is published once a week for three consecutive weeks (K.S.A. 59-2209), mailed to heirs, devisees and legatees with the petition and will attached, and the notice to creditors is published within 30 days after filing (K.S.A. 59-709).
- If there is a surviving spouse, send the required elective-share notice within 10 days under K.S.A. 59-2233.
- Attend the hearing unless the court allows a phone or video appearance under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103. A hearing expected to last 30 minutes or less may be set on the county's monthly motion day through the clerk, while longer hearings are special settings through the assigned judge's office.
- After the hearing, the court admits the will if appropriate and grants letters testamentary to the executor (K.S.A. 59-701) or letters of administration to the administrator (K.S.A. 59-705).
- File the inventory and valuation within 30 days after letters are granted (K.S.A. 59-1201), handle claims presented within the later of four months from first publication or 30 days after actual notice (K.S.A. 59-2239), pay debts and taxes, and keep records.
- Close with a petition for final settlement and the court's final decree. If Greeley County 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 Greeley County
Greeley County and the 25th Judicial District do not post a local probate form, local probate cover sheet or local probate checklist. The court website answers the forms question by pointing readers to the free Kansas Judicial Council forms.
The statewide forms most often needed are the Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form, the case filing cover sheets, the Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104, and the Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103. Kansas does not provide a fill-in petition to open a probate estate, so that petition is drafted from the Kansas Probate Code or with a lawyer's help.
Call the clerk's office at 620-272-3652 before mailing or faxing papers, especially if the K.S.A. 59-617 will deadline is approaching. Court staff and Kansas Judicial Council staff may answer procedural questions, but they cannot give legal advice, choose the route or complete the petition for you.
Fees
The filing charge to open a probate estate in Greeley County is the statewide $131.50 total as of August 2026, made up of the $109.50 statutory charge and the $22 surcharge authorized through June 30, 2030 (K.S.A. 59-104). Greeley County does not post any local surcharge or local probate filing uplift.
| Published charge | Greeley County clerk practice |
|---|---|
| Copies | $1 per page as of August 2026. The clerk's office has three business days to comply with a copy request. |
| Certified copies | As of August 2026, an attorney of record receives one certified copy of a document at no charge, and each additional certified copy is $1. A person filing without a lawyer should ask the clerk what a certified copy of letters will cost before assuming the attorney line applies. |
| Microfilm printouts | $1 for each printed page of a microfilmed document as of August 2026. |
| Return envelopes | If a file-stamped or certified copy is to be returned by mail, provide a stamped addressed envelope. If copies are requested in more than one case, provide an envelope for each case. |
These are copy and certification charges, not the probate filing charge under K.S.A. 59-104. Confirm current charges with the clerk before ordering copies.
Timeline
- File with the clerk of the district court in Tribune (K.S.A. 20-343). Papers handed over the front counter after 3 p.m. may not be processed until the next business day, and a document left in the drop box counts that day only if it is deposited by 4 p.m. Mountain Time.
- The court fixes the time and place of the hearing on the petition (K.S.A. 59-2222). Greeley County does not post a filing-to-hearing wait.
- Notice is published once a week for three consecutive weeks (K.S.A. 59-2209), mailed as required, and the hearing date is no earlier than 10 days and no later than 30 days after the last publication.
- A hearing expected to run 30 minutes or less can be set on the county's monthly motion day. The motion-day calendar is kept in the clerk's office in Tribune, so ask the clerk for the current date.
- A hearing expected to run longer than 30 minutes is a special setting arranged through the assigned judge's office.
- After the hearing, the court admits the will if appropriate, grants letters, and the inventory and valuation is due within 30 days after the letters (K.S.A. 59-1201).
Local nuance
Greeley County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in a Greeley County probate |
|---|---|
| One courthouse and one filing counter | File at the Greeley County Courthouse, 616 2nd Street in Tribune, or mail to P.O. Box 516. Kansas's 25th Judicial District is shared with five other counties (K.S.A. 4-226), but Kansas places a clerk of the district court in every county (K.S.A. 20-343), so the Greeley County filing stays in Tribune. |
| Mountain Time | Greeley County is on Mountain Time. The drop-box cutoff is 4 p.m. local time in the county where the filing is made, so in Greeley County that means 4 p.m. Mountain Time. |
| 3 p.m. counter practice | The clerk's office states that pleadings received at the front counter after 3 p.m. may not be processed until the next business day. Plan around that practice when the K.S.A. 59-617 will deadline is close. |
| Different offices in the same building | The clerk of the district court takes the probate filing (K.S.A. 20-343). The county clerk keeps the real-estate transfer record for a final decree under K.S.A. 59-2249. The register of deeds records a transfer-on-death deed during life (K.S.A. 59-3501, 59-3502). Use the right office for each step. |
| Unified county government | Greeley County and the City of Tribune have operated as a unified county government since January 1, 2009, and Horace kept its own city council. That local government structure does not change the state district court, the filing counter or the judge's role. |
| District magistrate judge | A district magistrate judge sits in Greeley County, and a district magistrate judge may hear a Kansas probate matter of any size, including a matter involving title to real estate (K.S.A. 20-302b). Which judge hears a particular case is the court's assignment decision. |
| Records after September 2022 | Greeley County joined Kansas eCourt on September 12, 2022. Documents filed after that date may be available through Kansas Courts CaseSearch, while older public records and records not available online can be searched on the public records computers in the front of the clerk's office. |
| No local probate packet | Greeley County does not post local probate paperwork, and the Kansas Judicial Branch self-help directory does not list a Greeley County self-help center. The practical starting point is the clerk's office, the Kansas Judicial Council forms and, when the route is not simple, a Kansas probate lawyer. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| April 3, 2026 | 2026 HB 2393 extended the $22 surcharge authority through June 30, 2030, while leaving the probate estate total at $131.50 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104). |
| April 9, 2026 | 2026 SB 480 changed the nonresident fiduciary rule so the required Kansas resident agent may reside anywhere in Kansas, not only in the county of appointment (K.S.A. 59-1706). |
| July 1, 2024 | The publication window for the notice to creditors changed from 10 days to 30 days after filing (K.S.A. 59-709). |
| July 1, 2023 | The small estates affidavit amount became $75,000, effective July 1, 2023 (K.S.A. 59-1507b). |
| September 12, 2022 | Greeley County began operating on Kansas eCourt. Documents filed in Greeley County cases from that date forward may be available online through Kansas Courts CaseSearch. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with how the deed is titled. A joint-tenancy filing may be enough, and if an estate is opened it is filed with the clerk in Tribune. The spouse should also know about the homestead allowance (K.S.A. 59-6a215), the spouse and minor children allowance (K.S.A. 59-403), and the spouse notice required within 10 days under K.S.A. 59-2233. | Sunset helps identify the accounts, debts and real estate so the family can see whether court is needed before paying for a filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the probate estate is $75,000 or less, effective July 1, 2023, and there is no real estate, the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b is given to the bank or other holder and is not filed in Tribune. If letters are needed, an out-of-state personal representative can serve after appointing a Kansas resident agent in writing (K.S.A. 59-1706), and may ask for a phone or video appearance under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103. | Sunset helps work from wherever the child lives, organize account information and prepare questions for the Tribune clerk before papers are mailed or faxed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | The small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b does not move real estate. The family may need refusal to grant letters (K.S.A. 59-2287), informal administration (K.S.A. 59-3301), or simplified or supervised administration under K.S.A. 59-3202. The K.S.A. 59-617 will deadline and any real-estate sale notice need attention early. | Sunset builds the asset picture, prepares an estate settlement packet around the Tribune filing details and connects the family with a Kansas probate attorney for the sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
The Kansas Judicial Branch self-help directory does not list a Greeley County self-help center. Use the clerk's office for filing procedure, the Kansas Judicial Council for free forms, and legal help when you need advice.
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Greeley County | 616 2nd Street, Tribune, KS 67879. Mail to P.O. Box 516, Tribune, KS 67879. Call 620-272-3652 or fax 620-376-2351. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time. The office receives filings, collects the filing charge under K.S.A. 59-104 and answers procedural questions. Staff cannot give legal advice, choose the route or complete a petition. |
| Kansas Judicial Branch self-help, probate and elder law | The statewide self-help probate page gives general probate information, a glossary and links to Kansas Judicial Council forms. It is informational and does not replace legal advice. |
| Kansas Judicial Council free forms | Useful forms include the Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form, case filing cover sheets, the Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104, and the Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103. |
| Kansas Legal Services | Kansas Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm offering free and reduced-cost civil legal help to low and moderate income Kansans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Call 316-267-3975, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Its online application is available from Monday at 8 a.m. through Thursday at 4:30 p.m. |
| Kansas Elder Hotline | Kansans age 60 or older may be able to get free legal advice through Kansas Legal Services at 316-267-3975. |
| Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Use the Kansas Bar Association referral service to look for a Kansas lawyer. Ask directly about probate experience, fees and whether the lawyer handles Greeley County matters. |
| Kansas Courts CaseSearch | Use CaseSearch for free statewide case information. For Greeley County, online documents begin with the court's September 12, 2022 Kansas eCourt start date. Older public records can be searched at the courthouse terminal. |
| Public records computers at the courthouse | The court places public records computers in the front of the clerk's office and asks users to sign the sign-in sheet. Call 620-272-3652 before relying on same-day access. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Greeley County when there is real estate to sell, a possible will contest, a disputed claim, an insolvent estate, an out-of-state personal representative, or any uncertainty about which Kansas route fits. The county posts no local probate packet, Kansas provides no fill-in petition to open an estate, the self-help directory lists no local self-help center, attorneys must e-file under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 122, and the K.S.A. 59-617 will deadline makes a late or rejected filing costly. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 financial institutions so families can see the bank accounts, investment accounts and other assets before deciding whether a Greeley County court filing is needed.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for an estate settlement packet, including the Tribune filing address, the court's mailing box, the fax number, and the forms a self-represented filer must add.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Kansas lawyer is the safer path, Sunset connects the family to a vetted probate attorney who can handle the filing, hearing, real-estate issues and final settlement.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement work, find assets and get matched with help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a probate case in Greeley County?
File with the clerk of the district court at the Greeley County Courthouse, 616 2nd Street in Tribune, or mail court papers to P.O. Box 516, Tribune, KS 67879 (K.S.A. 20-343). Greeley County is in Kansas's 25th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-226), but the filing stays in Tribune.
Do I have to e-file if I am handling the estate myself?
No. Kansas-licensed attorneys must use electronic filing under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 122. A person filing without a lawyer uses the clerk's counter, mail, fax or the drop box. In Greeley County, the fax is 620-376-2351 and the drop-box cutoff is 4 p.m. Mountain Time.
When is the clerk's office in Tribune open, and does Mountain Time matter?
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time. Mountain Time matters because a drop-box filing counts that day only if it is deposited by 4 p.m. local time in Greeley County, and counter filings after 3 p.m. may not be processed until the next business day.
Is there a deadline to probate a will in Kansas?
Yes. A will of a Kansas resident must be petitioned for probate within six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617). If the family is not ready to open an estate, filing a will and affidavit under K.S.A. 59-618a can preserve the will if done within that same K.S.A. 59-617 period.
What does it cost to open an estate in Greeley County?
The probate estate filing charge is $131.50 as of August 2026, made up of the $109.50 statutory charge and the $22 surcharge authorized through June 30, 2030 (K.S.A. 59-104). Other court costs may be taxed against the estate as the court directs under K.S.A. 59-104(d), and a Poverty Affidavit may ask for a waiver under K.S.A. 59-104.
Will there be a hearing, and how is it set in Greeley County?
Yes. The court fixes the hearing on a petition for probate of a will, administration or refusal to grant letters (K.S.A. 59-2222). The 25th Judicial District rules give Greeley County a monthly motion day for hearings expected to last 30 minutes or less, and the motion-day calendar is kept in the clerk's office in Tribune.
Can I appear by phone or video instead of travelling to Tribune?
You may ask. A phone or video appearance is discretionary under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103, effective October 14, 2025, and the Kansas Judicial Council publishes a free motion form. The judge can deny the request, so ask the clerk how the assigned judge handles it before you rely on it.
How do I look up a Greeley County probate case?
Use Kansas Courts CaseSearch for statewide case information. Greeley County documents are available online from September 12, 2022, the date this court joined Kansas eCourt. For older public records or records not available online, use the public records computers in the front of the clerk's office.
Does Greeley County have its own probate forms or a self-help center?
Greeley County does not post a local probate form, local probate cover sheet or local probate checklist, and the Kansas Judicial Branch self-help directory does not list a Greeley County self-help center. The court website points to free Kansas Judicial Council forms, but Kansas does not provide a fill-in petition to open an estate.
Do I have to travel to Tribune?
Not for every step. A person filing without a lawyer may mail papers to P.O. Box 516, fax them to 620-376-2351, or use the drop box, and a party may ask for a phone or video appearance under Kan. Sup. Ct. R. 103. Call 620-272-3652 before assuming the judge will allow a phone or video appearance or before sending time-sensitive will papers under K.S.A. 59-617.
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.