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Brown County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Brown County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Brown County District Court |
| Facility | Brown County Courthouse |
| Judicial district | Fifth Judicial District |
| Courthouse address | 14 South State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073 |
| Phone | Court Administrator's office: (507) 441-7020 |
| Hours | The court publishes business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of the month, though fine payments can still be made at the Court Payment Center. |
| First paper cost | $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Brown County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. |
| Local forms | No local probate forms or cover sheet are published for Brown County. Use the statewide Minnesota PRO forms. |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe or file on paper at the courthouse or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). |
| Original will | A copy may be e-filed, but the original will must be deposited with the court on paper (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, MCRO, provides free case lookup and free public probate document downloads for public documents filed on or after July 1, 2015. |
| Remote appearance | Probate hearings are remote by default under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025. The hearing notice controls. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/brown |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Brown County, identify the assets, debts, heirs, devisees and title details. Minnesota probate applications ask for approximate values by category, including homestead, other real estate, cash, securities, other probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)). Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so the estate settlement path is based on what actually exists.
That preparation matters locally because the original will still has to reach the Brown County Courthouse on paper even when the rest of the filing goes in electronically or by mail. The Court Administrator's office receives the filing, but it cannot give legal advice or fill out forms, so call (507) 441-7020 before mailing an opening packet or planning a late-month counter visit.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Brown County is served by the Brown County District Court at the Brown County Courthouse in New Ulm. The courthouse serves estate filings for decedents domiciled anywhere in Brown County, including New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield and Comfrey.
Brown County is part of Minnesota's Fifth Judicial District with Blue Earth, Watonwan, Lyon, Redwood, Nicollet, Lincoln, Cottonwood, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock, Faribault, Martin and Jackson counties. Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1 places the district's permanent chambers at Marshall, Windom, Fairmont, New Ulm and Mankato, so New Ulm itself is one of the cities where a Fifth District judge is chambered, though a hearing may still be assigned to a judge who travels from elsewhere in the district.
Venue for the first informal or formal probate proceeding is the county of the decedent's domicile at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, any county where the decedent had property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201). A Brown County estate belongs with the Court Administrator's office in New Ulm.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing track. An uncontested matter may begin with an application to the probate registrar for informal probate, while a matter needing a judicial determination begins with a petition to a judge. The probate registrar is a designated role under Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307.
- Select the statewide Minnesota PRO opening forms. Common starting packets include PRO802 with PRO801 for informal probate with a will, PRO702 with PRO701 for informal appointment without a will, PRO1202 with PRO1201 for formal probate with a will, and PRO1102 with PRO1101 for formal appointment without a will.
- File with the Court Administrator's office at the Brown County Courthouse, 14 South State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073. A self-represented filer may file at the counter, mail the paperwork, or choose eFile and eServe (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
- Handle the original will separately. A copy of the will may be e-filed, but the original will cannot be e-filed and must be deposited with the court on paper (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). Call (507) 441-7020 before mailing the original will or the first paper packet.
- Pay the first-paper cost. In Brown County, the first paper in an estate costs $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Brown County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. The law library fee is collected on formal and informal probate filings and is an estate administration expense.
- Complete notice and publication. Formal matters require notice to interested persons, and testacy proceedings require proof of publication under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 404(b). Notice to creditors is published under the direction of the Court Administrator's office once a week for two successive weeks in a legal newspaper in the county where the proceeding is pending (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801(a)).
- Watch the hearing notice. Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525 sets probate hearings as remote by default, but a judicial officer may change the format and the hearing notice controls. If the notice does not fit your needs, use form OTH1002 to ask for a remote or in-person appearance change.
- Receive letters after appointment. Once appointed, the personal representative receives letters testamentary or letters of administration, depending on whether there is a will. Certified copies cost $14 each, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2).
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, gives required notices, addresses claims, accounts for property, distributes what remains and closes using the proper Minnesota process. Informal closing commonly uses PRO914, the unsupervised personal representative's statement to close estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Brown County
Brown County publishes no local probate forms, packet or cover sheet. Probate filings in Brown County use Minnesota's statewide PRO forms, which are free through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
| Need | Statewide forms |
|---|---|
| Start informal probate with a will | PRO801 instructions, PRO802 application, PRO803 affidavit of mailing |
| Start informal appointment without a will | PRO701 instructions, PRO702 application, PRO703 affidavit of mailing |
| Start formal probate with a will | PRO1201 instructions, PRO1202 petition, PRO1203 affidavit of service |
| Start formal appointment without a will | PRO1101 instructions, PRO1102 petition, PRO1103 affidavit of service |
| Accept appointment | PRO902 acceptance of appointment and oath by individual |
| Close informal administration | PRO911 instructions, PRO914 statement to close, PRO915 affidavit of service, PRO916 receipt for assets by distributee |
| Ask to change hearing format | OTH1001 instructions and OTH1002 request for remote or in-person appearance |
The statewide set does not include every possible probate form. If the estate needs supervised administration, a summary proceeding or a disputed hearing, get legal advice before filing.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking how the home was titled and what other assets exist. If an estate must be opened, file the statewide PRO packet with the Court Administrator's office in New Ulm. The first paper costs $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus the county's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. The original will must reach the courthouse on paper. | Sunset finds accounts and assets, helps the spouse understand whether a court administration is needed, and assembles the estate settlement packet for New Ulm. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b). A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe, mail papers, or use the counter in New Ulm. If a will exists, the original paper will still must be deposited with the court under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e). If a hearing is set, the statewide default for probate is remote under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. | Sunset helps from wherever the child lives, identifies accounts, builds the court packet and connects the family with a Minnesota probate attorney if the matter stops being routine. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires court authority and certified letters. File the opening application or petition in Brown County, plan for the $320 first-paper cost, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), and Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, and ask the Court Administrator's office about notice publication. New Ulm is one of the Fifth District's permanent chambers cities, but the hearing notice will still tell you how to appear. Certified copies are $14 each, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2). | Sunset organizes the asset picture, prepares the probate packet and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale, the letters and the closing steps of the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Brown County District Court | Filing location, phone, business hours, contact form, court calendar and county fee information. | 14 South State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073. Phone: (507) 441-7020. |
| Self-Help Center workstation | The Judicial Branch provides a workstation in county courthouses other than Hennepin, with a computer, phone and printer to access forms, tools and Self-Help Center staff by phone. Self-Help Center staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | At the Brown County Courthouse. Statewide Self-Help Center: (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) | Civil legal aid organization serving Brown County. It is the first call to ask whether help is available, but its published work does not include settling a decedent's estate. | 1-877-696-6529; existing cases (651) 222-5863. Nearest office listed for this service area includes Mankato. |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help | Statewide probate overview and links to informal and formal probate information. | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms | Free statewide PRO probate forms and packets. | https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Free public case search and public probate document downloads for public documents filed on or after July 1, 2015. | https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch |
When to hire an attorney
Minnesota allows a personal representative to proceed without counsel, and Brown County uses the statewide PRO forms with a courthouse Self-Help Center workstation. The local boundary is important: the Court Administrator's office receives filings but does not give legal advice, answer legal questions, explain court rules or fill out forms, and the probate registrar cannot give advice that requires legal judgment (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307). Counsel makes sense when real property must be sold, an heir or creditor objects, a claim is disputed, a will issue appears, the estate may be insolvent, or supervised administration is being considered. Sunset connects you to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find bank accounts, investments, insurance and other assets before they choose a Minnesota probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into an organized estate settlement packet using the Minnesota PRO forms and the local Brown County filing details.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a house sale, a dispute, a creditor issue or a formal hearing, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Minnesota probate attorney who understands the Brown County District Court filing path.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset serves all 87 Minnesota counties, including Brown County, and families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks before deciding whether they need court filing, attorney help or both.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to open an estate in Brown County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the Brown County Courthouse, 14 South State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073. Venue is based on the county of the decedent's domicile at death, or, for a non-Minnesota domiciliary, a county where the decedent had property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201).
What does it cost to open an estate in Brown County?
The first paper in an estate costs $320, current as of August 2026. That is the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Brown County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. The fee is charged once on the first paper. Certified copies are $14 each, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), and depositing a will for safekeeping is $27, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(11).
Can I file probate papers on paper in Brown County, or do I have to e-file?
A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe or file on paper at the courthouse or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. If a self-represented filer chooses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic.
Can the original will be e-filed in Brown County?
No. A copy of the will may be e-filed, but the original will must be deposited with the court on paper (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). Call the Court Administrator's office at (507) 441-7020 before mailing the original will.
Does Brown County have its own probate forms?
No local probate forms, packet or cover sheet are published for Brown County. Use the statewide Minnesota PRO probate forms. The statewide set is not a form for every possible probate step, so get legal advice for supervised administration, summary proceedings or a disputed matter.
Is there a judge chambered in New Ulm?
Yes. New Ulm is one of the Fifth Judicial District's permanent chambers cities under Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1, along with Marshall, Windom, Fairmont and Mankato. A Brown County estate is filed with the Court Administrator's office in New Ulm regardless of which judge is assigned.
Can I appear remotely for a Brown County probate hearing?
Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, sets probate hearings as remote by default, with remote hearings generally conducted by Zoom or telephone. That is a default, not a promise. A judicial officer may change the format, the Judicial Council may approve district-wide or county-wide deviations, and your hearing notice controls. If you need a different appearance format, use form OTH1002 to ask the judge.
Can I look up a Brown County estate case online?
Yes. Minnesota Court Records Online, MCRO, searches by party name, business name, attorney, case number or citation and shows the register of actions. Public documents in public probate cases filed on or after July 1, 2015 can be downloaded at no charge. Older documents are limited, confidential and sealed documents are not shown, and the courthouse public terminal gives the most complete access.
When is the Brown County courthouse open?
The court publishes business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of the month, though fine payments can still be made at the Court Payment Center. Call (507) 441-7020 to confirm before a late-in-the-day visit.
Do I have to travel to New Ulm to settle an estate in Brown County?
Not always. A self-represented filer may mail papers or choose eFile and eServe, and probate hearings are remote by default under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025. The original will must still reach the courthouse on paper, and the hearing notice controls how you appear.
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.