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Houston County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Houston County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Houston County District Court |
| Facility | Houston County Courthouse |
| Judicial district | Third Judicial District |
| Courthouse address | 306 S. Marshall Street, Caledonia, MN 55921 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address. |
| Court Administrator's office phone | (507) 724-7002 |
| Fax | (507) 725-5550 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $310, current as of August 2026, the statutory first-paper fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), with no added Houston County law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09 and 134A.10 |
| Local forms | None published for Houston County. Use Minnesota statewide PRO forms. |
| E-filing status | eFile and eServe is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. Self-represented filers may choose eFile and eServe or file on paper at the counter or by mail under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01. |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, with free public probate document access for filings on or after July 1, 2015 |
| Remote appearance | Probate hearings default to remote under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025. The hearing notice controls. |
| Website | Houston County District Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Caledonia, make a complete list of the decedent's probate assets, non-probate transfers, debts, real estate, vehicles and financial accounts. Minnesota forms ask for asset and indebtedness information, and choosing the wrong path can slow the estate settlement.
Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 institutions so the family can see what exists before preparing the court packet. That matters in Houston County because the courthouse can accept the filing, but the Court Administrator's office cannot choose the probate route or give legal advice.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Houston County District Court at the Houston County Courthouse in Caledonia serves estate filings for decedents domiciled anywhere in Houston County, including Caledonia, Houston, La Crescent, Spring Grove and Hokah.
Houston County is in the Third Judicial District with Wabasha, Winona, Rice, Olmsted, Dodge, Steele, Waseca, Freeborn, Mower and Fillmore counties. The district has 23 judges and permanent chambers at Faribault, Albert Lea, Austin, Rochester and Winona under Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1, so the judicial district is not the same thing as venue.
For a Minnesota decedent, venue is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, venue can be a Minnesota county where the decedent had property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201). For a determination of descent, venue can be the county of residence or a county where the property is located (Minn. Stat. § 525.31).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the route. Informal probate starts with an application to the probate registrar for an administrative determination, while formal probate starts with a petition asking a judge for a judicial determination under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402.
- Select the statewide forms. Common openers include PRO802 with PRO801 for informal probate with a will, PRO702 with PRO701 for informal appointment without a will, PRO1202 for formal probate with a will and PRO1102 for a formal intestacy case.
- Prepare the supporting documents. Include the death record, the will if there is one, the acceptance and oath, any nomination or renunciation, the required mailing or service forms and the asset information needed for the application or petition.
- File with the Court Administrator's office at the Houston County Courthouse in Caledonia, by mail to the courthouse address, or through eFile and eServe if you are using electronic filing. Self-represented filers may choose eFile and eServe, but once they use it in a case they must keep using it for that case under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01.
- Deposit the original will on paper. A copy may be e-filed, but the original will cannot be filed electronically and must be deposited with the court under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2) and 403(e).
- Pay the first-paper fee. In Houston County the amount is $310, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), with no Houston County law library fee added under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09 and 134A.10.
- Complete notice. Informal proceedings have their own mailing requirements. Formal proceedings require notice to interested persons, and formal testacy proceedings require publication under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 404(b). Creditor notice 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 case is pending (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801(a)).
- Follow the hearing notice. Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525 sets probate as remote by default, effective February 3, 2025, but the assigned judicial officer may change the format. The notice tells you whether to appear remotely, in person or in a hybrid format.
- Receive authority if appointed. After appointment, the personal representative may receive letters testamentary if there is a will or letters of administration if there is no will.
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, gives required notices, addresses claims, keeps records, distributes property and closes the estate by the proper Minnesota procedure, such as an informal closing statement on PRO914 or a formal petition when a court order is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Houston County
Houston County publishes no local probate forms. Minnesota uses statewide PRO probate forms, and the statewide set is free, but it does not cover every possible probate step.
| Need | Common statewide forms |
|---|---|
| Start informal probate with a will | PRO801 instructions, PRO802 application and PRO803 affidavit of mailing |
| Start informal appointment without a will | PRO701 instructions, PRO702 application and PRO703 affidavit of mailing |
| Start formal probate with a will | PRO1201 instructions, PRO1202 petition and PRO1203 affidavit of service |
| Start formal intestacy proceeding | PRO1101 instructions, PRO1102 petition and PRO1103 affidavit of service |
| Accept appointment | PRO902 acceptance of appointment and oath by individual |
| Close an informal estate | PRO911 instructions, PRO914 closing statement, PRO915 affidavit of service and PRO916 receipt for assets by distributee |
| Request a different hearing format | OTH1001 instructions and OTH1002 request for remote or in-person appearance |
Recent updates
No dated Houston County probate change was identified for this page. Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming title, accounts and debts before deciding whether an estate case is needed. If a case is opened, file with the Court Administrator's office at the Houston County Courthouse in Caledonia. The first paper costs $310, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), with no Houston County law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09 and 134A.10. The original will must be deposited on paper. | Sunset searches for accounts and assets, organizes the estate settlement information and assembles the Houston County packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b). You may file by mail, through eFile and eServe, or at the Caledonia counter. If a hearing is set, the statewide default is remote under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. | Sunset helps identify accounts from wherever you live, prepares the probate packet and connects you with Minnesota counsel if the matter becomes contested. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires appointment and certified letters. File the opener in Caledonia. The first paper costs $310, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1). Certified copies cost $14 each, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2). Creditor notice is published in a legal newspaper in Houston County under the Court Administrator's direction. | Sunset builds the asset picture, prepares the probate packet and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale and closing steps of the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Houston County District Court | Courthouse address, Court Administrator's office phone, fax, hours and court contact route | Houston County District Court; (507) 724-7002 |
| Self-Help Center workstation | A courthouse workstation with computer, phone and printer is available for legal information, forms access and contact with Self-Help Center staff. | Houston County Courthouse, 306 S. Marshall Street, Caledonia |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Legal information and resources for people representing themselves. Self-Help Center staff do not give legal advice. | (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services | Civil legal aid organization serving Houston County. Its published case types do not list decedent estate administration, so call to ask what help is available. | SMRLS; 1-877-696-6529 |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help | Statewide overview of probate, wills and estates | Probate, wills and estates |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms | Free statewide PRO probate forms and packets | Probate forms |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Free case search and public probate document downloads for formal and informal probate filings on or after July 1, 2015 | MCRO case search |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel is not a universal prerequisite for a personal representative in Minnesota, and Houston County uses the statewide PRO forms. A lawyer becomes important when real estate must be sold, an heir or creditor objects, the will raises a construction issue, the estate may be insolvent, a family member asks for court supervision, or the personal representative needs tax or distribution advice. The Court Administrator's office and the probate registrar cannot give legal advice requiring professional judgment (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307). Sunset connects families with a vetted local attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help the family identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets, debts and other property before filing in Houston County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into an organized Minnesota probate packet, using the statewide PRO forms and the local Houston County filing details.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate settlement needs legal advice, a home sale, a formal hearing or help with a dispute, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Minnesota probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next steps and move toward filing without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to open an estate in Houston County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the Houston County Courthouse, 306 S. Marshall Street, Caledonia, MN 55921. You may file at the counter, by mail to the courthouse address, or through eFile and eServe if you are using electronic filing.
What does it cost to open an estate in Houston County?
The first paper in an estate costs $310, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1). Houston County adds no county law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09 and 134A.10.
Does Houston County charge a law library fee?
No. Houston County is one of the Minnesota counties that adds no county law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09 and 134A.10, so the estate first-paper amount remains $310, current as of August 2026, under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1).
Can I file probate papers on paper in Houston County, or do I have to e-file?
Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem must use eFile and eServe. A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe or file on paper at the counter or by mail under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01. Once a self-represented filer uses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that same case must also be electronic.
Can the original will be e-filed in Houston County?
No. A copy of the will may be e-filed, but the original will must be deposited with the court on paper under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2) and 403(e).
Does Houston County have its own probate forms?
No local Houston County probate forms are published. Use the Minnesota statewide PRO forms and packets for informal probate, formal probate, appointment, notice, inventory, accounting and closing.
Can I appear remotely for a Houston County probate hearing?
Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525 sets the default appearance type for probate hearings at remote, effective February 3, 2025. That default is not a promise in any specific case. Your hearing notice controls, and you can use form OTH1002 to ask the judge for a different appearance format.
Can I look up a Houston County estate case online?
Yes. Minnesota Court Records Online lets the public search by party name, case number or attorney. Public documents in formal and informal probate cases filed on or after July 1, 2015 are downloadable at no charge. Older filings are limited, confidential documents are not shown and the public terminal at the courthouse provides the most complete access.
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.