Back to Minnesota
Lake of the Woods County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Lake of the Woods County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Lake of the Woods County District Court |
| Facility | Lake of the Woods County Courthouse |
| Judicial district | Ninth Judicial District |
| Courthouse address | 206 8th Avenue SE #250, Baudette, MN 56623 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address. No separate post office box is published for Lake of the Woods County. |
| Court Administrator's office phone | (218) 634-1451 |
| Fax | (218) 634-9444 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $325, current as of August 2026. This is the $310 first paper fee plus Lake of the Woods County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). |
| Local forms | No local probate forms are published. Use Minnesota statewide PRO forms. |
| E-filing | eFile and eServe is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. Self-represented filers may choose eFS or file on paper (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, with free public document access for formal and informal probate filings from July 1, 2015 forward. |
| Remote appearance | Probate hearings default to remote under Judicial Council Policy 525, but the hearing notice controls. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/lakeofthewoods |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Minnesota probate path, list the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiaries, and any accounts that pass outside probate. In Lake of the Woods County, that inventory affects whether you prepare an informal application for the probate registrar or a formal petition for a judge.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before filing, so the estate settlement plan is based on what actually exists rather than guesses. That is especially useful before mailing papers to Baudette, using eFS, or deciding whether a sale of real property needs attorney help.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Lake of the Woods County Courthouse in Baudette serves estate filings for decedents domiciled anywhere in Lake of the Woods County, including Baudette, Williams, and Roosevelt. Venue for a Minnesota probate case is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a person not domiciled in Minnesota, a county where the decedent had property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201).
Lake of the Woods County is in the Ninth Judicial District with Norman, Polk, Marshall, Kittson, Red Lake, Roseau, Mahnomen, Pennington, Aitkin, Itasca, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Beltrami, Clearwater, Cass, and Koochiching counties (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1). Judges rotate through the district, but the estate case is filed and administered as a Lake of the Woods County matter. For a determination of descent, Minnesota also allows venue in the county of residence or a county where the property is located (Minn. Stat. § 525.31).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening route. Use an informal application when the case can be handled by the probate registrar as an administrative determination. Use a formal petition when a judge needs to make a judicial determination, when notice and a hearing are required, or when there is a dispute.
- Prepare the statewide Minnesota PRO forms for the route you chose. Lake of the Woods County does not publish a local probate packet, so the statewide forms are the starting point.
- File with the Court Administrator's office at the Lake of the Woods County Courthouse in Baudette. A self-represented filer may use eFile and eServe or file on paper at the counter or by mail, while attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem use eFS (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
- Handle the original will correctly. A copy may be filed electronically, but the original paper will has to be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)).
- Pay the first paper fee when required. In Lake of the Woods County the amount is $325, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 first paper fee and the county's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10).
- Complete required notice. In a formal proceeding, serve interested persons as required by the probate rules. 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 case is pending (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801(a)).
- Watch for the hearing notice. Minnesota's statewide policy sets probate hearings as remote by default, but a judge may change the appearance type and the hearing notice controls. If the notice does not work for you, use form OTH1002 to request a different appearance method.
- After appointment, use the issued letters testamentary or letters of administration to gather assets, manage creditor claims, keep records, and complete the estate settlement steps required for closing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lake of the Woods County
Lake of the Woods County uses Minnesota's statewide PRO probate forms and does not publish separate local probate forms. Start with the statewide probate forms page for the correct packet, such as an informal application, a formal petition, a demand for notice, an objection, closing forms, or a determination of descent packet.
The statewide form set is useful but not complete for every possible probate situation. If the estate involves a sale of real property, a dispute, insolvency, a missing heir, a will issue, or supervised administration, consider attorney review before filing.
Local nuance
Lake of the Woods County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Early courthouse hours | The Lake of the Woods County Courthouse publishes business hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you plan to file at the counter, use those hours rather than assuming a later closing time. |
| Published fax number | The court publishes fax (218) 634-9444 in the same contact block as the Court Administrator's office phone. Call the Court Administrator's office before faxing a filing or time-sensitive probate document. |
| Ninth Judicial District rotation | Lake of the Woods County is one of seventeen counties in the Ninth Judicial District. The case remains a Lake of the Woods County case, but the assigned judge may be part of the broader district rotation. |
Recent updates
No dated Lake of the Woods County probate change was found beyond statewide Minnesota court updates carried on the Minnesota probate page.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether an estate must be opened in Lake of the Woods County. If filing is needed, use the Court Administrator's office at the Baudette courthouse, open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The first paper fee is $325, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee and Lake of the Woods County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). | Sunset identifies accounts and property interests before filing and assembles the probate packet for the local court. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). You may file by mail, through eFile and eServe, or at the Baudette counter. The original paper will still has to reach the court if there is one. | Sunset helps locate accounts from wherever you live, organizes the estate settlement documents, and connects you with Minnesota counsel if the case becomes contested. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires appointment of a personal representative and certified letters before closing. File in Lake of the Woods County if venue belongs there, follow the notice process, and plan around the courthouse's 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. business hours. | Sunset builds the asset picture, prepares the probate packet, and connects the family with a local probate attorney for the sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Lake of the Woods County District Court | Courthouse address, Court Administrator's office phone, fax, business hours, and local court contact options. | 206 8th Avenue SE #250, Baudette, MN 56623. Phone: (218) 634-1451. |
| Self-Help Center workstation | A courthouse workstation provides a computer, phone, and printer for legal information, forms, and contacting Self-Help Center staff. Staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | Available at the Lake of the Woods County Courthouse. |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Phone help and legal information for people representing themselves. | (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Justice North | Civil legal aid organization serving Lake of the Woods County. Its published services do not include settling a decedent's estate, but it is the local civil legal aid intake point. | 877-MY-MN-LAW, 877-696-6529. https://www.justicenorth.org/ |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help | Statewide explanation of probate, wills, and estates. | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms | Free statewide PRO forms and packets. | https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Free case search and free public probate document downloads for public filings from July 1, 2015 forward. | https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch |
When to hire an attorney
Many Lake of the Woods County estates begin with statewide forms, but legal advice is important when real property must be sold, an heir or creditor objects, a will has a problem, the estate may be insolvent, or supervised administration is being considered. The Court Administrator's office and Self-Help Center staff provide legal information, not legal advice, and the probate registrar may not give advice requiring legal judgment (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307). Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, and other assets before choosing a Lake of the Woods County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate information into a structured probate packet using Minnesota's statewide forms and the local court details for Baudette.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset connects families with a vetted Minnesota probate attorney who can advise on the filing, a real property sale, disputes, or supervised administration.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families move from uncertainty to an estate settlement plan without charging families to use the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to open an estate in Lake of the Woods County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the Lake of the Woods County Courthouse, 206 8th Avenue SE #250, Baudette, MN 56623. Venue is proper in the county where the decedent was domiciled 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 Lake of the Woods County?
The first paper fee is $325, current as of August 2026. That amount is the $310 fee plus Lake of the Woods County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10).
Can I file probate papers on paper in Lake of the Woods County, or do I have to e-file?
Attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented filer may choose eFS or file on paper at the counter or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). After a self-represented filer chooses eFS in a case, later filings in that case are electronic.
Does Lake of the Woods County have its own probate forms?
No. Lake of the Woods County does not publish separate local probate forms. Use the Minnesota Judicial Branch statewide PRO probate forms and packets.
Can I appear remotely for a Lake of the Woods County probate hearing?
Minnesota's statewide policy sets probate hearings as remote by default, but that is not a guarantee. The hearing notice controls, and you may ask for a different appearance method with form OTH1002.
Can I look up a Lake of the Woods County estate case online?
Yes. Minnesota Court Records Online lets you search by name, case number, attorney, and other fields. Public documents in formal and informal probate cases filed on or after July 1, 2015 are available for free download, while older filings are limited and confidential filings are not shown.
What are the Lake of the Woods County courthouse's hours?
The courthouse publishes business hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call the Court Administrator's office at (218) 634-1451 if you need to confirm a same-day counter visit.
Is there a Self-Help Center in Lake of the Woods County?
Lake of the Woods County has the standard courthouse Self-Help Center workstation with a computer, phone, and printer. You can also call the Statewide Self-Help Center at (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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.