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Martin County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Martin County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Martin County District Court |
| Courthouse | Martin County Courthouse, 201 Lake Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is listed for the court. Use the courthouse address unless court administration instructs otherwise. |
| Judicial district | Fifth Judicial District. Martin County shares the district with Blue Earth, Watonwan, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Lincoln, Cottonwood, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock, Faribault and Jackson counties. |
| Court Administrator's office phone | (507) 432-7003 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of the month. |
| First paper fee | $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Martin County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. |
| Local forms | No local probate packet or cover sheet. Use Minnesota's statewide PRO forms. |
| E-filing | eFile and eServe, called eFS, is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. A self-represented filer may choose eFS or may file on paper at the counter or by mail. Once a self-represented filer uses eFS in a case, later filings in that case must also use eFS (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, publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch. Public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are downloadable at no charge when they are public. |
| Remote appearance | Probate is remote by default under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025. The hearing notice controls, and a judicial officer may change the format. |
| Website | mncourts.gov/find-courts/martin |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Martin County filing path, make a working list of the decedent's probate assets, nonprobate assets, debts, tax documents, beneficiaries, and possible creditors. Minnesota's informal application asks for asset categories and indebtedness, so the estate settlement plan is stronger when the financial picture is organized first.
Sunset's asset discovery can search across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts before you file in Fairmont. That search can help you decide whether the estate needs an informal application to the probate registrar, a formal petition to a judge, or a narrower transfer step outside a court case.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Martin County probate filings go to the Court Administrator's office for the Martin County District Court at the Martin County Courthouse in Fairmont. The district court has original jurisdiction over civil, family, probate, juvenile, criminal and traffic cases filed in Martin County.
Martin County is part of Minnesota's Fifth Judicial District with Blue Earth, Watonwan, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Lincoln, Cottonwood, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock, Faribault and Jackson counties (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1). The district has permanent chambers at Marshall, Windom, Fairmont, New Ulm and Mankato, and Fairmont is Martin County's county seat.
For a first informal or formal probate proceeding, venue is usually the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, venue can be in any Minnesota county where the decedent had property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201). For a later determination of descent, Minnesota law also allows the county of residence or a county where the property is located (Minn. Stat. § 525.31).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing track. An informal probate starts with an application to the probate registrar and seeks an administrative determination. A formal probate starts with a petition to a district court judge and seeks a judicial determination (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402).
- Prepare the statewide Minnesota probate forms that match the facts. Common starting packets include PRO802 with PRO801 when there is a will, PRO702 with PRO701 when there is no will, PRO1202 for a formal will proceeding, and PRO1102 for a formal intestacy proceeding.
- File with the Court Administrator's office for the Martin County District Court at 201 Lake Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031. A self-represented filer may file through eFile and eServe or may file on paper at the counter or by mail. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem must use eFS (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
- Deposit the original will on paper if there is one. A copy of the will may be e-filed, but the original will itself must be delivered to the court and cannot be filed electronically (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)).
- Pay the Martin County first paper fee. The amount is $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Martin County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10.
- Complete any required mailing, service, publication, renunciation, nomination, oath, bond or medical-assistance notice steps that apply to the estate. The statewide PRO forms include affidavits of mailing or service for several common probate packets.
- If the case is formal, wait for the court to set the hearing and follow the hearing notice. Minnesota's statewide default for probate hearings is remote under Judicial Council Policy 525, but the hearing notice controls and the judicial officer may choose a different format.
- After appointment, obtain letters testamentary or letters of administration as needed to work with banks, buyers, title companies and other holders of estate property.
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, addressing creditors, keeping records, distributing property, and filing the closing documents that match the route. An informal unsupervised estate commonly closes with PRO914, while a formal settlement uses the court order process and forms in the formal closing packet.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Martin County
Martin County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet or county-specific probate form. Use Minnesota's statewide PRO forms from the Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms page, mncourts.gov/getforms/probate.
Common Martin County starting points are PRO801 and PRO802 for informal probate with a will, PRO701 and PRO702 for informal appointment without a will, PRO1201 and PRO1202 for a formal will proceeding, and PRO1101 and PRO1102 for a formal intestacy proceeding. A proposed personal representative should also expect to use PRO902 for acceptance and oath when appointment is requested.
The statewide form set is useful but not complete for every possible estate settlement issue. If the estate needs supervised administration, a contested hearing, unusual real-estate relief, or a summary route without a statewide packet, get legal advice before filing.
Local nuance
Martin County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Extended counter hours | The Martin County Courthouse lists business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., which is later than the more common 4:30 p.m. closing time at many Minnesota county courthouses. |
| Month-end payment cutoff | Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of the month. Plan fee payment timing around that cutoff. |
| Fairmont is a permanent-chambers city | Fairmont is one of the Fifth Judicial District's permanent-chambers cities under Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1. That identifies a local judicial chambers location, but it does not establish a hearing wait time. |
| Fifth District hearing resources | The Martin County court listing points readers to Fifth Judicial District Zoom Hearing Information and a Fifth Judicial District Request for Continuance Best Practice resource. Use those district resources together with the instructions on your hearing notice. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Martin County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether any asset actually needs probate authority. If administration is needed, file with the Court Administrator's office at the Martin County Courthouse in Fairmont. The first paper fee is $320, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Martin County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. The original will must reach the court on paper if there is one. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize title and beneficiary information, generate the right starting packet, and flag when a local probate attorney should review the home transfer. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). You may file on paper or elect eFS as a self-represented filer, but once you elect eFS you must keep using it in that case. If a hearing is set, probate is remote by default under Judicial Council Policy 525, and the hearing notice tells you how to appear. | Sunset helps determine whether court appointment is actually needed, assembles the financial inventory, prepares the probate packet, and helps coordinate a remote-first estate settlement workflow. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is in the decedent's name, a personal representative may need letters before sale documents can be completed. File in Fairmont if Martin County is the proper venue, plan for the $320 first paper fee current as of August 2026 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), and Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, and follow the court's notice and hearing instructions. | Sunset helps identify debts and assets, prepare the filing packet, keep sale-related documents organized, and connect the family with a Minnesota probate attorney when title, creditor or heir issues require counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Martin County District Court | Use this for the filing address, business hours, phone number, county court information, and local contact options. | 201 Lake Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031. Phone (507) 432-7003. Website: mncourts.gov/find-courts/martin |
| Self-Help Center workstation | Martin County has a courthouse workstation with a computer, phone and printer for people representing themselves. Self-Help Center staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | At the Martin County Courthouse. Statewide Self-Help Center phone: (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services | SMRLS is the civil legal aid organization serving Martin County. It is the right first call to ask whether help is available, but its published case types do not say that it settles decedents' estates. | Intake: 1-877-696-6529. Existing cases: (651) 222-5863. Website: smrls.org |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help | Statewide overview of probate, wills and estates in Minnesota. | mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms | Free statewide PRO forms and probate packets used in Martin County. | mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Search Martin County estate cases and download public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 at no charge when the documents are public. | publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch |
When to hire an attorney
Self-represented probate filings are permitted in Minnesota, and Martin County uses the statewide PRO forms and courthouse self-help workstation. Even so, the Court Administrator's office, Self-Help Center staff and the probate registrar cannot give legal advice, and the registrar cannot resolve disputes (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307). A lawyer is especially useful when a home must be sold, heirs disagree, a creditor objects, the will is disputed, the estate may be insolvent, or supervised administration may be needed. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families look for bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before the Martin County filing is prepared. Better asset information makes the first estate settlement decisions clearer.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Minnesota probate packet using the statewide PRO forms that match the route you choose. The packet can be used for a Martin County filing, with the original will delivered on paper when required.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Martin County estate involves real estate, a dispute, unclear heirs, creditor pressure or a formal hearing, Sunset can help connect you with a vetted Minnesota probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next step, prepare documents and decide whether attorney help is needed, without paying Sunset for access.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to open an estate in Martin County?
File with the Court Administrator's office for the Martin County District Court at the Martin County Courthouse, 201 Lake Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031. The phone number is (507) 432-7003.
What does it cost to open an estate in Martin County?
The first paper fee is $320, current as of August 2026. That is the $310 fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Martin County's $10 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10.
Can I file probate papers on paper in Martin 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 eFS or may file on paper at the courthouse or by mail. If a self-represented filer chooses eFS in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
Can the original will be e-filed in Martin 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)).
Does Martin County have its own probate forms?
No local probate packet or cover sheet is provided for Martin County. Use the Minnesota Judicial Branch statewide PRO forms at mncourts.gov/getforms/probate, and remember that the statewide set is not complete for every possible probate issue.
Can I appear remotely for a Martin County probate hearing?
Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525 sets probate as remote by default, effective February 3, 2025. That is not a promise for every hearing. The hearing notice controls, and a judicial officer may change the appearance format. If you need to ask for a different format, use form OTH1002.
Can I look up a Martin County estate case online?
Yes. Use Minnesota Court Records Online at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch. MCRO searches by name, case number and other fields, and public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are downloadable at no charge when they are public. Older documents are limited, and confidential documents are not shown online.
When is the Martin County courthouse open?
The courthouse lists business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of the month.
Do I have to travel to Fairmont for a Martin County probate case?
You may need to deliver paper documents, including an original will, to the Martin County Courthouse if they cannot be handled another way. If a hearing is scheduled, follow the hearing notice. Probate is remote by default under statewide policy, but the judge may set a different format.
Where can I find legal help in Martin County?
The courthouse has a Self-Help Center workstation, and the Statewide Self-Help Center can be reached at (651) 435-6535. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services is the civil legal aid provider serving Martin County, with intake at 1-877-696-6529, but its published case types do not say that it settles decedents' estates.
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.