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Scott County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Scott County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Scott County District Court |
| Courthouse | Scott County Justice Center, Shakopee |
| Judicial district | First Judicial District |
| Courthouse address | 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 |
| Mailing address | Scott County Court Administration, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 |
| Phone | (952) 496-8200, Court Administrator's office main line with prompts by case type |
| Fax | (952) 496-8211 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on court holidays |
| Filing fee | $323 current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 filing fee and Scott County's $13 law library fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1) and Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10 |
| Local probate forms | None published by Scott County District Court. Minnesota's statewide PRO forms apply. |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. Optional for self-represented filers. |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, with free access to public probate documents for filings from July 1, 2015 forward |
| Remote appearance | Remote is the statewide default under Judicial Council Policy 525. The hearing notice controls. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/scott |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Scott County, identify the assets, debts and ownership details. Minnesota's informal application asks for the approximate value of probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a), so estate settlement starts with the asset picture, not with the courthouse counter. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts before choosing the probate path.
Scott County also has a local publication issue to plan for early. Because of the court's April 2024 publication order, a chapter 524.3 notice in a Scott County estate is published in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county under the direction of the Court Administrator's office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Scott County probate filings go to the Scott County District Court at the Scott County Justice Center, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379. Shakopee is the court location for the county, including estates connected to communities such as Savage, Prior Lake, Jordan, Belle Plaine, New Prague, Elko New Market, Credit River and the surrounding townships.
Scott County is in Minnesota's First Judicial District with Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod and Sibley Counties. Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1 gives the district 36 judges and names Shakopee as one of the district's permanent chambers locations. The judicial district is an administrative grouping, not a separate place to file. A Scott County case stays in Scott County even if a judge also serves elsewhere in the district.
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, any county where the decedent's property was located at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)). For determination of descent, Minn. Stat. § 525.31 uses the county of the decedent's residence or a county where the property is located.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm Scott County is the right county. Start with domicile at death, because Minnesota venue for the first probate proceeding is usually the county of the decedent's domicile, or, for a non-Minnesota decedent, a county where property was located at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)).
- Build the asset and debt picture. Minnesota's informal application asks for approximate values for probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)). That asset work shapes the estate settlement plan and the forms you choose.
- Choose the Minnesota route. An informal application goes to the probate registrar for an administrative determination without prior notice and without a hearing. A formal petition goes to a district court judge for a judicial determination with notice to interested persons (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(a), (b); Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307).
- Prepare the statewide forms. Scott County District Court publishes no local probate forms or local cover sheet. Use the Minnesota PRO packets, such as PRO802 for an informal application with a will, PRO702 for an informal application without a will, PRO1202 for a formal petition with a will, or PRO1102 for a formal petition without a will.
- Handle the original will correctly. A copy may be filed electronically, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court in any probate proceeding where a will or codicil is filed (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2); Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 403(e)).
- File with the Court Administrator's office. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may use eFile and eServe voluntarily, or may file on paper at the Scott County Justice Center in Shakopee or by mail to Scott County Court Administration, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
- Pay the first-paper fee. In Scott County, the first paper in an estate costs $323 current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory filing fee and Scott County's $13 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). The charge applies once, at the first paper, for an informal application or a formal petition. The law library fee is an item of estate administration and is reimbursable out of the estate under Minn. Stat. § 134A.10, subd. 2. A filer who cannot afford the fee may ask the court to waive or reduce it under Minn. Stat. § 563.01.
- Arrange notice and publication. Published notice under chapter 524.3 is given under the direction of the Court Administrator's office once a week for two successive weeks in a legal newspaper (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801(a)). In Scott County, a local order effective April 28, 2024 directs a moving party filing under Minnesota Probate Code chapter 524.3 to publish in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county. A judicial officer may still order additional methods of service.
- Read the hearing notice. If the case is formal, the court sets a hearing. Minnesota's statewide default appearance type for probate is remote under Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but a judicial officer may set a different appearance for a case and the hearing notice controls. Form OTH1002 asks the judge to change how you appear. The Scott County Law Library has computers that can be reserved for remote hearings.
- Get the letters after appointment. The personal representative receives letters testamentary if there is a will or letters of administration if there is no will. Certified copies cost $14 current as of August 2026 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), and banks, title companies and transfer agents often ask for them.
- Administer and close the estate. Inventory the assets, deal with claims, account to interested persons, distribute property and close the case. An unsupervised estate uses the statewide closing forms, including PRO914, while a formal settlement uses a petition to settle and distribute the estate and a discharge petition.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Scott County
Scott County District Court publishes no local probate forms and no local probate cover sheet. A Scott County filer uses Minnesota's statewide PRO forms from the Judicial Branch probate forms page.
| Step | Common statewide forms |
|---|---|
| Start an informal case with a will | PRO801 instructions, PRO802 application, PRO803 affidavit of mailing |
| Start an informal case without a will | PRO701 instructions, PRO702 application, PRO703 affidavit of mailing |
| Start a formal case with a will | PRO1201 instructions, PRO1202 petition, PRO1203 affidavit of service |
| Start a formal case without a will | PRO1101 instructions, PRO1102 petition, PRO1103 affidavit of service |
| Qualify as personal representative | PRO901 nomination, renunciation and bond, plus PRO902 acceptance and oath |
| Inventory and account | PRO912 inventory and PRO913 final account and proposal for distribution |
| Close an unsupervised estate | PRO911 instructions, PRO914 statement to close estate, PRO915 affidavit of service, PRO916 receipt for assets by distributee |
| Ask to change hearing appearance | OTH1001 instructions and OTH1002 request for remote or in-person appearance |
The statewide form set is useful but not complete for every possible probate step. The Scott County Law Library can print Judicial Branch court forms and provides legal information, but it does not give legal advice.
Local nuance
Scott County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Scott County estate |
|---|---|
| Publication in an adjoining county | All four of Scott County's legal newspapers closed effective April 27, 2024. Under the Scott County District Court's Probate Code Publication Order, a moving party filing under Minnesota Probate Code chapter 524.3 in Scott County must publish the required notice in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county for filings effective April 28, 2024. The Court Administrator's office directs publication, and a judicial officer may order additional methods of service. |
| One building, two names | The Judicial Branch contact header uses Scott County Courthouse, while the court's location block and the county identify the building as the Scott County Justice Center. For probate, use Scott County Justice Center, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379. |
| Law library in the same building | The Scott County Law Library is in the Justice Center, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with phone (952) 496-8713. It prints statewide court forms, has public terminals for court records and has computers that can be reserved for remote hearings. |
| One main court number | Scott County publishes one main court number, (952) 496-8200, with prompts by case type, plus fax (952) 496-8211. It does not publish a separate probate direct line. |
| Shakopee chambers | Shakopee is named in Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1 as a permanent chambers location for the First Judicial District, along with Red Wing, Hastings, Glencoe and one location designated by the chief judge. |
Recent updates
| Update | Date | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Scott County Probate Code Publication Order | Effective April 28, 2024 | Because all four Scott County legal newspapers closed effective April 27, 2024, a moving party filing under Minnesota Probate Code chapter 524.3 in Scott County must publish the required notice in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county. A judicial officer may still order additional methods of service. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Scott County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | A spouse in Shakopee, Savage or Prior Lake who owned the home jointly may find that the house is not the reason probate is needed. The question is often whether accounts were in the decedent's sole name. If a Scott County estate must be opened, the spouse uses the statewide informal forms when appropriate and files with the Court Administrator's office at the Justice Center in Shakopee. | Sunset finds accounts held in the decedent's sole name and separates them from assets that already passed by joint ownership or beneficiary designation, so the spouse can decide whether Scott County estate settlement has to be opened at all. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative in Minnesota (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). An out-of-state child can use eFile and eServe voluntarily or mail paper filings to Scott County Court Administration at 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379. The original paper will still has to reach the court, and Scott County publication under chapter 524.3 goes to a legal newspaper in an adjoining county under the April 2024 order. | Sunset builds the asset picture from a distance, so the child can see which accounts are probate assets, which are not, and what has to be listed on the Minnesota application. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A parent who needs to sell a Scott County house usually needs appointment and certified letters acceptable to the title company. After an informal appointment, a certified copy of unrestricted letters given to a purchaser or distributee of real property requires that 30 days have elapsed since letters were issued (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). Certified copies cost $14 current as of August 2026 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2). If heirs disagree or the will is unclear, the probate registrar cannot resolve the dispute (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)). | Sunset assembles the account and debt picture that has to be settled before sale proceeds can be distributed, and connects the family to a Scott County probate attorney when the sale or the heirs make the case formal. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Help Center workstation at the Scott County Justice Center | The courthouse has a workstation with a computer, phone and printer where self-represented people can find legal information, print court forms and talk with Self-Help Center staff by phone. Staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | Scott County Justice Center, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Provides legal information and resources by phone and email for people representing themselves. | (651) 435-6535, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Scott County Law Library | Located in the Justice Center. It prints Judicial Branch court forms, has public terminals for court records, offers legal research access and has computers that can be reserved for remote hearings. Staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | (952) 496-8713, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services | The civil legal aid organization serving Scott County and the right first call to ask whether free help is available. Its published case-type information does not list settling a decedent's estate. | 1-877-696-6529 |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help topic and forms | Statewide probate information and PRO form packets for Minnesota estates. | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates and https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Free online search for Scott County estate cases, registers of actions and public probate documents for filings from July 1, 2015 forward. | https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Minnesota probate attorney for a Scott County estate if heirs disagree, the will is ambiguous or damaged, heirs are unknown or missing, the estate is insolvent, real estate must be sold, a business interest is involved, or the estate is near the Minnesota estate-tax threshold. The probate registrar decides informal applications administratively and cannot resolve conflicts about estate administration (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)), so a dispute usually belongs in a formal proceeding before a judge. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services serves Scott County and is the place to ask whether free civil legal help is available, but its published case types do not list settling a decedent's estate. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and organizes what it finds into probate and non-probate categories. That matters in Scott County because the Minnesota application asks for the asset and debt picture at the start of the case.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the information needed for the statewide Minnesota PRO forms used in Scott County, including the forms for informal appointment, formal appointment and unsupervised closing.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Scott County estate involves a house sale, a dispute, an unclear will, missing heirs or a formal hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a probate attorney familiar with Minnesota district court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partners, not by grieving families, so families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without adding another bill during administration.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Scott County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the Scott County Justice Center, 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379. Scott County has one court location for probate filings. Attorneys file through eFile and eServe, while a self-represented personal representative may e-file or file on paper at the counter in Shakopee or by mail.
How much does it cost to file probate in Scott County?
The first paper in a Scott County estate costs $323 current as of August 2026. That is the $310 filing fee plus Scott County's $13 law library fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1) and Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10. The amount is the same for an informal application and a formal petition, and it is charged once on the first paper. A filer who cannot afford the fee may ask the court to waive or reduce it.
What is the phone number for the Scott County District Court?
The Court Administrator's office main line is (952) 496-8200, with prompts by case type. The fax number is (952) 496-8211. Scott County does not publish a separate probate direct line.
What are the court hours in Scott County?
The Scott County Justice Center in Shakopee is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on court holidays. Visitors should allow time for parking and weapons screening before a hearing.
Can I e-file a probate case in Scott County?
Yes. eFile and eServe is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem in all Minnesota counties, and a self-represented personal representative may choose to use it (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). If a self-represented filer does not choose electronic filing, paper filing at the Justice Center or by mail is available. Once a self-represented filer uses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic. The original paper will must be deposited with the court, although a copy may be filed electronically (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2); Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 403(e)).
Where is a probate notice published for a Scott County estate?
For a filing under Minnesota Probate Code chapter 524.3, Scott County's April 2024 order directs publication in a legal newspaper in an adjoining county. Publication is given under the direction of the Court Administrator's office once a week for two successive weeks (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801(a)). A judicial officer may also order additional methods of service.
Are Scott County probate hearings remote?
Minnesota's statewide default appearance type for probate is remote under Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, and remote hearings use Zoom or telephone. That default is not a guarantee. A judicial officer may set a case differently, and the hearing notice controls. If you need a different appearance type, use form OTH1002 to ask the judge.
Does Scott County have its own probate forms?
No. Scott County District Court publishes no local probate forms and no local cover sheet. Scott County filers use Minnesota's statewide PRO forms, such as PRO802 for an informal application with a will, PRO702 for an informal application without a will, PRO1202 or PRO1102 for formal petitions, and PRO914 for an unsupervised closing.
How do I look up a Scott County probate case?
Use Minnesota Court Records Online. It searches by party name, business name, case number or attorney and shows the register of actions. Public probate documents for filings from July 1, 2015 forward can be downloaded at no charge. Older filings are limited, confidential and sealed documents are not shown, and the public terminals in the Scott County Law Library provide the most complete courthouse access.
Do I have to travel to Shakopee to settle an estate in Scott County?
Often not for the initial filing. A self-represented personal representative can e-file or mail papers to Scott County Court Administration, and a nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). The original will still has to be deposited with the court in paper form, and certified copies of letters are purchased from court administration.
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.