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Glacier County, MT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Glacier County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | The Glacier County District Court, the Montana 9th Judicial District Court sitting in Glacier County. |
| Courthouse address | Glacier County Courthouse, 512 E. Main St., Cut Bank, MT 59427. |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is listed on the Montana Judicial Branch Court Locator for Glacier County. Use the courthouse address and call the clerk before mailing time-sensitive papers. |
| Clerk phone | (406) 873-3619. |
| Fax and email | Call the clerk for current fax, email and filing delivery options. |
| Hours | Hours are not listed on the Montana Judicial Branch Court Locator. Call before traveling. Glacier County is on Mountain Time. |
| Filing fee under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201 | $100.00 to commence a probate, formal or informal or ancillary, paid to the clerk of district court. The amount is current under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and is the sum of the $70 statutory probate fee, a $20 additional filing fee and a $10 court information technology user surcharge (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, § 25-1-202, § 3-1-317). Confirm the current amount with the clerk before filing. |
| Probate forms | Montana Judicial Branch statewide probate forms are at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife. Ask the clerk whether Glacier County or the 9th Judicial District expects any local cover sheet. |
| E-filing | Self-represented litigants file on paper with the clerk. The Montana Judicial Branch states at courts.mt.gov/Courts/EFile/ that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. Attorneys may use electronic filing in Glacier County District Court for the probate case type under the Judicial Branch court policy. |
| Case search | Montana publishes the District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov through courts.mt.gov/Courts/portals. Glacier County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in June 2024. The clerk can also perform a court record search under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
| Remote appearance | Remote appearance is decided by the district judge under the 9th Judicial District local rules. Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a) allows testimony by contemporaneous transmission only for good cause in compelling circumstances, with safeguards. |
| Court website | https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/9thJudicialDistrict |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Cut Bank, list the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and any accounts that may pass outside a court filing. The right estate settlement path depends on what is actually in the probate estate, who has priority to act, and whether a bank, title company or buyer needs Letters of Authority.
Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts before they choose a probate path. That matters in Glacier County because an incomplete asset list can change whether an affidavit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 is enough or whether a personal representative needs to file with the clerk of district court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Glacier County is filed with the clerk of district court at the Glacier County Courthouse in Cut Bank, 512 E. Main St., Cut Bank, MT 59427. Venue is the county where the decedent had domicile at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Montana, any Montana county where the decedent's property was located (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
The District Court has exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matters in Montana, and the District Court also has original jurisdiction over all civil and probate matters (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-111, § 3-5-302). Glacier County's Justice Court and the Cut Bank City Court are courts of limited jurisdiction and have no decedent estate filing role (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-301, § 3-11-102).
Glacier County is one of four counties in Montana's 9th Judicial District, along with Teton, Pondera and Toole Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The judicial district groups judges and local rules; it does not move the filing counter. The district judge and the district standing master are chambered in Shelby in Toole County, but a Glacier County estate is filed and kept with the clerk of district court in Cut Bank. The standing master is listed by the Montana Judicial Branch at courts.mt.gov for the 9th Judicial District, but the standing master's referred work is family law, child protection, and guardianship and conservatorship matters, so a decedent's estate remains before the district judge unless the judge refers it.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify whether the estate can use an affidavit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 or needs a court filing. If Letters of Authority are needed, gather the will, death information, asset list, debt list and priority information before filing.
- Choose the correct opening paper. Use an application for informal probate or informal appointment with the clerk, or a petition for formal probate before the district judge with notice to interested persons (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-1-103, § 72-3-301).
- Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife, including the How to Administer a Small Estate Packet and forms that use the term Letters of Authority. Ask the Glacier County clerk whether any local cover sheet is expected (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101).
- File the application or petition with the clerk of district court at 512 E. Main St. in Cut Bank. Call (406) 873-3619 before traveling because public hours and filing cutoff times are not listed on the Montana Judicial Branch Court Locator.
- Pay the $100.00 probate commencement filing fee under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated. The amount combines the $70 probate fee, the $20 additional filing fee and the $10 court information technology user surcharge (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, § 25-1-202, § 3-1-317).
- For informal probate, the clerk of district court makes the statutory findings, may deny an application that does not meet them, and issues the statement of informal probate and the Letters after at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-212, § 72-3-214, § 72-3-215, § 72-3-225).
- Before receiving letters, the personal representative qualifies by filing any required bond and a statement of acceptance of the duties of the office (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-512).
- If a hearing or judicial signature is needed, the file remains in Glacier County, but the 9th Judicial District judge may handle the matter from Shelby. Ask the clerk how the judge wants the matter scheduled and whether the 9th Judicial District local rules allow any remote appearance.
- A self-represented personal representative files on paper with the clerk because the Montana Judicial Branch states at courts.mt.gov/Courts/EFile/ that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. An attorney may e-file in Glacier County District Court for the probate case type under the Judicial Branch court policy.
- After appointment, publish notice to creditors once a week for 3 successive weeks and allow 4 months after first publication for claims under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-801. Prepare the inventory within 9 months after appointment under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-607, administer the assets, distribute property and close the estate as Montana law allows.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Glacier County
Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife. The statewide page includes the How to Administer a Small Estate Packet, the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of Decedent under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101, the Affidavit of Death and the Fiduciary Statement.
Glacier County's own website was not available through the access routes used for this page, so do not assume the county has no local paperwork. Before filing, call the clerk of district court at (406) 873-3619 and ask whether Glacier County or the 9th Judicial District expects a local cover sheet, extra copies, proposed orders or any other filing practice.
The clerk can give forms and general procedural information, but the clerk cannot give legal advice, prepare papers for you, correct your filing or tell you how a rule applies to your estate settlement.
Local nuance
Glacier County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Glacier County |
|---|---|
| Four counties, one district judge | Glacier County is part of Montana's 9th Judicial District with Teton, Pondera and Toole Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The district judge is chambered in Shelby, but a Glacier County estate is filed with the clerk of district court in Cut Bank. |
| Standing master | The Montana Judicial Branch lists a 9th Judicial District standing master at courts.mt.gov, but the standing master's referred work is family law, child protection, and guardianship and conservatorship. A decedent's estate remains with the district judge unless the judge refers it. |
| Paper filing for self-represented families | The Montana Judicial Branch states at courts.mt.gov/Courts/EFile/ that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. A family filing without a lawyer should plan to file on paper with the Glacier County clerk. |
| Attorney e-filing | Glacier County District Court is enabled for electronic filing for the probate case type under the Montana Judicial Branch court policy at courts.mt.gov. |
| Case lookup | Glacier County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in June 2024 according to courts.mt.gov/Courts/dcourt/index, so the Montana District Court Public Access Portal is the online starting point. Call the clerk for what is available in a specific case. |
Recent updates
| Date | Glacier County update |
|---|---|
| June 2024 | Glacier County District Court converted to the state's FullCourt Enterprise case management system, as listed by the Montana Judicial Branch at courts.mt.gov/Courts/dcourt/index. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed, account titles and beneficiary designations. If the remaining probate estate is personal property within the current $100,000 limit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 and 30 days have elapsed, the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property is presented to the holder of the property. If the home must pass through an estate, file in Cut Bank with the clerk of district court and pay the $100.00 filing fee under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, § 25-1-202 and § 3-1-317. If any property may involve trust land or federal or tribal law, ask the clerk or an attorney before relying on the state court filing alone. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues and beneficiary designations before the spouse starts estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the probate estate is within the current $100,000 limit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 and 30 days have elapsed, the affidavit route may avoid a trip to Cut Bank. If Letters of Authority are needed, file the informal application with the clerk at 512 E. Main St. A self-represented filer uses paper because courts.mt.gov states that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. | Sunset can organize the asset list, generate a filing packet and help the child decide whether a local attorney should file. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | An affidavit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 does not transfer Montana real property. Open the estate with the clerk of district court in Cut Bank so the personal representative can receive Letters of Authority. The district judge may sign orders from Shelby while the case file stays in Glacier County. Notice to creditors is published once a week for 3 successive weeks, giving creditors 4 months after first publication (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-801). | Sunset helps collect account information, prepare the probate packet and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale timeline. |
Self-help resources
Glacier County does not have a staffed Self-Help Law Center listed by the Montana Judicial Branch at courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/. Use the statewide Court Help Program and call the Glacier County clerk for local filing logistics. The Court Help Program can provide legal information, but it cannot give legal advice or represent you in court.
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of district court in Glacier County | 512 E. Main St., Cut Bank, MT 59427. Phone (406) 873-3619. Call for hours, filing delivery options and local filing questions. |
| Montana Judicial Branch probate forms | courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife has the statewide probate forms, including the How to Administer a Small Estate Packet, the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101, the Affidavit of Death and the Fiduciary Statement. |
| Court Help Program | courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/, phone (406) 841-2975. Free statewide help for civil non-criminal problems. It cannot give legal advice or represent you in court. |
| Montana District Court Public Access Portal | dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov, published through courts.mt.gov/Courts/portals. Glacier County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in June 2024. The clerk can also perform a record search under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
| Montana Legal Services Association | mtlsa.org and mtlsa.org/apply-for-services/. Statewide civil legal aid intake. HelpLine 1-800-666-6899, Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Ask about current intake before relying on it for estate administration. |
| MontanaLawHelp.org | Montana Legal Services Association's public self-help library. |
| State Bar of Montana lawyer referral | The Montana Judicial Branch lists the State Bar of Montana as an attorney referral resource on courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build the asset picture needed for estate settlement in Glacier County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to assemble the forms and supporting details for a Montana probate filing, including the local filing destination in Cut Bank.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a home sale, a formal hearing or help with possible federal or tribal law issues, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Glacier County?
File with the clerk of district court at the Glacier County Courthouse, 512 E. Main St., Cut Bank, MT 59427. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile at death, or, for a person not domiciled in Montana, any Montana county where the decedent's property was located (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
Does the district judge for Glacier County sit in Cut Bank or Shelby?
The Glacier County file is opened and kept in Cut Bank. Glacier County is part of Montana's 9th Judicial District with Teton, Pondera and Toole Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101), and the district judge is chambered in Shelby. If a judicial signature or hearing is needed, ask the Glacier County clerk how the judge wants the matter handled.
How much does it cost to start probate in Glacier County?
The probate commencement filing fee is $100.00 under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated. It combines the $70 probate fee, the $20 additional filing fee and the $10 court information technology user surcharge (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, § 25-1-202, § 3-1-317). Call the clerk before filing to confirm payment methods.
Are Glacier County courthouse hours posted online?
The Montana Judicial Branch Court Locator does not list Glacier County clerk hours. Call (406) 873-3619 before traveling to Cut Bank and ask about public hours, filing cutoff times and acceptable delivery methods.
Can I e-file a Glacier County probate case without a lawyer?
No. The Montana Judicial Branch states at courts.mt.gov/Courts/EFile/ that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants at this time. A self-represented personal representative files on paper with the Glacier County clerk. Attorneys may use electronic filing in Glacier County District Court for the probate case type under the Judicial Branch court policy.
Will there be a hearing in a Glacier County probate?
Informal probate is handled by the clerk of district court when the statutory findings are met, and the statement of informal probate cannot issue until at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-215). Formal probate proceeds before the district judge with notice, and the clerk can tell you how the 9th Judicial District schedules matters.
Can I appear remotely in a Glacier County probate matter?
Remote appearance depends on the district judge and the 9th Judicial District local rules. Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a) allows testimony by contemporaneous transmission from another location for good cause in compelling circumstances, with safeguards. Ask the Glacier County clerk what the judge requires.
Does Glacier County have its own probate forms?
Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife, including the How to Administer a Small Estate Packet and the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101. Before filing, ask the clerk whether Glacier County or the 9th Judicial District expects any local cover sheet.
Can I look up a Glacier County probate case online?
Montana publishes the District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov through courts.mt.gov/Courts/portals. Glacier County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in June 2024. For a specific case, call the clerk; the clerk can also perform a record search for the statutory charge under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201.
Do I have to travel to Cut Bank for estate settlement?
Not always. Some personal property may be collected by affidavit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 if the statutory conditions are met. If a court filing is needed and you are self-represented, plan around a paper filing with the Glacier County clerk, and call first about mailing, delivery and scheduling.
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.