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Pondera County, MT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Pondera County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Pondera County District Court, Montana 9th Judicial District Court in Pondera County (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101, § 3-5-302) |
| Courthouse address | 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425. The Pondera County page for the clerk says the office is on the top floor of the courthouse. |
| Mailing address | 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425 |
| Phone | (406) 271-4026, clerk of district court |
| Fax | (406) 271-4081 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding holidays, Mountain Time. Call before you go to confirm any filing cutoff. |
| Filing fee | $100.00 to commence a probate, formal or informal or ancillary, under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and Pondera County's posted fee schedule. The total includes the $70 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). |
| Local forms | No Pondera County-specific probate form is published on the county website for the clerk of district court. Use the Montana Judicial Branch statewide probate forms at https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife and ask the clerk whether the 9th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet. |
| E-filing | E-filing is not available to self-represented litigants, according to the Montana Judicial Branch at courts.mt.gov. Pondera County District Court and Probate (DP) case types are enabled for attorney electronic filing under the Judicial Branch court policy as of July 30, 2026. |
| Case search | Montana publishes a District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov through courts.mt.gov. Pondera County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in August 2024. The clerk can also perform a record search for $2 per name per year for up to 7 years, then $1 per name for each additional year (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201). |
| Remote appearance | Remote appearance is decided by the district judge under the 9th Judicial District local rules. Montana permits testimony by contemporaneous transmission only for good cause in compelling circumstances (Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a)). Ask the clerk what the local rules require. |
| Website | https://www.ponderacountymt.gov/clerkofcourt and https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/9thJudicialDistrict |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Pondera County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries, known creditors and any will. Montana venue depends on domicile at death, or, for a person not domiciled in Montana, on where the decedent's property was located (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
Sunset's estate settlement platform helps families search across 2,300 institutions for accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before a probate packet is prepared. That asset picture helps you decide whether to file an informal application with the clerk of district court in Conrad, pursue a formal petition with notice, or use a noncourt transfer route where Montana law allows it.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Pondera County is filed with the clerk of district court at the county courthouse in Conrad, 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425. Pondera County is one of four counties in Montana's 9th Judicial District, with Teton, Toole and Glacier Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The district judge is chambered in Shelby, in Toole County, and travels the district, but a Pondera County estate is filed and kept in Conrad.
Montana does not use a county-level court or a separate estate-only court for probate: the District Court has exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matters, and a will is proved and Letters are issued by the clerk of district court or the district judge (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-111, § 3-5-302). Montana's courts of limited jurisdiction, including the Justice Court and City Court, do not have probate jurisdiction (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-301, § 3-11-102).
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is in the county where the decedent had domicile at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Montana, in any Montana county where the decedent's property was located (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the right county. File in Pondera County if the decedent had domicile in Pondera County at death, or if the decedent was not domiciled in Montana and property was located in Pondera County (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
- Choose the right filing path. An informal probate application goes to the clerk of district court, who makes the findings Montana law requires and may issue the statement of informal probate after at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-212, § 72-3-215). A formal probate petition goes to the district judge with notice to interested persons (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-301).
- Prepare the forms. Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife, including the statewide informal probate packet when it fits the estate. Ask the clerk of district court in Pondera County whether the 9th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet.
- File at the Pondera County courthouse. A self-represented personal representative files on paper with the clerk of district court at 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425. Attorneys may use electronic filing for Pondera County Probate (DP) cases under the Judicial Branch court policy at courts.mt.gov.
- Pay the filing fee. The probate commencement total is $100.00 under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and Pondera County's posted fee schedule, made up of 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).
- Handle notice and any hearing. Informal probate may be handled by the clerk of district court if the statutory findings are met. Formal probate requires notice, and Montana provides a route for uncontested formal cases (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-301, § 72-3-307). If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the 9th Judicial District schedules the matter.
- Ask before planning a remote appearance. Remote appearance is governed by the 9th Judicial District local rules and the district judge's order. Montana permits testimony by contemporaneous transmission only for good cause in compelling circumstances (Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a)).
- Receive authority and qualify. If the application or petition is approved, the clerk of district court or district judge issues the Statement of Informal Probate and the Letters of Authority through the Montana Judicial Branch form process at courts.mt.gov. Before receiving letters, the personal representative files any required bond and a statement of acceptance (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-512).
- Administer and close the estate. After appointment, the personal representative gives notice to creditors by publication once a week for 3 successive weeks, and creditors have 4 months after the first publication to present claims (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-801). The personal representative prepares an inventory within 9 months after appointment (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-607) and then completes administration and any closing filing that fits the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pondera County
Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife. The statewide probate materials include the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of Decedent under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101, the How to Administer a Small Estate Packet under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101, the Affidavit of Death, the Fiduciary Statement, and related estate planning forms.
No Pondera County-specific probate form is published on the Pondera County website for the clerk of district court. Because the 9th Judicial District has its own local rules, call the clerk at (406) 271-4026 before filing to ask whether the district wants a local cover sheet, proposed order format, judge's copy, or other filing practice.
Fees
| Fee item | Amount and authority |
|---|---|
| Probate commencement | $100.00 under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and Pondera County's posted fee schedule. The total is 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). |
| Certification with seal | $2.00 under Pondera County's posted fee schedule and Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
| Copies | $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages, then $0.50 per page, under Pondera County's posted fee schedule and Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
| Record search | $2.00 per name per year for up to 7 years, then $1.00 per name for each additional year, under Pondera County's posted fee schedule and Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
| Notarization or oath and jurat with court seal | $1.00 under Pondera County's posted fee schedule and Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201. |
Local nuance
Pondera County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Pondera County estate |
|---|---|
| Judge chambered outside Pondera County | Pondera is in Montana's 9th Judicial District, which also includes Teton, Toole and Glacier Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The district judge is chambered in Shelby, but the Pondera County estate file is opened and kept with the clerk of district court in Conrad. |
| Courthouse room detail | The clerk of district court in Pondera County is at 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, on the top floor of the courthouse in Conrad. |
| Attorney electronic filing | Pondera County District Court is enabled for attorney electronic filing in Probate (DP) cases under the Montana Judicial Branch court policy as of July 30, 2026. E-filing is not available to self-represented litigants at this time, according to courts.mt.gov. |
| Case lookup | Pondera County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in August 2024. Montana's District Court Public Access Portal is described by the Judicial Branch at courts.mt.gov as a courtesy, and the clerk remains the practical contact for case availability. |
Recent updates
| Current rules | Pondera County effect |
|---|---|
| Attorney electronic filing for Probate (DP) | The Montana Judicial Branch court policy dated July 30, 2026 lists Pondera County District Court as enabled for Probate (DP) electronic filing by attorneys. Self-represented litigants still file on paper with the clerk of district court, because courts.mt.gov states e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. |
| FullCourt Enterprise conversion | Pondera County District Court is listed as converted to FullCourt Enterprise in August 2024 on courts.mt.gov, which matters when checking the District Court Public Access Portal. |
| Pondera posted fee PDF | Pondera County's posted fee schedule, tied to Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, lists probate commencement at $100.00. The statewide statutory components are $70, $20 and a $10 user surcharge (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, § 25-1-202, § 3-1-317). |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Pondera County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying whether the home passes outside probate and whether any Pondera County probate filing is needed. If a probate asset must be transferred, file in Conrad with the clerk of district court if venue is proper under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112. | Sunset helps gather asset information, identify accounts, organize property details, and prepare the estate settlement workflow before a filing decision is made. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of Decedent under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 fits. If a probate appointment is needed, a self-represented filer uses paper filing with the clerk of district court in Pondera County; an attorney may use courts.mt.gov electronic filing for Pondera County Probate (DP) cases. | Sunset helps determine what assets exist, organize institution contacts, and create a probate packet or a noncourt collection plan when Montana law allows it. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires clear authority to sign closing documents. If Pondera County is the proper venue, file an informal application with the clerk or a formal petition with notice in the Pondera County District Court, depending on the will, heirs, and any dispute. | Sunset helps assemble the estate settlement checklist, collect the asset picture, generate court-ready documents, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when counsel is helpful. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of district court in Pondera County | Receives Pondera County District Court probate filings, keeps the estate file, provides general court information, and cannot give legal advice. | 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425. Phone: (406) 271-4026. |
| Montana Supreme Court Court Help Program | Free statewide civil legal information for people representing themselves. The program cannot give legal advice or represent you in court. | https://courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/ and (406) 841-2975. |
| State Law Library Self-Help Law Center | Statewide self-help resource based in Helena. The Court Help Program cannot give legal advice or represent you in court. | 215 N Sanders, Helena. Phone: (406) 444-9300. Email: [email protected]. |
| Montana Legal Services Association | Statewide civil legal aid intake. Do not assume it will take a probate matter. | HelpLine 1-800-666-6899, Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Online application: https://www.mtlsa.org/apply-for-services/. |
| MontanaLawHelp.org | Public self-help library maintained by Montana Legal Services Association, including life and estate planning materials. | https://www.montanalawhelp.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Montana does not require every personal representative to hire a lawyer, and the Montana Supreme Court publishes forms and a Court Help Program for people representing themselves through courts.mt.gov. Counsel often makes sense when heirs disagree, a home or business must be sold, a creditor issue is unclear, a formal probate petition with notice is needed, or the personal representative lives outside Montana. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may matter in a Pondera County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to assemble probate documents and checklists tailored to Montana District Court filings, including the Pondera County filing office in Conrad.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a formal petition, a sale of real property, or help with creditor issues, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Montana probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, track assets and move from discovery to the right filing path without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Pondera County?
File with the clerk of district court at the Pondera County courthouse, 20 4th Avenue SW, Suite 301, Conrad, MT 59425. Probate belongs in the District Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matters (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-111, § 3-5-302).
Is Pondera County in the 9th Judicial District?
Yes. Pondera County is in Montana's 9th Judicial District with Teton, Toole and Glacier Counties (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The district judge is chambered in Shelby, but the Pondera County estate file is opened and kept in Conrad.
Can I e-file a Pondera County probate case myself?
No. The Montana Judicial Branch states at courts.mt.gov that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. A self-represented personal representative files on paper with the clerk of district court in Conrad. Attorneys may use electronic filing for Pondera County Probate (DP) cases under the Judicial Branch court policy.
How much is the Pondera County probate filing fee?
The probate filing fee is $100.00 under the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and Pondera County's posted fee schedule. The total is 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).
Does Pondera County publish its own probate forms?
No Pondera County-specific probate form is published on the county website for the clerk of district court. Use the Montana Judicial Branch statewide probate forms at https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife, and ask the clerk whether the 9th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet.
Will there be a hearing in my Pondera County probate case?
Informal probate may be handled by the clerk of district court if the statutory findings are met and at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-215). Formal probate uses a petition and notice, and Montana provides a route for uncontested formal cases (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-301, § 72-3-307). If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the 9th Judicial District schedules it.
Can I appear by video or phone for a Pondera County probate hearing?
Remote appearance is controlled by the 9th Judicial District local rules and the district judge's order. Montana permits testimony by contemporaneous transmission only for good cause in compelling circumstances (Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a)). Ask the clerk what the local rules require before relying on a remote option.
Can I look up a Pondera County probate case online?
Montana publishes a District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov through courts.mt.gov, and Pondera County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise in August 2024. Portal access is described by the Judicial Branch as a courtesy. The clerk can also perform a record search for the statutory search fee (Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201).
Does Montana have an inheritance tax or estate tax for a Pondera County estate?
Montana has no inheritance tax and Montana has no estate tax on a current death. The Department of Revenue says at revenue.mt.gov that Montana no longer collects estate or inheritance taxes and no longer requires a certificate or consent to close probate. An estate may still have federal tax issues or a Montana income tax filing for the estate.
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.