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Sheridan County, MT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Sheridan County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Sheridan County District Court, Montana 15th Judicial District (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101) |
| Courthouse address | 100 West Laurel Avenue, Plentywood, MT 59254 |
| Mailing | 100 West Laurel Avenue, Plentywood, MT 59254 |
| Phone | (406) 765-3404, clerk of district court |
| Fax | (406) 765-2602 |
| Hours | Call the clerk of district court before traveling to confirm current public hours and any filing cutoff. Sheridan County is on Mountain Time. |
| Filing fee | $100 to commence a probate, formal or informal or ancillary, paid to the clerk of district court. The current 2025 MCA figure 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). |
| Local forms | No Sheridan County probate form of its own is listed for this filing. Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife and ask the clerk whether the 15th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet. |
| E-filing | For lawyers, electronic filing is mandatory in the 15th Judicial District for capable case types including probate case type DP, under the district's local rules effective July 1, 2026. E-filing is not available to self-represented litigants at this time, per courts.mt.gov. |
| Case search | Montana publishes a District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov, described on courts.mt.gov, for courts using FullCourt Enterprise. Sheridan County District Court converted in August 2022. Call the clerk to confirm what is available for a particular estate. |
| Remote appearance | The 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026 use Zoom for virtual appearances. Coordinate with court staff and get the current Zoom information from the clerk. |
| Court website | courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/15thJudicialDistrict |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Plentywood, make a working list of the decedent's probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, liens, contact information for heirs and devisees, and any will. Montana venue turns on the decedent's domicile or, for a nonresident, where Montana property was located (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families look for accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize liabilities, and prepare for the local filing conversation with the clerk of district court in Sheridan County.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Sheridan County is filed with the clerk of district court at the Sheridan County Courthouse, 100 West Laurel Avenue, Plentywood, MT 59254. Sheridan County is one of three counties in Montana's 15th Judicial District, along with Daniels and Roosevelt, which is how the district judge and local rules are assigned (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). The district judge is chambered in Scobey, but a Sheridan County estate is filed in Plentywood.
Montana has no county-level tribunal for probate and no separate 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 that sit in the same counties, have no probate jurisdiction (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-301, § 3-11-102). Sheridan County's Justice of the Peace and City Judge are named only so you do not file an estate there.
The clerk and recorder for Sheridan County is a separate land-records office at the same courthouse address. A probate filing goes to the clerk of district court, not to the clerk and recorder.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the local filing counter. File a Sheridan County estate with the clerk of district court at 100 West Laurel Avenue in Plentywood. Venue is usually the county of the decedent's domicile, or a Montana county where property was located if the decedent was not domiciled in Montana (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-112).
- Prepare the correct Montana packet. Informal probate starts with an application to the clerk; formal probate starts with a petition and notice to interested persons (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-1-103, § 72-3-301). The Montana Judicial Branch probate forms are at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife.
- File in the required format. A self-represented personal representative files on paper because courts.mt.gov states that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. Lawyers practicing in the 15th Judicial District must use electronic filing for capable case types including DP probate cases under the district's local rules effective July 1, 2026.
- Pay the filing fee. The current 2025 MCA commencement amount is $100, made up of $70 under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, $20 under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-202 and a $10 user surcharge under Mont. Code Ann. § 3-1-317.
- Wait for the clerk's informal review or the judge's formal process. In an informal proceeding, the clerk of district court makes the required findings, may deny an application that does not meet them, and issues the statement of informal probate if at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-212, § 72-3-214, § 72-3-215). Formal probate proceeds before the district judge with notice.
- Use Sheridan County's hearing calendar if a hearing is needed. Under the 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026, Sheridan County civil matters, including probate, are heard on the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m., starting from the Monday of the first full week. Confirm the setting with the clerk before you travel.
- Coordinate any Zoom appearance through the court. The 15th Judicial District local rules use Zoom for virtual appearances and require coordination with court staff, a test call before the hearing, and current access information from the clerk. Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a) permits testimony by contemporaneous transmission for good cause in compelling circumstances.
- Get authority before handling estate property. 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). The statewide packet calls the authority document Letters of Authority, and the forms are posted at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife.
- Administer the estate and protect deadlines. The personal representative gives notice to creditors by publication once a week for 3 successive weeks, and creditors generally have 4 months from the first publication to present claims (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-801). The inventory is prepared within 9 months after appointment (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-607).
- Close the estate when administration is complete. If a Sheridan County estate remains open after two years, the 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026 direct the clerk to notify the attorney of record during the follow-up period stated in those rules.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sheridan County
Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms posted at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife. The statewide probate materials include the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property 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 end-of-life forms.
No Sheridan County probate form of its own is listed for this filing. Ask the clerk of district court in Plentywood whether the 15th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet or proposed order format before you file.
Timeline
- Opening papers: file with the clerk of district court in Plentywood. Informal probate uses an application to the clerk, and formal probate uses a petition with notice (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-1-103, § 72-3-301).
- Earliest informal action: the clerk may issue the statement of informal probate only after at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-215).
- Local hearing calendar: under the 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026, Sheridan County civil matters, including probate, are set on the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m., starting from the Monday of the first full week.
- Creditor notice: after appointment, the personal representative publishes notice to creditors once a week for 3 successive weeks, and the general claim period is 4 months from the first publication (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-801).
- Inventory: the personal representative prepares an inventory of probate property within 9 months after appointment (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-607).
- Long-open estates: under the 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026, the clerk sends a notice to the attorney of record during the follow-up period stated in those rules after two years have passed from filing if an estate matter has not been closed under the statute.
Local nuance
Sheridan County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| District judge in Scobey | The 15th Judicial District judge is chambered in Scobey, in Daniels County, but Sheridan County estates are filed with the clerk of district court in Plentywood (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101). |
| Fresh local rules | The 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026 set Sheridan County's law and motion calendar for civil matters, including probate, on the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. |
| Attorney e-filing | The same local rules make electronic filing mandatory for lawyers on capable case types including DP probate cases, while courts.mt.gov states that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants. |
| Zoom procedure | The local rules use Zoom for virtual appearances and put coordination, test-call and current access details through court staff. Do not rely on old meeting information. |
| Two-year estate notice | For estate matters not closed under the statute, the local rules direct the clerk to notify the attorney of record during the follow-up period stated in those rules after two years have passed from filing. |
| Different land-records office | The clerk and recorder for Sheridan County is separate from the clerk of district court. A probate case is filed with the clerk of district court. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change | What it means in Sheridan County |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 | The 15th Judicial District local rules took effect. | The rules set Sheridan County's civil law and motion schedule, require attorney electronic filing for DP probate cases, adopt Zoom procedures, and add the two-year estate notice process. |
| August 2022 | Sheridan County District Court converted to FullCourt Enterprise, as listed by courts.mt.gov. | Sheridan County cases are within the court group connected to Montana's District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov, although the portal is described as a courtesy and the clerk should confirm what is available. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Sheridan County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | First determine what passed outside probate and what remains in the probate estate. If a Sheridan County District Court filing is needed, file with the clerk of district court in Plentywood. Land-record questions go to the separate clerk and recorder only after you know what court authority or nonprobate document is needed. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, home-related documents and beneficiary designations so the estate settlement plan does not start with guesswork. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate fits Montana's Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property under the current 2025 MCA rule, the claiming successor uses the affidavit under Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 after 30 days and presents it to the holder of personal property. If a court filing is needed, file in Plentywood, not Scobey. | Sunset helps sort account locations and values before you decide whether the affidavit route or a Sheridan County District Court filing is the better estate settlement path. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of a home usually requires clear authority for the personal representative or a confirmed nonprobate transfer. File any Sheridan County estate with the clerk of district court in Plentywood, and coordinate any needed hearing under the 15th Judicial District local rules. | Sunset organizes assets, title issues, debts and contact information, then helps the family connect with a Montana probate attorney when a home sale makes the estate more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Clerk of district court in Sheridan County | 100 West Laurel Avenue, Plentywood, MT 59254. Phone (406) 765-3404. Fax (406) 765-2602. The clerk takes the estate filing, can provide forms and can check for signatures, notarization, county name and case number, but cannot fill out forms or give legal advice. |
| Montana Judicial Branch probate forms | Use courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife for Montana probate forms and instructions before filing in Sheridan County. |
| Court Help Program | courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/. Phone (406) 841-2975. The program can provide legal information and resources, but cannot give legal advice or represent you in court. |
| Cascade County Self-Help Law Center | Great Falls Public Library, 301 2nd Avenue North, Great Falls. Phone (406) 899-7109. This is one of Montana's staffed Self-Help Law Center locations listed by courts.mt.gov. |
| Montana State Law Library Self-Help Law Center | 215 North Sanders, Helena. Phone (406) 444-9300. This is another courts.mt.gov Self-Help Law Center option for statewide civil legal information. |
| Montana Legal Services Association | mtlsa.org and mtlsa.org/apply-for-services/. HelpLine 1-800-666-6899, Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Do not assume estate administration representation is available. |
| State Bar of Montana | Use the State Bar of Montana for attorney referral information if you need legal advice or representation in a Sheridan County estate. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer makes sense when a will is contested, heirs disagree, a home must be sold, a creditor problem is developing, a fiduciary income tax issue may exist, or the clerk denies an informal application and formal probate with notice is needed. Montana does not require every personal representative to hire counsel, but court and self-help staff cannot give legal advice; Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when the estate settlement needs legal help.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may affect a Sheridan County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife and for filing with the clerk of district court in Plentywood.
Find a local probate attorney. When a case needs formal probate with notice, a home sale, creditor work, or a Zoom hearing under the 15th Judicial District local rules, Sunset helps connect the family with a Montana probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand next steps, and decide whether they need local legal help before paying for professional services.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sheridan County?
File with the clerk of district court at the Sheridan County Courthouse, 100 West Laurel Avenue, Plentywood, MT 59254. Sheridan County is in Montana's 15th Judicial District with Daniels and Roosevelt Counties, but the Sheridan County case is filed in Plentywood (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-101).
Is there a separate court for probate in Sheridan County?
No. The District Court has exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matters in Montana (Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-111), and the District Court has original jurisdiction over all civil and probate matters (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-5-302). The Justice Court and City Court are courts of limited jurisdiction and do not take probate filings (Mont. Code Ann. § 3-10-301, § 3-11-102).
Can I e-file a Sheridan County probate case?
Lawyers practicing in the 15th Judicial District must use electronic filing for capable case types including DP probate cases under the district's local rules effective July 1, 2026. A self-represented filer uses paper because courts.mt.gov states that e-filing is not available to self-represented litigants at this time.
When are Sheridan County probate hearings scheduled?
The 15th Judicial District local rules effective July 1, 2026 set Sheridan County civil matters, including probate, on the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m., starting from the Monday of the first full week. Call the clerk of district court to confirm the setting for your case.
Does Sheridan County use Zoom for probate appearances?
The 15th Judicial District local rules use Zoom for virtual appearances and require coordination with court staff, including a test call before the hearing. Get the current Zoom information from the clerk. Mont. R. Civ. P. 43(a) separately addresses testimony by contemporaneous transmission for good cause in compelling circumstances.
How much is the Sheridan County probate filing fee?
The current 2025 MCA probate commencement amount is $100. It includes $70 under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201, $20 under Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-202, and a $10 user surcharge under Mont. Code Ann. § 3-1-317.
Can I look up a Sheridan County probate case online?
Montana publishes a District Court Public Access Portal at dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov, described on courts.mt.gov, for courts using FullCourt Enterprise. Sheridan County District Court converted in August 2022. For an in-person record search, the clerk may charge $2 per name per year for up to 7 years and $1 per additional year under the current 2025 MCA text of Mont. Code Ann. § 25-1-201.
Does Sheridan County have its own probate forms?
No Sheridan County probate form of its own is listed for this filing. Use the Montana Judicial Branch probate forms at courts.mt.gov/Forms/endoflife, and ask the clerk of district court whether the 15th Judicial District wants any local cover sheet.
Can a small estate avoid a Sheridan County District Court filing?
Sometimes. Montana's Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property under the current 2025 MCA, raised by Ch. 453, L. 2023, applies when the probate estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $100,000 and the other requirements in Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 are met. The affidavit is presented to the person or institution holding personal property, not filed to open a court case.
Does Montana collect inheritance tax or estate tax in a Sheridan County probate?
Montana has no inheritance tax and Montana has no estate tax on a current death. The inheritance tax reaches no death after January 1, 2001, the estate tax reaches no death after December 31, 2004, and the Department of Revenue no longer issues a certificate or consent to close probate, as stated at revenue.mt.gov. An estate may still owe federal tax and may still need a Montana income tax return 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.