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Billings County, ND Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Billings County information |
|---|---|
| Court | The district court in Billings County, sitting at the Billings County Courthouse in Medora (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06) |
| Courthouse address | Billings County Courthouse, 495 4th St., Medora, ND 58645 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 138, Medora, ND 58645 |
| Phone | (701) 623-4492, clerk of district court in Billings County (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46) |
| Fax | (701) 623-4896, contact detail only |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday |
| Filing fee | $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate, guardianship or another Title 30.1 testamentary case (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03) |
| Local forms | Billings County does not publish a local probate packet or local cover sheet. Use the statewide North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. |
| E-filing | Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey. Self-represented filers are exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail or by commercial carrier, and may use Odyssey if they choose. Original wills may be filed on paper (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5). |
| Case search | North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/. Select Billings County and the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records category. Information is current through the end of the previous business day. |
| Remote appearance | A party may ask for a proceeding by reliable electronic means by written motion under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52. The court decides. |
| Website | https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/billings-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Medora, list the assets, debts, account titles, beneficiary designations and whether an original will exists. Estate settlement moves faster when you know what must pass through the court case and what can transfer outside it.
Sunset helps families start that inventory by checking more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what was found for the probate packet or attorney review.
Which court handles jurisdiction
North Dakota has no separate court for decedents' estates and no separate probate forum of any kind: estate settlement is a case class of the state's single district court, which sits in all 53 counties, and the papers are filed with the clerk of district court at the Billings County Courthouse (N.D. Const. art. VI, §§ 1, 8; N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06). The separate county-level forum that once heard these cases was abolished on January 1, 1995, and its files became district court files (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-00.1).
Probate for Billings County is filed with the clerk of district court at the county courthouse in Medora. Billings County is one of the 8 counties in the Southwest Judicial District, which is how judges and district administration are organised; the case itself is filed at this county's own courthouse (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6; N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13).
Venue is tied to the decedent's domicile in the application materials. An informal application must state the county and state of the decedent's domicile at death, and if the decedent was not domiciled in North Dakota, it must state why venue is proper (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01; N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13).
The Supreme Court's stated intent is that residents receive judicial services in their own county without the need to travel to chamber cities, but that is an intent statement, not a guarantee for every hearing (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6). For Billings County, the courthouse filing point remains Medora.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct opening document. Informal probate uses an application under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14. Formal probate uses a petition under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15. If you are using the statewide informal materials, review the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center guide before filing.
- Prepare the Billings County filing packet. Include the required application or petition, the will if there is one, proposed papers for appointment of a personal representative, and the documents the statewide guide calls for. The original will may be filed on paper even when other documents are filed electronically (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
- File with the clerk of district court in Billings County at 495 4th St., Medora, ND 58645, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 138, Medora, ND 58645. The counter is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday.
- Pay the $160 filing fee, effective July 1, 2025, unless the court grants a fee waiver through the North Dakota Judiciary fee waiver process at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03).
- Follow the notice steps that apply to the proceeding. In informal probate, the application, appointment and notice requirements come from N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14 and N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13.
- If a hearing is set, ask early if you want to participate by reliable electronic means. A written motion under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52 must state the reasons, say whether the other parties agree or object, and be served at least seven days before the proceeding unless the court shortens the time for good cause.
- Wait for the court's action on informal appointment. The court reviews the application, makes the findings required by statute, issues the written statement of informal probate when applicable, and issues letters testamentary or letters of administration within ten working days after all requirements for informal proceedings have been met (N.D.C.C. §§ 30.1-14-02, 30.1-14-03, 30.1-14-07).
- Use the letters to administer the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, handles claims, keeps the inventory and appraisement on the statutory schedule, and works toward closing under the North Dakota Probate Code (N.D.C.C. §§ 30.1-18-06, 30.1-19-01, 30.1-21).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Billings County
Billings County does not publish a county-specific probate packet or local cover sheet. A Billings County filer uses the statewide materials from the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help, including the informal probate guidebook and related forms.
North Dakota law says the court shall provide necessary forms to an applicant who requests aid using the informal probate or appointment procedure, and that the assistance of an attorney is not required for that informal procedure (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01.1). The printed set from the clerk is $5, effective July 1, 2025, under the North Dakota Court Fee Schedule and N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; online materials are posted by the Judiciary.
The Legal Self Help Center warns that its forms are not official court forms, courts are not required to accept them, and not every situation has a prepared form. It also states that prepared forms are not provided for proceedings under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Billings County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | File the application or petition with the clerk of district court in Medora, and deliver the original will on paper if there is one (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5). Plan around the Friday noon closing. A home sale usually requires clear authority from the personal representative's letters testamentary or letters of administration (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07). | Sunset identifies accounts and assets, organizes title details, and helps assemble a probate packet for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Review whether a court filing is needed under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-23 before opening a case. If filing is needed, a self-represented filer may mail paper documents or use Odyssey, and the original will still needs to reach the courthouse on paper (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5). | Sunset helps gather financial information before the child decides whether to use a court filing, ask a local attorney, or prepare the Medora packet. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Open the estate in the district court in Billings County so the court can issue the authority document needed for sale and title work (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07). Certified copies are $20, effective July 1, 2025, with additional copies of the same document at $10 under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03. | Sunset prepares the asset picture, helps generate the probate packet, and can connect the parent with a North Dakota probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or phone |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Legal Self Help Center | Statewide online self-help program with informal probate materials, the personal property affidavit page, the fee waiver request, and general probate information. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help |
| Billings County courthouse page | Courthouse address, mailing address, phone, fax and current local hours for the clerk of district court in Billings County (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). | https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/billings-county |
| North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry | Case lookup for Civil, Family & Probate Case Records. Select Billings County. Information is current through the end of the previous business day. | https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/ |
| North Dakota Attorney Search | Judiciary lawyer search for finding a North Dakota attorney. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/lawyers |
| Legal Services of North Dakota | Statewide civil legal aid organization. Its listed practice areas do not establish that it accepts decedents' estate matters, so call intake to ask. | https://lsnd.org/; under age 60: 1-800-634-5263; age 60 and over: 1-866-621-9886 |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is useful when the will is disputed, heirs disagree, real property must be sold, a creditor issue could affect distribution, the case may need a formal petition under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15, or the personal representative wants help with notices, inventory, claims and closing. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families locate accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may matter to estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset inventory and family information into an organized Billings County packet, including the courthouse address, filing method, fee note and original will reminder.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a North Dakota probate attorney for review, filing strategy or full representation.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the next filing step, and decide whether they want attorney help before going to the courthouse in Medora.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Billings County?
File with the clerk of district court at the Billings County Courthouse, 495 4th St., Medora, ND 58645, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 138, Medora, ND 58645. The district court handles the case under N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06, and the clerk of district court keeps the filing record under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46.
What are the clerk's hours in Medora?
The published hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday. Call (701) 623-4492 before traveling if timing is tight.
Do I have to e-file in Billings County if I am handling probate myself?
No. Self-represented filers are exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail or by commercial carrier. They may use Odyssey if they choose. Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
Can I mail the original will to the Billings County Courthouse?
Yes. Original wills, codicils and other documents of independent legal significance may be filed as paper documents under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5. Use the mailing address, P.O. Box 138, Medora, ND 58645, and call the clerk if you need to confirm handling.
How much does it cost to file probate in Billings County?
The filing fee is $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate, guardianship or another Title 30.1 testamentary case (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03). If you cannot afford the fee, the North Dakota Judiciary posts a fee waiver request at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver.
Are there Billings County probate forms?
Billings County does not publish a local probate packet. Use the statewide North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. For informal probate, North Dakota law requires the court to provide necessary forms to an applicant who requests aid, and an attorney is not required for that informal procedure (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01.1).
Can I look up a Billings County probate case online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/. Select Billings County and the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records category. The portal states that information is current through the end of the previous business day.
Will I have to travel to Dickinson for a hearing?
Not for informal probate when the proper forms and procedures are used, because the Judiciary describes that process as one without a court appearance or court hearing under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14. If a hearing is needed, the Supreme Court's stated intent is that residents receive judicial services in their own county without the need to travel to chamber cities, but the schedule remains under the court's direction (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6).
Can I appear by video in a Billings County probate hearing?
A party may ask for a proceeding by reliable electronic means. The motion must be written, state the reasons, say whether the other parties agree or object, and be served at least seven days before the proceeding; any response is served at least four days before. The court may shorten the time for good cause and decides whether to allow it (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52).
How long until letters are issued in an informal Billings County case?
After all requirements for informal proceedings have been met, the court must make its order of appointment and issue letters testamentary or letters of administration within ten working days (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07). That period runs from completion of the requirements, not simply from the day papers are delivered.
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.