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Bowman County, ND Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Bowman County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | The district court in Bowman County, at the Bowman County Courthouse in Bowman (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06) |
| Courthouse address | Bowman County Courthouse, 104 1st St NW, Bowman, ND 58623 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address unless the clerk of district court in Bowman County gives different instructions (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). |
| Phone | (701) 523-3450 |
| Fax | (701) 523-5443, as a contact detail only |
| Hours | 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m.; 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday |
| Filing fee under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03 | $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate, guardianship, or any other testamentary case under Title 30.1 |
| County-specific forms | Bowman County publishes no county-specific probate form or local cover sheet. Use the statewide North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. |
| E-filing under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5 | Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey. A self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier, and may choose Odyssey. |
| Original will under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5 | Original wills, codicils, and other documents of independent legal significance may be filed as paper documents. |
| Case search | North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/. Select Bowman County and use Civil, Family & Probate Case Records. Data is current through the end of the previous business day. |
| Remote appearance | A court may conduct a proceeding by reliable electronic means on its own motion or on a party's written motion under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52. |
| Court website | https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/bowman-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Bowman County, list the accounts, debts, vehicles, real property, and beneficiary designations you already know about. The right estate settlement path depends on what needs court authority, what passes outside the estate, and whether an original will exists.
Sunset can help organize that first inventory and search for accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions. That asset discovery step helps you decide what to take to the clerk of district court in Bowman County and what questions to raise with a lawyer before you start estate settlement.
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 Bowman County Courthouse (N.D. Const. art. VI, §§ 1, 8; N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). 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 Bowman County is filed with the clerk of district court at the county courthouse in Bowman. Bowman County is one of the 8 counties in the Southwest Judicial District, along with Adams, Billings, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope, and Stark, 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).
For venue, use the North Dakota probate venue chapter and the application requirement that asks for the county and state of the decedent's domicile at death (N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13; N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the local filing point. For Bowman County, take or mail the probate packet to the clerk of district court at the Bowman County Courthouse, 104 1st St NW, Bowman, ND 58623 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46).
- Choose the correct starting 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 an original will exists, keep it ready for paper delivery because 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 statewide forms that fit your situation. Bowman County does not publish a county-specific probate form set or local cover sheet, so start with the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. The Center warns that its forms are not guaranteed to be accepted in every situation and that the formal path does not have a statewide form set.
- File during the Bowman courthouse hours. The clerk's counter is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, closes for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m., and is open 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
- Pay the filing fee. The filing fee is $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate, guardianship, or any other testamentary case under Title 30.1 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; North Dakota Court Fee Schedule). If you need a fee waiver, use the North Dakota courts fee waiver materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver.
- Follow the electronic filing rule. Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey, and a self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier, or may choose Odyssey (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
- Handle notice and hearing issues according to the path you filed. Informal probate can proceed without a court appearance or without a court hearing when the requirements are met (N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14). Formal probate involves court hearings under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15. Notice to creditors is a separate personal representative decision with claim consequences under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-19 and N.D.C.C. § 30.1-19-01.
- If a hearing is set and travel is difficult, ask correctly. A court may conduct a proceeding by reliable electronic means on its own motion or on a party's written motion, served at least seven days before the proceeding, with any response served at least four days before, unless the court shortens time for good cause (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52).
- Wait for authority from the court. In an informal proceeding, the court reviews the application, makes the findings required by statute, issues the written statement of informal probate, 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).
- Administer and close the estate. After appointment, the personal representative handles assets, claims, inventory, distributions, and closing steps under North Dakota probate law, including N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-19, N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-06, and N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-21.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bowman County
Bowman County does not publish a county-specific probate form set or local probate cover sheet. A Bowman 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 materials tied to N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14.
| Form issue | Bowman County approach |
|---|---|
| County-specific packet | Not published by Bowman County. Use the statewide Legal Self Help Center materials at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. |
| Informal path | North Dakota law requires the court to provide necessary forms to an applicant who requests aid in using the informal probate or appointment procedure, and the assistance of an attorney is not required for that informal procedure (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01.1). |
| Formal path | The Legal Self Help Center states that the formal path does not have a statewide form set, so a filer must prepare documents or retain a lawyer. |
| Warnings from the Center | The Center warns that its forms are not guaranteed to be accepted by every judge or court, and that forms are not available for every informal situation. |
| Printed set | A printed probate form set from the clerk costs $5, effective July 1, 2025, under the North Dakota Court Fee Schedule and N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03. Online self-help materials are available at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. |
Local nuance
Bowman County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Bowman County |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The Bowman courthouse closes for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Plan in-person filing around that closure. |
| Friday schedule | The courthouse closes for the day at noon on Friday. A Friday afternoon filing trip will not work unless the clerk of district court gives different instructions for your case (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). |
| District travel question | Bowman County is in the Southwest Judicial District, and the district's judges are chambered in Dickinson. The supreme court's stated intent is that residents receive judicial services in their own county without needing to travel to chamber cities, but that is an intent statement, not a guarantee about every hearing (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6). |
| Building-access details | Bowman County does not publish a floor, entrance, parking, or security instruction on its county court-location page. Call the clerk before traveling if access details matter for your visit. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Bowman County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by sorting which assets need probate authority and which pass another way. If a court appointment is needed, file with the clerk of district court at the Bowman County Courthouse and plan around the lunch closure and Friday noon closing (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). Real property usually means the personal-property affidavit route in N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-23 is not the right fit. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and ownership clues before you decide what must be included in the Bowman County estate settlement filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If you are self-represented, N.D.R.Ct. 3.5 lets you file paper documents by mail or commercial carrier, or choose Odyssey. If there is an original will, it still needs to reach the Bowman courthouse on paper under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5. Small estate questions should be checked against N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-23 and the statewide self-help materials. | Sunset helps gather institution information and organize a mailing-ready packet, then can help you decide whether a Bowman County filing or another transfer path is the next step. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires an appointed personal representative with court-issued authority. File the application or petition in Bowman County, and after the requirements are met in an informal case the court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration within ten working days under N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07. Certified copies cost $20, with additional copies of the same document at $10, effective July 1, 2025, under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03. | Sunset helps assemble the asset picture, prepare the packet, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale or title company needs clean authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Legal Self Help Center | Statewide self-help materials for informal probate, the personal-property affidavit, and fee waiver materials. The probate forms and Guidebook are available through ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help |
| Informal probate page | Overview and statewide materials for informal probate under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/informal-probate |
| Fee waiver materials | Use these if you need to ask the district court to waive the filing fee under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03 and ndcourts.gov procedures. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver |
| North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry | Search Civil, Family & Probate Case Records by selecting Bowman County. Data is current through the end of the previous business day. | https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/ |
| Legal Services of North Dakota | Statewide civil legal aid intake. The materials reviewed do not establish whether it accepts decedents' estate matters. | https://lsnd.org/; under age 60: 1-800-634-5263; age 60 and over: 1-866-621-9886 |
| North Dakota Attorney Search | Use the state court system's lawyer search if you need to find counsel. | https://www.ndcourts.gov/lawyers |
When to hire an attorney
North Dakota law says the assistance of an attorney is not required for informal probate or appointment procedure (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01.1), but a lawyer makes sense when there is real property to sell, disagreement among heirs, missing beneficiaries, creditor issues, tax questions, or a need for formal probate under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions and helps families build a clear asset list before they file in Bowman County. That gives the personal representative a stronger starting point for estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps turn the family's information into an organized probate packet for the Bowman County courthouse, including the local filing address, the $160 filing fee effective July 1, 2025, under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03, and the paper-original-will rule under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, a home sale, a contested issue, or formal probate under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15, Sunset can connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the next steps, gather documents, and prepare for estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Bowman County?
File with the clerk of district court at the Bowman County Courthouse, 104 1st St NW, Bowman, ND 58623 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46).
What are the clerk's hours in Bowman, and is the office open at lunch?
The courthouse is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with a lunch closure from noon to 12:30 p.m. It is open 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
Do I have to use Odyssey if I am handling Bowman County probate myself?
No. Under N.D.R.Ct. 3.5, represented parties file electronically through Odyssey, but a self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier. A self-represented filer may choose Odyssey.
Can I mail the original will to the Bowman County Courthouse?
N.D.R.Ct. 3.5 allows original wills, codicils, and other documents of independent legal significance to be filed as paper documents. Call the clerk of district court in Bowman County before mailing if you need delivery instructions for your specific filing (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46).
How much does it cost to file probate in Bowman County?
The filing fee is $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate, guardianship, or any other testamentary case under Title 30.1 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; North Dakota Court Fee Schedule).
Are there Bowman County probate forms?
Bowman County does not publish a county-specific probate form set. Use the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center probate forms and Guidebook at https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help, and note that the Center warns its forms are not guaranteed to be accepted in every situation.
Can I look up a Bowman County probate case online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/ and select Bowman County. The portal includes Civil, Family & Probate Case Records, and data is current through the end of the previous business day.
Will I have to travel to Dickinson for a Bowman County hearing?
Bowman County is in the Southwest Judicial District, and the district's judges are chambered in Dickinson. N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6 states the supreme court's intent that residents receive judicial services in their own county without the need to travel to chamber cities, but that is not a guarantee for every hearing.
Can I ask to attend a hearing by video or phone?
Yes, by asking the court in the way N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52 requires. A party must first try to contact the other parties, then file a written motion served at least seven days before the proceeding; any response is served at least four days before the proceeding unless the court shortens time for good cause.
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.