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Dawson County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Dawson County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Dawson County Court |
| Courthouse address | 700 North Washington, Lexington, NE 68850 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is listed for the Dawson County Court. Use 700 North Washington, Lexington, NE 68850. |
| Phone | 308-324-5606 |
| Fax | 308-324-9837 |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212). | |
| Hours | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday |
| Filing fee | $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each later petition or application in an informal proceeding. A formal probate is charged on a schedule keyed to the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death, from $22 on estates of $1,000 or less to $1,500 over $5,000,000 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125; current Judiciary schedule effective July 1, 2026). Confirm the current counter total with the clerk of the Dawson County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | Dawson County publishes no county probate form on its courthouse phone directory. Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate forms and ask the clerk whether any local cover page is required. |
| E-filing | A Nebraska attorney must file electronically (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). A person filing without a lawyer is not under that attorney mandate and may file in person, by mail, or by fax filing with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which every Nebraska court must accept until July 1, 2028. Optional non-attorney electronic filing registration depends on Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216, so ask the clerk before relying on it. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search is through Nebraska.gov on the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE case management system: https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. A general search for a list of cases is free. As of August 2026, viewing case details is $2 per case, with no extra charge for document images, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. The same case information is free at any courthouse kiosk or law library. |
| Remote appearance | Nebraska law allows the county court to hear all nonevidentiary hearings, and any evidentiary hearing the court approves with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Dawson County's eleventh county judge district has remote hearing rules that require the moving party to coordinate the setup at least 5 days before the hearing and provide exhibits at least 5 days before the hearing. |
| County judge district | Eleventh county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503) |
| Website | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/dawson-county-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing route in Dawson County, list the decedent's assets, debts, accounts, real estate, vehicles, beneficiary designations, and known creditors. Nebraska probate filings turn on what property exists, whether a will exists, who has priority to serve as personal representative, and whether a no-court affidavit route is enough for part of the estate settlement.
Sunset helps families organize that first fact set, including asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, before a Dawson County filing is prepared. That makes the local court step cleaner because you can separate probate property from nonprobate transfers and spot tax, creditor, and title issues early.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Dawson County is filed with the clerk of the Dawson County Court at 700 North Washington in Lexington. Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are issued in the county court, which has exclusive original jurisdiction of all matters relating to decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
Dawson County sits in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district, which is how county judges and county court local rules are assigned; it does not move a Dawson County filing to another county (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). 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 Nebraska, in any county where the decedent's property was located at death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Nebraska track. An informal probate starts with an application to the registrar, whose acts are performed by a county judge or by a person designated by the court in a written order, while formal probate starts with a petition to the court after notice (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2209).
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, names and addresses of heirs and devisees, asset information, creditor information, and any facts needed to show Dawson County venue under the domicile rule (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
- Deliver the application or petition to the clerk of the Dawson County Court at 700 North Washington, Lexington, NE 68850. A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. A person filing without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax filing to 308-324-9837 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Email filings are not allowed (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
- Pay the Nebraska probate filing fee. The base fee is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, and formal probate uses the gross value schedule in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125, current Judiciary schedule effective July 1, 2026.
- For informal probate, wait for the statutory timing point. The registrar may issue the written statement of informal probate only if at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the Dawson County Court wants any remote hearing request handled. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and the eleventh district rule, a remote hearing is at the judge's discretion, and the moving party must coordinate setup and provide exhibits at least 5 days before the hearing unless an emergency hearing changes the process.
- After appointment, the clerk publishes notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks, with first publication within thirty days after appointment; the party or attorney handling the case must mail the published notice and prove mailing (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Properly noticed creditor claims are barred unless presented within two months after the first publication, subject to the statute's limited extension procedure (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Give any required Department of Health and Human Services notice if the decedent was fifty-five or older or resided in a medical institution, because a nonconforming notice is void under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483.
- Obtain letters testamentary or letters of administration after appointment. The court provides one certified copy of letters of appointment without charge in a formal probate fee case (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, preparing the inventory, handling creditor claims, and addressing Nebraska inheritance tax. The Dawson County Court determines the inheritance tax, rates and exemptions depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent and whether the death was before or on or after January 1, 2023, and the tax is due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2018.01).
- Distribute remaining property when the estate is ready, then close the estate through the appropriate Nebraska closing statement or court process (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dawson County
Dawson County publishes no county probate form on its courthouse phone directory. Start with the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate materials and the Dawson County Court clerk's instructions for the filing method you plan to use.
Nebraska provides CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, revised July 2022, for the personal property affidavit route under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. Nebraska also provides CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, revised October 2025, for the real property affidavit recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129.
The Judicial Branch does not provide a fill-in application for informal probate, a fill-in petition for formal probate, or a full estate-opening form set. It does publish a flowchart for informal probate with a will, but that flowchart applies only to an uncontested testate informal filing and does not cover a no-will, contested, or disputed-distribution estate. See https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates.
If you file by fax without a lawyer, use the uniform fax cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Fax filings go to the Dawson County Court at 308-324-9837.
Local nuance
Dawson County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Dawson County filing |
|---|---|
| Eleventh district remote hearing rule | If the Dawson County Court allows a remote hearing, the eleventh county judge district rule requires the moving party to coordinate the remote setup with the court at least 5 days before the hearing and provide exhibits at least 5 days before the hearing. Nebraska's statewide remote hearing statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
| Dawson County filing counter | Dawson County is in the same county judge district as several other counties, but a Dawson County probate filing stays with the Dawson County Court in Lexington (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Dawson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First confirm how the home was titled and whether any probate asset remains. If probate is needed, file with the Dawson County Court in Lexington. Nebraska inheritance tax rules still need to be reviewed because the county court determines the tax, even though treatment depends on the beneficiary relationship and date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2018.01). | Sunset helps separate jointly owned, beneficiary-designated, and probate assets so the estate settlement plan matches the property actually left behind. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the issue is personal property only and the statutory conditions fit, the Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, CC 15:40, may be presented to the holder of the property after 30 days, rather than opened in the Dawson County Court; the ceiling is $100,000 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022. If a court filing is still needed, a self-represented filer may use mail or fax filing with the Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B) cover sheet. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare an organized asset list, and decide whether a Dawson County court filing is needed before travel plans are made. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually calls for court attention beyond an uncontested clerk magistrate matter. Nebraska law allows a clerk magistrate to hear uncontested estate matters, but not an authorization to sell or mortgage real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507). File the probate matter in the Dawson County Court if Dawson County is the proper venue. | Sunset helps gather title, debt, and account information, then connects the family with a local attorney when the estate settlement requires a real estate sale. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the Dawson County Court | Local filing counter for Dawson County probate. The email address is for questions, not court filings. | 700 North Washington, Lexington, NE 68850. Phone 308-324-5606. Fax 308-324-9837. Email [email protected]. Hours 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Website: https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/dawson-county-court |
| Dawson County courthouse phone directory | County website page listing courthouse phone numbers, including the County Court number. | https://dawsoncountyne.gov/courthouse_phone_numbers/index.php |
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center and Estates section | Virtual self-help materials on estates, claims against estates, deposit of wills, affidavit routes, and the informal-probate flowchart. Court employees cannot give legal advice. | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help and https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates |
| Nebraska Judicial Branch forms | Includes CC 15:40 for personal property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, CC 15:41 for real property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, and the uniform fax cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/forms |
| Statewide case search | Search Nebraska trial court cases through Nebraska.gov on JUSTICE. General list searches are free, and as of August 2026 viewing details is $2 per case through nebraska.gov. | https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | Statewide civil legal aid screening. Its published practice areas are family, debt, housing, and benefits rather than estate administration, and intake starts by phone or online. | AccessLine through legalaidofnebraska.org: 1.877.250.2016. ElderAccessLine for people 60 and over: 1.800.527.7249. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | Free Legal Answers is a virtual civil legal advice clinic for qualifying users. Its volunteers answer questions online and cannot represent anyone in court; its topic list does not include estates. | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Limited Scope Representation | Nebraska's self-help materials describe hiring a lawyer for part of a case, which can fit an estate settlement where only a hearing, tax issue, or real estate issue needs attorney help. | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help |
When to hire an attorney
Nebraska does not require a personal representative to hire a lawyer, and the Judicial Branch's self-help materials say the law allows you to represent yourself. The same materials say that filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help and that the Self-Help Center cannot supply forms for every situation. Counsel is especially useful when there is a dispute, unclear title, a real estate sale, inheritance tax questions, or a formal probate with notice. Sunset connects families in Dawson County to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build the asset list needed for Dawson County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information a personal representative needs for the Dawson County Court, including asset details, family information, creditor notes, and filing-route questions.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Dawson County estate needs legal help, Sunset connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney who can advise on the filing, hearing, real estate, creditor, and inheritance tax issues.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families move from uncertainty to a clear estate settlement plan without charging families for the core service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dawson County?
File Dawson County probate with the clerk of the Dawson County Court at 700 North Washington, Lexington, NE 68850. Probate belongs in the county court because Nebraska county courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Dawson County?
Nebraska allows a personal representative to proceed without a lawyer, but the Judicial Branch says filing an estate will most often require attorney help because estates differ. If the Dawson County estate involves a dispute, real estate sale, creditor issue, or inheritance tax question, talk with a lawyer before filing.
How much does Dawson County probate cost to file?
The base filing fee is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, and each later petition or application in an informal proceeding is another $22. Formal probate uses the gross value schedule in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125, from $22 on estates of $1,000 or less to $1,500 over $5,000,000 under the current Judiciary schedule effective July 1, 2026. Ask the clerk for the current counter total before filing.
Can I avoid probate with an affidavit in Dawson County?
Maybe, depending on the property. Nebraska's personal property route uses CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, after 30 days and with a $100,000 ceiling under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022. Nebraska's real property route uses CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, recorded with the register of deeds, with its own $100,000 ceiling under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax in a Dawson County estate?
Yes. Nebraska is one of the few states with an inheritance tax, and it is a county tax: the Dawson County Court determines it and it is paid to the county, with the tax due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2018.01). Rates and exemptions depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent and on whether the death was before or on or after January 1, 2023 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004).
Can I ask for a phone or video hearing in Dawson County?
Ask the clerk how to request it for your hearing. Nebraska law allows nonevidentiary county court hearings, and approved evidentiary hearings with all appearing parties' stipulation, to be heard by telephone or videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Dawson County's eleventh district remote hearing rule requires setup coordination and exhibits at least 5 days before the hearing unless an emergency hearing changes the timing.
Can I file Dawson County probate papers by fax or email?
A person filing without a lawyer may use fax filing with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), and the Dawson County Court fax number is 308-324-9837. Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
How do I look up a Dawson County probate case?
Use Nebraska.gov's statewide JUSTICE case search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. General list searches are free; as of August 2026, viewing case details is $2 per case through nebraska.gov, and frequent users can use an annual $100 Nebraska.gov subscriber account.
What are the Dawson County Court clerk's hours?
The Dawson County Court lists office hours as 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Call 308-324-5606 before you go if a deadline, holiday, or weather closure could affect your filing.
Do I have to travel to Lexington to handle a Dawson County estate?
Not always, but do not assume travel is unnecessary. A person filing without a lawyer may use mail or fax filing with the Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B) cover sheet, and a hearing may be eligible for a phone or video request under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and the eleventh district rule. If a hearing is set, follow the Dawson County Court's instructions.
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.