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Frontier County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Frontier County Court |
| Courthouse address | 1 Wellington St, Stockville, NE 69042. The Judicial Branch listing for this court uses the mailing address only. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 38, Stockville, NE 69042 |
| Phone | 308-367-8629 |
| Fax | 308-367-8730. Fax filing for a person without a lawyer is governed by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212). | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Frontier County also states that the office is closed weekends and holidays. Call before you go. |
| Filing fee | Under the statewide court-fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, the statutory base is $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 the lowest tier to $1,500 over $5,000,000 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Confirm the current counter amount with the clerk of the Frontier County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | Frontier County does not publish a local estate form set. Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate forms that apply and the required fax cover sheet for fax filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| E-filing | A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). A person filing without a lawyer is not required to e-file and may file in person, by mail, or by fax with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which Nebraska courts must accept until July 1, 2028. Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 addresses optional non-attorney electronic filing registration only when the rule's conditions are met, so ask the clerk before relying on it. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case information is available through Nebraska.gov on the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general list search is free; viewing a case's details is $2 per case, with no added 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 courthouse kiosks and law libraries. |
| Remote appearance | Nebraska law allows a county court to hear all nonevidentiary hearings, and any evidentiary hearing the court approves with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference while preserving an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Frontier County is in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district, whose local remote hearing rule requires the moving party to coordinate and set up the remote hearing at least 5 days ahead and provide exhibits at least 5 days ahead. |
| County judge district | Frontier County is in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). The district assigns county judges and local county court rules; it does not move the filing counter out of Stockville. |
| Website | Frontier County Court: https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/frontier-county-court. Frontier County government: https://frontiercounty.ne.gov/county-court/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose an informal application, a formal petition after notice, or an affidavit route, list the decedent's accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles, and titled property. Frontier County filings go through the Stockville clerk's office, but the right estate settlement path depends on what property exists and whether anyone objects.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families look for accounts and assets before they spend time and money on the wrong filing. A complete asset picture also helps you estimate the filing fee under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125 and identify any Nebraska inheritance tax issue under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Frontier County is filed with the clerk of the Frontier County Court in Stockville. The clerk's office is at the Frontier County courthouse address listed by the county, 1 Wellington St, Stockville, NE 69042, and mail goes to P.O. Box 38, Stockville, NE 69042.
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).
Frontier County sits in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district, which is how county judges and the county court's local rules are assigned; the case itself is filed at this county's own courthouse (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502, § 24-503). Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is generally the county where the decedent had domicile at death, or, for a non-Nebraska domiciliary, any Nebraska county where the decedent's property was located (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether you are asking for informal probate or formal probate after notice. In an informal proceeding, the application is directed to the registrar, whose acts are performed by a county judge or by a person designated by written court order, and the application is delivered to the clerk of the county court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216). In a formal proceeding, a petition asks the court for an order after notice.
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, names and addresses of interested persons, an asset list, and debt information before you draft the application or petition. Informal probate cannot issue until at least 120 hours have passed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- File with the clerk of the Frontier County Court in Stockville, by mail to P.O. Box 38, in person at 1 Wellington St during posted hours, or by fax if you are filing without a lawyer and use the uniform fax cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). Email filings are not allowed (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
- Pay the filing fee required by Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. Under the statewide court-fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, an informal proceeding has a $22 statutory base, while formal probate uses the statutory value-based schedule.
- Watch for notice requirements. After appointment of a personal representative, the clerk publishes notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks, with the first publication within thirty days after appointment, and the party or attorney must mail the published notice and prove mailing (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Claims are generally barred if not presented within two months after the first publication when notice is properly given (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Address Department of Health and Human Services notice if the decedent was 55 or older or resided in a medical institution, because a notice that does not comply with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483 is void.
- After appointment, the court issues Letters, such as letters testamentary for a will or letters of administration when there is no will. One certified copy of letters of appointment is provided without charge under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125.
- Administer the estate by collecting property, maintaining estate accounts, handling creditor claims, preparing inventory information, and keeping beneficiaries informed. Nebraska inheritance tax is a county tax determined by the Frontier County Court and due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010, § 77-2018.01; rates and exemptions are governed by Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004).
- Distribute property only after the estate is ready for distribution, then close the estate by filing the closing statement or other closing papers required for the track you used (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Frontier County
Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate forms that match the task. The statewide estate series includes CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, revised July 2022, for the personal-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. That statute uses a $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022, and requires thirty days have elapsed since death.
The statewide estate series also includes CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, revised October 2025, for the real-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. That separate real-property ceiling is $100,000, raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024, and the affidavit is recorded with the register of deeds, not filed as the opening paper in the county court. Because this field mentions the $100,000 affidavit routes, the personal-property statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125.
The uniform fax cover sheet is required as the first page of a fax filing by a person without a lawyer under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). A fax filing must be less than 10 pages not counting the cover sheet unless the clerk approves more pages before it is sent.
The Judicial Branch publishes an informal-probate flowchart for an uncontested estate with a will at nebraskajudicial.gov, but it does not publish a statewide application for informal probate, petition for formal probate after notice, Letters form, or inventory form for every estate. The clerk of the Frontier County Court cannot draft your papers or give legal advice.
Frontier County does not publish an additional local estate form set on its county court page. If you plan to fax-file or mail papers, call the clerk at 308-367-8629 before filing to confirm formatting, payment, and page-count instructions.
Local nuance
Frontier County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Frontier County estate |
|---|---|
| Street and mailing addresses differ | The Judicial Branch listing uses P.O. Box 38, Stockville, NE 69042. Frontier County's government site lists the courthouse street address as 1 Wellington St, Stockville, NE 69042. Use the P.O. Box for mail unless the clerk tells you otherwise. |
| Earlier closing time | The clerk's office hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, not a 5:00 pm closing time. Call 308-367-8629 before making a trip close to the end of the day. |
| Separate land-records office | The Frontier County Register of Deeds is the office for recording the real-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. It uses PO Box 40, Stockville, NE 69042, phone 308-367-8641, fax 308-367-8730, and hours of 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. |
| Eleventh district remote rule | The eleventh county judge district's remote hearing rule requires the moving party to coordinate a remote hearing at least 5 days ahead and provide exhibits at least 5 days ahead. The statewide remote-hearing authority is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Frontier County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking title, beneficiary designations, debts, and whether any asset actually needs county court authority. If a Frontier County estate must be opened, file the application or petition with the Frontier County Court in Stockville and address Nebraska inheritance tax if required under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues before the spouse spends money on a filing that may not be needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the property is personal property only, the CC 15:40 Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate may be available after thirty days have elapsed, if the personal-property value is within the $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022, and the other requirements are met (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). If a court filing is needed, a person without a lawyer may file by mail or by fax with the cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). | Sunset helps the child find assets, decide whether an affidavit route is plausible, and prepare a county-specific filing plan. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale may require a county court proceeding rather than only an affidavit, depending on title and the relief requested. In Nebraska counties where the clerk's office is held by a clerk magistrate under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507, a court order authorizing a sale or mortgage of real estate is for a county judge rather than a clerk magistrate under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519, and the filing remains with the Frontier County Court. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, organize sale-related documents, and connect the parent with a local probate attorney when court authority is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help | Statewide self-help information, including filing by mail, in person, or by fax with the cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), and the rule that email filings are not allowed. | Use it for statewide court process information. Court employees cannot give legal advice or interpret the law for you. |
| Estates section, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates | Estate process information, claims against estates, deposit of wills, the informal-probate flowchart, affidavit routes, and vehicle title transfer information. | Review it before choosing an informal application, formal petition after notice, or affidavit route. |
| Additional Information: Estates, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates/additional-information-estates | Explains that Nebraska law allows self-representation but that filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help. It also discusses the $100,000 personal-property affidavit conditions under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. | Use it to understand the limits of self-help forms before starting estate settlement papers. |
| Master Forms List, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/forms | Statewide forms including CC 15:40 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 and CC 15:41 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. | Search by form number or estate keywords. Frontier County does not publish a separate local estate form set. |
| Frontier County Court, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/frontier-county-court | Frontier County Court contact information, including phone, fax, email, mailing address, and hours. | Use it to contact the clerk before mailing or faxing a filing. |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska, https://legalaidofnebraska.org/how-we-help/ | Statewide AccessLine 1.877.250.2016, Monday and Wednesday 8:30 am to 11:30 am, Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Central; ElderAccessLine 1.800.527.7249 for people 60 and over in all 93 counties. Screening is by household income, assets, and legal issue, and the published practice areas are family, debt, housing, and benefits rather than estate administration. The organization takes no walk-ins. | Apply if you are not sure whether your issue fits. Do not assume it will represent a personal representative in court. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers, https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/ | Free Legal Answers lets qualifying users submit civil legal questions online to Nebraska-licensed volunteer attorneys. Its published topic list does not include estates, and volunteers cannot represent you in court. | Use it only as a limited question-and-answer resource, not as court representation. |
| Limited Scope Representation, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help | Information about hiring a lawyer for part of a case. | Consider it if you can handle some tasks but need help drafting papers, reviewing the inheritance tax filing, or preparing for a hearing. |
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 self-help materials do not cover every estate situation. Counsel is especially useful when Frontier County real estate must be sold, an heir objects, creditor claims are disputed, inheritance tax questions arise under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004, or you need formal probate after notice. Sunset connects families in Frontier County to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets, debts, and other property that may affect the Frontier County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps turn the asset list and family information into an organized filing packet for the correct Nebraska path, whether you are preparing an informal application, a formal petition after notice, or affidavit paperwork under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 or § 30-24,129.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a court order, a real estate sale, or help with Nebraska inheritance tax under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004, Sunset connects the family with a vetted attorney familiar with Nebraska county court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, locate assets, and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Frontier County?
File with the clerk of the Frontier County Court in Stockville. The mailing address is P.O. Box 38, Stockville, NE 69042, and Frontier County lists the courthouse street address as 1 Wellington St, Stockville, NE 69042. Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; the county court has exclusive original jurisdiction over decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
What are the Frontier County Court clerk's hours?
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Frontier County states that the office is closed weekends and holidays. Call 308-367-8629 before traveling, especially if you plan to arrive near closing time.
Do I need a lawyer for a Frontier County probate case?
Nebraska law allows a person to represent themselves, but the Judicial Branch says filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help. A lawyer is especially important if you need formal probate after notice, a real estate sale order, help with inheritance tax under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004, or advice about disputed claims.
How much does probate cost in Frontier County?
Under the statewide court-fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, the statutory base is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each later petition or application in an informal proceeding; formal probate is charged under the value-based schedule in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. Ask the clerk of the Frontier County Court to confirm the current counter amount and accepted payment method before filing.
Can I avoid probate with an affidavit in Frontier County?
Possibly, depending on the property. For personal property, CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, may be used after thirty days have elapsed if the personal-property value is within the $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022, and all requirements are met (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). For qualifying Nebraska real property, CC 15:41 is recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, using a separate $100,000 ceiling raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax, and who gets paid?
Yes. Nebraska inheritance tax is a county tax: the Frontier 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, § 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 file by fax or email in Frontier County?
A person filing without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which Nebraska courts must accept until July 1, 2028. A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
Can I appear by phone or video for a Frontier County probate hearing?
Nebraska law allows all nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the court with all appearing parties' stipulation, to be heard by telephone or videoconference while preserving an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Frontier County is in the eleventh county judge district, whose local remote hearing rule requires the moving party to coordinate the remote hearing at least 5 days ahead and provide exhibits at least 5 days ahead.
How do I look up a Frontier County estate case?
Nebraska trial court case information is available through Nebraska.gov on the JUSTICE system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general list search is free, viewing case details is $2 per case, document images do not add another charge, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. Courthouse kiosks and law libraries provide the same case information for free.
Do I have to travel to Stockville to start the case?
Not always. A person without a lawyer may mail papers to P.O. Box 38, Stockville, NE 69042, or fax eligible papers to 308-367-8730 with the cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Call the clerk before mailing or faxing to confirm page limits, payment, and whether the papers you plan to send are acceptable for that filing.
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.