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Kearney County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Kearney County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Kearney County Court |
| Courthouse address | Kearney County Courthouse, 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959. The Nebraska Judicial Branch contact page for this court lists the mailing address, phone, fax, and email; the street address is the courthouse address published by Kearney County. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959 |
| Phone | 308-832-2719 |
| Fax | 308-832-0636. A person filing without a lawyer may use fax filing with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases. | |
| Hours | The Kearney County Court contact page does not publish separate clerk office hours. Kearney County publishes general courthouse hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through lunch, closed weekends and holidays. Call 308-832-2719 before traveling to confirm the clerk's current counter hours. |
| Filing fee | Under the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125 sets $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each subsequent 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. Confirm the counter total with the clerk of the Kearney County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | No Kearney County probate form or local cover sheet is listed for this court. Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch forms that apply, including CC 15:40 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, CC 15:41 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, and the uniform fax cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| E-filing | A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. A person 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). Ask the clerk whether optional non-attorney registration under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 is available before relying on it. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search is through Nebraska.gov and the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE case management system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. A general search for a list of cases carries no charge; viewing case details carries a two-dollar charge, with no extra charge for document images, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for a yearly one-hundred-dollar charge. The same case information is available 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 in a manner that preserves an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Kearney County is in the tenth county judge district under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503, and that district's remote technology rules require contacting the clerk magistrate at least 5 days before the hearing for scheduling and instructions. |
| County judge district | Tenth county judge district, which assigns county judges and county court local rules, not a different filing location (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). |
| Website | Nebraska Judicial Branch Kearney County Court page: https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/kearney-county-court. Kearney County Court page: https://kearneycounty.ne.gov/county-court/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Kearney County, make a practical inventory of what exists: real estate, vehicles, bank and investment accounts, debts, tax issues, jointly held property, beneficiary designations, and whether the original will is available. That asset picture determines whether the family needs the Kearney County Court in Minden, a no-probate affidavit route, or a lawyer's help with estate settlement.
Sunset helps families start with the facts by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets. That discovery work can make the Kearney County filing packet more accurate and can reduce wasted trips or mailings to the Minden courthouse.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Kearney County is filed with the clerk of the Kearney County Court at the Kearney County Courthouse in Minden, Nebraska. Use 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959 for the courthouse location and P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959 for mail to the court. Do not use an address in the city of Kearney for this county's estate settlement filings.
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). Nebraska has a county court in and for each county, located at the county seat (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502).
Kearney County sits in Nebraska's tenth 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 courthouse in Minden (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 a county where the decedent's property was located (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening track. An informal probate uses an application to the registrar; the registrar's acts are performed by a county judge or by a person designated by written court order, and the filing is delivered to the clerk of the county court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216). A formal probate uses a petition to the court with notice.
- Collect the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset and debt information, names and addresses for interested persons, and any information needed for Nebraska inheritance tax. If the decedent was age 55 or older, or resided in a medical institution, plan for Department of Health and Human Services notice as part of the notice process (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483).
- Prepare the application or petition. Nebraska Judicial Branch forms include some estate forms, but not a fill-in application for informal probate or petition for formal probate. Kearney County does not list a local opening form.
- File with the clerk of the Kearney County Court in Minden. You may file at the courthouse, mail the packet to P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959, or, if you are filing without a lawyer, fax the packet to 308-832-0636 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. Email filings are not allowed.
- Pay the filing fee under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. Under the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, informal proceedings commenced and closed informally start with a $22 statutory fee, while formal probate is charged on the statutory gross-value schedule.
- For informal probate, wait for the statutory timing rule. The registrar may issue a written statement of informal probate only after at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- Handle notice and creditor claims. After appointment of a personal representative, 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 must mail the published notice and prove it as required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Claims covered by published notice are generally barred unless presented within two months after the date of first publication, subject to the statute's extension procedure (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Ask about hearing format if the court sets a hearing. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704, nonevidentiary hearings and approved stipulated evidentiary hearings may be heard by telephone or videoconference. Kearney County's tenth county judge district remote technology rules require contacting the clerk magistrate at least 5 days before the hearing, and remote exhibits must be provided 48 hours before the hearing.
- After appointment, obtain Letters. Nebraska uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is no will. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125(2) provides one certified copy of Letters without charge in a formal probate.
- Administer the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, protects property, handles creditor claims, keeps records, and prepares any inventory and tax filings required for the estate settlement.
- Address Nebraska inheritance tax. Nebraska inheritance tax is determined by the Kearney County Court and paid to the county; it is 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 whether the death was before or on or after January 1, 2023 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004).
- Distribute and close. After claims, taxes, and expenses are handled, distribute assets to the people entitled to them and close the estate by the appropriate Nebraska Probate Code procedure, including a closing statement when that route is used (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Kearney County
Kearney County does not list a local probate form packet or a local cover sheet for opening an estate. The Nebraska Judicial Branch form list includes affidavit and notice forms that may apply, but it does not include a fill-in application for informal probate or a petition for formal probate. The clerk can accept filings, but the clerk cannot draft the filing or give legal advice.
| Form or resource | Use |
|---|---|
| CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, revised July 2022 | Used for the personal-property affidavit route after thirty days when the statutory conditions are met, including the $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). This affidavit is presented to the holder of the property, not filed with the county court. |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, revised October 2025 | Used for the real-property affidavit route after thirty days when the separate $100,000 ceiling raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 is met. It is recorded with the Kearney County Register of Deeds, not filed with the county court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129). |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Required as the first page when a person filing without a lawyer sends a filing by fax under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| Flowchart for Informal Probate Filed with a Will (Testate) | A Nebraska Judicial Branch flowchart for an uncontested informal probate with a will. It does not cover no-will cases, contested wills, or contested estate distribution. |
Local nuance
Kearney County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a filing |
|---|---|
| Minden is the county seat | Kearney County probate filings go to Minden. Do not use the city of Kearney for this county's court filing. |
| Separate court hours are not listed | The Kearney County Court contact page does not list separate clerk office hours. Kearney County publishes general courthouse hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through lunch. Call 308-832-2719 before going to the courthouse. |
| The clerk is a clerk magistrate | In Kearney County, the clerk of the county court is an office held by a clerk magistrate under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507. Nebraska law also limits what a clerk magistrate may hear in estate matters, including limits on will or trust construction, title determinations, and authorization to sell or mortgage real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519). |
| The land records counter is in the same courthouse building | The Kearney County Register of Deeds is at 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959, with phone 308-832-2723. That office records the real-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. |
| District 10 remote technology rule | The tenth county judge district's remote technology rules require contacting the clerk magistrate at least 5 days before a remote hearing and providing exhibits 48 hours before the hearing. The statewide authority for telephone or videoconference hearings is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| October 26, 2022 | The tenth county judge district's remote technology rules were approved. Kearney County is in that district, and the rules require advance contact with the clerk magistrate for a remote hearing request. Remote hearings also depend on Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Kearney County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with deed and account titling. If only personal property needs transfer and the statutory conditions fit, the CC 15:40 route may apply after thirty days under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, with its $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022. If a real-property affidavit fits, CC 15:41 is recorded with the Kearney County Register of Deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, with its separate $100,000 ceiling raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024. If Letters are needed, file in the Kearney County Court in Minden. | Sunset identifies accounts and asset title clues so the spouse can see whether court authority is needed for the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the affidavit route fits, a trip to Minden may not be needed. If Letters are needed, mail the packet to P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959, or fax to 308-832-0636 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). If a hearing is set, the tenth county judge district's remote technology rules require contacting the clerk magistrate at least 5 days ahead, with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 as the statewide remote-hearing statute. | Sunset helps assemble asset information, generate a probate packet, and decide whether a Kearney County filing or an affidavit path is the better next step. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home must be sold, a court filing is usually the practical path because the clerk magistrate may not hear a determination of title to real estate or authorize sale or mortgage of real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519). File the appropriate application or petition with the Kearney County Court in Minden and address Nebraska inheritance tax in that court. | Sunset can organize the asset picture and connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney for the real-estate and inheritance-tax parts of the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the Kearney County Court | Kearney County Courthouse, 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959. Mail to P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959. Phone 308-832-2719. Fax 308-832-0636. Email [email protected] for questions, not filings. Call to confirm current clerk counter hours. |
| Kearney County Court page | https://kearneycounty.ne.gov/county-court/. Lists the Kearney County Court contact information and case types, including probate. |
| Kearney County Register of Deeds | 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959. Phone 308-832-2723. The real-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 is recorded with the register of deeds. |
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center and Estates section | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help and https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates. The virtual self-help center includes estate information, the fax filing rule, and the rule that email filings are not allowed. |
| Nebraska Judicial Branch forms | CC 15:40 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 and CC 15:41 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 are available through https://nebraskajudicial.gov/forms. |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch uniform fax cover sheet when fax filing without a lawyer under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| Statewide case search | https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. JUSTICE case search through Nebraska.gov. |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | Statewide AccessLine 1.877.250.2016, with intake hours Monday and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central. ElderAccessLine 1.800.527.7249 serves people age 60 and over in all Nebraska counties. Screening depends on household income, assets, and legal issue; estate administration is not listed among the organization's published practice areas, and the organization takes no walk-ins. See legalaidofnebraska.org. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/. Free Legal Answers lets qualifying users submit civil legal questions online; its topic list does not include estates, and volunteer lawyers do not represent users in court. |
| Limited Scope Representation | Nebraska Judicial Branch self-help information at nebraskajudicial.gov explains Limited Scope Representation for hiring a lawyer for part of a case. |
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; those same materials also say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help and that the Self-Help Center cannot supply forms for every situation. That matters in Kearney County because no local opening form is listed, the clerk can accept filings but cannot give legal advice, and real estate sales or inheritance-tax issues may need legal work. Limited Scope Representation may let you hire a lawyer for part of the case, and Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances, and asset clues before a Kearney County filing is prepared. A clearer asset map makes estate settlement faster and reduces the chance of missing property.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset uses the family's answers to help assemble the information needed for a Nebraska probate packet, including the court, mailing address, filing route, and forms that may apply in Kearney County.
Find a local probate attorney
If the estate needs formal probate, a real estate sale, inheritance-tax help, or contested issues, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney who can practice in the Kearney County Court.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. The goal is to make estate settlement easier by combining asset discovery, document organization, and attorney matching in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Kearney County, Nebraska?
File with the clerk of the Kearney County Court in Minden. The courthouse is at 424 N. Colorado Avenue, Minden, NE 68959, and mail goes to P.O. Box 377, Minden, NE 68959. Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; county courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
Is Kearney County probate filed in the city of Kearney?
No. Kearney County's courthouse is in Minden. Use the Kearney County Court in Minden for this county's estate filings.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Kearney County?
Nebraska law allows a person to represent themselves, but the Judicial Branch also says estate filings most often require an attorney's help because estates differ and forms are not available for every situation. A lawyer is especially important if there is a dispute, a real estate sale, missing heirs, tax questions, or uncertainty about whether to use informal probate with the registrar or formal probate with notice.
How much does it cost to file probate in Kearney County?
The filing fee is statewide, not county-set. Under the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125 sets $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each later petition or application in an informal proceeding; formal probate uses a statutory gross-value schedule that runs up to $1,500 for estates over $5,000,000. Call the clerk at 308-832-2719 to confirm the current counter total before filing.
Can I avoid probate with an affidavit in Kearney County?
Possibly, if the Nebraska affidavit statutes fit. CC 15:40 is for personal property and has a $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). CC 15:41 is for real property and has a separate $100,000 ceiling raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024; it is recorded with the Kearney County Register of Deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. The personal-property affidavit is presented to the holder of the property, not filed with the county court.
Can I file by fax or email in Kearney 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 every Nebraska court must accept for non-attorney filings until July 1, 2028. Fax the Kearney County Court at 308-832-0636. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases.
Can I appear by phone or video for a Kearney County probate hearing?
Nebraska law allows county courts to hear all nonevidentiary hearings, and any evidentiary hearing approved by the court with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). The tenth county judge district's remote technology rules require contacting the clerk magistrate at least 5 days before the hearing for scheduling and instructions, and exhibits are due 48 hours before the hearing.
How do I look up a Kearney County probate case?
Use Nebraska.gov's statewide trial court search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. The system runs on JUSTICE through Nebraska.gov. A general search for a list of cases carries no charge; viewing case details carries a two-dollar charge, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for a yearly one-hundred-dollar charge.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax in Kearney County estates?
Yes. Nebraska inheritance tax is a county tax, and the Kearney County Court determines it for Kearney County estates. It is 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 whether the death was before or on or after January 1, 2023 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004).
What are the clerk's hours for the Kearney County Court?
The Kearney County Court contact page does not list separate clerk office hours. Kearney County publishes general courthouse hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through lunch, closed weekends and holidays. Call 308-832-2719 before traveling to confirm the clerk's current hours.
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.