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McPherson County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | McPherson County information |
|---|---|
| Court | McPherson County Court |
| Courthouse address | 500 Anderson Street, Tryon, NE 69167 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167 |
| Phone | 308-587-2479 |
| Fax | 308-587-2210 |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212. | |
| Hours | The court lists courthouse hours as 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with cases heard the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am. Call ahead to verify. The phone is answered on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and callers may be routed or called back if personnel are working from another court that day. |
| 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, under the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Confirm the current amount and payment method with the clerk of the McPherson County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | No McPherson County probate packet or local cover sheet is listed on the county government site. Use the Nebraska forms and the fax cover sheet described below. |
| E-filing | Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). People filing without a lawyer use the paper routes the rules preserve: in person, mail, or fax with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Rule 2-216 addresses optional non-attorney registration; ask the clerk before relying on that route. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search runs through Nebraska.gov on the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. Current published pricing reviewed August 2026: a general search for a list of cases is free, viewing a case's details is $2 with no extra charge for document images, a one-time court case search is $17, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. The same case information is available at no charge at a courthouse kiosk or law library. |
| Remote appearance | Nebraska law allows county courts to hear all nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the court with the stipulation of all appearing parties, by telephone or videoconference in a manner that preserves an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). McPherson County is in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district, whose local rule requires a remote hearing to be scheduled, set up and initiated with the court at least five days before the hearing, except for emergencies. |
| County judge district | Eleventh county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503) |
| Website | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/mcpherson-county-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path, list the decedent's assets, debts, account titles, real estate, vehicles, beneficiary designations and likely creditor claims. That first inventory tells you whether the family needs Letters, whether a no-probate affidavit might work for personal property, and whether a McPherson County Court hearing has to be scheduled around the once-a-month court session.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizes what was found into the information a personal representative or attorney needs. In McPherson County, that organization matters because missing paperwork can mean waiting for the next monthly court date.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for McPherson County is filed with the clerk of the McPherson County Court at 500 Anderson Street, Tryon, NE 69167, or by mail to P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167. Tryon is the county seat, and the courthouse serves Tryon and the surrounding communities of McPherson County, including Flats and Ringgold.
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). McPherson County sits in Nebraska's eleventh county judge district, which is how county judges and county court local rules are assigned; the estate case itself is filed at this county's courthouse in Tryon (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502, § 24-503).
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent had domicile at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Nebraska, any Nebraska county where the decedent's property was located (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410). Later proceedings stay where the first proceeding was opened unless the court transfers venue as the statute allows.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the track. Informal probate starts with an application to the registrar, while formal probate starts with a petition to the court and notice to interested persons. In an informal proceeding, the registrar's acts are performed by a county judge or by a person designated by the court in a written order, and the application is delivered to the clerk of the McPherson County Court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216).
- Gather the certified death certificate, the original will if there is one, addresses for heirs and devisees, asset information, debt information and any facts needed for the Nebraska inheritance tax. If the estate settlement may qualify for an affidavit route, check the Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, form CC 15:40, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, and the separate real property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129.
- File with the clerk of the McPherson County Court. You may file in person during the court's monthly session, the second Tuesday at 11:00 am, after calling ahead to verify, by mail to P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167, or, if filing without a lawyer, by fax to 308-587-2210 with the uniform cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Nebraska attorneys must file electronically (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). Email filings are not allowed under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212.
- Pay the filing fee. The statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 charges $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with formal probate charged by gross value of the Nebraska estate at death, up to $1,500 for estates over $5,000,000 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Ask the clerk how payment should be made before mailing or faxing.
- Wait for the earliest possible informal order if using the informal track. The registrar may issue the written statement of informal probate only after at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- Handle notice after appointment. Upon 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; creditor claims are barred two months after the date of first publication if notice is given as required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483, § 30-2485). If the decedent was 55 or older or resided in a medical institution, the required Department of Health and Human Services notice also matters under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483.
- Receive authority and administer the estate. The court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration, and one certified copy of letters of appointment is provided without charge under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125(2). The personal representative then gathers assets, protects property, addresses claims, prepares the inventory and keeps records for the estate settlement.
- Plan for any hearing. The McPherson County Court hears cases once a month, and the court says to call ahead to verify the second-Tuesday setting. If a remote hearing is requested, Nebraska law and the eleventh county judge district rule require advance coordination with the court, with the remote hearing scheduled, set up and initiated at least five days before the hearing except for emergencies (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704).
- Address the Nebraska inheritance tax. The McPherson County Court determines the inheritance tax, it is paid to the county, and the tax 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, expenses and distributions are handled, close the estate with the required closing statement when the Nebraska Probate Code allows it (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in McPherson County
Nebraska publishes a limited statewide estates form set, but not a fill-in application for informal probate or a fill-in petition for formal probate. The clerk of the McPherson County Court receives filings and keeps the court record, but court personnel cannot prepare your filing or give legal advice.
| Form or resource | Use in McPherson County |
|---|---|
| CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, revised July 2022 | Used for the personal-property affidavit route when the statutory requirements are met, including the $100,000 personal-property ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). It is presented to the holder of the property, not filed with the court. |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, revised October 2025 | Used for the separate real-property affidavit route when the statutory requirements are met, including the $100,000 ceiling for the decedent's Nebraska real-property interest raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129). It is recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the land is located. |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Required as the first page when a person filing without a lawyer sends a court document by fax under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which every Nebraska court must accept for non-attorney fax filing until July 1, 2028. |
| Flowchart for informal probate filed with a will | The Nebraska Judicial Branch provides this flowchart through nebraskajudicial.gov for an uncontested testate informal process. It does not cover estates with no will, a contested will, or contested distribution. |
| McPherson County local packet | No McPherson County probate packet, local cover sheet or separate instruction set is listed on the county government site. |
Timeline
- Before filing, call 308-587-2479. The McPherson County Court lists cases on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am and asks callers to verify before appearing.
- For paper filing between monthly sessions, use mail to P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167, or fax to 308-587-2210 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Nebraska attorneys use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202.
- Informal probate cannot issue until at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- If a remote hearing is requested, coordinate early. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and the eleventh county judge district rule, the moving party schedules, sets up and initiates the remote hearing with the court at least five days before the hearing, except for emergencies, and exhibits must be provided to the court and all other parties at least five days ahead.
- After appointment, notice to creditors is published by the clerk within thirty days after appointment, and claims are barred two months after first publication when notice is given as required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483, § 30-2485).
- The Nebraska inheritance tax is due twelve months after the date of death, and the McPherson County Court determines it as a county tax (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010, § 77-2018.01, § 77-2004).
Local nuance
McPherson County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Once-a-month court setting | The McPherson County Court hears cases on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am, and the court says to call ahead to verify. Build extra time into any estate settlement step that may need a hearing. |
| Weekday phone coverage | Even though cases are heard once a month, the phone is answered on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. If personnel are working from another court that day, the call may be routed or a callback arranged. |
| Shared clerk magistrate | The clerk of the McPherson County Court is a clerk magistrate, and the same clerk magistrate serves Logan, Thomas and Hooker County Courts as well (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507). McPherson still has its own courthouse in Tryon. |
| Real property affidavit location | The McPherson County Register of Deeds is in the same building at 500 Anderson Street. A real-property affidavit is recorded there, not filed as the estate case, when Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 applies. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely McPherson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Check the deed and account titles first. Personal property may be handled with CC 15:40 if the $100,000 ceiling and other requirements are met, thirty days have passed, and no personal representative appointment is pending or granted (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). A separate real-property affidavit may be recorded with the McPherson County Register of Deeds if the requirements in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 are met; otherwise, file with the McPherson County Court and plan around the monthly setting. | Sunset identifies accounts, flags jointly held or beneficiary-designated assets, and organizes the estate settlement packet so the family knows whether court authority is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If thirty days have passed and personal property is within the $100,000 limit, CC 15:40 is presented to the holder of the property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. If Letters are needed, mail to P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167, or fax to 308-587-2210 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). If a hearing is set, ask early about the eleventh county judge district remote hearing rule under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. | Sunset helps gather institution information, prepare the next-action checklist, and connect the family with counsel if the affidavit route is not enough. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually means opening an estate in the McPherson County Court. A clerk magistrate may handle some noncontested estate and inheritance tax matters, but an authorization to sell or mortgage real estate goes to a county judge (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519). Notice to creditors and the two-month claims bar must be handled under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483 and § 30-2485, and the inheritance tax is determined by the McPherson County Court under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004 and § 77-2010. | Sunset assembles asset information, tracks creditor and tax tasks, and helps the family find a vetted local probate attorney for the sale and court filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the McPherson County Court | 500 Anderson Street, Tryon, NE 69167. Mail: P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167. Phone 308-587-2479. Fax 308-587-2210. Email [email protected] for questions, not filings. Cases are heard the second Tuesday at 11:00 am, call ahead to verify. |
| McPherson County Register of Deeds | 500 Anderson Street, Tryon, NE 69167. Phone 308-587-2363. Hours are 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. This is where a real-property affidavit is recorded when Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 applies. |
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help. Includes self-help information, fax filing mechanics, the Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B) cover sheet requirement, and the rule that email filings are not allowed. |
| Estates section and additional estates information | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates and https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates/additional-information-estates. Explains the two no-probate affidavits and states that filing an estate will most often require attorney help even though Nebraska law allows self-representation. |
| Affidavit forms CC 15:40 and CC 15:41 | CC 15:40 is for personal property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. CC 15:41 is for real property recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. |
| Statewide case search | https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. The JUSTICE system provides statewide trial court case lookup through Nebraska.gov. Current published pricing reviewed August 2026 includes no-charge list searches, $2 case-detail views and an annual $100 subscriber account option. |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | Statewide AccessLine through legalaidofnebraska.org at 1.877.250.2016, Monday and Wednesday 8:30 am-11:30 am, Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 pm-3:00 pm Central. ElderAccessLine is 1.800.527.7249 for people 60 and over in all 93 counties. Screening depends on household income, assets and legal issue; estate administration is not among its published practice areas, and it takes no walk-ins. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/. A free virtual clinic for a civil legal question answered by a Nebraska-licensed volunteer attorney by email. Estates are not on its published topic list, and volunteers cannot represent anyone in court. |
When to hire an attorney
Nebraska law allows a personal representative to proceed without a lawyer, and the Judicial Branch's estates materials also say that filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help because estates differ and the Self-Help Center cannot supply forms for every situation. In McPherson County, counsel is especially useful when papers must be complete before a monthly setting, when real estate must be sold, when an inheritance tax determination is needed, or when creditors or family members may object; Limited Scope Representation through nebraskajudicial.gov may be a middle option for discrete tasks. 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, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may affect the McPherson County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the asset list, family information, debts and filing details into a probate packet families can use with the McPherson County Court or with an attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs formal probate, a home sale, inheritance tax work or a contested issue, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney familiar with Nebraska county court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, collect information and decide what help they need without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in McPherson County?
File with the clerk of the McPherson County Court at 500 Anderson Street, Tryon, NE 69167, or by mail to P.O. Box 122, Tryon, NE 69167. 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 McPherson County Court hours for probate?
The court lists courthouse hours as 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and hears cases on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am, with a call-ahead instruction. The phone is answered on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, even when court personnel are working from another court location.
Can I file by fax or email in McPherson County?
A person filing without a lawyer may file by fax to 308-587-2210 with the uniform cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which remains in effect for non-attorney fax filing until July 1, 2028. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212.
Is e-filing used for McPherson County probate?
Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. Rule 2-216 addresses optional non-attorney registration, so a person filing without a lawyer should ask the clerk before relying on that route.
How much does it cost to open probate in McPherson County?
Under the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, the base fee is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with formal probate charged by the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death, up to $1,500 for estates over $5,000,000 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Call 308-587-2479 to confirm payment instructions before mailing or faxing.
Can I avoid probate with an affidavit in McPherson County?
Possibly. The Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, form CC 15:40, applies to personal property when the $100,000 ceiling and other requirements are met, including the thirty-day timing rule (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). A separate real-property affidavit, form CC 15:41, is recorded with the register of deeds when Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 applies.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax in McPherson County, and who gets paid?
Yes. Nebraska is one of the few states with an inheritance tax, and it is a county tax: the McPherson 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 attend a McPherson County probate hearing by phone or video?
Nebraska law allows a county court to hold all nonevidentiary hearings, and approved evidentiary hearings with the stipulation of all appearing parties, by telephone or videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). McPherson County is in the eleventh county judge district, whose local rule requires the moving party to schedule, set up and initiate a remote hearing with the court at least five days before the hearing, except for emergencies.
How do I look up a McPherson County probate case?
Use the statewide trial court case search through Nebraska.gov at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. The JUSTICE system pricing reviewed August 2026 includes no-charge list searches, $2 case-detail views with no extra charge for document images, a $17 one-time court case search, and an annual $100 subscriber account option for frequent users.
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.