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Richardson County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Richardson County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Richardson County Court |
| Courthouse address | 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355 |
| Mailing address | 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355 |
| Phone | 402-245-2812 |
| Fax | 402-245-3352. A person filing without a lawyer may use fax filing with the uniform cover sheet until July 1, 2028, under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| [email protected] for questions. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212. | |
| Hours | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The court office closes at midday. |
| 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). The Judicial Branch court-cost schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists the informal counter total as $44, or $45 where a will is proved and the certificate of probate of will issues. Confirm the current amount with the clerk of the Richardson County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | Richardson County does not publish a local estate-opening packet. Use the statewide estates materials, the CC 15:40 and CC 15:41 affidavits where they apply, 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 filing without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax with the required cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B); ask the clerk whether any optional non-attorney registration under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 is open before relying on it. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search is through Nebraska.gov, running 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; viewing a case's 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 a county court to hear all nonevidentiary hearings, and any evidentiary hearing the court approves with all appearing parties' stipulation, telephonically or by videoconference in a way that preserves an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Richardson County is in the first county judge district, whose Protocol for Virtual Meetings requires a request filed with the clerk at least 3 business days before the hearing and video participants to log in 5 minutes early. |
| County judge district | First county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503) |
| Website | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/richardson-county-court and https://richardsoncounty.ne.gov/county-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Richardson County filing path, list the assets, debts, account titles, deed language, beneficiary designations, and whether the original will is available. Estate settlement in Nebraska can move through an informal application, a formal petition after notice, or one of the no-court affidavits, but the right path depends on what the decedent owned and what must be transferred.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts before they file. That inventory can show whether you need Letters from the Richardson County Court, a transfer affidavit, a Register of Deeds recording, or a lawyer's help with the estate settlement.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Richardson County is filed with the clerk of the Richardson County Court at 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355. The filing office is held by a clerk magistrate, and the clerk magistrate is the clerk of the county court under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507.
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).
Richardson County sits in Nebraska's first county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). A county judge district assigns county judges and local rules; a Richardson County estate is still filed at the Richardson County courthouse in Falls City.
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 had property (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening track. An informal probate uses an application to the registrar; 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 county court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216). A formal probate uses a petition to the court after notice.
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, names and addresses for interested persons, asset information, debt information, and any facts needed to show Richardson County venue under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410.
- File with the clerk of the Richardson County Court at 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355. A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202. A person without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax to 402-245-3352 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Email is not a filing route under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212.
- Pay the filing fee under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. The base fee is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, and formal fees run by statutory schedule up to $1,500 for a Nebraska estate over $5,000,000, as reflected in the statewide schedule effective July 1, 2026.
- For informal probate, wait until at least 120 hours have passed after death before the registrar issues the written statement of informal probate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415). For formal probate, follow the court's notice requirements and any hearing instructions.
- If a hearing is set and you want to participate by telephone or videoconference, file the First Judicial District virtual-meeting request with the clerk at least 3 business days before the hearing. Remote procedure depends on the judge's approval and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704.
- 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 must mail the published notice and prove it (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Creditor claims are barred two months after the date of first publication if notice is given as required (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 Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483 makes that notice part of the creditor-notice process.
- Use the Letters issued by the Richardson County Court to collect estate assets, prepare the inventory, deal with creditors, and handle transfers. One certified copy of Letters is provided without charge under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125(2).
- Address Nebraska inheritance tax. The Richardson County Court determines the county inheritance tax, 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), and the tax is due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010).
- Distribute the remaining property when the estate is ready, then close the case. If the estate is closed by filing a closing statement, use the Nebraska Probate Code closing procedure under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Richardson County
Richardson County does not publish a local estate-opening packet or local probate cover sheet. The Nebraska Judicial Branch estates materials apply, and the clerk of the Richardson County Court cannot supply a fill-in application for informal probate or petition for formal probate for every estate.
| Form or resource | Use in Richardson County |
|---|---|
| CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate | Use only when the personal-property affidavit requirements apply, including the $100,000 ceiling in effect since the 2022 change made by LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). It is presented to the person or institution holding the property, not filed with the Richardson County Court. |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate | Use only when the real-property affidavit requirements apply, including the separate $100,000 ceiling in effect since the 2024 change made by 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 real property is located. |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Required as the first page of a fax filing by a person without a lawyer under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Fax filings to the Richardson County Court go to 402-245-3352. |
| Informal-probate flowchart | The Judicial Branch estates flowchart on nebraskajudicial.gov addresses informal probate filed with a will and does not cover estates with no will, a contested will, or contested distribution. |
| Master forms list | The statewide forms list at https://nebraskajudicial.gov/forms includes the CC 15 estates forms, but it does not provide a complete opening packet for every estate. |
Local nuance
Richardson County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Midday court closure | The Richardson County Court office is open 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Plan in-person estate filings around the noon closure. |
| First Judicial District virtual-meeting protocol | For a nontestimonial proceeding, a request to participate virtually must be filed with the clerk at least 3 business days before the hearing. Each party appearing by video must be logged in 5 minutes before the hearing, and the judge controls whether videoconference participation is allowed under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
| Separate land-records counter | A real-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 is recorded with the Richardson County Register of Deeds, not filed as a probate case. The Register of Deeds counter is at 1700 Stone Street, Room 201, Falls City, and keeps different hours from the court office. |
| Home-sale authority | A clerk magistrate may handle some noncontested estate matters, but not a determination of title to real estate or authorization to sell or mortgage real estate; those matters go to a county judge (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507, § 24-519). |
Recent updates
| Date | Richardson County probate update |
|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | The First Judicial District amended its Protocol for Virtual Meetings. In Richardson County, a request to participate virtually in a nontestimonial hearing must be filed with the clerk at least 3 business days before the hearing, subject to the judge's discretion and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. If a personal-property transfer can be handled by CC 15:40, the claiming successor presents the affidavit to the holder under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. If a real-property interest can be handled by CC 15:41, record it with the Richardson County Register of Deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. If Letters are needed, file with the Richardson County Court in Falls City. | Sunset helps identify accounts, deeds, beneficiary designations, and whether the estate settlement needs Letters or an affidavit route. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If CC 15:40 applies under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, no trip to Falls City is needed to file that affidavit. If Letters are needed, mail the filing to 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355, or fax it to 402-245-3352 with the cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). If a hearing is set, a virtual-meeting request must be filed at least 3 business days before the hearing under the local protocol and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. | Sunset organizes the asset list, prepares the probate packet, and helps coordinate a Richardson County attorney if the family wants local help. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires more than an affidavit. The clerk magistrate may hear noncontested estate matters, but not authorization to sell or mortgage real estate or determination of title to real estate; those matters go to a county judge (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507, § 24-519). Notice to creditors and the claims bar run under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483 and § 30-2485, and inheritance tax is handled through the Richardson County Court under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004 and § 77-2010. | Sunset helps find assets and debts, produce an attorney-ready packet, and connect the family with a vetted probate attorney for the home-sale issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help | Statewide self-help information, including the rule that court documents from people without lawyers may be filed in person, by mail, or by fax with the required cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), and that email filings are not allowed. |
| Estates section, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates | Estate topics, the informal-probate flowchart on nebraskajudicial.gov, claims against estates, deposit of will information, and the two no-court affidavit routes. |
| Additional information: Estates, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates/additional-information-estates | Explains that the law allows self-representation, while filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help and the Self-Help Center cannot provide materials for every situation. |
| Richardson County Court page, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/richardson-county-court | Local court address, phone, fax, email, hours, district, and judge information for filings in Falls City. |
| County court contacts, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/directories/county-court-contacts | Statewide county court contact directory. |
| Master forms list, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/forms | Statewide forms list, including CC 15:40 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 and CC 15:41 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. |
| 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 and Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Central. ElderAccessLine 1.800.527.7249 serves people 60 and over in all Nebraska counties. Screening depends on household income, assets, and legal issue; the published practice areas are family, debt, housing, and benefits rather than estate administration, and the organization takes no walk-ins. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers, https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/ | Free Legal Answers lets qualifying users post civil legal questions for Nebraska-licensed volunteer attorneys. Its topic list does not include estates, and volunteers cannot represent anyone in court. |
| Limited Scope Representation, https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help | Information about hiring a lawyer for part of a case rather than the whole matter. |
When to hire an attorney
Nebraska does not require a personal representative to hire a lawyer, and the Judicial Branch's estates materials say the law allows you to represent yourself. The same materials say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help, and Richardson County does not publish a local fill-in opening packet for every estate. Limited Scope Representation through nebraskajudicial.gov can be a middle option when you need help with part of the case, and Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts before deciding how to proceed in Richardson County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet that can be reviewed for an informal application, a formal petition after notice, or an affidavit route where the Nebraska requirements are met.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, inheritance tax, creditor disputes, missing information, or a formal hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Nebraska probate attorney familiar with county court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, find assets, and understand the next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Richardson County?
File with the clerk of the Richardson County Court at 1700 Stone Street, Room 205, Falls City, NE 68355. 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 Richardson County Court hours?
The Richardson County Court office is open 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The office closes during the noon hour, so call 402-245-2812 before making a special trip.
Do I need a lawyer for Richardson County probate?
Nebraska law allows self-representation, but the Judicial Branch estates materials say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help. That is especially true when there is no fill-in opening petition, real estate must be sold, a dispute is expected, or inheritance tax questions need legal review.
How much does it cost to file probate in Richardson County?
The base statutory filing fee is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, and formal probate fees run from $22 to $1,500 based on the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). The Judicial Branch court-cost schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists the informal counter total as $44, or $45 where a will is proved and the certificate of probate of will issues.
Can a Richardson County family use an affidavit instead of opening probate?
Sometimes. CC 15:40 can transfer personal property without probate when the statutory requirements apply, including the $100,000 ceiling in effect since LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). CC 15:41 can transfer real property without probate when its separate requirements apply, including the $100,000 ceiling in effect since LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024, and it is recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax in Richardson County, and who is paid?
Yes. Nebraska inheritance tax is a county tax, the Richardson County Court determines it, and it is paid to the county. The tax is due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010), and 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 appear by phone or video for a Richardson County probate hearing?
Nebraska law allows nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the court with all appearing parties' stipulation, to be heard telephonically or by videoconference if the record is preserved (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). In the First Judicial District, a virtual-meeting request must be filed with the clerk at least 3 business days before the hearing, and video participants must log in 5 minutes early.
Can I file Richardson County probate papers by fax or email?
A person filing without a lawyer may file by fax to 402-245-3352 with the uniform cover sheet until July 1, 2028, under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Email filings are not allowed under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212. Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202.
How do I look up a Richardson County probate case?
Use Nebraska.gov's JUSTICE statewide trial court search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. A general search for a list of cases is free; viewing case details is $2 per case, and frequent users can use a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. The same case information is free at any courthouse kiosk or law library.
Do I have to travel to Falls City for every step?
Not always. Filings can be mailed, and a person without a lawyer may use fax filing with the required cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). If a hearing is scheduled, ask early about the First Judicial District virtual-meeting request procedure under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704.
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.