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Rock County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Rock County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Rock County Court |
| Courthouse address | Rock County Courthouse, 400 S State St., Bassett, NE 68714 |
| Mailing address | Rock County Court, P.O. Box 249, Bassett, NE 68714 |
| Phone | 402-360-0814 |
| Fax | 402-684-2741 |
| [email protected] for questions only. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212). | |
| Hours | County court staffing in Bassett is Tuesday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The same clerk of the county court can be reached through Boyd County Court on the other weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at 402-360-0814. The Rock County courthouse building lists general public hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm each weekday, excluding holidays. Call before you travel. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, $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). Confirm the current counter total with the clerk of the Rock County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | Rock County does not add local probate forms to the Nebraska forms described below. |
| E-filing | A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). 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), subject to prepayment of statutory fees. Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 provides for optional non-attorney electronic filing registration only once approved technology allows it; confirm with the clerk before relying on that route. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search through Nebraska.gov, running on the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE case management system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general search for a list of cases has no charge; 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 available at no charge 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, by telephone or videoconference in a manner that preserves an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Rock County is in the 8th county judge district, and District 8 Rule 8-2 adds a remote hearing procedure that requires court approval. |
| County judge district | 8th county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503) |
| Website | Rock County Court: https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/rock-county-court. Rock County government: https://rockcountyne.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose an informal probate application, a formal probate petition, or an affidavit route, build a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, account locations, real estate, vehicles, and beneficiary designations. That first asset map usually determines whether Rock County Court needs to open an estate settlement at all.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize liabilities, and prepare for the filing conversation with the clerk of the Rock County Court or a Nebraska probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Rock County is filed with the clerk of the Rock County Court for the county courthouse in Bassett. 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).
Rock County sits in Nebraska's 8th county judge district, which is how county judges and county court local rules are assigned; the case itself is filed for Rock County's own county court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502, § 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 Nebraska county where the decedent had property at death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether you are using informal probate or formal probate. An informal probate application is directed to the registrar, whose acts may be performed by a county judge or by a person designated by the court in a written order, while a formal probate petition is directed to the court and proceeds with 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, the asset list, and debt information. Informal probate cannot issue until at least one hundred twenty hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- Deliver the application or petition to the clerk of the Rock County Court. Use the Bassett mailing address for Rock County filings unless the clerk gives a different instruction. 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); email is not a filing method in Nebraska courts (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
- Pay the filing fee. As of August 2026, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125 sets $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with a formal probate fee schedule based on the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death.
- If the court sets a hearing, ask the clerk how Rock County applies District 8 Rule 8-2. Nebraska law permits nonevidentiary hearings, and approved evidentiary hearings with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference when the statutory conditions are met (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704).
- After appointment, the clerk publishes notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks, with the first publication within thirty days after appointment; creditor claims are barred if not presented within two months after the first publication when notice is given as required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Give any required Department of Health and Human Services notice if the decedent was 55 or older or resided in a medical institution, because the notice statute makes a nonconforming notice void (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483).
- Obtain the authority document after appointment. Nebraska uses letters testamentary for a will and letters of administration when there is no will; the court provides one certified copy of letters of appointment without charge under the probate fee statute (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125).
- Administer the estate, inventory assets, address allowed claims, and handle Nebraska inheritance tax. The Rock County Court determines inheritance tax 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 to the people entitled to it and close the estate with the appropriate closing statement when administration is complete (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Rock County
Rock County does not publish a county-specific probate packet. Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate materials, and ask the clerk of the Rock County Court what format the court expects for an informal probate application or a formal probate petition.
| Form or resource | Use |
|---|---|
| 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, when the statutory conditions are met, including the $100,000 ceiling as of the 2022 change made by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022. |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, revised October 2025 | For the real property affidavit route recorded with the register of deeds when the statutory conditions are met, including the $100,000 ceiling as of the 2024 change made by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Required as the first page when a person filing without a lawyer uses fax filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which every Nebraska court must accept for non-attorney filings until July 1, 2028 unless the rule is changed. |
| Flowchart for informal probate filed with a will | A Nebraska Judicial Branch flowchart for uncontested testate informal probate. It does not cover no-will cases, contested wills, or contested asset distribution, and it is available through nebraskajudicial.gov. |
The Judicial Branch does not provide a fill-in-the-blank application or petition that opens every decedent's estate. Court employees cannot prepare the filing for you or give legal advice.
Local nuance
Rock County-specific considerations
Rock County has a shared clerk of the county court arrangement with Boyd County under the Nebraska rule that a clerk magistrate appointed for more than one county is the clerk of the county court for each county (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507). For readers, the practical point is hours: the Rock County Court is staffed in Bassett on Tuesday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, while the same phone number reaches the clerk through Boyd County Court on the other weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Do not assume the courthouse building's general weekday hours mean the county court counter is staffed for probate filings all day. For estate settlement paperwork, call 402-360-0814 before mailing, faxing, or driving to the courthouse.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Rock County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether any solely owned assets need court authority. If an estate must be opened, file in Rock County Court based on the decedent's domicile (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410). | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues to flag for counsel, and the next estate settlement filing step. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If only personal property needs transfer and the statutory conditions are met, the Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate may be presented to the holder of the property rather than filed with the court, with the $100,000 ceiling as of the 2022 change made by LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). If Rock County Court must open an estate, call ahead because in-person county court staffing in Bassett is limited to Tuesday. | Sunset helps collect account information, generate an organized task list, and coordinate with a local attorney if court authority is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually calls for attorney review and may require a county judge rather than handling only an uncontested matter with a clerk magistrate, because Nebraska limits what clerk magistrates may hear in matters involving sale or mortgaging of real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519). | Sunset helps organize assets and debts, identify real estate issues early, and connect the family with a vetted Nebraska probate attorney for the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center | Virtual self-help information, including filing by mail, in person, or fax for people without lawyers, the no-email-filing rule, and Limited Scope Representation information through nebraskajudicial.gov. | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help |
| Nebraska Judicial Branch estates section | Estate process information, claims against estates, deposit of will information, affidavit materials, and the informal-probate flowchart through nebraskajudicial.gov. | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates |
| Rock County Court | Local filing address, phone, fax, email for questions, and Rock County Court hours. | 402-360-0814; https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/rock-county-court |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | 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 depends on household income, assets, and legal issue; the listed practice areas are family, debt, housing, and benefits rather than estate administration. | https://legalaidofnebraska.org/how-we-help/ |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | A free email-based civil legal question site for qualifying users. Its volunteer lawyers cannot represent anyone in court, and its listed topics do not include estates. | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Nebraska does not require a personal representative to use a lawyer, and the Judicial Branch's self-help materials say the law allows self-representation; the same materials say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help and that self-help materials do not cover every situation. Counsel makes particular sense if the will is contested, real estate must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor claims are disputed, inheritance tax questions are difficult, or you need Limited Scope Representation through nebraskajudicial.gov for only part of the case. Sunset connects families in Rock County to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can start estate settlement with a clearer picture of bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and debt relationships.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Rock County filing conversation, including heirs, assets, debts, and documents a Nebraska attorney or the clerk of the Rock County Court may ask you to have ready.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset connects families with vetted Nebraska probate attorneys who can advise on informal probate, formal probate, real estate, creditor claims, and inheritance tax.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset a fee, and choose attorney help only when they need it.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Rock County?
File Rock County probate matters with the clerk of the Rock County Court for the county courthouse in Bassett. Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are issued in the county court, which has exclusive original jurisdiction over decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
What are the Rock County Court hours for probate filings?
The county court is staffed in Bassett on Tuesday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. On the other weekdays, the same clerk of the county court can be reached through Boyd County Court from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at 402-360-0814. The courthouse building lists broader public hours, so call before you travel with estate settlement papers.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Rock County?
Nebraska allows self-representation, but the Judicial Branch says filing an estate will most often require help from an attorney because estates differ by assets, debts, family, and will status. A lawyer is especially useful for contested matters, real estate sales, difficult creditor issues, or inheritance tax questions.
How much does Rock County probate cost?
As of August 2026, the base statutory filing fee 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 uses a statutory schedule based on the 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 for the current counter total before filing.
Can I use an affidavit instead of opening probate?
Possibly. For personal property, Nebraska allows the Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate when the statutory requirements are met, including that thirty days have elapsed and the personal property ceiling is $100,000 as of the 2022 change made by LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). A separate real property affidavit is recorded with the register of deeds when its requirements are met, including the $100,000 real property ceiling as of the 2024 change made by LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125).
Is there Nebraska inheritance tax in a Rock County estate?
Yes. Nebraska is one of the few states with an inheritance tax, and it is a county tax: the Rock 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. § 77-2004; 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 use fax, email, or electronic filing in Rock County?
A Nebraska attorney must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). 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), subject to prepayment of statutory fees, and that fax filing rule runs until July 1, 2028 unless changed. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska courts (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
Can I appear by phone or video for a Rock County probate hearing?
Nebraska law permits a county court to hear nonevidentiary hearings, and approved evidentiary hearings with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference if the hearing preserves an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Rock County is in the 8th county judge district, and District 8 Rule 8-2 requires court approval for a remote hearing request.
How do I look up a Rock County probate case?
Use the Nebraska.gov JUSTICE trial court search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general search for lists has no charge, viewing case details is $2 per case, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100; the same case information is available at no charge at any courthouse kiosk or law library.
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.