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Thurston County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Thurston County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Thurston County Court |
| Courthouse address | 106 South 5th Street, Pender, NE 68047 |
| Mailing address | Thurston County Court, P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047 |
| Phone | 402-385-3136 |
| Fax | 402-385-3143. A person filing without a lawyer may use fax filing with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which every Nebraska court must accept until July 1, 2028. |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Email filings are not allowed in Nebraska court cases (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212). | |
| Hours | The Nebraska Judicial Branch listing gives 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Thurston County's website gives 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, open through lunch. Call 402-385-3136 before traveling, especially early in the morning. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, $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 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Confirm the current amount with the clerk of the Thurston County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | No Thurston County-specific probate packet, local cover sheet, or local probate form is published on the Thurston County court page. Nebraska forms CC 15:40 and CC 15:41 cover the two no-probate affidavit routes (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129). |
| E-filing | A Nebraska attorney must file electronically (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). Confirm with the clerk whether non-attorney electronic filing registration under Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 is open before relying on it. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search through Nebraska.gov, running on the Judicial Branch's JUSTICE case management system: https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. A general search returns lists at no charge; viewing a case's details costs $2, 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). Thurston County is in the sixth county judge district, and local Rule 6.7 requires a request at least 48 hours before a nontestimonial hearing; remote participation is at the county judge's discretion. |
| County judge district | Thurston County is in Nebraska's sixth county judge district with Burt, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, and Washington counties (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). |
| Website | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/thurston-county-court and https://thurstoncountyne.gov/county-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Thurston County, list the assets, debts, account titles, beneficiary designations, vehicles, and any real estate. Estate settlement in Nebraska turns on what must be transferred, whether Letters are needed, and whether the no-probate affidavit routes fit the property.
Sunset can help identify accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions before you prepare the probate packet for the Thurston County Court. That asset picture also helps you decide whether to ask a local attorney about informal probate, formal probate with notice, inheritance tax, or a real estate sale.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Thurston County is filed with the clerk of the Thurston County Court at 106 South 5th Street in Pender. Mail goes to Thurston County Court, P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047. The courthouse serves Pender and communities in Thurston County.
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). Thurston County sits in Nebraska's sixth 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 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 at death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening track. Informal probate uses an application to the registrar; 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 Thurston County Court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216). Formal probate uses a petition to the court with notice to interested persons.
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, family and heir information, asset information, and debt information. For an informal probate with a will, Nebraska law also addresses delivery of the will to the court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2414).
- File with the clerk of the Thurston County Court at 106 South 5th Street, Pender, NE 68047, by mail to P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047, or, if you are filing without a lawyer, by fax to 402-385-3143 with the uniform 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 Nebraska probate filing fee. As of August 2026, a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally is $22, and a formal probate is charged on the gross value schedule in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125.
- For informal probate, build in the statutory waiting period. The registrar may issue the written statement of informal probate only if at least 120 hours have elapsed since death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415).
- After a personal representative is appointed, notice to creditors is published by the clerk once a week for three successive weeks, with the first publication within thirty days after appointment (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Claims covered by that notice are generally barred unless presented within two months after the date of first publication (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Give the Department of Health and Human Services notice when required for a decedent who was 55 or older or resided in a medical institution (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483).
- Obtain Letters. Nebraska uses letters testamentary for a testate estate and letters of administration for an intestate estate; one certified copy of letters of appointment is provided without charge under the formal fee statute (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125).
- Administer the estate, prepare the inventory, handle claims, and address Nebraska inheritance tax. The Thurston 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, § 77-2004).
- If a hearing is set and you want to request remote participation, ask the court about District 6 Rule 6.7. For a nontestimonial matter, the request must be made at least 48 hours before the hearing, and the appearance is at the county judge's discretion, consistent with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704.
- Distribute property and close the estate. Nebraska's closing route may include a closing statement (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128). Use the final estate settlement stage to confirm receipts, releases, remaining claims, taxes, and any required court filings.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Thurston County
Nebraska publishes a partial estate form set, but not a complete opening packet for a Thurston County estate. The Judicial Branch does not publish a statewide form for the application that opens informal probate, the petition that opens formal probate, Letters, or an inventory, and Thurston County does not publish a local probate packet to fill that gap.
| Form or resource | Use in Thurston County |
|---|---|
| CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate | Revised July 2022. Used for qualifying personal property after 30 days and a $100,000 ceiling under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. It is presented to the holder of the property, not filed with the Thurston County Court. |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate | Revised October 2025. Used for qualifying Nebraska real property after 30 days and a separate $100,000 ceiling under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. In Thurston County, it is recorded with the Thurston County Register of Deeds, not filed with the court. |
| 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). Use the Thurston County Court fax number, 402-385-3143. |
| Flowchart for informal probate with a will | The Nebraska Judicial Branch flowchart on nebraskajudicial.gov is for an uncontested informal probate filed with a will. It does not cover no-will, contested-will, or contested-distribution situations. |
Local nuance
Thurston County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two opening times are published | The Nebraska Judicial Branch listing gives 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Thurston County's website gives 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, open through lunch. Call 402-385-3136 before going early in the morning. |
| Real property affidavit counter | The Thurston County Register of Deeds is in the same building at 106 South 5th Street, Pender, with phone 402-385-2343 and fax 402-385-3544. The real property affidavit is recorded there under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129. |
| District 6 remote participation rule | Rule 6.7 covers video and telephone appearances. Nontestimonial matters are remote only at the county judge's discretion, the request must be made at least 48 hours before the hearing, and the participant must be logged in 5 minutes before the hearing, consistent with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Thurston County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. If personal property qualifies, CC 15:40 may be presented to the holder after 30 days under the $100,000 ceiling (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). If Nebraska real property qualifies, CC 15:41 is recorded with the Thurston County Register of Deeds under the separate $100,000 ceiling (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129). If Letters are needed, file with the Thurston County Court in Pender. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, identify transfer paths, and generate a county-ready probate packet when court authority is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the personal property affidavit route applies, the affidavit goes to the holder, not to the court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). If Letters are needed, you may file by mail to P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047, or by fax to 402-385-3143 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Ask about any remote hearing request at least 48 hours ahead under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and District 6 Rule 6.7. | Sunset helps locate accounts before travel decisions, prepare the filing packet, and connect you with local counsel if a hearing, tax issue, or sale is involved. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires opening the estate in the Thurston County Court. A clerk magistrate may hear some noncontested estate and inheritance tax matters, but may not determine title to real estate or authorize a sale or mortgage of real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519, § 24-507). A county judge handles those issues. Notice to creditors and the two-month claims bar apply after appointment (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483, § 30-2485). | Sunset helps assemble the asset and debt picture, prepare the personal representative's paperwork, and connect the family with a vetted probate attorney for the real estate sale issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the Thurston County Court | 106 South 5th Street, Pender, NE 68047. Mail: P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047. Phone 402-385-3136. Fax 402-385-3143. Email [email protected] for questions, not filings. Hours differ by listing, so call before traveling early. Court staff can accept filings but cannot give legal advice. |
| Thurston County Register of Deeds | 106 South 5th Street, Pender, NE 68047. Phone 402-385-2343. Fax 402-385-3544. This is where the real property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 is recorded. |
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help. This virtual self-help center includes the fax-filing mechanics, the no-email-filing rule, and Limited Scope Representation information on nebraskajudicial.gov. |
| Estates section | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates and https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates/additional-information-estates. Includes estate information, the informal probate flowchart on nebraskajudicial.gov, and links to CC 15:40 and CC 15:41. |
| Statewide case search | https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. Searches the Nebraska.gov JUSTICE trial court system. General result lists are returned at no charge; viewing case details costs $2, and frequent users can open an annual $100 Nebraska.gov subscriber account. |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | https://legalaidofnebraska.org/. Statewide AccessLine 1.877.250.2016 is open 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 93 counties. Screening depends on household income, assets, and legal issue; estate administration is not among its published practice areas, and intake is not by walk-up visit. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/. Nebraska Free Legal Answers lets qualifying users ask civil legal questions online at no cost. Its published topic list does not include estates, and volunteer lawyers cannot represent anyone in court. |
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 self-representation while also saying that filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help because the Self-Help Center cannot supply forms for every situation. Thurston County publishes no local probate packet to fill that gap, and the clerk of the Thurston County Court can accept filings but cannot interpret the law. Limited Scope Representation information is available through nebraskajudicial.gov, and families who want to check income-based eligibility can contact Legal Aid of Nebraska at 1.877.250.2016, while recognizing that estate administration is not among its published practice areas. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts that can shape the Thurston County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Once you know what must pass through the Thurston County Court, Sunset helps organize the information needed for the personal representative's filing packet and next steps.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves formal probate, a home sale, inheritance tax questions, contested issues, or missing forms, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Nebraska probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement workload, organize assets, and decide what support they need before filing in Thurston County.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Thurston County?
File with the clerk of the Thurston County Court at 106 South 5th Street, Pender, NE 68047, or mail the filing to Thurston County Court, P.O. Box 129, Pender, NE 68047. 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 Thurston County Court hours?
The Nebraska Judicial Branch listing gives 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Thurston County's website gives 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, open through lunch. Call 402-385-3136 before traveling, especially early in the morning.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Thurston County?
Nebraska law allows self-representation, but the Judicial Branch's estates materials also say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help. Thurston County does not publish a local opening packet, and court staff cannot give legal advice.
How much does probate cost to file in Thurston County?
As of August 2026, the statewide 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 is charged on a gross value schedule from $22 to $1,500 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. Confirm the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Can I use an affidavit instead of opening probate?
Possibly. CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, applies to qualifying personal property after 30 days and a $100,000 ceiling under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, and it is presented to the property holder. CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, applies to qualifying Nebraska real property under a separate $100,000 ceiling and is recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129.
Can I file by fax or email in Thurston County?
A person filing without a lawyer may file by fax to 402-385-3143 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which every Nebraska court 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 Thurston County probate hearing?
Nebraska law permits a county court to conduct all nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the court with all appearing parties' stipulation, by telephone or videoconference while preserving an accurate record (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). District 6 Rule 6.7 leaves remote participation for nontestimonial matters to the county judge's discretion and requires a request at least 48 hours before the hearing.
How do I look up a Thurston County probate case?
Use the Nebraska.gov JUSTICE trial court search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. A general search returns lists at no charge; viewing case details costs $2, with no extra charge for document images. Frequent users can open an annual $100 Nebraska.gov subscriber account, and the same case information is available at no charge at courthouse kiosks and law libraries.
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax in a Thurston County estate?
Yes. Nebraska inheritance tax is determined by the Thurston County Court and paid to the county, with the tax due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010, § 77-2018.01, § 77-2004). 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.
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.