Back to Wyoming
Sheridan County, WY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | The District Court in Sheridan County, part of the Fourth Judicial District. Wyoming has no separate probate court; the district court handles probate (W.S. 2-2-101), and the judicial officer is a district judge |
| Filing office | Clerk of the District Court, the elected county officer who takes petitions and keeps estate records; this is a different office from the county clerk, where a small-estate affidavit is filed |
| Courthouse | 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801 |
| Mailing | Clerk of the District Court, 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801 (there is no separate P.O. box; mail goes to the street address) |
| Phone | (307) 674-2960 |
| Fax | (307) 674-2589 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed weekends and holidays |
| Filing fee | $160 to open probate ($110 filing fee, $40 court automation fee, and $10 indigent civil legal services fee), set by statute and uniform in every county (W.S. 5-3-206, uniform statewide, verified July 2026), plus a graduated inventory fee when an inventory or appraisement is filed showing an estate of $5,000 or more (W.S. 2-2-401) |
| Local forms | Wyoming has no Sheridan County form set. The statewide small-estate probate forms are published on the Wyoming Judicial Branch self-help page (wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms); there is no statewide do-it-yourself packet for a full formal administration |
| E-filing | Mandatory for Wyoming-licensed attorneys through File and Serve (File & ServeXpress), effective October 1, 2024. The district-court e-filing system is not available to self-represented (pro se) filers, who file on paper in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court |
| Case search | Wyoming does not offer remote public access to district-court filings, so there is no free online probate docket search for Sheridan County. View records at the courthouse, request copies in writing from the Clerk of the District Court, or use the Wyoming State Law Library |
| Remote appearance | Hearing formats are set by the assigned district judge; the court does not publish a standing remote-appearance policy, so confirm any telephone or video option with the Clerk of the District Court before a scheduled date |
| Website | https://www.sheridancountywy.gov/county_government/elected_offices/clerk_of_district_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
The first Sheridan County question is which route fits the estate, and then what you must bring to the Clerk of the District Court. Wyoming's routes are full administration in the district court (the court admits the will, if any, and issues letters testamentary to an executor or letters of administration to an administrator under Wyo. Stat. Title 2); probate of a will without administration (W.S. 2-6-122); a court decree of summary distribution for a qualifying small estate, which can pass real property and mineral interests (W.S. 2-1-205); and, for personal property only, a small-estate affidavit filed with the county clerk without opening a court case (W.S. 2-1-201). Which one fits turns on whether there is a will, what the estate holds, and its value; the routes and their thresholds are covered on the Wyoming state page.
Before you file, identify every bank, credit union, brokerage, and retirement account, life insurance policy, vehicle, mineral or royalty interest, business interest, and parcel of Sheridan County real estate, along with every debt, and identify each heir and devisee by name. Only then can you pick the right route, complete the forms accurately, and decide whether counsel is needed. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The District Court in Sheridan County serves all of Sheridan County, in north-central Wyoming along the Montana border, and sits in the Fourth Judicial District, which also covers neighboring Johnson County. Its communities include Sheridan, the county seat and largest city, along with Ranchester, Dayton, and Clearmont, the communities of Big Horn and Story, and the county's unincorporated ranch country at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains. Venue for probate lies in the county where the decedent resided at death, regardless of where the death occurred; for a decedent who was not a Wyoming resident, venue lies where the Wyoming property is located (W.S. 2-2-102). A Sheridan County decedent's estate is filed with the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan no matter which town within the county the person lived in.
Sheridan County has one Clerk of the District Court office, at 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, in Sheridan, and that single office serves the entire county. The Fourth Judicial District is an administrative grouping of judges covering Sheridan and Johnson counties; probate is still filed in the decedent's county, in that county's district court, not in the district at large. Wyoming-licensed attorneys file electronically through the state's File and Serve system; a self-represented filer files on paper with the Clerk, in person in Sheridan or by mail. The Sheridan office is where petitions are lodged, letters and decrees are issued, estate records are kept, and any hearing before a district judge takes place.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue. Sheridan County is the right county when the decedent resided here at death, regardless of where the death occurred; for a nonresident, file where the Wyoming property is (W.S. 2-2-102). Every Sheridan County estate is filed with the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan; the town within the county does not change where the estate is filed.
- Choose the route. Full administration in the district court applies when the estate must be collected, creditors paid, and property distributed under court supervision; the court admits the will (if any) and issues letters testamentary or letters of administration (Wyo. Stat. Title 2; W.S. 2-4 for intestate administration). A will may instead be admitted without administration where appropriate (W.S. 2-6-122). A qualifying small estate can use a court decree of summary distribution, which can pass real property and mineral interests (W.S. 2-1-205), or, for personal property only, a small-estate affidavit filed with the county clerk with no court case opened (W.S. 2-1-201). The routes and their thresholds are on the Wyoming state page.
- Gather what the Clerk needs: the original will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the names and addresses of the heirs and devisees, and a working list of the estate's assets and debts. Wyoming's estate representative is the personal representative, specified as an executor (named in a will) or an administrator (appointed where there is no will).
- Prepare the documents. Wyoming publishes statewide small-estate forms on the Judicial Branch self-help page (wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms), but there is no statewide do-it-yourself packet for a full formal administration, which is drafted to the district court's requirements and usually with counsel. Confirm a form's current name on that page before relying on it.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, in Sheridan. A Wyoming-licensed attorney must e-file through File and Serve; a self-represented filer files on paper in person or by mail to the Clerk of the District Court, 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801. Pay the $160 fee to open probate ($110 filing fee, $40 court automation fee, and $10 indigent civil legal services fee), which is set by statute and the same in every county (W.S. 5-3-206, uniform statewide, verified July 2026).
- Give notice to creditors. In a full administration, after letters are issued the personal representative publishes a notice to creditors once a week for three consecutive weeks in a Sheridan County newspaper of general circulation; creditors must file claims with the Clerk within three months of the first publication, or be forever barred (W.S. 2-7-201).
- Receive authority. The court issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (no will), the personal representative's proof of authority to open the estate account, collect assets, and act for the estate. A summary-distribution decree (W.S. 2-1-205) instead establishes title directly; a certified copy is recorded with the county clerk of each county where the real property or mineral interests are located.
- Administer and close. Collect the assets, file the inventory or appraisement (a graduated inventory fee applies at $5,000 or more of value under W.S. 2-2-401), address creditor claims, account where required, distribute to the heirs or devisees, and close the estate. Wyoming imposes no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax, so no Wyoming death-tax return is required.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sheridan County
There is no Sheridan County probate form set. Wyoming's statewide self-help forms are published on the Wyoming Judicial Branch self-help page at wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms, and they cover small estates, not full probate. The set includes the small-estate forms used for the affidavit for collection of personal property (W.S. 2-1-201) and the application for a decree of summary distribution (W.S. 2-1-205). Confirm a form's current name on that page before relying on it.
There is no statewide do-it-yourself packet for a full formal administration. A formal probate is drafted to the district court's requirements, which is why most families in a full administration work with counsel. In Sheridan County the completed documents are filed with the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan: a Wyoming-licensed attorney e-files through File and Serve, and a self-represented filer files on paper in person or by mail. The Clerk's staff can tell you how the office wants filings made, but they cannot give legal advice or tell you which route to choose.
Local nuance
Sheridan County-specific considerations
One filing office for the county, in a two-county judicial district. Sheridan County has a single Clerk of the District Court office, at 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, in Sheridan, and that one office serves the whole county. The court sits in the Fourth Judicial District, which also covers neighboring Johnson County; the district is an administrative grouping of judges, and a Sheridan County estate is still filed in Sheridan, not in the district at large. District judges are appointed through Wyoming's merit-selection system and stand for retention, so this page refers to the district judge and the Clerk of the District Court by title rather than by name.
No remote public docket search; records are viewed or requested locally. Wyoming does not offer remote public access to district-court filings, so there is no free online probate docket search for Sheridan County. To check on a case or obtain copies, contact the Clerk of the District Court, view records at the courthouse, or use the Wyoming State Law Library. A written records request to the Clerk, with the case information, the copies needed, applicable fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope, is the usual way to obtain documents by mail.
Two filing routes at one counter, plus a separate county-clerk affidavit. In the district court, Wyoming-licensed attorneys must e-file through File and Serve, while self-represented filers file paper petitions in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court. The personal-property small-estate affidavit is different: it opens no court case and is filed with the Sheridan County Clerk, a separate office from the Clerk of the District Court (W.S. 2-1-201). Keep the two clerks distinct when you file.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Sheridan County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Sheridan home held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship passes to the surviving spouse outside probate; title is cleared by recording the death certificate with the Sheridan County Clerk. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need administration in the district court. If the sole-name estate is at or under the small-estate ceiling and holds no real property, the survivor may use the personal-property affidavit (W.S. 2-1-201); otherwise the estate is opened with the Clerk of the District Court. | Asset discovery to separate survivorship property from sole-name assets. Packet generation for the small-estate affidavit or the district-court filing. Guidance on clearing title with the Sheridan County Clerk. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | If the parent resided in Sheridan County and left a qualifying small estate, a successor may be able to use the personal-property affidavit (W.S. 2-1-201), filed with the county clerk with no court case, available 30 days after death, or a decree of summary distribution (W.S. 2-1-205) where real property or mineral interests must pass. Because self-represented filers cannot e-file in district court, a full administration is filed on paper by mail to the Clerk of the District Court, so an out-of-state child can often avoid traveling to Sheridan to open it. | Asset discovery to confirm what the estate holds and which small-estate route fits. Packet generation for the affidavit, the summary-distribution application, or the district-court filing. Attorney referral if the estate turns out to be larger or contested. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full administration in the District Court in Sheridan County. Because there is no will, the parent petitions to be appointed administrator and receives letters of administration, then publishes the notice to creditors (W.S. 2-7-201), collects assets, and lists the child's Sheridan County real estate. The home is sold under the personal representative's authority before the remaining property is distributed. A summary-distribution decree may be an option only if the estate qualifies as a small estate. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts, property, and any mineral interests. Packet generation for the administration filing and the inventory. Attorney referral to run the full administration and any contested step, since Wyoming has no do-it-yourself packet for formal probate. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Sheridan County Clerk of the District Court (sheridancountywy.gov) | The county's own page for the Clerk of the District Court: address, phone, fax, email, hours, the fee schedule, and filing contact for Sheridan County estates |
| Wyoming Judicial Branch self-help forms (wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms) | The statewide small-estate probate forms, including the personal-property affidavit and the summary-distribution application; there is no statewide packet for a full formal administration |
| Wyoming Judicial Branch legal-help hub (wyocourts.gov/legal-help) | Statewide self-help information and help finding a lawyer, plus the district-court e-filing information for File and Serve |
| Equal Justice Wyoming (equaljustice.wy.gov, (307) 777-8383) | The state civil legal-services program: self-help information and forms, including wills and estates |
| Legal Aid of Wyoming (lawyoming.org) | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Wyoming residents |
| Wyoming State Bar lawyer referral and Modest Means (wyomingbar.org/for-the-public/hire-a-lawyer) | Lawyer referral statewide, including Sheridan County probate, and a Modest Means Program that caps rates for moderate-income clients; confirm the current referral phone on the site |
| Wyoming State Law Library (Cheyenne) | Public access to court records and legal materials, the practical place to view district-court probate records given there is no remote public search; confirm hours and location before visiting |
When to hire an attorney
Many Sheridan County families settle a small estate on their own, using the statewide small-estate forms and the personal-property affidavit or the summary-distribution decree. Counsel makes more sense in a full administration, because Wyoming publishes no do-it-yourself packet for formal probate and Wyoming-licensed attorneys e-file the case through File and Serve. It also makes sense when the will is contested or heirship is in dispute; when the estate is insolvent or its solvency is in doubt; when the estate holds a business interest, ranch land, mineral or royalty interests, or out-of-state property; when Sheridan County real estate must be sold and the terms are disputed; or when heirs are in conflict. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Sheridan County probate attorney when the situation calls for counsel.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Sheridan County real estate, mineral and royalty interests, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value, can plan estate settlement, and can pick the right Wyoming route before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Sheridan County filing: the small-estate affidavit or summary-distribution application where the estate qualifies, or the documents for a full administration, ready to file with the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan by mail or, through a Wyoming attorney, by File and Serve.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs a full administration or is contested, Sunset connects families to a vetted Sheridan County probate attorney to file and appear.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sheridan County, Wyoming?
With the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan County, at 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801. Wyoming has no separate probate court, so probate is handled by the District Court (W.S. 2-2-101). Venue is the county where the decedent resided at death (W.S. 2-2-102).
Is there a probate court in Sheridan County?
No. Wyoming has no separate probate court. Probate is handled by the District Court in Sheridan County, the general-jurisdiction trial court, part of the Fourth Judicial District, which has exclusive jurisdiction over probate (W.S. 2-2-101). Petitions are filed with the Clerk of the District Court, and the judicial officer is a district judge.
Can I e-file probate in Sheridan County?
It depends on who is filing. E-filing through File and Serve is mandatory for Wyoming-licensed attorneys (effective October 1, 2024). The district-court e-filing system is not available to self-represented (pro se) filers, who file on paper in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court in Sheridan.
How much does it cost to open probate in Sheridan County?
$160 to open a probate: a $110 filing fee, a $40 court automation fee, and a $10 indigent civil legal services fee. This fee is set by statute and is the same in every Wyoming county (W.S. 5-3-206, verified July 2026), and the county's own District Court fee schedule lists probate at $160. When an inventory or appraisement is filed showing an estate of $5,000 or more, a graduated inventory fee also applies (W.S. 2-2-401); there is no inventory fee for an estate under $5,000.
How do I look up a Sheridan County probate case?
Wyoming does not offer remote public access to district-court filings, so there is no free online probate docket search for Sheridan County. To check on a case or get copies, contact the Clerk of the District Court, view records at the courthouse, or use the Wyoming State Law Library. A written records request with the case information and applicable fees is the usual way to obtain documents by mail.
What forms do I use for a Sheridan County estate?
For a small estate, the statewide Wyoming small-estate forms on the Judicial Branch self-help page (wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms), including the personal-property affidavit (W.S. 2-1-201) and the summary-distribution application (W.S. 2-1-205). There is no Sheridan County form set and no statewide packet for a full formal administration, which is drafted to the district court's requirements and usually with counsel.
What is the difference between the county clerk and the Clerk of the District Court?
They are two different offices. The Clerk of the District Court runs the court counter in Sheridan County, taking probate petitions and issuing letters and decrees. The Sheridan County Clerk is a separate office, and it is where a personal-property small-estate affidavit is filed (W.S. 2-1-201) and where a summary-distribution decree affecting real property is recorded. File probate cases with the Clerk of the District Court.
Do I have to travel to Sheridan to settle the estate?
Not necessarily to open it. A self-represented filer can mail the paper petition and supporting documents to the Clerk of the District Court at 224 South Main Street, Suite B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801, and a Wyoming attorney e-files through File and Serve. The Sheridan office matters for in-person filing, viewing records, and any hearing before a district judge.
Does Wyoming have an estate tax or inheritance tax on a Sheridan County estate?
No. Wyoming imposes no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax, so no Wyoming death-tax return is required regardless of the size of the estate. A very large estate may still have a federal estate tax obligation; the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per individual for deaths in 2026.
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.