Minnesota Probate Court Finder
For detailed information about the probate court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code or select your county. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the probate court in your area.
Minnesota Probate Courts
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Hennepin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Minneapolis) FIPS: 27053 - pop.1,281,565 -
Ramsey County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Paul) FIPS: 27123 - pop.552,352 -
Dakota County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hastings) FIPS: 27037 - pop.439,882 -
Anoka County Probate Court
County Seat: (Anoka) FIPS: 27003 - pop.363,887 -
Washington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stillwater) FIPS: 27163 - pop.267,568 -
Saint Louis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Duluth) FIPS: 27137 - pop.200,231 -
Olmsted County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rochester) FIPS: 27109 - pop.162,847 -
Stearns County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Cloud) FIPS: 27145 - pop.158,292 -
Scott County Probate Court
County Seat: (Shakopee) FIPS: 27139 - pop.150,928 -
Wright County Probate Court
County Seat: (Buffalo) FIPS: 27171 - pop.141,337 -
Carver County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chaska) FIPS: 27019 - pop.106,922 -
Sherburne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Elk River) FIPS: 27141 - pop.97,183 -
Blue Earth County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mankato) FIPS: 27013 - pop.69,112 -
Rice County Probate Court
County Seat: (Faribault) FIPS: 27131 - pop.67,097 -
Crow Wing County Probate Court
County Seat: (Brainerd) FIPS: 27035 - pop.66,123 -
Clay County Probate Court
County Seat: (Moorhead) FIPS: 27027 - pop.65,318 -
Otter Tail County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fergus Falls) FIPS: 27111 - pop.60,081 -
Chisago County Probate Court
County Seat: (Center City) FIPS: 27025 - pop.56,621 -
Winona County Probate Court
County Seat: (Winona) FIPS: 27169 - pop.49,671 -
Goodhue County Probate Court
County Seat: (Red Wing) FIPS: 27049 - pop.47,582 -
Beltrami County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bemidji) FIPS: 27007 - pop.46,228 -
Itasca County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grand Rapids) FIPS: 27061 - pop.45,014 -
Kandiyohi County Probate Court
County Seat: (Willmar) FIPS: 27067 - pop.43,732 -
Benton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Foley) FIPS: 27009 - pop.41,379 -
Isanti County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cambridge) FIPS: 27059 - pop.41,135 -
Mower County Probate Court
County Seat: (Austin) FIPS: 27099 - pop.40,029 -
Douglas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alexandria) FIPS: 27041 - pop.39,006 -
Steele County Probate Court
County Seat: (Owatonna) FIPS: 27147 - pop.37,406 -
McLeod County Probate Court
County Seat: (Glencoe) FIPS: 27085 - pop.36,771 -
Carlton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carlton) FIPS: 27017 - pop.36,207 -
Becker County Probate Court
County Seat: (Detroit Lakes) FIPS: 27005 - pop.35,183 -
Nicollet County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Peter) FIPS: 27103 - pop.34,454 -
Morrison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Little Falls) FIPS: 27097 - pop.34,010 -
Polk County Probate Court
County Seat: (Crookston) FIPS: 27119 - pop.31,192 -
Freeborn County Probate Court
County Seat: (Albert Lea) FIPS: 27047 - pop.30,895 -
Cass County Probate Court
County Seat: (Walker) FIPS: 27021 - pop.30,066 -
Pine County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pine City) FIPS: 27115 - pop.28,876 -
Le Sueur County Probate Court
County Seat: (Le Center) FIPS: 27079 - pop.28,674 -
Mille Lacs County Probate Court
County Seat: (Milaca) FIPS: 27095 - pop.26,459 -
Brown County Probate Court
County Seat: (New Ulm) FIPS: 27015 - pop.25,912 -
Lyon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marshall) FIPS: 27083 - pop.25,269 -
Todd County Probate Court
County Seat: (Long Prairie) FIPS: 27153 - pop.25,262 -
Meeker County Probate Court
County Seat: (Litchfield) FIPS: 27093 - pop.23,400 -
Nobles County Probate Court
County Seat: (Worthington) FIPS: 27105 - pop.22,290 -
Wabasha County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wabasha) FIPS: 27157 - pop.21,387 -
Hubbard County Probate Court
County Seat: (Park Rapids) FIPS: 27057 - pop.21,344 -
Fillmore County Probate Court
County Seat: (Preston) FIPS: 27045 - pop.21,228 -
Dodge County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mantorville) FIPS: 27039 - pop.20,867 -
Martin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fairmont) FIPS: 27091 - pop.20,025 -
Waseca County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waseca) FIPS: 27161 - pop.18,968 -
Houston County Probate Court
County Seat: (Caledonia) FIPS: 27055 - pop.18,843 -
Kanabec County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mora) FIPS: 27065 - pop.16,032 -
Aitkin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Aitkin) FIPS: 27001 - pop.15,697 -
Redwood County Probate Court
County Seat: (Redwood Falls) FIPS: 27127 - pop.15,425 -
Roseau County Probate Court
County Seat: (Roseau) FIPS: 27135 - pop.15,331 -
Sibley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gaylord) FIPS: 27143 - pop.14,836 -
Renville County Probate Court
County Seat: (Olivia) FIPS: 27129 - pop.14,723 -
Wadena County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wadena) FIPS: 27159 - pop.14,065 -
Pennington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Thief River Falls) FIPS: 27113 - pop.13,992 -
Faribault County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blue Earth) FIPS: 27043 - pop.13,921 -
Chippewa County Probate Court
County Seat: (Montevideo) FIPS: 27023 - pop.12,598 -
Koochiching County Probate Court
County Seat: (International Falls) FIPS: 27071 - pop.12,062 -
Cottonwood County Probate Court
County Seat: (Windom) FIPS: 27033 - pop.11,517 -
Pope County Probate Court
County Seat: (Glenwood) FIPS: 27121 - pop.11,308 -
Watonwan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint James) FIPS: 27165 - pop.11,253 -
Lake County Probate Court
County Seat: (Two Harbors) FIPS: 27075 - pop.10,905 -
Jackson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jackson) FIPS: 27063 - pop.9,989 -
Swift County Probate Court
County Seat: (Benson) FIPS: 27151 - pop.9,838 -
Rock County Probate Court
County Seat: (Luverne) FIPS: 27133 - pop.9,704 -
Stevens County Probate Court
County Seat: (Morris) FIPS: 27149 - pop.9,671 -
Yellow Medicine County Probate Court
County Seat: (Granite Falls) FIPS: 27173 - pop.9,528 -
Pipestone County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pipestone) FIPS: 27117 - pop.9,424 -
Marshall County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warren) FIPS: 27089 - pop.9,040 -
Clearwater County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bagley) FIPS: 27029 - pop.8,524 -
Murray County Probate Court
County Seat: (Slayton) FIPS: 27101 - pop.8,179 -
Lac qui Parle County Probate Court
County Seat: (Madison) FIPS: 27073 - pop.6,719 -
Wilkin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Breckenridge) FIPS: 27167 - pop.6,506 -
Norman County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ada) FIPS: 27107 - pop.6,441 -
Grant County Probate Court
County Seat: (Elbow Lake) FIPS: 27051 - pop.6,074 -
Lincoln County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ivanhoe) FIPS: 27081 - pop.5,640 -
Cook County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grand Marais) FIPS: 27031 - pop.5,600 -
Mahnomen County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mahnomen) FIPS: 27087 - pop.5,411 -
Big Stone County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ortonville) FIPS: 27011 - pop.5,166 -
Kittson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hallock) FIPS: 27069 - pop.4,207 -
Red Lake County Probate Court
County Seat: (Red Lake Falls) FIPS: 27125 - pop.3,935 -
Lake of the Woods County Probate Court
County Seat: (Baudette) FIPS: 27077 - pop.3,763 -
Traverse County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wheaton) FIPS: 27155 - pop.3,360
How Minnesota Probate Courts Work
What Is Probate?
Probate refers to the legal process through which a deceased person's will is validated by a court. This process ensures that the deceased's assets are distributed according to their wishes as stated in the will, after any debts and taxes are paid.
What Are Probate Courts?
Probate courts, which are specialized judicial bodies, oversee these proceedings.
They also handle matters related to:
- estate administration,
- guardianships, and conservatorships
- when a will is not present
- or in cases of dispute.
It's important to note that the specific procedures and requirements of probate courts can vary significantly from one county to another across the United States. This variation is due to differences in state laws and local court rules. As a result, engaging with a probate court in one jurisdiction might be quite different from doing so in another.
Also, every state has simplified procedures for dealing with small estates... and most estates end up being "small," and most estates do not require the full probate process, especially if the deceased person owned property in one or more of the ways described below.
Types of Property That Does NOT Pass Through Probate Court
Many types of property are designed to bypass the probate process, allowing for a more streamlined transfer of assets upon someone's death. These include:
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Jointly Owned Property: Assets owned in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety automatically pass to the surviving owner without the need for probate. This is common with real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly by two or more individuals.
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Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Accounts: Financial accounts and securities that are designated as payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) can be transferred directly to the named beneficiary upon the account holder's death. This designation allows these assets to skip probate.
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Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Policies: Funds from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, and the proceeds from life insurance policies, when a beneficiary is named outside of the will, do not go through probate. These assets go directly to the beneficiaries named in the policies or account documents.
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Living Trusts: Property held in a living trust is another major category that avoids probate. The trust owns the assets, and upon the death of the individual who created the trust (the grantor), the property is transferred according to the terms of the trust, without the need for probate intervention.
These mechanisms are designed to simplify the transfer of assets, reduce the time and cost associated with probate, and ensure privacy since probate is a public process. Understanding which assets fall into these categories can be crucial for estate planning and ensuring a smooth transition of assets to beneficiaries.