Serves Lyon County and southwest Minnesota from Marshall; attorney Dominic M. Smith is licensed in Minnesota and South Dakota. The practice is planning only: wills, trusts, transfer-on-death deeds, powers of attorney, Medical Assistance and special needs planning, and farm succession. The first consultation is a free two-hour meeting, in the office or virtual.
Marshall is in Lyon County.
Probate in Lyon County
Probate Court Record
Lyon County District Court
Lyon County · Fifth Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Lyon County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Lyon County? →Settling an estate in Lyon County →
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Minnesota
Free forms for planning your estate in Minnesota: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Minnesota.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Pour-Over Will
In Minnesota, a pour-over will is signed before 2Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Transfer on Death Deed
In Minnesota, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. Minnesota does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
Last Will and Testament
In Minnesota, a will is signed before 2Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyMinn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Tools for Planning Your Estate in Minnesota
Free tools for planning your estate in Minnesota: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Minnesota.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Minnesota, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Modeled estimate under Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Minnesota runs $3,530Estimate: 10 hours at $353, Clio's Minnesota Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,295Estimate: 15 hours at $353, Clio's Minnesota Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
Do I Need a TOD Deed?
Minnesota authorizes transfer on death deedsMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.
Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Minnesota automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceMinn. Stat. § 524.2-804Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
