Serves La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa, and San Miguel counties from Durango. Handles probate, ancillary probate for out-of-state estates with Colorado assets, small estate administration, trust administration, will contests, and trust and probate administration disputes. Lynne Bruzzese brings three decades of litigation experience.
Durango is in La Plata County.
Probate in La Plata County
Probate Court Record
La Plata County Combined Court
La Plata County · 6th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1060 East Second Avenue, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in La Plata County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in La Plata County? →Settling an estate in La Plata County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Colorado
Free Colorado forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Colorado.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In Colorado, a will is signed before 2C.R.S. § 15-11-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyC.R.S. § 15-11-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Colorado
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Colorado: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Colorado.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Colorado costs an estimated $26,082C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2%Modeled estimate under C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Modeled estimate under C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Colorado, a surviving spouse takes the entire estateC.R.S. § 15-11-102Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per capita at each generationC.R.S. §§ 15-11-103(3), 15-11-106Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Colorado, creditors have 4 monthsC.R.S. § 15-12-801(1) (4 months from first publication); § 15-12-803(1)(a)(III) (one-year-from-death outer bar)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Colorado: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysC.R.S. § 15-12-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsC.R.S. §§ 15-12-801, 15-12-803, 15-12-805, 15-12-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Colorado pays executors reasonable compensationC.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
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