Litigates estate and trust disputes from Watertown, including contested estate plans and joint accounts that were wrongfully changed. Won a unanimous South Dakota Supreme Court ruling for one of the Redlin Family Trusts in 2024 and a Codington County jury verdict for the Estate of Dennis Schmeling. The firm limits its practice to litigation, with no will or trust drafting among its practice areas.
Probate in Brown County
Probate Court Record
Brown County Circuit Court
Brown County · 5th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
101 Southeast 1st Avenue, Aberdeen, SD 57402-1087
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
How to file probate in Brown County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Brown County? →Settling an estate in Brown County →
Trust Litigation Firms Serving Brown County
Serves clients across South Dakota from its office in Huron. Attorney Aaron Pilcher handles formal and informal probate, trust administration, small estate affidavits, and guardianships, and litigates trust, probate, and fiduciary disputes. Also serves businesses as outside general counsel and registered agent.
Serves clients throughout South Dakota from its office in Sioux Falls. Litigates will contests, probate disputes, claims against estates, cases involving personal representatives, trust contests, beneficiary disputes, and breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims against trustees. The firm does not draft wills.
Serves Lawrence, Meade, Butte and Pennington counties and the rest of South Dakota from Spearfish, and takes probate matters in North Dakota and Wyoming. Handles testate and intestate probate, estate and trust administration, contested wills and trust disputes, and guardianship and conservatorship petitions, including for out-of-state families. Attorney Dylan Wilde is also a licensed CPA.
All 5 South Dakota trust litigation firms serving Brown County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in South Dakota
Free South Dakota forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for South Dakota.
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in South Dakota
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in South Dakota: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in South Dakota happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteSDCL § 55-1-1 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysSDCL 55-2-13Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
In South Dakota, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)SDCL § 55-3-14Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
Calculate the Fee
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in South Dakota: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysSDCL 29A-3-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsSDCL §§ 29A-3-801, 29A-3-803, 29A-3-805Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
