Serves the Twin Cities from Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis. Its estate, trust and probate group represents individuals, families and fiduciaries in estate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and estate and trust disputes. The firm was founded in 1976 through the merger of Henson & Tully and Efron & Kittler.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Hennepin County, Minnesota
How probate works in Hennepin County: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Hennepin County District Court
Hennepin County · Fourth Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (except holidays)
Office
300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysFiling fees paid through eFile and eServe take Visa, Mastercard or Discover; American Express is not accepted. On paper: Self-represented litigants are exempt from mandatory e-filing and may file on paper at the courthouse or by mail; they may also choose to e-file (once a self-represented filer e-files into a case, they must continue to e-file for the rest of that case).
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Minnesota Judicial Branch publishes statewide probate forms for starting and closing informal and formal probate, collecting a small estate by affidavit, and determining descent.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCheck.Checks are payable to District Court Administrator.
Hearing schedule
- Formal estates (commencing) on Mondays; formal estates (subsequent) Wednesday mornings; trusts Wednesday afternoons
Self-help center
- Self-help service1-651-435-6535 · Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-4:00 PMThe Statewide Self-Help Center answers probate questions by phone and through an online contact form; staff give legal information and court forms, not legal advice. The Government Center Self-Help Center on floor A-20 handles civil, family and housing matters.
County forms
- Waiver of Legal AdviceFor self-represented filers in informal probate before a Hennepin registrar.
- Guide to Informal ProbateHennepin probate court guide to the informal probate process.
Fax
1-612-843-9313
Departments
- Probate / Mental Health Court1-612-348-6000 · Floors C4 and C5Probate registrars handle informal estates and can be reached by email through the court; formal estates go before a judge or referee.
About the court
- Located in Hennepin County Government Center. Courtrooms on Floors C4 and C5. Security screening required. Weapons and cellphones not permitted in courthouse. Largest probate court in Minnesota.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Hennepin County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Hennepin County, probate runs through the District Court at 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis. The court sits in the Fourth Judicial District.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Minnesota intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Minnesota estates take 6 months to 9 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-801, 524.3-803, 524.3-805, 524.3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Hennepin County
What probate costs in Hennepin County, Minnesota comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the District Court at 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis. The court is part of the Fourth Judicial District.
The District Court charges $310Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); 2025 Minn. Laws c. 35, art. 1, § 20Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Minnesota are negotiated, 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 estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Minnesota allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payMinn. Stat. § 524.3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Minnesota requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Minnesota typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the District Court
Probate cases in Hennepin County, Minnesota are filed at the District Court. The court sits in the Fourth Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate / Mental Health Court.
The Statewide Self-Help Center answers probate questions by phone and through an online contact form; staff give legal information and court forms, not legal advice. The Government Center Self-Help Center on floor A-20 handles civil, family and housing matters.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Minnesota has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableMinn. Stat. § 524.3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Hennepin County Self-Filing Assessment.
Hennepin County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Probate registrars do not accept an informal probate application where the estate is insolvent, an heir or devisee is unknown or missing, the will is lost or marked, the heirs disagree, a minor takes outright, or a non-family attorney seeks appointment as personal representative.
Other refusals: a distribution to a special needs trust, a minor bequest to an unnamed custodian, minor child, surviving spouse and homestead in intestacy, and nominations or renunciations not all filed. A refused application can still proceed formally.
SourceDocument Requirements
Court Appearances
Formal estate and trust petitions are set on fixed days, typically 45 to 60 days after filing; list any dates that do not work in a cover letter or an eFile comment.
Formal estates (commencing) on Mondays, formal estates (subsequent) on Wednesday mornings, trusts on Wednesday afternoons. Without listed conflicts, the court treats every date as available.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the District Court: Death certificate of the decedent, and of any heirs or devisees who died before the decedent; Original will and any codicils (for testate estates) (Minn. Stat. § 524.2-516 custodian's duty to deliver / § 524.3-301(2)(i) filing); Acceptance of Appointment of Personal Representative and Oath by Individual (PRO902); Nomination of Personal Representative and/or Renunciation of Priority for Appointment, and Bond (PRO901) where applicable; Affidavit of Mailing of Notice to interested persons (PRO703/PRO803 informal; PRO1103/PRO1203 formal) / Notice and Order for Hearing in formal casesMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-301 to 524.3-311 (informal appointment); §§ 524.3-401 to 524.3-414 (formal testacy & appointment)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Hennepin County
In Minnesota a death is registered locally, and in Hennepin County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Hennepin County Vital Records Office as well as by Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
County Vital Records Office
Hennepin County · Hennepin County Vital Records Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
300 South 6th Street, Suite A-025, Minneapolis, MN 55487
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Order online
Vital Records Office
Hennepin County Government Center
300 South 6th Street
MC-678B
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0678
Fax
1-612-348-2010
Local rule
- The office holds deaths in Hennepin County from 1870 and deaths anywhere in Minnesota from 1997. Wait times at the county's service centers depend on staffing.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $13 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $6 |
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Hennepin County · Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
14250 County Road 62, Minnetonka, MN 55345
Website
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
Fax
1-612-466-9980
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Hennepin County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Hennepin County are recorded with the County Recorder at 300 South 6th Street, A-tower, 7th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Phone: 1-612-348-5139. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to Hennepin County Government Center, Attn: Document recording, 300 South Sixth Street, MC 074, Minneapolis, MN 55487.
The County Recorder charges $46 flat, regardless of page count.
Hennepin County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Hopdox, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Hennepin County · County Recorder and Registrar of Titles
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
300 South 6th Street, A-tower, 7th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55487
Website
Hennepin County Government Center
Attn: Document recording
300 South Sixth Street
MC 074
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $46 |
| Well Disclosure CertificateNot required for a TOD deed | $54 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Minn. Stat. 357.18 (Abstract); Minn. Stat. 508.82 (Torrens)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Hennepin County
Minnesota allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Hennepin County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Minnesota are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Hennepin County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the District Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Serves Hennepin County and the Twin Cities from Bloomington, and Stearns County from a St. Cloud office. Guides personal representatives through Minnesota probate and successor trustees through trust administration, and handles guardianship, conservatorship and estate tax planning. Gold Winner of the 2025 Minnesota's Best Reader's Choice Award for estate planning.
Serves Hennepin County and the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro from southwest Minneapolis. Guides personal representatives through informal and formal probate, from appointment to the estate accounting, and litigates will contests, trust disputes, estate administration disputes and contested guardianships and conservatorships. Also handles probate mediation and probate appeals.
Serves Hennepin and Washington counties from offices in Minneapolis and Woodbury. Guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration and helps successor trustees inventory trust assets, file income and estate tax returns, pay debts and distribute to beneficiaries; also handles guardianship and conservatorship. The first consultation is a free phone call.
Serves Ramsey and Hennepin counties from Concordia Avenue in St. Paul. Works with personal representatives to settle estates, represents trustees and beneficiaries in trust administration and trust litigation, and handles guardianships, conservatorships and supplemental needs trusts. Attorney Melanie Liska is appointed by the Hennepin and Ramsey County probate courts to represent wards.
Serves Hennepin, Ramsey, Carver and Scott counties from Excelsior, with appointment-only offices in West Bloomington and St. Louis Park. Guides executors through probate, from inventories and accounts to distribution, and litigates will and trust contests, fiduciary claims and guardianship disputes. A gay-owned practice led by attorney Chris Tymchuck, with estate work available remotely.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); 2025 Minn. Laws c. 35, art. 1, § 20
- Minn. Stat. § 524.3-301
- Minn. Stat. § 524.3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- Minn. Stat. §§ 524.3-301 to 524.3-311 (informal appointment); §§ 524.3-401 to 524.3-414 (formal testacy & appointment)
- Minn. Stat. §§ 524.3-801, 524.3-803, 524.3-805, 524.3-806
- Minn. Stat. 357.18 (Abstract); Minn. Stat. 508.82 (Torrens)
- Hennepin County District Court, official page
- Hennepin County Recorder, official page
- Hennepin County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Minnesota statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Minnesota
Free tools for settling an estate in Minnesota: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Minnesota.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Minnesota: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-706, 524.3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-801, 524.3-803, 524.3-805, 524.3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Minnesota happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMinn. Stat. § 501C.0101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Minnesota has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableMinn. Stat. § 524.3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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