How probate works in Churchill County: the Tenth Judicial District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Churchill County · 10th Judicial District
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About the court
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Churchill County, probate runs through the Tenth Judicial District Court at 73 North Maine Street, Suite B, Fallon. The court sits in the 10th 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 Nevada intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Nevada estates take 6 months to 9 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsNRS 147.040, NRS 147.070, NRS 147.130, NRS 147.195, NRS 155.020Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What probate costs in Churchill County, Nevada 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 Tenth Judicial District Court at 73 North Maine Street, Suite B, Fallon. The court is part of the 10th Judicial District.
The Tenth Judicial District Court charges $0 - $426 (based on estate value)NRS 19.013(1), NRS 19.020(2), NRS 19.0302(1)(c)Verified 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 Nevada are negotiated, typically 1%NRS 150.060 (reasonable compensation; on the value of the estate, 4% on first $100K, 3% next $100K, 2% next $800K, 1% next $9M, 0.5% next $15M; hourly billing also permitted)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%NRS 150.060 (reasonable compensation; on the value of the estate, 4% on first $100K, 3% next $100K, 2% next $800K, 1% next $9M, 0.5% next $15M; hourly billing also permitted)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Nevada sets executor compensation by statute — about $11,150 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.2%NRS 150.020 (statutory percentage: 4% on first $15K, 3% next $85K, 2% above $100K); NRS 150.020(4) (further fees the court deems just and reasonable); NRS 150.030 (extraordinary services)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Nevada requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Nevada typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate cases in Churchill County, Nevada are filed at the Tenth Judicial District Court. The court sits in the 10th Judicial District.
The law library has a public research computer and printing at $0.25 a page. The law clerk helps locate materials and gives no legal advice.
Nevada has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableNRS 143.340; NRS 155.020 (appointment is by court petition and hearing — no registrar/informal track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Churchill County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Original, copy and return envelope for paper filings
A paper filing includes the original, a copy and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the conformed copy; the postage is waived for a filer granted a fee waiver. A faxed paper is accepted only if the original is filed within 5 days.
SourceFiled with the opening petition at the Tenth Judicial District Court: Copy of the death certificate, attached to the initial petition as an exhibit with the decedent's Social Security number redacted (an uncertified copy suffices; Washoe accepts "some other evidence of death"); Original will and any codicils, delivered to the clerk of the district court within 30 days after knowledge of the death (NRS 136.050(1)-(2))NRS ch. 136 (probate of wills & petitions for letters); NRS 136.090 (petition contents); NRS ch. 138-139 (appointment & priority); NRS ch. 141 (letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Churchill County certified copies of the death certificate come from Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health - Office of Vital Records; the Local Health Department files the certificate and issues no copies to the public.
Vital Records Office Record
Churchill County · State vital records office
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| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Churchill County · Churchill County Sheriff's Office
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Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
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 Churchill County are recorded with the County Recorder at 155 North Taylor Street, Suite 131, Fallon, NV 89406. Phone: 1-775-423-6001. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $43 flat, regardless of page count.
Churchill County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Churchill County
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| Flat fee (any length) | $43 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
NRS 247.305
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Nevada allows independent administrationNRS 143.300Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. 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.
Nevada uses a presumed-reasonable fee schedule for probate attorneys — the percentages are a starting point that can be negotiated, especially for simple estates. Churchill County firms typically follow the schedule for routine work and negotiate on complex matters.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Tenth Judicial 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.
Solo PracticeReno, NV
Reno sole practice devoted exclusively to the trusts and estates field for over 36 years. J. Douglas Clark is the founding president of the Probate Bar Association of Washoe County and past president of the Estate Planning Council of Northern Nevada.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrust LitigationAlternative Dispute Resolutionand 2 more
FirmYerington, NV
Yerington general-practice firm founded by Brad M. Johnston, a former Ninth Circuit clerk and former Holland & Hart partner. Returned to private practice in Lyon County in 2014 after serving as general counsel of a large Nevada agricultural company. Associate LeAnn Schumann handles estate planning, family law, and indigent defense across Lyon, Churchill, Douglas, and Mineral counties.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawCivil Litigationand 4 more
FirmDayton, NV
Dayton-based firm serving Lyon County, Carson City, and Northern Nevada from offices in Dayton, Yerington, and Fernley. Handles estate planning, wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, and powers of attorney for families and agricultural clients. A multi-generational ranching background gives the firm practical standing in farm and ranch estate transfers.
PracticesEstate PlanningAgriculture LawBusiness LitigationReal Estate Law
FirmReno, NV
Serves Washoe, Carson City, and Douglas counties from Damonte Ranch in Reno, with a second office in Minden. Handles trust and probate administration for surviving families alongside wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special-needs trusts, and retirement-account trusts. Runs free public estate planning workshops; consultations are not advertised as free.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipand 2 more
FirmReno, NV
Carlson & Work serves Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and Washoe County from its California Avenue office, handling revocable and irrevocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and living wills. Launched in 2018 by former prosecutor Mathew Work, the firm pairs estate planning with family law and criminal defense.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateCriminal DefenseTrustsWills
FirmReno, NV
Reno firm in the south-meadows district serving northern Nevada, the Lake Tahoe basin, and Las Vegas in estate planning, trust administration, probate, and asset protection. Handles revocable and irrevocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and life insurance trusts at published flat fees. Attorney Tyson Cross is licensed in Nevada and California. Free consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningAsset Protection
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.
Data sourced from Nevada statutes and official state code. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Nevada: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Nevada.
Settling an estate in Nevada: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysNRS 144.010, NRS 144.090Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsNRS 147.040, NRS 147.070, NRS 147.130, NRS 147.195, NRS 155.020Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
Settling a trust in Nevada happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteNRS Chapter 163, 164, 165Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
Nevada has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableNRS 143.340; NRS 155.020 (appointment is by court petition and hearing — no registrar/informal track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
Browse vetted Nevada attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Nevada attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Nevada lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
