What to Do When Someone Dies in Esmeralda County, Nevada

Probate in Esmeralda County runs through the Fifth Judicial District Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.

When someone dies in Esmeralda County, settling their estate runs through the Fifth Judicial District Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.

Probate Court Record

Fifth Judicial District Court

Esmeralda County · 5th Judicial District

Address

403 E. Crook AvenueGoldfield, NV 89013

Fax

775-485-6376

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Visit court website →
Paper filing available

Mailing address: PO Box 547, Goldfield, NV 89013. Clerk email: celgan@esmeraldacountynv.gov. Law and Motion (dates/times subject to change, confirm with clerk): Dept 1 on 1st Tuesday at 10:00 AM; Dept 2 on 3rd Tuesday at 9:00 AM. Dept 2 sits at 1520 E. Basin Ave., Suite #105, Pahrump, NV 89060. The Fifth Judicial District Court handles probate matters, along with felony, gross misdemeanor, civil actions over $10,000, juvenile, and family cases; it also serves Nye County, with Department locations in Tonopah and Pahrump. The Esmeralda County Clerk/Treasurer serves as the Clerk of the Fifth Judicial District Court and handles Civil, Probate, Divorce, Juvenile and Criminal Case files.

Verified July 4, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Esmeralda 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 Esmeralda County, probate runs through the Fifth Judicial District Court at 403 E. Crook Avenue, Goldfield. The court sits in the 5th Judicial District. The same 5th Judicial District also serves Nye.

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. The 3 monthsNRS 147.040Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.

What Probate Costs in Esmeralda County

What probate costs in Esmeralda 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 Fifth Judicial District Court at 403 E. Crook Avenue, Goldfield. The court is part of the 5th Judicial District.

Local procedures at this court that affect cost: Inventory due 60 days from appointment; First accounting due 6 months from appointment. These are county-specific and not posted on the statewide court site.

Nevada charges $0 - $426 (based on estate value)NRS 19.013(1), NRS 19.020(2), NRS 19.0302(1)(c)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. 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; if computed on the value of the estate the court allows 4% on first $100K, 3% next $100K, 2% next $800K, 1% next $9M, 0.5% next $15M — hourly billing also permitted, fee fixed by written agreement and approved by the court)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%NRS 150.060 (reasonable compensation; if computed on the value of the estate the court allows 4% on first $100K, 3% next $100K, 2% next $800K, 1% next $9M, 0.5% next $15M — hourly billing also permitted, fee fixed by written agreement and approved by the court)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.

Executor compensation is also statutory in Nevada. Family executors who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.

Nevada requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.

Probate in Nevada typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Fifth Judicial District Court

Probate cases in Esmeralda County are filed at the Fifth Judicial District Court. File in person during business hours or by mail. The court sits in the 5th Judicial District.

How to File Your Documents

Paper Filing Available

You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Fifth Judicial District Court is realistic.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Esmeralda County Self-Filing Assessment.

Esmeralda 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

Will lodging required within 30 days of death

Filing fee: $18.

Source: NRS 136

Service Requirements

Creditor notice publication required 3 times

At least 10 days between first and last publication. 90-day (general) or 60-day (summary) claim period.

Source: NRS 155.020

Before You Go

Hearing schedule

Law and Motion: Dept 1 on the 1st Tuesday at 10:00 AM; Dept 2 on the 3rd Tuesday at 9:00 AM (dates/times subject to change).

What to Bring

To file at the Fifth Judicial District Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.

Transferring Property in Esmeralda 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 Esmeralda County are recorded with the County Recorder, led by County Recorder/Auditor Vera Boyer, at 403 Crook Street, Suite 458, Goldfield, NV 89013. Phone: 775-485-6337. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (closed for lunch).

Documents submitted by mail go to PO Box 458, Goldfield, NV 89013.

The County Recorder charges $37 flat, regardless of page count.

Esmeralda County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

County Recorder

Esmeralda County · County Recorder/Auditor · Vera Boyer

Address

403 Crook Street, Suite 458Goldfield, NV 89013Mailing: PO Box 458, Goldfield, NV 89013

Fax

775-485-6338

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (closed for lunch)

E-recording

Available via Simplifile
Visit recorder website →

Recording fees

Flat fee (any length)$37
Transfer tax on a TOD deedExempt

NRS 247.305

Verified September 8, 2026 · Source

Probate Attorneys Serving Esmeralda County

Nevada uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Esmeralda County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.

Nevada uses a presumed-reasonable fee schedule for probate attorneys — the percentages are a starting point that can be negotiated, especially for simple estates. Esmeralda County firms typically follow the schedule for routine work and negotiate on complex matters.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Fifth 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.

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Albright, Stoddard, Warnick & Albright

Since 1970

Las Vegas firm founded in 1970, among the oldest in Southern Nevada, handling estate planning and trust and estate litigation before the Eighth Judicial District Court. Attorneys prepare wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, and litigate contested will, trust, and probate matters — including cases that have set Nevada precedent.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrust LitigationHealthcare Directivesand 3 more

Office
801 S Rancho Drive, Suite D4Las Vegas, NV 89106

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Avalon Legal Group LLC

Las Vegas firm handling estate planning and probate throughout Clark County, with attorneys licensed in Nevada, California, and Illinois. Manages the full Clark County probate process — creditor notice, asset inventory, and distribution to heirs — alongside revocable and irrevocable trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. Offers a complimentary initial consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawAsset Protectionand 4 more

Office
6030 S. Rainbow Boulevard, Suite D1Las Vegas, NV 89118
Free consultation

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Bolick and Hansen

Las Vegas estate planning and asset protection firm serving clients statewide from its Summerlin office on W. Charleston Boulevard. Robert Bolick, admitted in six states and the U.S. Tax Court, structures trusts, wills, and LLCs to shield inherited assets from divorce and creditor claims, and handles trust administration, probate, and estate litigation. Free consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningAsset Protection

Office
10000 W Charleston Boulevard, Suite 110Las Vegas, NV 89135
Free consultation

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Bowler Twitchell LLP

Las Vegas firm near Green Valley handling estate planning and probate through the Eighth Judicial District Court. Partners Russell Bowler and Travis Twitchell administer decedents' estates, contest and defend wills and trusts, and represent beneficiaries and trustees in trust litigation, alongside drafting trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. Serves English- and Spanish-speaking clients.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 5 more

Office
3137 E Warm Springs Road, Suite 100Las Vegas, NV 89120
Free consultation

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Boyce & Gianni, LLP

Boutique Las Vegas estate planning firm serving Clark County families from its southwest-valley office on South Durango Drive. Handles probate administration in all three Nevada tracks — set-aside, summary, and regular — plus revocable trusts, dynasty and charitable trusts, wills, and tax-focused planning. Free consultation.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more

Office
5890 South Durango Drive, Suite 110Las Vegas, NV 89113
Free consultation

FirmLas Vegas, NV

Boyer Law Group

Since 1997

Serves Clark County from the southwest valley on South Durango Drive, practicing before the Eighth Judicial District Court. Handles probate, trust administration, and adult guardianship for families caring for an aging or incapacitated relative, alongside estate planning and Medicaid planning. Kim Boyer is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation; free consultations.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more

Office
5235 S. Durango Drive, Suite 103Las Vegas, NV 89113
Free consultation
See all 40 firms serving Esmeralda County→

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.

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Legal Sources

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