What to Do When Someone Dies in Coos County, Oregon

How probate works in Coos County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

Probate Court Record

Coos County Circuit Court

Coos County · 15th Judicial District

Hours

Monday-Wednesday, Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-5:00 PM; Thursday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:30 PM-5:00 PM

Office

250 North Baxter Street, Coquille, OR 97423

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

E-filing

Required for attorneysAttorneys file through OJD eFile. A self-represented filer may file on paper at the counter or register for a free individual eFile account, and most courthouses have an eFiling kiosk during business hours. On paper: Self-represented filers are not required to e-file: the rule binds active Oregon State Bar licensees (UTCR 21.140); An original will is filed in its original form; when an image of it is e-filed, the original follows on paper within seven business days (UTCR 21.070(3)(h)).

Self-represented filing

AllowedThe Oregon Judicial Department's statewide estate forms are the simple estate packet (the small estate affidavit) and the claim against an estate.

Accepted payment

  • At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card.The circuit court takes cash, checks and Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards in person, checks and money orders by mail, and card payments by phone at 1-541-396-8372, extension 25001. Payments are due in full, and the Coos and Curry courts offer no payment plans.

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Coos 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 Coos County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 250 North Baxter Street, Coquille. The court sits in the 15th 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 Oregon intestacy law when there is no will.

Most Oregon estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsORS §§ 113.155, 115.003, 115.005, 115.125Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.

What Probate Costs in Coos County

What probate costs in Coos County, Oregon 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 Circuit Court at 250 North Baxter Street, Coquille. The court is part of the 15th Judicial District.

Procedures at this court that affect cost: An estate not ready to close explains why at each annual accounting.

Oregon charges $278 - $1,176 (based on estate value)ORS 21.170(1)Verified Oct 17, 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 Oregon are negotiated, typically 2%Modeled estimate under ORS 116.183 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.2%Modeled estimate under ORS 116.183 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): 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.

Oregon sets executor compensation by statute — about $10,630 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.1%ORS 116.173 (7% first $1K, 4% $1K-$10K, 3% $10K-$50K, 2% over $50K, on property subject to the court’s jurisdiction; 1% of other property reportable for estate tax; 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.

Oregon requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.

A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under ORS 113.105Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.

Probate in Oregon typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Circuit Court

Probate cases in Coos County, Oregon are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 15th Judicial District.

Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Civil and Accounting.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Oregon has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.

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

Coos 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

A written request extends a filing deadline by up to 30 days

The court allows an extension of up to 30 days to file any document when the extension is requested in writing and filed. A longer extension takes a motion, a supporting declaration and a proposed order.

Source

Court Appearances

A missed filing brings a delinquency notice, then an order to show cause

The court sends the fiduciary a delinquency notice for each document not filed on time. If the notice is not followed, the court orders the fiduciary and any attorney to appear and show cause why the fiduciary should not be removed.

Source

What to Bring

Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Original will and any codicils, with an affidavit of attesting witness or affidavit of genuine signature (ORS 113.055); Petition for appointment of personal representative stating decedent, venue, heirs/devisees, and nominee (ORS 113.035) — typed pleading, no statewide form; Proposed limited judgment of appointment of personal representative; Bond unless waived by the will or because the PR is the sole heir/devisee (ORS 113.105)ORS 113.035 (petition for appointment), 113.105 (bond), 113.125 (issuance of letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.

Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Coos County

In Oregon a death is registered locally, and in Coos County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Coos Health & Wellness Office of Vital Records as well as by Oregon Health Authority - Center for Health Statistics.

Vital Records Office Record

County Registrar

Coos County · Coos Health & Wellness Office of Vital Records

Office

281 LaClair Street, Coos Bay, OR 97420

Certified copies

At the counter

Fax

1-541-888-8726

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

Medical Examiner

Coos County · Coos County Medical Examiner

Office

250 North Baxter, Coquille, OR 97423

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Transferring Property in Coos 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 Clerk.

Deeds and other real property documents for Coos County are recorded with the County Clerk at 250 North Baxter Street, Coquille, OR 97423. Phone: 1-541-396-7600. Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM.

The County Clerk charges $106 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.

Coos County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, Indecomm, ePN and Hopdox.

Recording Office Record

County Clerk

Coos County

Hours

Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM

Office

250 North Baxter Street, Coquille, OR 97423

Fees

Recording fees

Base fee (first page)$106
Each additional page$5
Transfer tax on a TOD deedNo transfer tax applies to TOD deeds

ORS 205.320(1)(d)(A); ORS 205.323(1)

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

Probate Attorneys Serving Coos County

Oregon allows independent administrationORS 114.275Verified 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.

Probate attorney fees in Oregon are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Coos County firm to quote a structure up front.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit 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.

FirmTillamook, OR

Albright Kittell PC

Albright Kittell PC is the longest-standing law firm in Tillamook County, focusing on building and protecting client legacies through estate planning, probate, wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 2 more

Office
2308 Third StTillamook, OR 97141

Solo PracticeAstoria, OR

Blair Henningsgaard, Attorney at Law

Blair Henningsgaard has practiced law in Astoria since 1983, serving the North Oregon Coast with estate planning, probate, real estate, and business law. A former Clatsop County Commissioner and Astoria City Attorney, he has appeared in courts throughout Oregon including the Oregon Supreme Court and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawCivil LitigationReal Estate

Office
818 Commercial St, Suite 403Astoria, OR 97103

FirmGearhart, OR

Coast Family Law, LLC

Coast Family Law provides personalized estate planning services to clients on the Oregon Coast, including Clatsop, Tillamook, and Lincoln counties. Services include wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, and advance directives.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily LawWills

Office
3410 Hwy 101, Ste BGearhart, OR 97138

FirmCoos Bay, OR

Costello Law Office, P.C.

Since 1977

Costello Law Office has provided professional legal services in Coos Bay since 1977. The firm offers experienced counsel in estate planning, probate, family law, and small business law. Attorney Karen L. Costello serves as City Attorney for Coquille and Associate Judge for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily Law

Office
895 Commercial AveCoos Bay, OR 97420

FirmNewport, OR

Newport Law, LLC

Newport Law provides thoughtful and dependable legal services for individuals and families on the Oregon Coast. The firm focuses on guiding clients through estate planning, estate administration, family law, and landlord-tenant matters with skill and sensitivity.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily Law

Office
111 SE Douglas St, Suite F3Newport, OR 97365

FirmLincoln City, OR

Zantello Law Group

Zantello Law Group serves Lincoln County, Tillamook County, and the Oregon Coast with estate planning services. The firm has more than 100 years of combined experience helping clients with wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateWills

Office
1818 NE 21st StLincoln City, OR 97367
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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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Data sourced from Oregon 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 Oregon

Free tools for settling an estate in Oregon: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Oregon.

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Oregon: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysORS 113.165, ORS 113.175Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsORS §§ 113.155, 115.003, 115.005, 115.125Verified Oct 19, 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 Oregon happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeORS 130.001 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?

Oregon has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.

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