How probate works in Deschutes County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Deschutes County · 11th 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 Deschutes County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 1100 Northwest Bond Street, Bend. The court sits in the 11th 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 Deschutes 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 1100 Northwest Bond Street, Bend. The court is part of the 11th Judicial District.
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.
Probate cases in Deschutes County, Oregon are filed at the Probate of the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 11th Judicial District.
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 Deschutes County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Non-professional personal representatives take a fiduciary education class
A non-professional personal representative registers for the court-required fiduciary education class within 15 days of appointment, completes it within 90 days, and files a certificate of completion with the Probate Department. The class fee is a cost of administration and may be waived or deferred; professional fiduciaries and attorneys serving as fiduciaries are exempt.
SourceFiled 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.
In Oregon a death is registered locally, and in Deschutes County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Deschutes County Health Services Vital Records as well as by Oregon Health Authority - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Deschutes County · Deschutes County Health Services Vital Records
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| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Deschutes County · Deschutes County Medical Examiner
Verified November 2, 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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Deschutes County are recorded with the County Clerk at 1300 Northwest Wall Street, Suite 202, Bend, OR 97703. Phone: 1-541-388-6549. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (closed 08:00-09:00 the 2nd Thursday of each month).
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 6005, Bend, OR 97708.
The County Clerk charges $102 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.
Deschutes County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, Indecomm, ePN and Hopdox.
Recording Office Record
Deschutes County
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| Base fee (first page) | $102 |
| Each additional page | $5 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
ORS 205.320(1)(d)(A); ORS 205.323(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Deschutes 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.
Solo PracticePrineville, OR
Edmonds Law LLC is the solo practice of attorney Collin T. Edmonds, serving Central Oregon from offices in Prineville, Bend, and Redmond. The firm focuses on estate planning, probate administration, and protective proceedings including guardianships and conservatorships.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianship
FirmRedmond, OR
Fitch and Neary PC is a Redmond-based firm serving Central Oregon (Redmond, Sisters, Prineville, Madras, and Bend) with estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate, alongside real estate, land use, civil litigation, and business law. Four-attorney practice with 70+ combined years of experience.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 4 more
FirmBend, OR
Francis Hansen Martin LLP is a Bend firm serving individuals, families, and businesses across Central Oregon. The estate planning practice covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care proxies, along with probate, trust administration, and wealth-transfer tax planning for larger estates.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more
FirmRedmond, OR
The Law Offices of Bryant Emerson is a Redmond firm tracing its roots to 1905, serving Central Oregon with trusts and estate planning, probate, real estate, family law, and corporate law.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateBusiness Lawand 2 more
FirmBend, OR
Serves Deschutes County and Central Oregon from Bend. Handles estate planning, trust drafting, probate administration, and guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, and reports more than 590 estates planned and 290 probate engagements.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipGuardianship
FirmBend, OR
Bend firm serving Deschutes County and Central Oregon. Handles wills, trusts, and probate, and reviews plans for clients who move to Oregon so their existing documents meet Oregon requirements.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateBusiness Succession
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 Oregon statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
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.
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.
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.
Oregon has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Browse vetted Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon 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.
