Serves Baraboo, Reedsburg, and Sauk County from offices on Third Avenue in Baraboo and North Walnut Street in Reedsburg, in practice since 1889. Handles formal and informal probate, small estate transfers by affidavit, trust administration and termination, and guardianships for adults and minors. Attorneys Robert Ginther and Laura Colt lead the estate planning and probate work.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Sauk County, Wisconsin
How probate works in Sauk County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Sauk County Circuit Court
Sauk County · 5th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
510 Broadway Street, Room C234, Baraboo, WI 53913
Website
Files probate
Register in Probate
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys must e-file probate cases in Wisconsin circuit courts. A self-represented filer may register to e-file or file on paper with the Register in Probate. On paper: Self-represented parties are not required to e-file and may file paper documents (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b)-(c)); The original will is filed on paper, and a will deposited for safekeeping may not be e-filed (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(9)(i)-(j)).
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedWalk-ins are welcome, and an appointment 24 to 48 hours ahead is encouraged when possible. Appointments are made by calling 608-355-3226.
Self-represented filing
AllowedInformal administration may be granted without an attorney. The county lists the forms to open, inventory and close an informal estate, and probate staff cannot give legal advice.
515 Oak Street
Room C234
Baraboo, WI 53913
Fax
1-608-355-4436
Departments
- Register in Probate1-608-355-3226 · Takes probate filings · 510 Broadway Street, Room C234The Register in Probate handles formal and informal probate, guardianships, adoptions and commitments. A packet of probate forms is available from the office for a fee.
About the court
- The Clerk of Circuit Court is on the second floor of the Historic Courthouse at 510 Broadway St, and the Register in Probate is in Room C234 of the courthouse.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Sauk 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 Sauk County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 510 Broadway Street, 2nd Floor, Baraboo. The court sits in the 5th Judicial District. The same 5th Judicial District also serves Columbia, Dane, Green, Lafayette and Rock.
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 Wisconsin intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Wisconsin estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsWis. Stat. §§ 859.01, 859.02, 859.07, 859.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in Sauk County
What probate costs in Sauk County, Wisconsin 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 510 Broadway Street, 2nd Floor, Baraboo. The court is part of the 5th Judicial District.
Wisconsin charges $36 - $36 (graduated by the net probate estate)Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2.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 Wisconsin are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under Wis. Stat. § 851.40(1) (just and reasonable compensation for services under chs. 851-879, incl. ch. 865 informal administration; no statutory percentage for attorneys): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 2.9%Modeled estimate under Wis. Stat. § 851.40(1) (just and reasonable compensation for services under chs. 851-879, incl. ch. 865 informal administration; no statutory percentage for attorneys): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Wisconsin sets executor compensation by statute — about $10,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.0%Wis. Stat. § 857.05(2) (2% commission on inventory value less mortgages and liens plus net principal gains, subject to court approval; a different rate by written agreement; extraordinary services)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Wisconsin 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 Wis. Stat. § 856.25 (bond solely within court discretion; will requests not binding)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Wisconsin typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Sauk County, Wisconsin are filed at the Register in Probate of the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 5th Judicial District.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Wisconsin has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableWis. Stat. Ch. 865 (informal administration by probate registrar)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Sauk County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Certified copy of the death certificate — NOT a filed document in Wisconsin. No statute or statewide probate form requires one to open an estate or obtain Letters; where a Register in Probate asks to see one, the clerk abstracts it onto form GF-162 and hands the original back (Wis. Stat. § 69.24(1)(a) makes copying a vital record a Class I felony); Original will and any codicils, filed with the court (Wis. Stat. § 856.05 — duty to deliver the will within 30 days of knowledge of the death)Wis. Stat. ch. 856 (formal opening, qualification, letters) & ch. 865 (informal administration); § 856.21 (persons entitled to domiciliary letters — priority); § 865.08 (informal appointment; letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Sauk County
In Wisconsin a death is registered locally, and in Sauk County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Register of Deeds, Sauk County as well as by Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Vital Records Office.
Vital Records Office Record
Register of Deeds
Sauk County · Register of Deeds
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
505 Broadway, Room 122, Sauk County West Square Building, Baraboo, WI 53913
Website
Fees
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $20 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $3 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Sauk County · Sauk County Coroner
Mail and offices
Fax
1-608-355-3475
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Sauk 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 Register of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Sauk County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 505 Broadway, Room 122, Sauk County West Square Building, Baraboo, WI 53913. Phone: 1-608-355-3288. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Sauk County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Sauk County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
505 Broadway, Room 122, Sauk County West Square Building, Baraboo, WI 53913
Website
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Sauk County
Wisconsin allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Sauk 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 Wisconsin are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Sauk 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.
Serves Wisconsin from seven offices in the state, led by Milwaukee and Madison. The Trusts and Estates group handles formal and informal probate, post-mortem trust administration, claims against estates and trusts, and estate tax returns, and represents personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries in will contests, trust disputes, and contested guardianships. Founded in 1904.
Serves families across Wisconsin from offices in Oregon and Madison in Dane County and Brookfield in Waukesha County. Helps executors and personal representatives administer estates, from locating assets to paying debts and distributing to beneficiaries, and offers mediation and litigation for disputes among heirs. Founder Dan Krause is a Board Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist.
Serves clients throughout Wisconsin from offices in Madison, Janesville, Appleton, and Dodgeville. Advises executors on probate administration and handles trust administration, guardianships and protective placement, and litigation over contested wills and trusts, breach of fiduciary duty, undue influence, and creditor claims in estate proceedings. Founded in Madison in 1931.
Serves clients throughout Wisconsin from offices in Appleton and Green Bay. Helps personal representatives through informal and formal probate, protects other beneficiaries' interests in disputes over estate administration, and brings will contests. Also handles adult and minor guardianships and elder-law and Medicaid planning. Estate planning consultations are offered at no charge.
A general-practice firm on Packerland Drive in Green Bay that represents clients throughout Wisconsin and appears regularly in Brown, Outagamie, Winnebago, Door, and other Northeast Wisconsin county courts. Its estate work is drafting: wills, revocable living trusts, durable and healthcare powers of attorney, and living wills. Founded in 1997 by Shane Laughton Brabazon; Spanish is spoken.
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)·
- Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2.
- Wis. Stat. § 857.05(2) (2% commission on inventory value less mortgages and liens plus net principal gains, subject to court approval; a different rate by written agreement; extraordinary services)
- Wis. Stat. §§ 859.01, 859.02, 859.07, 859.25
- Wis. Stat. ch. 856 (formal opening, qualification, letters) & ch. 865 (informal administration); § 856.21 (persons entitled to domiciliary letters — priority); § 865.08 (informal appointment; letters)
- Wis. Stat. Ch. 865 (informal administration by probate registrar)
- Wis. Stat. 59.43(2)(ag)
- Sauk County Circuit Court, official page
- Sauk County Register of Deeds, official page
- Sauk County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Free tools for settling an estate in Wisconsin: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Wisconsin.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Wisconsin: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysWis. Stat. §§ 858.01, 858.13, 858.15, 858.17Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsWis. Stat. §§ 859.01, 859.02, 859.07, 859.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Wisconsin happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeWis. Stat. § 701.0101 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?
Wisconsin has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableWis. Stat. Ch. 865 (informal administration by probate registrar)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
Get the Answer
Hire a Wisconsin Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Wisconsin attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
