Buffalo firm of Barry and Kristen Crago serving Buffalo, Gillette, Sheridan, and the surrounding area. Assists executors named in a will through probate and prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney; also handles civil litigation, corporate law, and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Offers free initial consultations in the office or over the phone.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Johnson County, Wyoming
How probate works in Johnson County: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Johnson County District Court
Johnson County · 4th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
620 West Fetterman Street, Suite 208, Buffalo, WY 82834
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysWyoming-licensed attorneys must e-file through File & ServeXpress after completing training and a proficiency exam. Self-represented filers who are not Wyoming attorneys may not e-file in district court unless the court orders otherwise, and file with the clerk's office instead. An original will filed for the first time is always filed on paper. On paper: Original wills filed for the first time in a matter; Requests for waiver of filing fees in civil cases; Non-paper or oversized exhibits.
Self-represented filing
AllowedWyoming's statewide self-help forms cover small estates: affidavits for collecting personal property, which are filed with the county clerk, and the application and decree for summary distribution, which are filed with this court. A self-represented filer who is not a Wyoming attorney cannot use the e-filing system. The clerk keeps the original of each filing, so the filer brings copies for their own records and for service.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check.Filing fees are paid at the clerk's counter in cash or by certified check. Card payment varies by county.
Fax
1-307-684-5146
About the court
- Part of the 4th Judicial District, which also covers Sheridan County. The office is in the Johnson County Judicial Center.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Johnson 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 Johnson County, probate runs through the District Court at 620 West Fetterman Street, Suite 208, Buffalo. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District. Johnson County shares the 4th Judicial District with Sheridan.
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 Wyoming intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Wyoming estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsW.S. §§ 2-7-201, 2-7-205, 2-7-701, 2-7-702, 2-7-703, 2-7-704Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Johnson County
What probate costs in Johnson County, Wyoming 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 District Court at 620 West Fetterman Street, Suite 208, Buffalo. The court is part of the 4th Judicial District.
Wyoming charges $160 - $165+ (based on estate value)W.S. § 2-2-401(a)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:
Wyoming sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.
Wyoming sets executor compensation by statute — about $10,350 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.1%Wyo. Stat. § 2-7-803 (10% of first $1K, 5% of next $4K, 3% of next $15K, 2% thereafter; extraordinary fees per § 2-7-803(b), payable only on court order per § 2-7-805)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Wyoming 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 Wyo. Stat. § 2-3-102Verified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Wyoming typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the District Court
Probate cases in Johnson County, Wyoming are filed at the District Court. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Wyoming has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableWyo. Stat. tit. 2 (no UPC informal probate; non-administration transfers via §§ 2-1-201, 2-1-205)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Johnson County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the District Court: Original will and any codicils (for testate probate; attached to and proved with the petition, § 2-6-201 — and delivered to the clerk in PAPER even where the filer e-files, per Wyo. R. Elec. Filing & Serv. 5(a)(2)(F)); Petition stating jurisdictional facts, heirs/devisees, and probable value and character of the property (§§ 2-6-201 testate / 2-4-205 intestate); Oath of the personal representative (executor/administrator) subscribed before letters issue (§ 2-3-101); Bond unless waived by the will, by statute, or in writing by the distributees (§§ 2-3-102, 2-3-111)Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 2-2-101 (jurisdiction), 2-6-201 (petition to probate will), 2-4-205 (petition for letters of administration), 2-3-101 to 2-3-111 (oath & bond)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Johnson County
In Johnson County certified copies of the death certificate come from Wyoming Department of Health - Vital Records Services; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public.
Vital Records Office Record
Wyoming Department of Health - Vital Records Services
Johnson County · State vital records office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM-4:00 PM (Friday by appointment only, except holidays)
Office
2300 Capitol Avenue, 1st Floor, Hathaway Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002
Website
Certified copies
From Wyoming Department of Health - Vital Records Services; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public
Vital Statistics Services
2300 Capitol Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $20 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Johnson County · Johnson County Coroner
Phone
Website
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Johnson 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 Johnson County are recorded with the County Clerk at 76 North Main Street, Buffalo, WY 82834. Phone: 1-307-684-7272.
The County Clerk charges $12 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
Johnson County
Phone
Office
76 North Main Street, Buffalo, WY 82834
Website
Fax
1-307-684-2708
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $12 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
Wyo. Stat. 18-3-402(a)(xvi)(A) (statewide recording fees collected by county clerks)
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 Johnson County
Wyoming uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Johnson County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Wyoming are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every Johnson County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the District Court and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the 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.
Gillette estate planning practice in the First Interstate Bank Building, with a second office in Buffalo; Rick Erb divides his time between the two. He began practicing in Buffalo in 1993 and served as Johnson County and Prosecuting Attorney before moving his main office to Gillette in 2003.
Buffalo practice of Chris Wages with a second office in Sheridan, serving Johnson and Sheridan counties and Gillette. Handles probate, trust administration, and heir and beneficiary disputes, and prepares wills, living trusts, and agricultural and family-business succession plans. Wages has practiced since 1999 and served two terms as Johnson County Attorney.
Casper firm with a second office in Sheridan, where attorney Mikole Bede Soto practices trusts and estates, trust litigation, and guardianships and conservatorships for minors and adults. Prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, and handles probate. The wider firm practices criminal defense, personal injury, and family law.
Cheyenne office filing probates mostly in the First Judicial District for Laramie County, with appearances in district courts statewide. Handles probate petitions, notices to creditors and final accountings, guides successor trustees through inventories, accountings and distributions, and takes on will contests. Kelly S. Davis has practiced since 1979.
Cheyenne firm with a second office in Afton for Star Valley. Represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries from opening the estate to final distribution, in formal probate and trust administration, and prepares estate tax returns. Offers free in-person and virtual consultations to those handling an estate in the Cheyenne area.
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)·
- W.S. § 2-2-401(a)
- W.S. §§ 2-7-201, 2-7-205, 2-7-701, 2-7-702, 2-7-703, 2-7-704
- Wyo. Stat. § 2-7-803 (10% of first $1K, 5% of next $4K, 3% of next $15K, 2% thereafter; extraordinary fees per § 2-7-803(b), payable only on court order per § 2-7-805)
- Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 2-2-101 (jurisdiction), 2-6-201 (petition to probate will), 2-4-205 (petition for letters of administration), 2-3-101 to 2-3-111 (oath & bond)
- Wyo. Stat. tit. 2 (no UPC informal probate; non-administration transfers via §§ 2-1-201, 2-1-205)
- Wyo. Stat. 18-3-402(a)(xvi)(A) (statewide recording fees collected by county clerks)
- Johnson County District Court, official page
- Johnson County Clerk, official page
- Johnson County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Wyoming 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 Wyoming
Free tools for settling an estate in Wyoming: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Wyoming.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Wyoming: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysW.S. §§ 2-7-403, 2-7-404, 2-7-410Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsW.S. §§ 2-7-201, 2-7-205, 2-7-701, 2-7-702, 2-7-703, 2-7-704Verified 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 Wyoming happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeWyo. Stat. § 4-10-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysW.S. §§ 4-10-813, 4-10-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Wyoming has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableWyo. Stat. tit. 2 (no UPC informal probate; non-administration transfers via §§ 2-1-201, 2-1-205)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
Get the Answer
Hire a Wyoming Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Wyoming 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.
