How probate works in Niobrara County: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Niobrara County · 8th Judicial District
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About the court
Verified October 15, 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 Niobrara County, probate runs through the District Court at 424 South Elm Street, 2nd Floor, Lusk. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District. The same 8th Judicial District also serves Converse, Goshen and Platte.
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 Niobrara 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 424 South Elm Street, 2nd Floor, Lusk. The court is part of the 8th 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.
Probate cases in Niobrara County, Wyoming are filed at the District Court. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District.
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 Niobrara County Self-Filing Assessment.
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.
In Niobrara 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
Niobrara County · State vital records office
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Certified copies
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
Niobrara County · Niobrara County Coroner
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Verified November 3, 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 Niobrara County are recorded with the County Clerk at 424 South Elm Street, Lusk, WY 82225. Phone: 1-307-334-2211. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 420, Lusk, WY 82225-0420.
The County Clerk charges $12 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Niobrara County
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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
Wyoming uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Niobrara 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 Niobrara 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.
Lusk practice in Niobrara County that Anne K. Wasserburger opened in 2017, focused primarily on estate planning and transactional law. She has also served as Niobrara County and Prosecuting Attorney, and in 2024 was elected the Wyoming State Bar commissioner for the Eighth Judicial District.
Casper office of a Denver and Casper firm, on North Wolcott Street in Natrona County. Its Estate Planning & Probate group advises personal representatives and trustees; Special Counsel Patrick Tolley, in the Casper office since 2009, probates estates, including ancillary probate of Wyoming mineral interests for heirs. The firm also clears title to mineral interests.
Casper practice on South Durbin Street serving Natrona County, with "Probate & Estate Planning" as a named practice area covering wills, trusts and the distribution of property with taxes, insurance and gifts in view. Its litigation side takes on probate disputes. Stephen R. Winship is the practice's one listed attorney.
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.
Cheyenne firm on Capitol Avenue serving Laramie County and clients throughout Wyoming, with seven attorneys and over eighty years of combined experience. Handles wills and probate, trusts and estates, and guardianship and conservatorship matters alongside civil litigation and business representation. Offers a free consultation.
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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Wyoming.
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.
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.
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.
Browse vetted Wyoming attorneys handling probate matters.
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Enter the estate value to see Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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.
