Moffat County Probate Records Venue
Colorado probate matters are heard in District Court in every county except Denver. For Moffat County, the research map names the court as the Probate Division of District Court, with Moffat Combined Court serving as the local court location. The Colorado Judicial Branch probate material states that probate includes appointment of personal representatives, administration and settlement of estates, trust registrations and trust actions, and appointment or monitoring of guardians and conservators for minors and adults.
The Moffat judges and staff page identifies Maria Malatino as Clerk of Court, Jury Commissioner, and Probate Registrar. That role is important for informal probate because the probate registrar may review paperwork when an informal estate is opened and no hearing is required after correct papers are filed. Formal probate, disputed estates, copy-only wills, and cases with problems require more court review. Probate records are still court records, so requests for certified probate orders or letters should use Judicial Branch record channels rather than the county recorder.
The Colorado Judicial Branch probate self-help page is one of the official state sources for estate, guardianship, and conservatorship forms.
The probate self-help source helps identify the case type before a filer searches dockets or submits papers to Moffat Combined Court.
Moffat County Probate Terms
Probate terms can be dense because estate records mix court process, property transfer, family status, and fiduciary duties. These definitions keep Moffat County probate records readable before a user reviews a PR docket or asks for copies.
- Testator
- A person who made a will before death.
- Executor
- A person named in a will to carry out estate duties. Colorado records may also use personal representative.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will, so estate distribution follows law rather than a written will.
- Personal representative
- The person appointed to administer an estate, collect assets, give notice, and close the case.
- Guardianship
- A court case about care and decision-making for a minor or adult who needs a guardian.
- Conservatorship
- A court case about management of money or property for a protected person.
Search Moffat County Probate Records
Current Moffat County probate records can be searched through the Colorado Judicial Branch docket search. Select Moffat County and use PR as the case class when looking for probate matters. A date range is required with at least one other filter. Party names, attorney names, a four-digit case year, or a case sequence can narrow the search. The docket search shows hearing data and case identifiers. It does not download probate pleadings, wills, inventories, letters, or orders.
- Select Moffat County and choose District Court when the search form allows a court-type choice.
- Use PR as the case class if the probate case number is not already known.
- Add a date range and a party, decedent, personal representative, attorney, year, or case sequence filter.
- Use the case number from the docket result when calling Moffat Combined Court or submitting a record request.
- Ask whether the file is current at the court or old enough to involve Colorado State Archives.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| County | Dropdown | Optional but essential | Select Moffat County. |
| Court Type | Dropdown/radio | Optional | District is the relevant probate court level. |
| Date Range | Dropdown | Required with another filter | Options include 6 months, 3 months, 1 month, 1 week, today, or a specific date. |
| Case Class | Dropdown | Optional | Use PR for probate records. |
| 4-Digit Year | Text | Optional | Case year component. |
| Case Sequence | Text | Optional | Numeric sequence in the probate case number. |
| Party name | Text | Optional | May be a decedent, personal representative, interested person, or party. |
| Attorney name/bar number | Text/radio | Optional | Useful when an estate attorney is known. |
Note: Docket results are not a substitute for letters, certified orders, or the will itself.
Moffat County Probate Court Contact
There is one documented local probate venue for Moffat County: the Probate Division of District Court at Moffat Combined Court. The probate registrar and clerk contact sit inside the Judicial Branch office, not the elected County Clerk and Recorder. Use the court for probate case filings, letters, certified orders, and access questions about current probate files.
Probate Division of District Court
Probate Registrar: Maria Malatino
1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201
Craig, CO 81625
970-824-8254
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Colorado State Archives Probate Access
Party or legal representative access may require government-issued photo ID.
Non-party access to excluded records may require a court order from the originating county.
The Colorado open-estate guide explains small-estate and estate-opening choices.
The estate-opening guide is useful before filing because the small-estate affidavit path may avoid opening a full probate case when the statutory threshold and property rules are met.
Moffat County Probate Fees
Probate filing fees vary by case type and form, so the current amount should be checked on the Judicial Branch fee schedule before filing. The research supports a reliable copy-fee schedule for court records and points probate filers to the statewide Judicial Branch list of fees for filing charges.
| Item | Amount or note |
|---|---|
| Probate filing fee | Varies by case type; check Judicial Branch list of fees |
| Copy per page | $0.25 |
| Party or attorney copy maximum | $15 maximum, regardless of number of pages |
| Certified or exemplified copy | $20 per document |
| Name search | $5 |
| Off-site file retrieval | Actual cost |
| Research or redaction after first hour | $30 per hour, in 15-minute increments |
Moffat County Probate Record Contents
A probate file can show much more than a docket entry. Common records include an application or petition for informal or formal probate, the original will or a statement about a copy or lost will, acceptance of appointment, letters testamentary or letters of administration, notices to interested persons, inventory, creditor notice, accounting, and a statement closing the estate. Guardianship and conservatorship files can include petitions, orders, letters, reports, and manuals.
| Record Type | What It May Show |
|---|---|
| Will | The decedent's written estate plan if accepted by the court. |
| Letters | Authority granted to a personal representative, guardian, or conservator. |
| Inventory | Estate assets listed for administration. |
| Notice | Notice to heirs, creditors, or interested persons. |
| Closing statement | Information used to close estate administration. |
| Guardian or conservator report | Status or accounting information for protected persons, often with access limits. |
Restricted Moffat County Probate Records
Some probate records are public, but excluded records are not open to every requester. The Colorado State Archives probate guidance says people named as a party in the case or their legal representatives may access records with valid government-issued photo ID. A person who is not a party and seeks excluded records must obtain a court order from the county where the case originated. Archives staff may verify the order before providing access.
Guardianship and conservatorship cases can include sensitive medical, financial, and protected-person information. Estate files can also contain personal identifiers, financial account details, or sealed court orders. For older Moffat probate materials, the Colorado State Archives probate request guidance is the official fallback when the court file has moved or when access limits must be checked.
The Archives access rules are especially useful when a Moffat probate record is old, excluded, or requested by someone who is not a party.