Tooele Probate Court Records
Probate court records in Tooele are filed and managed through the Third District Court, located at the Gordon R. Hall Courthouse in Tooele city. These records cover estate cases, guardianship proceedings, name changes, and other matters handled by the district court. If you need to find a probate filing, check an estate case, or get copies of court documents, this page explains where to go, what the process looks like, and what tools are available to search Tooele County probate records online or in person.
Tooele Quick Facts
Third District Court in Tooele
The Third Judicial District Court handles probate matters for Tooele County. The court is housed at the Gordon R. Hall Courthouse, located at 74 South 100 East, Suite 14, Tooele, UT 84074. You can reach the court by phone at (435) 833-8000. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Hon. Dianna Gibson presides over the district court in Tooele. This is the court where all estate proceedings, guardianship petitions, conservatorship filings, and name change requests must be submitted for cases arising in Tooele County.
Probate cases handled by the Third District Court include both formal and informal probate. Informal probate is used when there is no dispute among heirs and the estate is straightforward. Formal probate is required when a will is contested, when heirs disagree, or when the estate is complex. Both types of cases generate court records that are filed and kept by the district court clerk. These records include petitions, inventories, orders, and final distributions. They are kept on a permanent basis, so older filings are still accessible through the court.
Note: The Justice Court at 74 South 100 East, Suite 12, handles misdemeanors and small claims. It does not handle probate matters. All estate and guardianship filings must go to the district court in Suite 14.
Tooele County Clerk and Probate Records
The Tooele County Clerk office handles a range of services including passports, marriage licenses, and notary work. For probate records specifically, the county clerk's office can assist with some older documents, though current probate case filings are managed through the Third District Court. You can reach the county clerk at (435) 843-3140. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Friday 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The county seat is in Tooele city itself, which makes in-person visits relatively easy for most residents in the county.
Older probate records for Tooele County date back to 1851. According to FamilySearch, probate records for Tooele County from 1851 to 1961 have been indexed and are accessible through genealogical research tools. Case files from 1886 to 1936 are also held at the Utah State Archives. If you need records from this older period and they are not available through the online court system, the Utah State Archives may have what you need. The archives hold historical probate documents from many Utah counties and can be searched using their online catalog.
The Tooele County Clerk website also lists the county's official record-keeping functions. The office is part of the elected officials branch of county government. While probate records from 1896 to the present are primarily accessed through the Third Judicial Court, the county clerk can point you in the right direction if you are unsure where your records are held. Always call ahead before visiting to confirm document availability.
The county clerk page shows current department contacts and services. This is a good starting point if you are not sure whether your request falls under the clerk's office or the district court.
Search Tooele Probate Records Online
Utah Courts provides an online case search tool called XChange. This is the state's official electronic records system and covers cases filed in district courts statewide, including the Third District Court in Tooele. XChange charges $5.00 to set up an account, then $0.35 per search and $1.00 per document viewed. A monthly subscription is also available for $40.00 per month for frequent users. The system lets you search by party name, case number, or filing type. Probate cases can be found by searching the name of the deceased or the petitioner.
Another tool available through Utah Courts is MyCourtCase, which provides case status and hearing information for active cases. This is more useful for tracking an open probate proceeding than for searching older records. For historical records, the Utah State Archives and FamilySearch are better options. Both of these resources are free to use, though FamilySearch requires a free account to access some collections.
The official Utah State Courts directory lists the Tooele courthouse address as 74 S. 100 East, Suite 14, Tooele. You can confirm this and find other court location details at utcourts.gov/en/location.html.
What Tooele Probate Records Contain
Probate court records in Tooele cover a wide range of proceedings. Estate cases are the most common. These include the filing of a will, the appointment of a personal representative, and the distribution of assets. Guardianship and conservatorship cases are also filed in the district court when a person needs someone else to manage their affairs or care for their person. Name change petitions are filed here as well. Each case type generates a set of documents that become part of the public record.
Typical documents in a probate file include the original petition, the will (if one exists), an inventory of assets, orders from the court, notices to creditors, and the final decree of distribution. In guardianship cases, you may find medical evaluations, guardian reports, and court orders setting out the terms of the guardianship. These records are kept permanently by the district court. Even cases that are many decades old may still be on file or have been transferred to the Utah State Archives.
Under Utah's GRAMA law, probate records are generally public records. The Government Records Access and Management Act governs how public records are made available in Utah. Most probate filings are accessible to anyone who requests them, though certain documents may be sealed by court order.
Note: If you are researching a case involving a minor or a person under guardianship, some records may be restricted. Contact the Third District Court clerk for guidance before submitting a records request.
Filing a Probate Case in Tooele
To open a probate case in Tooele, you file a petition with the Third District Court. The initial filing fee is $375 for a standard probate case. If the estate is small, meaning it is valued under $100,000, you may be able to use a simplified affidavit process instead of formal probate. This small estate affidavit option avoids the need to open a formal court case and is significantly cheaper and faster. Court forms for both formal probate and the small estate affidavit are available at utcourts.gov/forms.
Utah law sets a few key rules for probate. Under Utah Title 75, a person must survive the decedent by at least 120 hours to inherit. This is known as the 120-hour survival rule under Utah Code Section 75-2-104. There is also a three-year limit on when a probate case can be filed after a death, set by Utah Code Section 75-3-107. These rules apply to all probate filings in the state, including those in Tooele County.
After filing, the court will schedule hearings as needed. In informal probate, the process can move quickly if paperwork is in order. Formal probate cases take longer, especially if there are disputes. The personal representative is responsible for notifying creditors, paying debts, filing taxes, and distributing what remains to the heirs. All of these steps generate documents that become part of the court record.
Tooele County Probate Resources
The Tooele County Clerk office is located in Tooele city and serves residents throughout the county. For legal help with a probate case, the Utah State Bar offers a lawyer referral service. There are also legal aid programs available for those who qualify based on income. If you are unsure whether you need an attorney, many probate attorneys offer a free initial consultation.
The Tooele County Clerk website provides current information on county services. For court records, the Third District Court clerk is the primary point of contact. You can visit the courthouse during business hours or call (435) 833-8000 to ask about a specific case or request copies of documents. Copy fees in Utah courts are $0.25 per page for plain copies and $0.50 per page plus a $4.00 certification fee for certified copies.
The Tooele City government website provides general city information. City records such as business licenses or city meeting minutes are handled by city departments, not the district court. Keep in mind that probate records are always at the county district court level, not at city offices.
Historical Tooele Probate Records
Tooele has some of the older probate records in Utah. The county was established in 1851, and probate records from that year forward have been preserved. Many early records have been digitized and are accessible through FamilySearch. The FamilySearch collection for Utah probate records includes Tooele County records from 1851 to 1961, including wills, estate inventories, and court orders from that era. Case files from 1886 to 1936 are also held at the Utah State Archives and can be requested through their research services.
For researchers and genealogists, these older records can be valuable. They often contain detailed inventories of property, names of family members, and information about community life at the time. The FamilySearch Utah Probate Records wiki is a good starting point for understanding what collections are available and how to access them. The Utah State Archives also has a searchable online catalog that covers many of their historical holdings.
When searching for older records, it helps to know the approximate year of death and the full name of the deceased. Court records from this period may use older spelling variations or abbreviated names, so searching under multiple name forms can improve results.
Tooele City Clerk Screenshot
The Tooele County Clerk office page provides information on the services the clerk handles, including records related to county government.
The clerk office is your contact for county-level records questions and can direct you to the district court for probate case filings.
The Tooele City government website provides general city services and information for residents of Tooele city.
Tooele City operates its own municipal services, but probate and estate records are handled at the county district court level through the Third District Court at the Gordon R. Hall Courthouse.
Nearby Cities
Tooele is the only qualifying city in Tooele County. The nearest larger cities with their own probate records pages are in Salt Lake County to the east.