Box Elder County Probate Court Records
Box Elder County probate court records are maintained by the First District Court in Brigham City. If you need to find an estate case, locate a will on file, or look up a guardianship proceeding in Box Elder County, the courthouse on North Main is where those records are kept. This guide explains how to access Box Elder County probate records, what you will find in them, and where to get help if you need it.
Box Elder County Quick Facts
First District Court in Box Elder County
The First District Court handles probate cases filed in Box Elder County. The court is located in Brigham City at 43 North Main Street and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Judge Brandon Maynard presides over cases in this jurisdiction. The First Judicial District covers Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties, and the Brigham City court serves as the probate court for Box Elder County residents.
The Box Elder County Clerk office at 01 South Main Street, Room 10, in Brigham City handles county-level government records and can be reached at (435) 734-3393. For court case records, including probate filings, the correct office is the First District Court at (435) 734-4600. These are distinct offices, so confirm which one you need before visiting. County clerks handle property filings and official county documents; district court clerks handle case records.
The Box Elder County Clerk's page provides contact details for the county government offices and links to additional public records services in Box Elder County.
The clerk's website also lists services available at the county level, including FOIA requests through boxeldercounty.justfoia.com for non-court government records.
| Court |
First District Court 43 North Main, P.O. Box 873 Brigham City, UT 84302 Phone: (435) 734-4600 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM |
| County Clerk |
01 South Main Street, Room 10 Brigham City, UT 84302 Phone: (435) 734-3393 |
| Judicial District | First Judicial District (Box Elder, Cache, Rich) |
| Online Records | boxeldercountyut.gov/District-Court |
How to Find Box Elder County Probate Records
Searching Box Elder County probate court records starts online with the Utah Courts XChange system at utcourts.gov/xchange. XChange is the statewide case management portal and lets you search by party name or case number. You can view basic case details, filing dates, and case status for most active and recently closed probate matters in Box Elder County. A small one-time access fee may apply depending on the type of search.
For a more detailed search, especially one that involves reviewing the actual documents on file, visit the First District Court in Brigham City in person. Bring a photo ID and the full name of the person whose estate or case you are looking for. If you know the approximate year of filing, that helps narrow results quickly. Staff can locate files by name or case number and make copies at the standard per-page rate.
The Utah Court Access guide for Box Elder County provides an overview of how the court system operates locally and what records are available. This resource is useful for first-time court visitors who want to know what to expect.
Note: Requests sent by mail to the First District Court should include the full name of the decedent or party, the year of filing, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the response.
Types of Probate Cases in Box Elder County
Box Elder County probate court records cover several types of legal proceedings. The most common are estate administration cases. These open when someone dies with assets that need court oversight. The case file usually contains the petition to open probate, the original will if the decedent left one, a listing of assets and debts, any creditor claims filed, and the court's final order closing the estate. Under Utah Code Title 75, Utah follows the Uniform Probate Code, which gives families three main probate options depending on the complexity of the estate.
Guardianship and conservatorship cases also come through the Box Elder County probate docket. A guardian is appointed by the court to care for a minor or an adult who cannot care for themselves. A conservator is appointed to manage financial matters for someone with diminished capacity. These cases remain open for as long as the guardianship or conservatorship is in effect, and the guardian or conservator must file annual reports with the court. All of these reports become part of the probate court record in Box Elder County.
Will probation is a separate process. Even in informal probate cases in Box Elder County, the original will must be deposited with the court. The filed will is a permanent public record. The court keeps it as part of the estate file. Anyone can request to view a will that has been admitted to probate in Box Elder County.
Small estates worth less than $100,000 may bypass formal probate through a simplified affidavit process under Utah law. These matters do not generate a full court case file, but the affidavit itself may still be on record with the court or county clerk.
Historical Box Elder County Probate Records
Box Elder County has one of the oldest probate record collections in Utah. The county's court records go back to 1856, just a few years after Utah Territory was organized. Historical collections include probate minutes from 1856 to 1878, probate case files from 1885 to 1916, and estate files from 1870 to 1917. Naturalization records from 1868 to 1957 are also part of the historical collection and are often useful alongside estate research. FamilySearch has indexed much of this collection, covering Box Elder County records from 1856 to 1960.
Genealogists researching Box Elder County families find these records particularly rich. Estate inventories from the 1870s and 1880s name family members, list personal property, describe land holdings, and document debts. These details rarely appear anywhere else in the public record for that era. The Utah State Archives at archives.utah.gov holds the physical collections and can provide access or copies on request.
Note: FamilySearch has digitized many Box Elder County probate records, making it possible to access images of original documents online for free without a trip to the archives.
Box Elder County Probate Record Fees and Access
Box Elder County probate court records are public records under GRAMA, Utah Code § 63G-2. The public may view and copy most probate files without being a party to the case. Courts can seal individual records by order, but public access is the default for probate proceedings in Box Elder County.
The standard filing fee to open a probate case in Utah is $375. This fee is uniform across all counties, including Box Elder. Copy fees are set by the court and vary by number of pages. Certified copies carry an additional fee. Call the First District Court at (435) 734-4600 for current rates. If cost is a barrier, fee waiver applications are available for people who meet income requirements.
The Box Elder County District Court page provides links to filing information, local court contacts, and helpful resources for people navigating probate in Box Elder County.
The district court page also includes information on court forms and what to expect when you visit or file in Brigham City.
Legal Resources for Box Elder County Probate
People in Box Elder County dealing with probate have access to legal help through several paths. The Utah State Bar runs a lawyer referral program that can connect you with a probate attorney familiar with Box Elder County courts. Attorneys who practice in Brigham City know the local docket and court staff, which can make the process move faster.
Utah Legal Services offers free assistance to residents who qualify based on income. They can help with guardianship petitions, estate forms, and questions about the probate process. Visit utahlegalservices.org for information on eligibility and how to reach the nearest office serving Box Elder County.
The Utah Courts website at utcourts.gov/forms offers all the standard probate forms for Utah courts. Informal probate petitions, guardianship petitions, conservatorship forms, and related documents are available free of charge. The site also has guides for people handling their own cases. Utah's 120-hour survival rule under Utah Code § 75-2-104 requires that an heir survive the decedent by at least 120 hours, which is five days, to inherit under the will or intestacy laws. This rule affects who appears as an heir in some Box Elder County probate files.
Cities in Box Elder County
Box Elder County spans a large area in northern Utah. All probate cases for county residents are handled by the First District Court in Brigham City, regardless of which city or community the person lived in.
Brigham City is the county seat and the location of the First District Court that handles all Box Elder County probate matters.
Nearby Counties
Box Elder County borders Cache, Rich, and Weber counties in northern Utah. If you are unsure where to file, confirm the last address of the decedent. Probate must be filed in the county where the person lived.