Kane County Probate Court Records
Kane County probate court records date back to 1864, when the county was created from Washington County in southern Utah. The Sixth Judicial District Court in Kanab handles all current probate filings for this county, including estate administrations, will probates, guardianship cases, and conservatorship matters. You can search Kane County probate court records through the Utah Courts online system, contact the county clerk's office directly, or visit the courthouse in Kanab. Comprehensive records have been maintained since 1878, and historical filings are preserved as part of the Utah State Archives collection covering records from 1848 through 2001.
Kane County Quick Facts
Sixth District Court - Kane County Clerk
The Kane County Clerk/Auditor is Chameill Lamb. The office is at 76 North Main Street, Kanab, UT 84741. The main phone number is (435) 644-2458. The Kane County official website has details on office hours, services, and how to reach the clerk. The county clerk holds marriage, divorce, probate, and court records, with probate records and court records both beginning in 1878. Land records go back even further to 1872.
Under Utah's unified court system, all Kane County probate filings are managed through the Sixth Judicial District Court. This district covers several southern Utah counties including Garfield and Kane. The district court clerk handles the case files, while the county clerk/auditor manages administrative county records. If you are looking for a court case specifically, contacting the district court is the most direct path.
| Court | Sixth Judicial District Court |
|---|---|
| County Clerk/Auditor | Chameill Lamb |
| Address | 76 North Main Street, Kanab, UT 84741 |
| Phone | (435) 644-2458 |
| County Website | kane.utah.gov |
Note: Kane County probate records from 1878 through 1896 are documented in the Kane County Probate Court minutes book B, and an index to probate filings covers 1864 through 1896.
Search Kane County Probate Records
Recent Kane County probate court records are searchable through the Utah Courts XChange system. XChange covers all Sixth District Court case types including probate, civil, criminal, and traffic. You can look up cases by party name, case number, or attorney. Basic case status and filing information is often free. Document access costs $1.00 per file, with a $5.00 registration and $0.20 per search. Monthly plans are available for those who need ongoing access.
For older Kane County probate court records, the Utah State Archives holds the broader collection covering 1848 to 2001. This includes the Kane County Probate Court minutes book B from 1878 to 1896, the probate index from 1864 to 1896, and a wide range of other county records from the territorial and early statehood years. These archives are available to researchers in person at the state archives in Salt Lake City and through the online catalog.
The screenshot below is from the Kane County official website, which provides current contact details and links to services for Kane County probate research.
The Kane County website is the first place to check for current contact information and guidance on reaching the clerk's office or district court in Kanab.
Historical Kane County Probate Court Records
Kane County was created on January 16, 1864, carved out of Washington County in Utah's territorial period. The county has maintained some form of probate record since that founding, with the earliest probate index covering filings from 1864 to 1896. Comprehensive court and probate records begin in 1878, the same year as the earliest Kane County Probate Court minutes book B.
The Utah State Archives Records collection for Utah covers 1848 to 2001 and includes Kane County within its scope. This collection is one of the most complete historical record sets for southern Utah counties. Researchers working on estate cases or genealogical projects from the late 1800s or early 1900s will find the archives an essential resource. The screenshot below shows the Utah State Courts website, which provides access to the Sixth District Court information and the XChange search system for more recent Kane County probate filings.
The Utah State Courts site links you directly to the tools you need for searching Kane County probate cases through the Sixth District Court system.
Probate Record Types in Kane County
Kane County probate court records include all the standard case types that fall under Utah probate law. Estate administration cases are the most common. When someone dies in Kane County, their estate may go through informal or formal probate depending on whether a will exists, whether heirs agree, and whether the estate is contested. Utah follows the Uniform Probate Code under Utah Code Title 75, which applies the same rules to all counties statewide.
Informal probate is a faster process that does not require a court hearing when there are no disputes. Formal probate involves a judge and is used for contested cases or when the will's validity is challenged. Both types create public records held by the Sixth District Court and searchable by anyone with a legitimate request.
Guardianship and conservatorship cases also flow through the Kane County probate court docket. These cover situations where the court appoints someone to care for a minor child or manage the affairs of an adult who cannot act on their own. Intestate estates, where no will exists, follow the same basic process through the Sixth District Court. The personal representative appointed by the court takes on the role of managing and distributing the estate according to state law.
Small estates under $100,000 may use the simplified affidavit process and may not create the same type of court case file as larger probate matters. For guidance on which path applies, contact the clerk at (435) 644-2458.
Accessing Kane County Probate Filings
All Kane County probate court records that are not sealed are public under Utah's GRAMA law. The statute is at Utah Code § 63G-2. You do not need to be an attorney, a family member, or a party to the case to request these records. The right to access applies to any person who makes a proper request.
Copy fees at Utah district courts run $0.25 per plain page. Certified copies carry a $4.00 certification fee per document on top of the per-page cost. Filing a new probate case in Kane County costs $375 as the initial fee, which is the same across all Utah courts. Always check for current fees before filing or submitting a copy request, as court rules can change.
The Utah Courts forms page has all the probate forms used in the Sixth District Court. These are free to download and cover everything from informal probate petitions to estate inventory and closing statements. Many Kane County families with straightforward estates use these forms without professional help to get through the process.
Note: Adoption records are sealed in Utah for 100 years by state law and cannot be obtained through a standard probate records request at any Utah court including the Sixth District in Kanab.
Legal Help for Kane County Estates
The Utah State Bar can refer you to a probate attorney with experience in southern Utah's Sixth District Court. For qualifying residents who cannot afford a lawyer, Utah Legal Services offers free civil legal help that may extend to basic probate matters in Kane County.
Two important deadlines apply to all probate cases in Utah. An heir must survive the person who died by at least 120 hours under Utah Code § 75-2-104 to be legally eligible to inherit. A probate case must also be opened within three years of the date of death under Utah Code § 75-3-107. Both rules apply in Kane County without exception. If a deadline is coming up, act quickly rather than waiting to see if the estate will resolve on its own.
For those dealing with a Kane County estate for the first time, the Utah Courts website has plain-language guides on the probate process that explain each step. Reading through that material before calling the court can help you ask better questions and move the process along faster. The Sixth District Court handles a relatively small number of cases compared to urban courts, which often means more direct access to court staff when you need help.
Nearby Counties
Kane County is in southern Utah near the Arizona border. It borders Washington, Garfield, and San Juan counties. Probate is always filed in the county where the person lived when they died, so confirm the last known address before assuming which court had jurisdiction.