Williams County, North Dakota Court Filing
Fee Lookup

The Williams County Probate Court in Williston is the primary filing location for Williams County's approximately 36,044 residents. As in the top quarter of North Dakota jurisdictions by population, Williams County's filing volume and court procedures reflect the county's specific character within North Dakota's District Court (unified — civil/family/probate) / Small Claims Court.

Understanding local fee schedules before approaching the clerk's window prevents delays and unexpected costs.

Williams County is centered on Williston, ground zero of the Bakken oil boom that transformed western North Dakota. The county experienced explosive growth after 2010 as hydraulic fracturing unlocked vast oil reserves in the Williston Basin.

These local economic characteristics shape the types of legal proceedings filed in Williams County — from probate of estates that include commercial property or business interests near Williston to civil disputes arising from the county's primary industries. The Williams County Probate Court handles the full range of case types for this community, with filing fees applying uniformly based on case type regardless of the underlying subject matter.

Williams County is known for landmarks including Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center, Lewis & Clark Trail Museum. For residents and businesses in the areas surrounding these community anchors, knowing the applicable filing fees and court procedures in advance helps legal matters proceed efficiently at the Williams County Probate Court in Williston.

• Filing fees in Williams County are based on North Dakota's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $60–$110 (District Court — Probate)
• civil complaints and appearances — $80–$160 (District Court) / $10–$30 (Small Claims Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $80–$160 (District Court — Domestic Relations)
• small claims filings — $10–$30 (Small Claims Court). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Williams County Probate Court in Williston may include additional local charges.

As one of North Dakota's larger jurisdictions, Williams County may assess higher local surcharges than the state's rural counties, reflecting the greater administrative cost of operating a high-volume court in Williston.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Williams County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in North Dakota), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in Williams County, request the full fee schedule from the Williams County Probate Court clerk in Williston before initiating the proceeding.

North Dakota has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Williams County is among the jurisdictions where e-filing is more established.

For a mid-to-large county, the Williams County Probate Court in Williston likely participates in the state's e-filing system, and represented parties in civil and family matters may be required to file electronically. Contact the Williams County Probate Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Williams County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Williams County Probate Court clerk's window in Williston during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Williams County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some North Dakota probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Williams County Probate Court in Williston which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Williams County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under N.D.
• Cent.
• Code § 29-26-16.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Williams County Probate Court clerk's office in Williston at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in Williams County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in N.D.
• Cent.
• Code § 29-26-16 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Williams County Probate Court clerk in Williston for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Williams County Probate Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Williams County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.