The Branch of Probate Services compiles inventories of Indian Trust assets and family data heirship information to coordinate the timely distribution of trust assets with the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), the Division of Land Titles and Records (DLTR), and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA).
For information about the status of an Indian probate, please contact your Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Regional or Agency office, OHA, DLTR, or BTFA using the information provided on this page.
When an American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individual who owns trust or restricted lands and/or trust funds passes away, please notify BIA immediately.
Delays in notifying BIA about decedents may lead to delays in the probate process. Timely cooperation from the decedent’s heirs will help the process move as quickly as possible.
General Probate Information at BIA Regional and Agency Offices
Delivery of probate services to AI/AN individuals is administered by the BIA’s 12 regional offices, 83 agencies, and Tribes that have compacted or contracted through the probate program.
The online Tribal Leaders Directory map can help you identify the BIA region and agency that serves you.
| BIA Regional Office | Location | Probate Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Juneau, Alaska | (907) 271-3911 |
| Eastern | Nashville, Tennessee | (615) 564-6770 |
| Eastern Oklahoma | Muskogee, Oklahoma | (918) 781-4611 |
| Great Plains | Aberdeen, South Dakota | (605) 226-7665 |
| Midwest | Bloomington, Minnesota | (612) 725-4500 |
| Navajo | Gallup, New Mexico | (505) 863-8436 |
| Northwest | Portland, Oregon | (503) 231-2276 |
| Pacific | Sacramento, California | (916) 978-6070 |
| Rocky Mountain | Billings, Montana | (406) 247-7907 |
| Southern Plains | Shawnee, Oklahoma | (405) 273-0317 |
| Southwest | Albuquerque, New Mexico | (505) 563-3334 |
| Western | Phoenix, Arizona | (602) 379-4299 |
Information About Hearings, Titles, and Asset Distribution at OHA, DLTR, and BTFA
OHA
An OHA judge or ADM decides how the trust or restricted lands and/or trust funds will be distributed among the eligible heirs or devisees.
For information about hearings or rehearings, please visit the Probate Hearings Division of OHA website: https://www.doi.gov/oha/organization/phd
DLTR
After the OHA judge or Attorney Decision Maker (ADM) issues a decision, DLTR will update the land title record of the deceased AI/AN’s trust or restricted property to reflect the heirs or devisees as the current owners.
An ADM is an attorney with OHA who conducts a summary of probate proceedings.
For more information about titles, please visit the DLTR website: https://www.bia.gov/bia/ots/dltr
BFTA
After an OHA judge or ADM issues the decision, and following any appeals, BTFA will distribute the assets from the deceased individual’s Individual Indian Money (IIM) account to the eligible heirs or devisees listed in OHA’s decision.
For information about IIM accounts, please visit the BTFA website: https://www.doi.gov/ost
Additional Information
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