Probates involving assets owned by American Indian and Alaska Native individuals are handled differently from most probate matters. These assets include certain land interests – such as Native allotments and inherited trust land – as well as funds held in trust by the federal government through Individual Indian Money accounts. Rather than being administered through state courts, these estates are overseen by the federal government through the U.S. Department of the Interior, which works with tribal organizations and the federal Office of Hearings and Appeals to ensure property is distributed according to a valid Will or applicable inheritance laws.
On July 13, 2026, the Department of the Interior announced the launch of a new electronic probate system, designed to modernize this process. The secure online platform allows American Indian and Alaska Native family members to report a death, upload required documents, establish a family relationship, and track the progress of a probate case electronically.
By streamlining case management while maintaining human oversight, the new system is expected to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and make the probate process more accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native families.
While this new system applies specifically to federally administered American Indian and Alaska Native probate matters, it reflects a broader trend toward modernizing estate administration.
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