The U.S. Department of the Interior on Monday announced the launch of the Electronic Probate System, a new digital platform designed to modernize the probate process for American Indian and Alaska Native families by replacing paper-based case management with a secure online system.
Interior officials said the Electronic Probate System will allow beneficiaries to interact directly with the federal government throughout the probate process, providing greater transparency while reducing delays that have long frustrated families waiting for trust property to be transferred after the death of a loved one.
“The Trump administration is committed to delivering a government that works for everyone, especially for families navigating the difficult loss of a loved one,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “The Electronic Probate System is a historic modernization of trust services that will end unacceptable delays and bring real transparency to Indian Country.”
For the first time, beneficiaries will be able to use a secure online Family Portal to report a death, upload required documents, provide family history information, and monitor the status of a probate case in real time.
The platform also includes a Specialist Portal for Bureau of Indian Affairs probate staff, guiding employees through each stage of case review, document verification, file preparation, and submission to the Department’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.
According to Interior, the system standardizes probate processing through clearly defined case stages and uses automated tools to organize and validate information submitted by families. Department officials emphasized that while the technology reduces paperwork and administrative tasks, all probate decisions will continue to receive full human review.
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland said the modernization will improve both efficiency and customer service.
“Every family deserves a probate process that is efficient, transparent, and worthy of the trust placed in the federal government,” Kirkland said. “The Electronic Probate System modernizes a critical service by reducing unnecessary paperwork, improving accountability, and helping us process cases more quickly while maintaining the careful human review that these important decisions require. This investment reflects our commitment to better serving American Indian and Alaska Native families.”
Interior said the new system is intended to give families greater certainty during what is often a difficult period following the death of a relative. By allowing beneficiaries to track their cases electronically, the department said the platform will reduce uncertainty about where a probate case stands and make it easier for families to communicate with federal officials.
The Electronic Probate System is part of the department’s broader effort to modernize federal trust services. Interior expects the platform to improve data quality, reduce processing delays, and help address longstanding probate backlogs affecting trust land and other trust assets in Indian Country.
The department said additional enhancements to its broader eNativeTrust platform are planned in future phases as it continues updating trust management services for Tribal communities.
