Find Illinois Probate Court Records Online
Illinois probate court records are public files kept by the Circuit Clerk in each of the state's 102 counties. These records cover wills, estate cases, guardianship filings, and trust matters heard in Illinois Circuit Courts. You can search probate court records by name or case number through county clerk portals and state databases like Judici.com. Many Illinois counties now offer free online access to their probate court records. Some charge a small fee for copies or certified documents. Whether you need to look up a will, check on an estate case, or get copies of probate court records for legal use, this guide walks you through every step of the process in Illinois.
Illinois Probate Court Records Quick Facts
How Illinois Probate Court Records Work
Illinois handles probate through its Circuit Court system. There is no separate probate court in most counties. Instead, the Circuit Court has a probate division that hears cases about estates, wills, guardianships, and trusts. The Circuit Clerk in each county keeps all probate court records on file. Under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5), the Circuit Court has the power to probate wills, appoint estate representatives, and oversee the settlement of estates. This law sets the rules for how probate cases move through the court system in Illinois.
Each of the 102 counties in Illinois has its own Circuit Clerk office. That office is where you go to file probate cases, look up existing records, and get copies of court documents. The clerk assigns case numbers and tracks all filings. In Cook County, the Probate Division sits on the 12th floor of the Daley Center in Chicago and is one of the busiest in the state. Smaller counties may handle probate as part of their general civil division. Either way, the process for searching probate court records is much the same across Illinois.
The Illinois Courts website provides a directory of all Circuit Courts, contact info, and links to local clerk offices. You can use this as a starting point to find the right court for your probate court records search in Illinois.
Search Illinois Probate Court Records Online
Several online tools let you search probate court records in Illinois from home. The fastest option for many counties is Judici.com, a free public portal that covers dozens of Illinois Circuit Courts. You can search by party name, case number, or filing date. Judici shows case type, filing dates, and party names for probate cases. Not all counties use Judici, but it covers a large share of the state.
Some counties run their own case search portals. Cook County offers online case information through the Circuit Clerk's website. Lake County uses a JournalTech public portal. Will County has a free case lookup tool on the Circuit Clerk's site. Kane County runs its own portal at kanecoportal.co.kane.il.us. Peoria County provides a Tyler Technologies records inquiry system. Each portal works a bit differently, but most let you search probate court records by name or case number.
To search for Illinois probate court records, you will need:
- Full name of the deceased person or party
- County where the case was filed
- Approximate year of filing
- Case number if you have it
Note: Online search results show case docket info but may not include full document images for all probate court records.
Illinois Probate Court Records by Case Type
Probate court records in Illinois cover several case types. The most common is a decedent's estate case. This starts when someone dies and a family member or attorney files a petition to open an estate. The court appoints a representative to manage the estate, pay debts, and distribute assets. All filings in the case become part of the probate court records, and anyone can look them up.
Guardianship cases are the second major type of probate court record in Illinois. These involve a petition asking the court to appoint someone to care for a minor child or a disabled adult. The Probate Act covers adult guardianships under 755 ILCS 5/11a. The court file includes the petition, medical reports, and court orders. As of January 2022, many Illinois counties split their case numbering so that probate cases use "PR" and guardianship cases use "GR" as case prefixes. Winnebago County was one of the first to make this change.
Other types of Illinois probate court records include will filings (where someone deposits a will for safekeeping), small estate affidavits (for estates under $100,000), trust disputes, and name change petitions handled through the probate division. The Illinois Courts approved forms page has standard forms for many of these case types.
Electronic Filing for Probate Court Records
Illinois now requires electronic filing for most court cases, including probate. The Illinois Supreme Court mandated e-filing statewide, and the system runs through the eFileIL portal. Attorneys and self-represented parties use this system to submit petitions, motions, and other documents. Once filed, these become part of the official probate court records for that case.
E-filing has made it faster to get probate court records into the system. Documents show up in the court's database sooner than paper filings did. But some items still need to go in by hand. Original wills, for instance, must be filed as physical documents in most Illinois counties. Will County allows you to mail in an original will, and Winnebago County accepts them in Room 108 of the courthouse. After the physical will is filed, the clerk enters the case into the electronic system so it appears in online searches of probate court records.
Probate Court Records Fees in Illinois
Fees for probate court records vary by county and case type across Illinois. Filing a will for safekeeping costs nothing in most counties. Opening a full estate administration case costs more. In Champaign County, a decedent's estate filing is $200 for full administration and $75 for a summary release. Macon County charges $376 for a decedent's estate filing. The range across Illinois is roughly $256 to $376 for a standard estate case.
Copy fees for probate court records follow a general pattern in Illinois. Most counties charge $2.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each page after that up to page 20, then $0.25 for pages beyond 20. Certified copies cost more. In McLean County, a certified copy of a judgment runs $10.00, and a record search costs $6.00 per year per person. Sangamon County charges $0.50 per page for regular copies, $1.00 for certified pages, and $10.00 for a certified copy of a judgment. Winnebago County charges $8.00 for the first certified page and $0.50 for each page after. Letters of Office cost $2.00 in most Illinois counties.
Note: Fees change from time to time, so call the Circuit Clerk in your county to check current rates for probate court records.
How to Get Copies of Probate Court Records
You can get copies of probate court records in Illinois in person, by mail, or online in some counties. The in-person method is the most direct. Visit the Circuit Clerk's office in the county where the case was filed. Bring the case number or the full name of the deceased. Staff will look up the file and make copies for you. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 or 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Some keep different hours, so call first.
For mail requests, send a letter to the Circuit Clerk with the party name, case number if known, and the documents you need. Include a check or money order for the estimated copy fees. The clerk will process your request and mail back the copies of the probate court records. Sangamon County's Circuit Clerk notes that "registration is NOT required to access the Circuit Clerk's Records" for online lookups, which makes their system one of the more open options in Illinois. The Sangamon County records lookup is free to use and does not require an account.
The Illinois Legal Aid guide on getting court records walks you through the full process step by step. It covers what forms to use, what to expect, and how to handle common issues when requesting probate court records in Illinois.
Illinois Probate Court Records Directory
The Illinois Courts Directory lists every courthouse in the state along with contact details and office hours. This is useful when you need to find the right court for a probate matter. Illinois has 24 judicial circuits, and some circuits cover multiple counties. For example, the 6th Judicial Circuit covers both Champaign and Macon counties. The 10th Judicial Circuit includes Peoria and Tazewell counties. Knowing which circuit handles your county can help you find the right probate court records faster.
Circuit Courts are the trial-level courts in Illinois. They handle all probate cases as part of their civil jurisdiction. The Illinois Courts Circuit Court page explains how the system is set up and what types of cases each court hears. If you need help finding probate court records, you can call or text Illinois Court Help at (833) 411-1121, available Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Legal Help With Probate Court Records
If you need help with a probate case or understanding probate court records in Illinois, several resources are available. The Illinois State Bar Association offers lawyer referral services. You can connect with an attorney who handles estate and probate matters in your area. Many attorneys offer a low-cost first meeting.
Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org has free guides, forms, and legal information about probate cases. The site covers topics like how to open an estate, what a small estate affidavit is, and how to get copies of probate court records. The Illinois State Archives at ilsos.gov holds historical probate records. McLean County has historical probate records from 1834 to 1934 indexed online through the State Archives database.
Browse Illinois Probate Court Records by County
Each county in Illinois has its own Circuit Clerk who keeps probate court records. Pick a county below to find local contact info and resources for probate filings in that area.
Probate Court Records in Major Illinois Cities
Residents of major cities file probate cases at their county Circuit Court. Pick a city below to learn about probate court records in that area.