Search Naperville Probate Court Records

Probate court records for Naperville residents are filed at the DuPage County Circuit Clerk's office in Wheaton. The 18th Judicial Circuit Court handles all probate, estate, and guardianship cases for DuPage County. Naperville straddles the line between DuPage and Will counties, though the bulk of the city sits in DuPage. With over 150,000 residents, Naperville is one of the largest cities in Illinois and generates a steady volume of probate filings each year. You can look up probate court records online, visit the courthouse in Wheaton, or file new cases through the state's electronic filing system. This guide covers every step.

Probate Court Records Office

The DuPage County Circuit Clerk manages probate court records for most Naperville residents. Circuit Clerk Candice Adams runs the office at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187. The main phone number is (630) 407-8700. Wheaton is the county seat, and the courthouse there is where all DuPage County probate filings are kept. The 18th Judicial Circuit Court handles probate, guardianship, and estate matters for the entire county.

The DuPage County Circuit Clerk website has forms, filing instructions, and fee schedules. The screenshot below shows the Circuit Clerk's homepage.

That site is the starting point for anyone who needs to file a new probate case, look up an old one, or find out what forms are required. Staff at the Clerk's office can answer procedural questions over the phone, though they can not give legal advice.

Under the Illinois Probate Act (755 ILCS 5), the Circuit Court has the authority to admit wills to probate, appoint executors and administrators, and oversee the settlement of estates. DuPage County follows these state rules and adds its own local court procedures. The Probate Act lays out who can file, what documents are needed, and how the court moves a case from start to finish. If you are searching for probate court records in Naperville, the rules set by this law apply to your case.

Search Probate Court Records Online

DuPage County offers online access to court records through its electronic payment and search portal. The DuPage Circuit Clerk online portal lets you search by party name or case number. Results include filing dates, case types, party names, and court dates. The portal is a good starting point for finding probate court records tied to Naperville residents. It shows docket information, which means you can see what has been filed and when, but you may not be able to view the full documents online.

To search, enter the name of the person involved in the probate case or the case number if you already have it. Probate cases in DuPage County use a "P" prefix in the case number. Guardianship cases may use "GR" as a prefix. Knowing the year the case was filed helps narrow the results. The system is free to access, though there may be fees if you want to purchase copies of specific documents through the portal.

For questions about the online system or help with a search, call (630) 407-8700. The Clerk's staff can point you in the right direction if the portal is not showing what you need.

Probate Court Records Case Types

Probate court records in Naperville cover three main case types. Decedent estate cases start when someone dies and a family member or attorney files a petition to open the estate. The court appoints an executor or administrator to manage the estate's assets, pay debts, and distribute what remains to the heirs. All filings in the case become public probate court records. These include the petition, the will if there is one, an inventory of assets, creditor claims, and the final accounting. The Probate Act (755 ILCS 5) controls each step of this process in Illinois.

Guardianship cases are the second major type. A petition asks the court to appoint a guardian for an adult who can not make decisions due to illness or disability. The court file will contain medical reports, the petition, and orders from the judge. These records are public, though some medical details may be sealed. Minor estate cases are the third type. They involve assets held for a child, typically from an inheritance or settlement. The DuPage Courts probate and guardianship page has more detail about how these cases are handled in the 18th Circuit.

DuPage and Will Counties

Naperville sits in two counties. Most of the city is in DuPage County, but the southern and southwestern parts extend into Will County. This matters for probate court records because the case gets filed in the county where the deceased person lived. If the person's home address was in the DuPage County portion of Naperville, the probate case goes to the DuPage Circuit Clerk in Wheaton. If the address was in the Will County portion, the case is filed with the Will County Circuit Clerk in Joliet.

This two-county split trips people up sometimes. Before you search for probate court records, check which county the home address falls in. You can look this up through the DuPage or Will County assessor websites, or just call either Clerk's office and give them the address. They can tell you which county it belongs to. If you search the wrong county's records, you simply will not find the case. It does not mean the records do not exist. It just means you need to try the other county.

For Naperville addresses in Will County, the Circuit Clerk's office is at 14 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet. Most Naperville probate court records end up in DuPage County though, given how the city boundaries fall.

Filing Probate Court Records

DuPage County requires electronic filing for most court documents. This includes probate cases. Attorneys and people who file on their own use the eFileIL portal to submit petitions, motions, and supporting documents. Once a filing goes through, it becomes part of the official probate court records for that case and shows up in the Clerk's system.

Original wills are the main exception. They must be submitted as physical documents at the Clerk's office in Wheaton. There is no fee to file a will for safekeeping. Bring the original to 505 N. County Farm Road, and staff will process it. After the will is entered into the system, it appears in online searches. Some other items, like certain sealed documents, also need to go in by hand. Check with the Clerk if you are not sure whether your document can be e-filed.

Probate Court Records Fees

Copy fees at the DuPage County Circuit Clerk follow the standard Illinois schedule. The first page of a regular copy costs $2.00. Pages 2 through 20 are $0.50 each. Pages beyond 20 cost $0.25 each. These are the rates for Naperville probate court records and all other DuPage County filings. Certified copies cost more, and the exact amount depends on the document type.

Filing fees for new probate cases vary. A standard estate administration petition has a fee based on the estate's value. The Illinois Probate Act (755 ILCS 5) and related court fee statutes set these amounts. Small estate affidavits typically have lower fees. Guardianship petitions carry their own filing cost. Call (630) 407-8700 for the current fee on your case type. Fees change from time to time.

You can pay at the courthouse by cash, check, or money order. Credit card payments may be accepted for certain services. E-filed documents collect fees through the eFileIL system at the time of submission.

How to Get Copies

There are three ways to get copies of Naperville probate court records. The first is to visit the DuPage County Circuit Clerk's office in person at 505 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. Bring the case number or the full name of the person whose records you need. Staff will pull the file and make copies. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Wheaton is about a 15-minute drive from central Naperville, so the trip is not far.

The second option is to request copies by mail. Write to the Circuit Clerk of DuPage County at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187. Include the party name, case number if you have it, and a description of which documents you want. Enclose a check or money order for the copy fees. The Clerk will process the request and mail the copies to you. Allow extra time for processing and mail delivery.

Third, you can use the online portal to view docket information. Some documents may be available for purchase through the system. The Illinois Legal Aid guide on getting court records has step-by-step instructions for requesting copies from any Illinois county, including DuPage.

Naperville Legal Resources

The City of Naperville website has general city services and contact information. While probate court records are a county-level matter, the city site can help you find local services and community resources. The screenshot below shows the Naperville city website.

That site links to various city departments and may be useful for finding local legal aid or social services during the probate process.

For legal help, the Illinois State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that covers Naperville and the rest of DuPage County. You can connect with an attorney who handles probate and estate law in the area. Many offer a low-cost first consultation. The Illinois Courts approved forms page has standard probate forms you can download for free. These forms work in DuPage County and across the state. If you are filing a probate case without a lawyer, the DuPage County courthouse staff can help with procedural questions, though they can not provide legal advice.

DuPage County Probate Court Records

Most of Naperville falls in DuPage County. All probate court records for DuPage County residents are filed at the Circuit Clerk's office in Wheaton. Visit the full DuPage County guide for more detail on the courthouse, filing steps, and fee schedules.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Naperville also have probate court records guides. Some share DuPage County's court system, while others fall in neighboring counties.