Search Cook County Probate Court Records

Cook County probate court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk of Cook County at the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago. The Probate Division sits on the 12th floor and handles all estate, guardianship, and will cases filed in the county. With more than 5.1 million residents, Cook County is the most populous county in Illinois and processes a high volume of probate filings each year. You can search Cook County probate court records online through the Circuit Clerk's case portal, request copies in person at the courthouse, or file new cases through the state's electronic filing system. This page covers every method for finding and getting probate court records in Cook County.

Cook County Probate Court Records Office

The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County operates out of the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 W. Washington St., Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602. This is where all probate court records for Cook County are filed and stored. The division hears cases that deal with wills, estates of people who have died, adult guardianship matters, and minor estate cases. Circuit Clerk Mariyana T. Spyropoulos oversees the office that manages these records. You can reach the Probate Division by phone at (312) 603-7546 for questions about specific cases or filing steps. The general Circuit Clerk number is (312) 603-5030.

Under the Illinois Probate Act (755 ILCS 5), the Circuit Court has full power to admit wills to probate, appoint estate representatives, and settle estates. Cook County follows these state rules while also maintaining its own local procedures. The Probate Division breaks its caseload into three main groups: decedent estates, adult guardianship estates, and minor estates. Each type has its own set of forms, filing steps, and court dates.

The Cook County Circuit Clerk's website has a page dedicated to the Probate Division. You can view it at the Circuit Clerk Probate Division page shown below.

This page lists contact details, office hours, and links to forms you may need for probate court records in Cook County. Staff can also help with procedural questions if you call or visit in person.

Search Cook County Probate Court Records Online

Cook County offers an online case search tool through the Circuit Clerk's website. This system lets you look up probate court records by party name or case number. The portal shows electronic docket information, which includes filing dates, case types, party names, and scheduled court dates. Keep in mind that the online results show docket data only. They are not the official court records. To get certified copies or view full documents, you still need to contact the Clerk's office or visit the courthouse.

To start a search, go to the Cook County online case information portal. The screenshot below shows what the search page looks like.

When you search for Cook County probate court records online, you will need either the full name of the person involved in the case or the case number. Probate cases in Cook County typically use a case number format that starts with a year and a "P" prefix. If you know the year the case was filed, that helps narrow down the results. The system pulls up a list of matching cases, and you can click on each one to see more details about the filings and court dates.

For questions about electronic access, you can email the Circuit Clerk's support team at eFilehelp@cookcountycourt.com. Joseph Fleming handles administrative and procedural questions about the Probate Division and can be reached at (312) 603-7546 or joseph.fleming@cookcountyil.gov.

Cook County Probate Court Records by Case Type

Probate court records in Cook County fall into several categories. The most common is a decedent estate case. When a Cook County resident dies, a family member or attorney files a petition with the Probate Division to open the estate. The court appoints an executor or administrator to handle the estate. All filings from that point forward become part of the probate court records for that case. These records are open to the public, and anyone can request copies from the Circuit Clerk. The Probate Act (755 ILCS 5) sets out the rules for how estates are opened, managed, and closed in Illinois, and Cook County follows these provisions closely.

Adult guardianship cases make up another large portion of Cook County probate court records. These cases involve a petition to appoint a guardian for a person who can no longer make decisions on their own due to disability or illness. The court file will include the petition, medical evaluations, and any orders the judge issues. Minor estate cases are the third category. These deal with assets held on behalf of a child, often from an inheritance or lawsuit settlement. Each case type generates its own set of probate court records that the Clerk stores and makes available for public review.

The Cook County Court Probate Division page provides more detail about the types of cases heard.

That page also explains what to expect when a probate case goes before a judge in Cook County. It covers hearing schedules, courtroom procedures, and how to check the status of pending probate court records.

Filing Probate Court Records in Cook County

Cook County requires electronic filing for most court documents. This rule applies to probate cases as well. Attorneys and self-represented parties use the eFileIL portal to submit petitions, motions, and other paperwork. Once a document is filed through the system, it becomes part of the official probate court records for that case. The filing shows up in the Clerk's database and becomes searchable through the online portal.

There are a few things you can not file electronically. Original wills must be submitted as physical documents at the Clerk's office. Cook County does not charge a fee to file a will for safekeeping. You bring the original will to the Probate Division on the 12th floor of the Daley Center, and staff will process it. The will gets entered into the system after that. Some other documents, like certain sealed filings, also need to go in by hand. The Clerk's office has a self-help center that can guide you through the process if you are not sure what to file or how to do it.

Electronic filing has made the whole system faster. Documents appear in the court's records the same day they are filed in most cases. Before e-filing, paper submissions could take days to process. The change has been especially helpful in Cook County given the sheer number of probate court records the Clerk's office handles each year.

Probate Court Records Fees in Cook County

The Circuit Clerk charges set fees for copies of probate court records in Cook County. A regular copy costs $2.00 for the first page. Pages 2 through 20 cost $0.50 each. Any pages after page 20 cost $0.25 each. Letters of Office, which prove a person has been appointed to handle an estate, cost $2.00 per copy. Filing a will for safekeeping is free.

Filing fees for new probate cases depend on the type of case. A standard estate administration petition has a filing fee that varies based on the size of the estate, as set by state law under the Illinois Probate Act (755 ILCS 5) and related court fee statutes. Small estate affidavits may have lower filing fees. Guardianship petitions carry their own fee schedule. Call the Clerk's office at (312) 603-5030 to get the current fee for your specific probate filing. Fees can change, and the amounts listed here are based on the most recent published schedule.

You can pay fees in person at the courthouse with cash, check, or money order. Credit cards may be accepted for some transactions. For e-filed documents, the system collects fees electronically at the time of filing.

How to Get Cook County Probate Court Records

There are three main ways to get copies of probate court records in Cook County. The first and most direct is to visit the Circuit Clerk's office in person. Go to 50 W. Washington St., Room 1202, in Chicago. Bring the case number or the full name of the person whose records you need. Staff will pull the file and make copies for you. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Plan to arrive early because the Probate Division can get busy, especially in the morning.

The second option is to request copies by mail. Write a letter to the Circuit Clerk of Cook County at 50 W. Washington St., Suite 1001, Chicago, IL 60602. Include the party name, case number if you have it, and a clear description of which documents you need. Add a check or money order for the copy fees. The Clerk will process your request and mail back the copies of the probate court records. Allow extra time for mail delivery and processing.

Third, you can use the online case portal to view docket information, though it does not provide full document downloads for most probate court records. The Illinois Legal Aid guide on getting court records walks through the full process for requesting copies from any Illinois county, including Cook County. It covers what forms to use, fees to expect, and tips for dealing with common issues.

Cook County Probate Court Records Contact

The Circuit Clerk's main website has a full contact page with phone numbers, email addresses, and office locations. You can find it at the Cook County Circuit Clerk homepage.

Here is the key contact info for probate court records in Cook County:

• Probate Division: (312) 603-7546
• General Clerk Line: (312) 603-5030
• Address: 50 W. Washington St., Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602
• Email: eFilehelp@cookcountycourt.com
• Probate Contact: Joseph Fleming at joseph.fleming@cookcountyil.gov

The Circuit Clerk's website also lists hours for each division. The Probate Division follows standard Cook County court hours. If you plan to visit, call ahead to confirm the office is open, especially around holidays and court closures.

Cook County Probate Court Records Help

If you need legal help with a probate case in Cook County, start with the Illinois State Bar Association. The ISBA runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with an attorney who handles probate and estate law. Many lawyers offer low-cost initial consultations, which can be helpful if you just need guidance on searching probate court records or understanding a filing.

The Cook County Circuit Court also has a self-help center that assists people who are filing probate cases without a lawyer. Staff there can point you to the right forms, explain basic procedures, and help you understand what you see in probate court records. They can not give legal advice, but they can walk you through the steps. The Illinois Courts approved forms page has standard probate forms that work in Cook County and across the state. You can download and print these forms for free. The About Probate Division Cases page on the Cook County Court website provides useful background on what happens during a probate case and what documents end up in the court file.

Probate Court Records in Cook County Cities

Cook County is home to Chicago and dozens of suburbs. Residents across all of these cities file probate cases at the Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago. The Probate Division handles records for the entire county, no matter which city you live in. Below are major Cook County cities with their own probate court records guides. Hoffman Estates spans into Kane County, and Tinley Park sits partly in Will County, so residents in those areas may need to check with the neighboring county clerk depending on where the deceased lived.

Nearby County Probate Court Records

If the person whose records you need lived outside Cook County, the probate case may have been filed in a neighboring county. Each county keeps its own probate court records, so you will need to search the right county's system. Here are the counties that border Cook County.