Search Kendall County Probate Court Records

Probate court records in Kendall County are kept by the Circuit Clerk of the 23rd Judicial Circuit in Yorkville. The clerk's office at 807 W. John Street handles all estate cases, will filings, guardianship petitions, and trust matters for the county. Kendall County has grown fast over the past two decades and now has a population of about 137,675. That growth has brought more probate filings each year. You can search probate court records online through Judici.com or visit the courthouse in person. Most records are open to the public, and the clerk's staff can help you find what you need.

Kendall County Circuit Clerk Office

Matthew Prochaska serves as the Circuit Clerk for Kendall County. His office is the official keeper of all probate court records in the county. Staff handle new filings, store case documents, and assist the public with record searches. The office is at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville. If you need to look at a probate file, this is where you go. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours, though calling ahead can save you time if you have questions about a specific case.

Contact info for the Kendall County Circuit Clerk:

• Address: 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560
• Phone: 630-553-4183
• Website: kendallcountyil.gov

The clerk's website has info about services, filing rules, and how to reach the office. You can call with questions about a probate case or to ask about fees before you visit. Staff are helpful and can point you in the right direction even if you are not sure where to start with probate court records in Kendall County.

Search Probate Court Records Online

Kendall County probate court records are searchable online through Judici.com. This third-party portal pulls case data from the clerk's system and lets you look up records by party name or case number. The search is free. You do not need to create an account. Results show the case type, filing date, parties, and docket entries. It is the quickest way to find out if a probate case exists in Kendall County without going to the courthouse.

The online system has its limits. Docket info and basic case details show up fine, but full document images are not always available. If you need the text of a will, an inventory of assets, or a guardian's report, you may need to go to the clerk's office for the complete file. The online tool works best as a starting point for your search of probate court records.

The Illinois Courts directory page for Kendall County lists the courthouse location and court details.

The directory provides courthouse hours, judicial circuit info, and contact numbers for the court.

E-Filing Probate Court Records

Electronic filing is required for all civil cases in Kendall County. Probate cases fall under this rule. Every new petition, motion, accounting, and supporting document must go through the eFileIL system. This statewide portal handles e-filing for all 102 Illinois counties. Attorneys use it daily. Self-represented parties can file through it too, though first-time users should expect a bit of a learning curve.

The eFileIL portal is shown below for reference.

This portal accepts filings for probate cases in Kendall County and across the state.

One thing to watch out for: original wills must be filed as hard copies. You cannot e-file a will. Bring the original to the Circuit Clerk's office at 807 W. John Street in Yorkville or mail it in. The clerk adds it to the case file and enters the data into the electronic system. After that, the will appears in online searches of probate court records. Everything else can go through eFileIL, and fees are paid online at the time of submission.

Copies and Fees

Copy fees for probate court records in Kendall County follow the standard schedule used across Illinois. The clerk charges $2.00 for the first page of a document. Pages two through nineteen cost $0.50 each. After page nineteen, the rate drops to $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost more. Letters of Office are $2.00 per copy. A certified copy of a court order or judgment is about $10.00. If you need the clerk to search for a case by name because you do not have the case number, there is a $6.00 research fee per case.

Filing fees for new probate cases depend on the type of filing. A full estate administration petition costs more than a small estate affidavit. Guardianship petitions have their own fee. Check with the clerk's office at 630-553-4183 for current filing fees. They can also tell you the total cost of a copy order before you send payment by mail.

The office accepts cash, checks, and money orders. Mail requests should include a check payable to the Kendall County Circuit Clerk.

Visit the Courthouse in Yorkville

For a full look at probate court records, visit the Kendall County Courthouse at 807 W. John Street in Yorkville. The Circuit Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday. Bring the case number or the full name of the person whose estate you want to review. Staff will search the system and pull the file for you. You can go through documents at the counter and ask for copies of what you need.

The courthouse is the only place you can view complete case files. Online searches show docket entries but not full documents. If you are working on an estate matter, settling a dispute, or researching family records, an in-person visit gives you the most thorough access to probate court records in Kendall County. Plan to arrive in the morning when the office tends to be less busy.

Probate Court Records and Illinois Law

Probate cases in Kendall County follow the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5). This state law spells out the rules for estates, wills, guardianships, and trusts. It covers who can open a probate case, what forms are needed, and how the court supervises the process from start to finish. Every probate court record filed in Kendall County follows the procedures set out in this statute.

Under the Probate Act, the Circuit Court has jurisdiction over all estate matters. When someone passes away with assets in Kendall County, the estate goes through probate unless it meets the small estate exception. Illinois sets the small estate threshold at $100,000 in personal property with no real estate. Estates above that need formal administration. The court appoints an executor or administrator who must inventory assets, notify creditors, settle debts, and distribute the remaining property. Each step in the process creates probate court records that the clerk stores and maintains.

Guardianship cases have their own set of rules under the same act. A petition for guardianship of a disabled adult needs medical proof and a court hearing. Minor guardianship cases follow a different section. All filings, orders, and reports become probate court records open to the public unless a judge seals them.

The 23rd Judicial Circuit

Kendall County is part of the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which it shares with DeKalb County. Judges in this circuit handle all trial-level cases, including probate. The main courthouse for Kendall County cases is in Yorkville. Probate hearings take place there on scheduled court dates. The Illinois Courts website has general info about how circuits work and what types of cases they handle.

Because the 23rd Circuit covers two counties, judges may rotate between courthouses. Your probate hearing will almost certainly be in Yorkville if the case was filed in Kendall County. But if the estate involves property in DeKalb County too, you may need to check records in both locations. Each county clerk keeps separate probate court records for cases filed in that county.

Legal Help With Probate Cases

Several resources can help if you need legal guidance with probate court records in Kendall County. The Illinois Courts website posts self-help guides and approved forms for common probate filings. These forms are good in every Illinois county, including Kendall. The court help line at (833) 411-1121 offers basic guidance over the phone or by text.

Prairie State Legal Services covers the Kendall County area and provides free legal aid to people who qualify by income. They can help with guardianship petitions, simple estate cases, and questions about probate court records. The Kendall County Bar Association can connect you with a local attorney who handles estate and probate work. Many lawyers in the area will meet with you for a short time at low cost to discuss your case and explain your options.

For historical records, the Illinois State Archives may hold older Kendall County probate files. Contact the archives or the clerk's office to find out what is on file from past decades.

Nearby Counties

If your probate case was filed in a county next to Kendall, you can find info on those courts through the links below. Each county has its own Circuit Clerk and keeps its own probate court records.