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Clark County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clark County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Clark County |
| Filing office | Clark County Circuit Clerk, 501 Archer Avenue, Marshall, IL 62441 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 187, Marshall, IL 62441 |
| Phone | (217) 826-2811 |
| Fax | (217) 826-1391 |
| Hours | Public hours are not posted online. Call the Circuit Clerk before going to the courthouse. |
| Filing fee | Clark County does not post a probate fee amount online. Illinois circuit clerk fees are set under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so confirm the current amount with the Clark County Circuit Clerk before filing. |
| Local forms | No Clark County decedent-estate packet or probate cover sheet is posted online. Illinois does not have statewide standardized decedent-estate probate forms. |
| E-filing | E-filing is required in Illinois civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without a lawyer. A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may use the Certification for Exemption From E-filing. An original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk. |
| Case lookup | Clark County uses Judici. Public access for decedent-estate case details can vary, so use Judici first and call the Circuit Clerk if you cannot find the case. |
| Remote appearance | Fifth Circuit Rule III(E) allows remote appearances where the county or judge permits them. Ask the Circuit Clerk whether your hearing qualifies. |
| Website | Clark County Circuit Clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Clark County, identify the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, joint owners and any real estate. That determines whether a court estate is needed, what has to be listed in the petition and whether letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 will be needed to collect or sell property.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and organize the asset picture before they call the Clark County Circuit Clerk or e-file a petition. That early inventory also helps you avoid opening the wrong kind of estate or paying a filing fee before you know what authority is actually needed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Clark County probate matters: the Clark County Courthouse, 501 Archer Avenue, Marshall, IL 62441. The filing office is the Clark County Circuit Clerk, also called the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Do not file a Clark County estate with the County Clerk and Recorder, which is a separate office for vital records, elections and land recording.
Clark County is part of the Fifth Judicial Circuit with Vermilion, Edgar, Cumberland and Coles Counties. The circuit shares court administration and local rules, but it does not share a single probate filing counter. File a Clark County resident's estate with the Clark County Circuit Clerk in Marshall. Illinois venue is the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, then the county with the greater part of the Illinois real estate, then the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Find the will and deliver the original to Marshall. Anyone who has the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1). Original wills cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), so deliver the original will to the Clark County Circuit Clerk at 501 Archer Avenue or mail it to P.O. Box 187, Marshall, IL 62441.
- Prepare the petition and supporting papers. A will estate usually asks the court to admit the will and issue letters of office under 755 ILCS 5/6-2 and 755 ILCS 5/6-8. If there is no will, the petition asks for administration under Article IX. Clark County does not post a local probate packet online, so call the Circuit Clerk before filing to ask what proposed orders, copies and payment methods are currently required.
- E-file the petition and pay the filing fee. Probate petitions are e-filed through eFileIL unless the filer has an exemption under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(d). Clark County does not post a probate fee amount online. Fees are set under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before submission.
- Prove heirship and ask the court for authority. The petition process includes heirship information under 755 ILCS 5/5-3. If the court appoints a representative, independent administration is generally granted under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2).
- Take the oath and address bond. Before acting, the representative takes the oath and gives bond unless the will or the court allows a different bond arrangement (755 ILCS 5/12-2). Once the judge signs the order, the clerk issues letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 so the representative can act for the estate.
- Give required notices. After the order, the representative sends notice to heirs and legatees within the time required by 755 ILCS 5/6-10. If an address is not stated, publication may be required.
- Publish the creditor notice in Clark County. The representative publishes the claims notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered and files proof of publication with the clerk. The claims date must be not less than six months from first publication or three months from mailing or delivery, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Administer and close the estate. The representative gathers assets, handles inventory and accounting duties, pays valid claims and expenses, distributes the remaining property, and closes the estate under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975. In an independent administration under Article XXVIII, many steps can occur without repeated court orders, unless court approval is required or an interested person asks for supervision.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clark County
Clark County does not post a local decedent-estate packet, probate cover sheet, petition for letters of office, oath, inventory, account, or small-estate template online. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set. The statewide forms most likely to matter in a Clark County estate are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the civil fee waiver application, and the Appearance.
If you are opening an estate, call the Clark County Circuit Clerk at (217) 826-2811 before filing to ask what local formatting, copies, proposed orders, and fee payment methods the office currently requires. Estate settlement in Clark County usually starts with the petition and supporting documents being e-filed, while any original will is delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk because original wills cannot be e-filed.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Clark County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Joint tenancy property or assets with beneficiary designations may pass outside the court estate. If assets are in the decedent's sole name, the spouse usually e-files the petition, delivers or mails the original will to the Clark County Circuit Clerk in Marshall, and confirms the current filing fee before submission. | Sunset helps separate nonprobate assets from probate assets, find accounts and prepare an estate settlement plan before the spouse files. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | The child may be able to handle many steps from outside Illinois. If court authority is needed, the petition is e-filed, and the original will still has to reach Marshall by mail or in person. Remote appearance depends on the judge or county protocol under Fifth Circuit Rule III(E). | Sunset helps collect account information, organize documents, identify whether court authority is needed and prepare questions for the Circuit Clerk. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually requires court-issued letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. The estate is opened with the Clark County Circuit Clerk, creditor notice is published in the county under 755 ILCS 5/18-3, and the representative uses the court authority to work with the title company and buyer. | Sunset helps identify assets and debts, organize the probate packet and connect the parent with a Clark County probate attorney when a real estate sale or creditor issue needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Clark County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Clark County estates. Call (217) 826-2811 to confirm hours, fees, copies and filing logistics. | Circuit Clerk |
| Fifth Judicial Circuit, Clark County page | County page for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, with courthouse information and circuit resources. | Fifth Judicial Circuit Clark County |
| Illinois Courts Clark County Courthouse page | State court directory page for the Clark County Courthouse. | Clark County Courthouse |
| Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Eastern Regional Office | Legal aid program serving Clark County. Call (217) 356-1351 or (800) 747-5523 to ask whether help is available for your civil probate issue. | Land of Lincoln Legal Aid locations |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online estate guide | Plain-language Illinois guide to settling an estate after someone dies. | How do I settle an estate after someone dies |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Includes forms Clark County must accept, such as the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, civil fee waiver application and Appearance. | Approved statewide standardized forms |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system for Illinois civil cases, including probate petitions. | eFileIL |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is most useful in a Clark County estate settlement when real estate or farmland must be sold, heirs disagree, a creditor files a claim, or the representative needs help preparing the petition, notice, inventory, account, or closing filings. Nothing found in the Fifth Judicial Circuit rules bars a self-represented petition for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, but a representative who is acting for an estate may still need legal advice when the estate's rights, title, or disputes are involved. Sunset connects families with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Clark County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset's estate settlement platform searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before deciding what has to be filed in Clark County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the petition, heir and asset details, notice tasks and supporting documents, then helps you understand what must be e-filed and what must be delivered or mailed to the Clark County Circuit Clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. If a Clark County estate involves a house sale, farmland, creditor issues, conflict among heirs, or a court hearing that you do not want to handle alone, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Clark County.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free to use. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, decide whether court is needed and move forward with a clearer Clark County plan.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clark County?
File with the Clark County Circuit Clerk at the Clark County Courthouse, 501 Archer Avenue, Marshall, IL 62441. Venue usually belongs in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, then where the greater part of the Illinois real estate is located, then where the greater part of the personal estate is located (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
How much does it cost to open an estate in Clark County?
Clark County does not post a probate filing fee amount online. Illinois circuit clerk fees are set under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so call the Clark County Circuit Clerk at (217) 826-2811 to confirm the current filing fee and payment methods before you submit the petition.
Do I have to e-file a Clark County probate case?
Yes. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 requires e-filing in civil cases, including probate, and it applies to filers with and without a lawyer. A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may file the Supreme Court's Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). An original will cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1), so it must be mailed or delivered to the Clark County Circuit Clerk.
Are there Clark County probate forms online?
No Clark County decedent-estate probate packet or cover sheet is posted online. Illinois does not have statewide standardized decedent-estate probate forms, although every Illinois court must accept the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing, civil fee waiver application, and Appearance.
Can I appear remotely in a Clark County probate matter?
Possibly. Fifth Circuit Rule III(E) allows remote appearances where a county or judge protocol permits them, but Clark County does not post a probate-specific remote appearance protocol online. Ask the Circuit Clerk whether your hearing can be handled remotely.
How do I look up a Clark County probate case?
Start with Clark County's Judici case lookup page. Judici is a public case lookup vendor, not the court, and public access for decedent-estate case details can vary. If you cannot find the case, call the Clark County Circuit Clerk.
Do I have to travel to Marshall for probate?
Not always. The petition is generally e-filed, and the original will can be mailed to the Clark County Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 187, Marshall, IL 62441. Travel may still be needed if the judge requires an in-person hearing or if you need counter service at the courthouse.
What if I have the will?
Anyone who has the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1). A person named as executor has 30 days after learning of the appointment to open a case or decline to act (755 ILCS 5/6-3).
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.