Back to Illinois
Iroquois County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Iroquois County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit, Iroquois County |
| Filing office | Iroquois County Circuit Clerk |
| Courthouse address | 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address |
| Phone | (815) 432-6950. The clerk publishes one general office line, not a separate probate line. |
| Fax | Call the Circuit Clerk before sending a fax. The clerk page does not publish a fax number. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Courtroom session hours are separately set by local rule as 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless the Chief Judge orders otherwise. |
| Decedent estate filing fee | $376.00 filing fee for administration of a decedent estate, effective January 1, 2022. The answer or appearance fee is $201.00, effective January 1, 2022. |
| Will filing only | $0.00 for filing a will without administration, effective January 1, 2022, consistent with 755 ILCS 5/6-1. |
| Local forms | No local decedent-estate probate packet is posted. The clerk links Illinois Supreme Court approved forms, but Illinois does not provide a decedent-estate petition packet for letters, inventory, accounting, or closing. |
| E-filing | Probate filings are filed electronically through an Illinois Supreme Court approved e-filing system unless exempted. An original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk. |
| Case search | Judici for Iroquois County, court code IL038025J. |
| Remote appearance | Routine, non-evidentiary probate matters are generally remote-attendable under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 45 and Twenty-first Circuit Administrative Order 2023-2, subject to the assigned judge. Zoom information is posted through the Twenty-first Circuit. |
| Website | Iroquois County Circuit Clerk, iroquoiscountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Watseka, make a clear list of the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries, and any real estate. That determines whether the family can use a non-court transfer path or needs letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from the Circuit Court.
Sunset can help with that first estate settlement step by searching more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and organizing what is known before you prepare an Iroquois County filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Iroquois County Courthouse in Watseka serves probate filings for estates that belong in Iroquois County. Iroquois County is part of the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit with Kankakee County, but venue is county-specific. You file in the county where the decedent resided, or if there was no known Illinois residence, where the greater part of the decedent's Illinois real estate or personal estate is located (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do not file an Iroquois County estate in Kankakee County just because both counties share the same circuit. The filing office for an Iroquois County estate is the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk at 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Iroquois County is the correct venue under 755 ILCS 5/5-1, then identify whether the estate needs court authority or can use a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV outside court.
- Gather the will, death certificate, asset list, debt information, heir and legatee information, and any real estate details. If the will is handwritten, prepare the local-rule transcription and affidavit. If the will is not in English, prepare the local-rule translation and translator certification.
- Prepare the probate petition and supporting papers. Iroquois County does not post a local decedent-estate packet, so the documents must be prepared for the specific estate.
- E-file the petition and court documents through an Illinois Supreme Court approved e-filing system unless an exemption applies. If there is an original will, deliver or mail it to the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk at 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970, because an original will cannot be e-filed.
- Pay the Iroquois County filing fee. The published fee for administration of a decedent estate is $376.00, effective January 1, 2022. The answer or appearance fee is $201.00, effective January 1, 2022. Filing a will without administration is $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
- Arrange required notice. Creditor notice is published once each week for 3 successive weeks, and known or reasonably ascertainable creditors must receive notice. The claim date must follow the timing in 755 ILCS 5/18-3.
- Watch for the hearing or court date assigned in the case. No fixed Iroquois County probate call day is posted, so use the notice, e-filing acceptance, or clerk guidance for the assigned date.
- Use remote appearance when available for routine, non-evidentiary probate matters. Twenty-first Circuit Administrative Order 2023-2 and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 45 allow remote attendance for routine civil matters, but the judge can require in-person attendance.
- After appointment, obtain certified letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from the Circuit Clerk. The Iroquois County schedule lists certified copies of letters, orders, or other certifications at $2.00 for each page, effective January 1, 2022, under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b.
- Administer and close the estate. For independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII, follow the Probate Act and any court orders. For local accounting, the Twenty-first Circuit requires an account within 60 days after 12 months from letters of office, and then annually, unless the case posture excuses a court accounting.
Executor duties
The Twenty-first Circuit adds local accounting and dormancy rules that matter after letters of office issue under 755 ILCS 5. Under local probate Rule 8.5, an executor or administrator must present an account within 60 days after 12 months from issuance of letters of office, and then annually. If an account is not timely filed, the clerk may mail notice and the court may issue a citation, with failure potentially leading to revocation of letters of office.
Local Rule 8.4 also allows the court to set a status date when an estate has had no activity, other than independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII, for at least 24 months. If the estate is dormant and cannot be conveniently terminated, the court may dismiss it for want of action or direct a citation.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Iroquois County
Iroquois County does not post a local decedent-estate probate petition, order, oath, inventory, accounting, or closing packet. The Circuit Clerk page links Illinois Supreme Court approved forms, but those forms do not include a decedent-estate packet for opening or closing probate.
If the estate can use a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV, Illinois Legal Aid Online provides an automated Small Estate Affidavit Easy Form. That affidavit is not filed with the Circuit Clerk. If the estate needs court authority, you or your attorney prepare the probate petition and related documents, e-file the petition, and deliver or mail the original will to the Circuit Clerk when there is a will.
Fees
The Iroquois County Circuit Clerk publishes a civil fee schedule effective January 1, 2022. These are the local probate amounts a filer should check before filing.
| Filing or service | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration of the estate of a decedent, filing fee | $376.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Administration of the estate of a decedent, answer or appearance fee | $201.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Filing a will without administration | $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 |
| Each account other than one final account | $25.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Claim from $150.01 to $500.00 | $25.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Claim from $500.01 to $10,000.00 | $40.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Claim over $10,000.00 | $60.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Claim, petition, or supplemental proceeding seeking equitable relief | $60.00, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Jury demand on the probate schedule line | $137.50, effective January 1, 2022 |
| Certified copy of letters of office, court orders, or other certifications | $2.00 for each page, effective January 1, 2022, under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b |
| Exemplification | $2.00 plus the certification fee, effective January 1, 2022 |
Local nuance
Iroquois County-specific considerations
The Twenty-first Circuit has local probate rules worth checking before filing. A handwritten will requires a typewritten transcription and an affidavit that the transcription is true and correct. A non-English will requires a typewritten English translation and a qualified translator's certification.
The clerk counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but the local rules set courtroom session hours as 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless the Chief Judge orders otherwise. That distinction matters when you are planning a same-day filing, hearing, or call to court staff.
Remote appearance in the Twenty-first Circuit is governed by Administrative Order 2023-2 rather than the older remote-appearance language still printed in the local rules. Routine, non-evidentiary probate proceedings are not listed among the order's in-person categories, but the assigned judge can still require in-person attendance.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Iroquois County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how title is held and whether any assets need letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. If probate is needed, file through the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk in Watseka and plan for the $376.00 decedent-estate filing fee, effective January 1, 2022. | Sunset organizes asset information, helps identify accounts that may pass outside probate, and can connect the spouse with an Illinois probate attorney if a deed, sale, or court filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies for a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV, the affidavit is used with the bank or holder rather than filed with the Circuit Clerk. If court authority is needed, the child can e-file many documents and may be able to attend routine hearings remotely. | Sunset supports estate settlement from out of state by finding assets, organizing the family information, and helping the child decide whether a court filing or affidavit path is the next step. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires court authority unless title passes outside probate. File the decedent-estate case in Iroquois County if venue belongs there, deliver or mail any original will, and obtain letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 before acting for the estate. | Sunset helps collect account and property information, prepares an organized probate packet, and connects the parent with a vetted attorney for the sale and court process. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Iroquois County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Iroquois County probate cases, original wills, fee questions, Judici access, and local filing logistics. | 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970. Phone: (815) 432-6950. |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Kankakee office | Legal aid provider serving Iroquois County. Availability depends on income, case type, and program capacity. | 187 South Schuyler Avenue, Suite 350, Kankakee, IL 60901. Phone: (815) 935-2750. |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language Illinois probate information and an automated small estate affidavit tool under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. | illinoislegalaid.org |
| Iroquois County legal self-help center listing | Illinois Legal Aid Online's county listing does not show a physical legal self-help center location in Iroquois County. Use the online resources or contact the Circuit Clerk for filing logistics. | illinoislegalaid.org/counties/Iroquois |
When to hire an attorney
An Illinois decedent estate often involves creditor notice, real estate transfers, sale approvals, accountings, and letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. A lawyer is especially useful when the estate must sell a home, when heirs disagree, when a handwritten or non-English will needs the local-rule transcription or translation step, or when the representative lives outside Illinois and needs help with e-filing and hearings. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, and other assets that may affect whether probate is needed in Iroquois County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family and asset information into an organized probate packet so the next filing step is clearer, whether the estate is using a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV or preparing for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5.
Find a local probate attorney. When an Iroquois County estate needs court filings, creditor work, real estate sale support, or help with remote hearings, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families start estate settlement without charging families for the asset search, probate organization, or attorney connection.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Iroquois County?
File with the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk at the Iroquois County Courthouse, 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970. Illinois venue is based on the decedent's residence, or if there was no Illinois residence, where the decedent's Illinois real estate or personal estate is located (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Does Iroquois County have a separate probate division?
No. Probate is handled in the Circuit Court of the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit as a civil case category. The filing office is the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk.
Can I e-file an Iroquois County probate case?
Yes. The Twenty-first Circuit rules require documents to be e-filed through an Illinois Supreme Court approved e-filing system unless an exemption applies. An original will cannot be e-filed, so deliver or mail it to the Circuit Clerk at 550 South 10th Street, Watseka, IL 60970.
What does it cost to open a decedent estate in Iroquois County?
The published Iroquois County fee schedule lists $376.00 to file administration of a decedent estate, effective January 1, 2022. The answer or appearance fee is $201.00, effective January 1, 2022. Filing only a will, without opening administration, is $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
Can I appear remotely for an Iroquois County probate hearing?
For routine, non-evidentiary probate matters, remote attendance is generally available under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 45 and Twenty-first Circuit Administrative Order 2023-2. The assigned judge can require in-person attendance for case-specific reasons. The Twenty-first Circuit posts Zoom information, and the Circuit Clerk can direct you to the correct help line.
How do I look up an Iroquois County probate case?
Use Judici for Iroquois County, court code IL038025J. Iroquois County is listed separately from Kankakee County on Judici even though both are in the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit.
Are there local Iroquois County probate forms?
No local decedent-estate probate packet is posted by the Iroquois County Circuit Clerk. If a court estate is needed, the petition and supporting documents are prepared for the specific estate. Illinois Legal Aid Online provides a small estate affidavit tool under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV for qualifying personal-property transfers outside court.
Do I have to travel to Watseka for estate settlement?
Not always. Many documents can be e-filed, and routine, non-evidentiary hearings may be handled remotely when allowed. You still may need to send the original will to the Circuit Clerk, and the judge can require in-person attendance for a specific hearing.
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.