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Livingston County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Livingston County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Livingston County |
| Filing office | Livingston County Circuit Clerk, Law & Justice Center, 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is listed. Mail the original will or paper filing to the Circuit Clerk at 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. |
| Phone | 815-844-2602. No separate probate line is listed. |
| Fax | 815-844-2322 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Probate (PR) filing fee is $262.00 on the Circuit Clerk's currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, whose file name indicates 2022. The same schedule lists the answer or appearance fee as 187 dollars. Filing a will under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 is $0.00 on that 2022 schedule. Confirm current amounts with the Circuit Clerk before filing. |
| Local forms | No local decedent-estate probate packet is posted for Livingston County. |
| E-filing | Required for Illinois civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without lawyers. Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 3(B) excludes WI, Will Filing, from mandatory e-filing, and an original will cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case lookup | Judici Livingston County page: https://www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL053015J. If a probate matter does not appear there, contact the Circuit Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 lets a judge allow remote appearances in civil matters. A written request must be made at least three business days before the proceeding, and the judge decides whether to allow it. |
| Website | https://www.livingstoncountyil.gov/department/circuit_clerk/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Livingston County, identify the assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and whether a will exists. That first inventory determines whether the family needs letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-8, 755 ILCS 5/9-8), whether the original will must be delivered to the Circuit Clerk, and whether the estate can be handled without a full court case.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, which helps you find accounts before you file a petition in Pontiac. Knowing the asset picture first also helps you estimate filing fees, publication needs and whether a Livingston County attorney should be involved.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One filing office serves Livingston County probate matters: the Livingston County Circuit Clerk at the Law & Justice Center, 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. Livingston County sits in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit with Ford, Logan, McLean and Woodford Counties. That shared circuit structure does not send a Livingston County estate to Bloomington or another county. File in Pontiac when Livingston County is the proper venue.
Under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975, probate or administration is in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence. If there was no known Illinois residence, venue moves to the county with the greater part of the decedent's Illinois real estate, and then to the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the will, death certificate, asset information, creditor information and heir or legatee addresses before preparing the Livingston County petition. Anyone holding 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).
- Prepare the petition to admit the will and issue letters of office, or the petition for administration if there is no will. The petition asks the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Livingston County, to open the estate and appoint the executor or administrator under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-2, 755 ILCS 5/6-8, Article IX).
- E-file the petition and supporting papers through eFileIL unless an exemption applies. Do not e-file the original will. Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 3(B) excludes WI, Will Filing, from mandatory e-filing, and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1) bars e-filing original wills.
- Deliver or mail the original will to the Livingston County Circuit Clerk at 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. Filing a will under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 is listed as $0.00 on the Circuit Clerk's currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, whose file name indicates 2022.
- Pay the Livingston County Probate (PR) filing fee. The Circuit Clerk's currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, whose file name indicates 2022, lists the filing fee as $262.00 and lists the answer or appearance fee as 187 dollars. Confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before submitting payment.
- Address heirship and appointment. Illinois requires heirship to be determined in the estate proceeding (755 ILCS 5/5-3). The court generally grants independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person properly objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2).
- Ask for a hearing date or follow the clerk's and judge's scheduling instructions after filing. If you need to appear remotely, make a written request under Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 at least three business days before the proceeding and send it to the court and the other party. The judge decides whether remote appearance is allowed.
- After the court appoints the representative, complete the oath and bond requirements unless excused or modified by the will or court order (755 ILCS 5/12-2). The clerk then issues letters of office, the Illinois authority document for the executor or administrator under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-8, Article IX).
- Send notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days after the order, and publish if an address is not stated (755 ILCS 5/6-10). Publish the creditor notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered, then file proof of publication with the Circuit Clerk. The creditor date must be at least six months from first publication or three months from mailing or delivery, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Administer the estate, gather assets, address claims, keep accounting information, sell or transfer property when legally authorized, and close the estate through the required account or independent administration closing steps under Article XXIV and Article XXVIII of the Illinois Probate Act of 1975.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Livingston County
Livingston County does not post a local decedent-estate probate packet. The Circuit Clerk's page posts basic e-filing directions, a motion for extension form, traffic ticket information and fee schedules, but it does not post a local petition to admit a will, petition for letters of office, oath, inventory, account or claim form.
Illinois also does not have a statewide standardized decedent-estate form set. The statewide forms that may matter in a Livingston County estate settlement are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application and the Appearance form. All Illinois courts must accept the statewide approved forms that apply.
Fees
| Fee item | Livingston County amount | Date note |
|---|---|---|
| Probate (PR) new case filing | $262.00 | Circuit Clerk's currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, file name indicates 2022. |
| Probate (PR) answer or appearance | 187 dollars | Same currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, file name indicates 2022. |
| Filing a will under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 | $0.00 | Same currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, file name indicates 2022. |
| Probate claim greater than $150.00 to $500.00 | $15.00 | Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. Confirm current claim fees before filing. |
| Probate claim greater than $500.00 to $10,000.00 | $25.00 | Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. Confirm current claim fees before filing. |
| Probate claim greater than $10,000.00 | $35.00 | Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. Confirm current claim fees before filing. |
| Certified copy of letters of office | $2.00 per page | Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. Letters of office are the Illinois authority document under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975, including 755 ILCS 5/6-8 and Article IX. |
| Jury demand | $125.00 | Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. |
Local nuance
Livingston County-specific considerations
Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 3(B) is unusually direct about probate e-filing. It says civil cases are electronically filed, except for WI, Will Filing, and certain inmate filings. For Livingston County probate, that means the petition and supporting papers are e-filed, but the original will is delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk in Pontiac. This local rule lines up with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), which says original wills may not be e-filed.
Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 also gives a local remote-appearance path. A judge may create and maintain a remote hearing or docket. If a proceeding is otherwise in person, a party who wants to appear remotely must make a written request to the court and the other party at least three business days before the proceeding, and the judge decides whether to allow it.
The Eleventh Circuit rules do not include a dedicated probate article for Livingston County. Rule 107 is the closest local probate-specific provision: an assignment of a distributee's interest in a decedent's estate must be presented to the presiding judge for approval of filing by a verified petition, and the court may refuse filing for inadequate consideration, excessive fees or other good cause.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Livingston County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Check how the home is titled and whether any assets were in the decedent's sole name. Assets with joint ownership or beneficiary designations may pass outside the estate, but sole-name assets may require a Livingston County filing. E-file the petition, deliver or mail the original will to the Circuit Clerk in Pontiac, and use the county's currently posted 2022 Probate (PR) fee schedule. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues and beneficiary-designation issues before the spouse chooses the estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Much of the filing work can be handled remotely because petitions are e-filed. The original will still must physically reach the Circuit Clerk in Pontiac. Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 may allow remote appearance if the judge grants a written request made at least three business days before the proceeding. | Sunset organizes the asset list, debts, heirs and documents so the adult child can understand what needs to be filed in Livingston County and what may be handled without travel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate generally requires court authority through letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-8, Article IX). The representative should also plan for creditor publication, which opens the six-month claims window under 755 ILCS 5/18-3, and may need certified copies of letters of office, priced at $2.00 per page on the Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule dated July 1, 2019. | Sunset helps assemble the probate packet, identify creditors and connect the parent with a Livingston County probate attorney when the home sale or claims process needs legal guidance. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Website or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Livingston County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Livingston County probate matters, including will filing, e-filing questions, fee questions and issued letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-8, Article IX). | Law & Justice Center, 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. 815-844-2602. https://www.livingstoncountyil.gov/department/circuit_clerk/index.php |
| Livingston County civil filing and appearance fee schedule | Lists Probate (PR) filing fee as $262.00 and filing a will under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 as $0.00. The file name indicates 2022, so confirm current fees with the Circuit Clerk. | https://www.livingstoncountyil.gov/Documents/Department/Circuit%20Clerk/CIVIL-FILING-APPEARANCE-FEES-2022.pdf |
| Livingston County miscellaneous fee schedule | Lists claim tiers, certified copies of letters of office and jury demand fees. The schedule is dated July 1, 2019, so confirm current claim fees before filing. | https://www.livingstoncountyil.gov/Documents/Department/Circuit%20Clerk/Misc-Fees-7-2019r.pdf |
| Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Rules | Local rules for Ford, Livingston, Logan, McLean and Woodford Counties, including Rule 3(B) on e-filing exceptions and Rule 4 on remote appearances. | https://cms3.revize.com/revize/livingstocountyil/Documents/Department/11th%20Judicial%20Circuit/2024-Eleventh-Circuit-Court-Rules.pdf |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Bloomington office | Legal aid office serving Livingston County, McLean County and Woodford County. | 201 West Olive Street, Suite 203, Bloomington, IL 61701. 309-827-5021. Toll free 800-874-2536. https://www.pslegal.org/our-offices |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online, estate guide | Plain-language statewide guide to settling an estate after someone dies. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-do-i-settle-estate-after-someone-dies |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Statewide forms that may matter in probate, including Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Fee Waiver for Civil Cases and Appearance. | https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms/ |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system for Illinois civil cases, including probate petitions and supporting documents other than the original will. | https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across financial institutions, insurance carriers, retirement platforms and other sources so families can see what may belong in the estate settlement before choosing a Livingston County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's answers into an organized probate packet for Livingston County, including the information needed for the petition, heirs, assets, debts and requested letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-2).
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, such as a home sale, a disputed heirship issue, creditor problems or a court-approved assignment, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, identify assets, prepare next steps and understand where Livingston County probate fits without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Livingston County?
File with the Livingston County Circuit Clerk at the Law & Justice Center, 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764. Livingston County is in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, but a Livingston County estate is filed in Pontiac, not in another county in the same circuit. Venue follows the Illinois Probate Act of 1975: the county of the decedent's known residence, then the county with the greater part of the real estate, then the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do I have to e-file a Livingston County probate case?
Yes, probate filings are civil filings and must be e-filed unless an exemption applies under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9. Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 3(B) specifically excludes WI, Will Filing, from mandatory e-filing. An original will cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1), so deliver or mail it to the Circuit Clerk in Pontiac.
How much does probate cost in Livingston County?
The Circuit Clerk's currently posted civil filing and appearance fee schedule, whose file name indicates 2022, lists the Probate (PR) filing fee as $262.00 and the answer or appearance fee as 187 dollars. Filing a will under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 is listed as $0.00 on that 2022 schedule. Confirm current fees with the Circuit Clerk before filing.
Can I appear remotely for a Livingston County probate hearing?
Possibly. Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 allows remote appearances in civil matters at the judge's discretion. A party who wants to appear remotely for a proceeding that is otherwise in person must make a written request to the court and the other party at least three business days before the proceeding. Evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, trials and contempt proceedings are excluded by case category.
Are there Livingston County probate forms?
No local decedent-estate probate packet is posted by the Livingston County Circuit Clerk. Use the Circuit Clerk's instructions for e-filing, check whether a statewide form applies, and ask the clerk what the judge requires for a petition, order, oath, bond and letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-2, 755 ILCS 5/12-2).
How do I look up a Livingston County probate case?
Use Livingston County's Judici page at https://www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL053015J. If the estate matter does not appear there, call the Circuit Clerk at 815-844-2602.
Do I have to travel to Pontiac to start probate?
Often no. Petitions are e-filed, and Eleventh Judicial Circuit Rule 4 allows remote appearances when the judge permits them. The original will is different: it cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk at 110 N. Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764.
When do creditor notices run in a Livingston County estate?
The representative publishes notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is being administered, and the claims date must be at least six months from first publication or three months from mailing or delivery, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3). Proof of publication is filed with the Circuit Clerk.
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.