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Richland County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit, Richland County |
| Filing office | Richland County Circuit Clerk, Richland County Courthouse, 103 West Main Street, #21, Olney, IL 62450 |
| Mailing | Mail the original will and paper filings allowed by rule to the Richland County Circuit Clerk at 103 West Main Street, #21, Olney, IL 62450. |
| Phone | (618) 392-2151. No separate probate line is listed. |
| Fax | (618) 392-5041 |
| Hours | The public Richland County Circuit Clerk and Second Judicial Circuit pages do not list counter hours. Call the Circuit Clerk before visiting or mailing a time-sensitive filing. |
| Filing fee | Illinois circuit clerk filing fees are set locally under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. Richland County does not list a probate dollar amount on the public court pages used for filing guidance, so call the Circuit Clerk for the current fee before filing. |
| Local forms | No Richland County-specific decedent-estate probate packet is posted on the Circuit Clerk or Second Judicial Circuit pages. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set. |
| E-filing | Required in Illinois civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without a lawyer under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may use the Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). Original wills may not be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case search | Judici Richland County entry point: https://www.judici.com/courts/cases/case_search.jsp?court=IL080015J. If the estate does not appear there, call the Circuit Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Second Judicial Circuit Rule 24 allows remote Zoom appearance without prior approval for civil case management conferences, pre-trial conferences and argument-only hearings. Evidentiary hearings and settlement conferences are in person unless the judge grants a remote request. |
| Website | https://www.richlandcountycourt.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before opening a Richland County probate case, list the assets, debts, beneficiaries and title details. The court path depends on what is actually in the decedent's name, whether a house or farmland must be sold, whether there is a will, and whether the estate needs letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5).
Sunset can help organize estate settlement before you file by checking for accounts across more than 2,300 institutions, gathering account clues and turning the asset picture into a cleaner probate packet for the Richland County Circuit Clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Richland County probate filings: the Richland County Courthouse at 103 West Main Street in Olney. File in Richland County only when Illinois venue belongs there, which means the decedent had a known place of residence in Richland County, or, if there was no known Illinois residence, Richland County holds the greater part of the Illinois real estate, or, if there is no Illinois real estate, the greater part of the Illinois personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Richland County is part of the Second Judicial Circuit with Hardin, Gallatin, White, Hamilton, Franklin, Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, Jefferson, Lawrence and Crawford Counties. That circuit shares court administration, but it does not share a single probate filing counter. A Richland County estate is filed with the Richland County Circuit Clerk in Olney, not with a clerk in another Second Judicial Circuit county.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the filing county and gather the will, death certificate, asset list, debts, heirs and legatees. For Richland County, venue must fit 755 ILCS 5/5-1, and the filing office is the Richland County Circuit Clerk in Olney.
- File the original will with the Circuit Clerk immediately if you have it (755 ILCS 5/6-1). The original will may not be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), so deliver or mail it to 103 West Main Street, #21, Olney, IL 62450. A named executor has 30 days after learning of the appointment to open a case or decline under 755 ILCS 5/6-3.
- E-file the petition and supporting probate documents unless you qualify for a Rule 9(d) exemption. Ask for admission of the will and letters of office, or for administration if there is no will, under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5).
- Call the Richland County Circuit Clerk before filing to confirm the current probate filing fee and counter hours. Richland County fees are set locally under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, and no probate dollar amount is listed on the public filing pages.
- Prepare proof of heirship under Second Judicial Circuit Rule 20 and 755 ILCS 5/5-3. In an uncontested matter, heirship may be proved by affidavit when the facts are straightforward; testimony or deposition may be needed when the family tree is less clear.
- Attend the first setting as directed by the court. Under Second Judicial Circuit Rule 24, case management conferences, pre-trial conferences and argument-only hearings may be remote without prior approval, but evidentiary hearings and settlement conferences are in person unless the judge allows remote attendance.
- If the court grants the petition, the representative takes the oath, bond is addressed under 755 ILCS 5/12-2, and letters of office issue under 755 ILCS 5/6-8 or Article IX. Illinois courts grant independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2).
- Give notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days after the order as required by 755 ILCS 5/6-10, and publish the creditor notice once a week for three successive weeks in a county newspaper. The claims date must be at least six months from first publication, or three months from mailing or delivery to a known creditor, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Inventory and manage the estate, pay valid claims and expenses, resolve any sale of real estate, distribute the remaining property, and close the estate by the accounting or closing procedure that fits the court's order and Article XXIV or Article XXVIII of the Probate Act.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Richland County
No Richland County-specific decedent-estate probate packet, cover sheet, petition, order, oath, inventory, account or small-estate template is posted on the public Richland County Circuit Clerk or Second Judicial Circuit pages used for filing guidance.
Illinois does not publish a statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set. The statewide court forms that may still matter in a Richland County estate are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application and the Appearance form. Every Illinois court must accept the statewide standardized forms that appear on the Illinois Courts approved forms page.
| Form or filing item | Where to get it | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent-estate petition and proposed orders | Not posted as a Richland County packet | Ask the Circuit Clerk what the judge expects before filing. |
| Original will | The signed original, if there is one | File it with the Richland County Circuit Clerk immediately after death if you have it (755 ILCS 5/6-1). It cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Certification for Exemption From E-filing | Illinois Courts approved statewide forms page | Use this if you are self-represented and qualify for a Rule 9(d) good-cause exemption. |
| Fee Waiver for Civil Cases | Illinois Courts approved statewide forms page | Use this if you need to ask the court to waive civil filing costs. |
| Appearance | Illinois Courts approved statewide forms page | Use when a party needs to appear in the estate case. |
Local nuance
Richland County-specific considerations
| Local rule | What it means in a Richland County estate |
|---|---|
| Second Judicial Circuit Rule 20, proof and declaration of heirship | When you ask to admit a will or obtain letters of administration, heirship can be proved by testimony in open court, by affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/5-3, or by deposition. The affidavit must cover the death date and place, surviving spouse status, children, descendants of deceased children, and how the affiant is related to the decedent. An order declaring heirship must be filed, and changed circumstances require amended proof and a new order. |
| Second Judicial Circuit Rule 24, attending court remotely | The Second Judicial Circuit uses Zoom for remote proceedings. In civil matters, including probate, participants may appear remotely without prior approval for case management conferences, pre-trial conferences and argument-only hearings. Evidentiary hearings and settlement conferences require in-person attendance unless the judge grants a remote request. Contact the Richland County Circuit Clerk for Zoom credentials and dial-in information. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Richland County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the home passed by joint tenancy or beneficiary designation, that property may not need probate. Assets in the decedent's sole name may require a Richland County probate case, with the petition e-filed and any original will delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk in Olney. Call the Circuit Clerk for the current filing fee and hours before visiting. | Sunset helps sort title, beneficiary designations and account ownership so the spouse does not open a court case for assets that already pass outside the estate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | The child can often handle early steps from outside Illinois by e-filing and by calling the Circuit Clerk at (618) 392-2151. The original will still has to be delivered or mailed to Olney. Rule 24 may allow remote appearance for case management, pre-trial and argument-only hearings. | Sunset organizes asset discovery, prepares estate settlement information for the filing packet, and helps decide when a local attorney should take over. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually requires letters of office (755 ILCS 5). Proof of heirship under Second Judicial Circuit Rule 20 can often be made by affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/5-3 in an uncontested case, but testimony or deposition may be needed if family facts are disputed. Creditor notice still controls the six-month claims period under 755 ILCS 5/18-3. | Sunset helps identify assets and debts, organize heirship information, and connect the parent with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Richland County when the home sale or family facts make counsel useful. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Richland County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Richland County estates, original wills, local fee questions and Zoom credentials. | 103 West Main Street, #21, Olney, IL 62450. Phone: (618) 392-2151. Fax: (618) 392-5041. Website: https://www.richlandcountycourt.org/ |
| Illinois Second Judicial Circuit, Richland County page | County court contact page and access point for Second Judicial Circuit local rules, including Rule 20 on heirship and Rule 24 on remote appearance. | https://illinoissecondcircuit.info/circuit-courts/richland-county/ |
| Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Southern Regional Office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income people in Richland County. Ask whether the office can help with the specific estate issue before relying on representation. | 509 South University Avenue, Third Floor, Carbondale, IL 62901. Phone: (618) 457-7800. Toll free: (800) 642-5335. Website: https://lincolnlegal.org/locations/ |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online, how do I settle an estate after someone dies | Plain-language statewide guide to estate settlement tasks. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-do-i-settle-estate-after-someone-dies |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Statewide forms every Illinois court must accept. For probate, the relevant forms are usually the 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 filings that are not original wills. | https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in a Richland County estate when the estate includes farmland or a house that must be sold, heirs disagree, a creditor files a claim, a will contest is possible, or proof of heirship under Second Judicial Circuit Rule 20 needs testimony or a deposition instead of a straightforward affidavit. Sunset connects families to a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Richland County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, brokerage, retirement and insurance relationships so the Richland County estate settlement starts with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for petitions, heirship details, notices, inventory work and letters of office requests under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975, with local reminders for Richland County filing, e-filing and the original-will delivery rule (755 ILCS 5/6-1).
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs counsel, Sunset connects families with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Richland County.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free for families, including asset organization, document preparation support and attorney introductions when needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Richland County?
File with the Richland County Circuit Clerk at the Richland County Courthouse, 103 West Main Street, #21, Olney, IL 62450. Illinois venue starts in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, then moves to the county with the greater part of the real estate, then to the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Is the Richland County Circuit Clerk the same as the County Clerk?
No. Probate filings go to the Richland County Circuit Clerk, also called the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The County Clerk is a different office and does not take probate filings.
Do I have to e-file a Richland County probate case?
Yes, e-filing is required in Illinois civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without a lawyer under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). If you are self-represented and cannot e-file, you may file the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). The original will is different: it may not be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1).
How much does probate cost in Richland County?
Richland County does not list a probate dollar amount on the public Circuit Clerk or Second Judicial Circuit pages used for filing guidance. Illinois fees are set locally under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so call the Circuit Clerk at (618) 392-2151 for the current filing fee before you file.
Can I appear remotely in a Richland County probate matter?
Often, yes. Second Judicial Circuit Rule 24 allows civil participants to appear by Zoom without prior approval for case management conferences, pre-trial conferences and argument-only hearings. Hearings with evidence and settlement conferences require in-person attendance unless the judge grants a remote request. Call the Circuit Clerk for Zoom credentials.
Are there local probate forms in Richland County?
No Richland County-specific decedent-estate probate packet is posted on the public court pages used for filing guidance. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set, although the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Fee Waiver for Civil Cases and Appearance forms may be useful.
How do I look up a Richland County probate case?
Use the Richland County Judici entry point: https://www.judici.com/courts/cases/case_search.jsp?court=IL080015J. If the estate does not appear there, call the Richland County Circuit Clerk.
Do I have to travel to Olney for every probate hearing?
Not for every hearing. Under Second Judicial Circuit Rule 24, case management conferences, pre-trial conferences and argument-only hearings may be remote without prior approval. You should expect to appear in person for evidentiary hearings and settlement conferences unless the judge allows a remote appearance.
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.