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Union County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Union County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit, Union County |
| Filing office | Union County Circuit Clerk, 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952 |
| Mailing address | Mail to the same address: 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952 |
| Phone | (618) 833-5913 |
| Fax | (618) 833-5223 |
| Hours | Call the Circuit Clerk to confirm current counter hours before traveling. |
| Filing fee | No Union County probate fee schedule is published online. Illinois circuit clerk fees are set under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so confirm the current amount with the Union County Circuit Clerk. |
| Local forms | No Union County-specific decedent-estate probate packet or cover sheet is published. |
| E-filing | Required for probate filings under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a), with exemptions under Rule 9(d). Original wills may not be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case search | Judici Union County case search. Judici is a private vendor, not the court. |
| Remote appearance | First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15 generally permits remote appearance by phone or video in civil matters, unless a rule or judge requires in-person attendance. Use the Zoom information on the court notice or order. |
| Website | First Judicial Circuit, Union County Circuit Clerk page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before opening probate in Union County, identify the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, and jointly owned property. That determines whether a court estate is needed, who should act, what notices are required, and whether the estate settlement can stay narrow.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions, which can help you avoid filing too early or missing an account that changes the plan. If probate is needed, you can then prepare the e-filed petition, arrange delivery or mailing of any original will to Jonesboro, and call the Circuit Clerk to confirm the current fee.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Union County probate matters are filed at one courthouse: the Union County Courthouse, 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952. The filing office is the Union County Circuit Clerk, also called the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Union County is part of the First Judicial Circuit with Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Johnson, Jackson, Williamson, and Saline Counties. The circuit shares court administration, but it does not share one probate filing counter. A Union County estate is filed in Jonesboro with the Union County Circuit Clerk, not in another First Circuit county.
Illinois venue is set by the Illinois Probate Act of 1975: probate or administration belongs in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, or if there is none in Illinois, the county with the greater part of the decedent's Illinois real estate, or if there is no Illinois real estate, the county with the greater part of the decedent's Illinois personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- File the will and prepare the petition. Anyone holding the original will must file it with the Union County 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 (755 ILCS 5/6-3). Original wills may not be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), so deliver or mail the original to 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952.
- E-file the probate petition. File the petition and supporting papers through eFileIL unless you qualify for and file the Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(d). Call the Union County Circuit Clerk to confirm the current filing fee because no Union County probate fee schedule is published online.
- Establish heirship and request authority. The petition should identify heirs and interested persons, and the court can determine heirship under 755 ILCS 5/5-3. Ask the court to admit the will, if there is one, and to issue letters of office under 755 ILCS 5/6-8 or Article IX of 755 ILCS 5.
- Attend the hearing or remote setting. Use the date and instructions in the court notice or order. First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15 generally permits remote attendance by phone or video in civil matters, but the judge may require an in-person appearance.
- Qualify as representative. The representative takes the required oath and gives bond unless the will or the court excuses a written bond as allowed by 755 ILCS 5/12-2. When the court appoints the representative, Illinois generally grants independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2).
- Give required notices. After the order, mail the required notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days, with publication if an address is not stated (755 ILCS 5/6-10). Keep proof of mailing and publication for the court file.
- Publish the creditor notice. The representative publishes notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered, then files proof of publication with the Circuit Clerk. The claims date must be not less than six months from first publication or three months from mailing or delivery to a known creditor, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Administer and close the estate. Collect assets, prepare any required inventory under Article XIV of 755 ILCS 5, address claims and expenses, distribute property only when it is proper to do so, and close by the procedure that fits the court's order and the administration type under Article XXIV or Article XXVIII.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Union County
The Union County Circuit Clerk and the First Judicial Circuit do not publish a Union County-specific decedent-estate probate packet, cover sheet, petition, order, oath, inventory, account, or small-estate template. Illinois also does not publish a statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set.
The statewide forms that can still matter in a Union County estate are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application, and the Appearance. Those forms are on the Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms page, and Illinois courts must accept them.
If you are opening an estate, ask the Union County Circuit Clerk what local formatting, proposed orders, and copy requirements the judge wants before you submit the packet. The original will, if there is one, must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk rather than e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1).
Local nuance
Union County-specific considerations
| Local rule | What it means in Union County |
|---|---|
| First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.6 | If a probate case has been inactive for a considerable time, the judge may direct the clerk to place it on a docket call and give notice to the last known attorney of record, representative, or both. If the case cannot be conveniently ended, it may be transferred to an inactive docket and later returned to active status by motion and order. |
| First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15 | Case participants in civil matters, including probate, are generally permitted to attend court remotely by phone or video unless a rule or judge requires in-person attendance. The Zoom Meeting ID and password should be included on the summons, notice, or court order setting the date. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Union County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Property held in joint tenancy or with a beneficiary designation may pass outside the estate. If any asset was in the decedent's sole name, the spouse may need to e-file a petition in Union County and deliver or mail the original will to the Circuit Clerk in Jonesboro. | Sunset helps identify which accounts and property pass outside probate and which assets may require a Union County estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Some work can be handled from outside Illinois through e-filing and phone calls with the Circuit Clerk. If a court estate is needed, ask about remote appearance under First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15. If there is an original will, it still must be delivered or mailed to Jonesboro. | Sunset helps organize assets, debts, heirs, and documents so the child can decide whether a court filing is needed before traveling. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling real estate usually requires court authority and letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. If the case goes quiet after opening, First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.6 allows the court to call it up and potentially move it to an inactive docket. Creditor notice still follows 755 ILCS 5/18-3 before distribution. | Sunset helps track accounts, real property, claims, and the estate settlement steps that need attorney review before a sale or distribution. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Union County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Union County probate matters. Call to confirm current hours, filing fees, copy requirements, and how to deliver or mail an original will. | Union County Circuit Clerk page (618) 833-5913 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952 |
| Union County Legal Self-Help Center | Provides legal information and referrals for people who cannot or do not want to hire an attorney. It does not provide legal advice. | Legal help centers Stinson Memorial Public Library District, 409 South Main Street, Anna, IL 62906 (618) 833-2521 |
| Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Southern Regional Office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income people in Union County. Call first to ask whether the office can help with the estate issue. | Land of Lincoln Legal Aid 509 South University Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901 (618) 457-7800 or (800) 642-5335 |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language statewide guide to settling an estate after someone dies. | How do I settle an estate after someone dies? |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Includes the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application, and Appearance. | Approved statewide standardized forms |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system for Illinois circuit courts. | eFileIL |
When to hire an attorney
A Union County probate lawyer is especially useful 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 the case has been inactive long enough to risk a First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.6 docket call. Illinois also limits who may represent another person's legal interests in court, so get advice before filing on behalf of an estate rather than only for yourself. Sunset connects families to a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Union County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect the Union County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the estate information, heirs, known debts, and court-ready documents so you can prepare for e-filing and for delivering or mailing the original will to the Union County Circuit Clerk when required.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Union County.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools help families understand the next step, track the work, and avoid starting probate before they know what assets actually exist.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Union County?
File with the Union County Circuit Clerk at 309 West Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952. 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 Illinois real estate, then to the county with the greater part of Illinois personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do I have to e-file probate papers in Union County?
Yes. Probate is a civil case, and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a) requires e-filing unless an exception or exemption applies. A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may use the Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). Original wills are different: Rule 9(c)(1) says an original will may not be e-filed, so it must be delivered or mailed to the Union County Circuit Clerk.
How much does probate cost in Union County?
No Union County probate fee schedule is published online. Illinois circuit clerk fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b and set locally, so call the Union County Circuit Clerk at (618) 833-5913 to confirm the current filing amount before you submit a petition.
Can I appear remotely in a Union County probate case?
Usually, yes, for civil matters when the court notice or order permits it. First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15 generally allows participants to appear by phone or video, but a rule or judge can require in-person attendance. The Zoom Meeting ID and password should appear on the summons, notice, or order setting the court date.
Are there Union County probate forms online?
No Union County-specific decedent-estate probate packet or probate cover sheet is published online. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate forms. The statewide forms most likely to help are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application, and the Appearance.
How do I look up a Union County probate case?
Use the Union County page on Judici at judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL091015J. If the file you need is not visible there, call the Union County Circuit Clerk.
Do I have to travel to Jonesboro for every probate step?
Not necessarily. Many filings are e-filed, and First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.15 may allow remote appearance when the court notice or order includes phone or video instructions. You still must deliver or mail the original will to the Union County Circuit Clerk if there is one.
What happens if a Union County probate case sits inactive?
First Judicial Circuit Rule 1.6 allows a judge to place an inactive probate matter on a docket call after a considerable period of inactivity. If the case cannot be conveniently ended at that call, the judge may order it transferred to an inactive docket, and the case can later be returned to active status by motion and order.
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.