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Warren County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Warren County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Warren County |
| Filing office | Warren County Circuit Clerk, 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462 |
| Mailing | Use the Circuit Clerk address: 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462 |
| Phone | (309) 734-5179 |
| Fax | (309) 734-4151 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | No Warren County probate fee schedule is published online. Illinois circuit clerk filing fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b and set locally under that framework, so confirm the current probate filing fee with the Warren County Circuit Clerk before filing. |
| Local forms | No Warren County decedent-estate probate packet or local probate form set is published online. Illinois has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set. |
| 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 statewide 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 | Warren County has a Judici entry point at https://www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL094015J. If an estate does not appear there, call the Circuit Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 1.80 allows remote hearings at the judge's discretion. A party seeking to appear remotely for a matter set in person must ask in writing or in person at least three business days before the proceeding. |
| Website | https://warrencountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Warren County, identify the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiary designations, co-owned property and any real estate. That information determines whether a court estate is needed, what to ask the Circuit Court for and whether letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 will be needed (755 ILCS 5).
Sunset's estate settlement process can help by searching more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and balances before the Warren County petition is prepared. A clearer asset picture also helps you decide whether to call the Circuit Clerk about the current filing fee, ask about remote appearance logistics or speak with a Warren County probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Warren County probate filings: the Warren County Courthouse in Monmouth, with the Circuit Clerk's filing office at 100 West Broadway. This page covers Warren County, including Monmouth and other Warren County communities.
Warren County is part of the Ninth Judicial Circuit with Knox, Henderson, Hancock, McDonough and Fulton Counties. The circuit shares an administrative structure, but a Warren County estate is filed with the Warren County Circuit Clerk in Monmouth, not with a clerk in another county.
Illinois venue is county-based. Probate or administration belongs first in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, then in the county where the greater part of the decedent's real estate is located, then in the county where the greater part of the decedent's personal estate is located (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Locate the original will, if there is one. Anyone holding the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1). The original will cannot be e-filed, so deliver or mail it to the Warren County Circuit Clerk at 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462.
- Prepare the petition to admit the will, if any, and to issue letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/6-2 and 755 ILCS 5). Include the heirship information needed for the court to determine heirs (755 ILCS 5/5-3).
- E-file the petition and supporting papers unless you have a Rule 9 exemption. If you cannot e-file, use the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing and then file in person or by mail as Rule 9 allows.
- Call the Warren County Circuit Clerk at (309) 734-5179 to confirm the current filing fee. No Warren County probate fee schedule is published online, and Illinois circuit clerk fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b and set locally under that framework.
- Attend the hearing if one is set. For a remote appearance in a matter otherwise set in person, ask in writing or in person at least three business days before the proceeding under Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 1.80.
- If the court grants the petition, the representative takes the oath and addresses bond as required by 755 ILCS 5/12-2 and Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.20. The court then issues letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5).
- Send the required notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days after the order, with publication 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 being administered, then file proof of publication with the clerk. The claims date must be at least six months from first publication, or three months from mailing or delivery to known creditors, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Prepare the inventory. In Warren County, Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.30(E) requires the first inventory within 60 days after letters issue, except where independent administration under Article XXVIII applies. List any safe deposit box as required by Rule 9.25.
- Collect assets, pay allowed claims and expenses, handle any sale of estate property and close the estate by accounting or by the procedures available to an independent representative under Article XXVIII.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Warren County
No Warren County-specific decedent-estate probate packet, cover sheet, petition, oath, inventory, account or small-estate form set is published online. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate forms, so many families prepare a petition and proposed orders with counsel or with a document service before e-filing.
The statewide forms that may still matter in a Warren County probate matter are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application and the Appearance. Every Illinois court must accept the approved statewide standardized forms that apply to the filing.
If the decedent left a will, the original will cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1). Deliver or mail the original will to the Warren County Circuit Clerk at 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462.
Local nuance
Warren County-specific considerations
Ninth Judicial Circuit probate rules apply in Warren County. Part 9.00 of the circuit rules adds local probate practice points for estates filed in Warren County. The first inventory must be filed within 60 days after letters issue, except where independent administration under Article XXVIII applies. If the estate includes a safe deposit box, the inventory must list the box and its location, and the representative must prepare a certified itemized statement of the contents.
Bond language matters locally. Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.20 states that a representative's bond may not be waived except as provided by law. If an executor asks to use the automatic bond under 755 ILCS 5/12-2(b), the petition and the order appointing the executor must say so. If a will purports to waive bond, the local rule treats that as a rebuttable presumption that the testator intended to waive surety.
Remote appearance is discretionary. Under Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 1.80, judges may hold remote hearings, but a judge is not required to do so unless another rule requires it. Civil proceedings are excluded from remote handling for evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, jury or bench trials, and contempt proceedings. For a matter otherwise set in person, ask in writing or in person at least three business days before the proceeding.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Property held in joint tenancy or with a beneficiary designation may pass outside the estate. If assets were in the decedent's sole name, the spouse e-files the petition, delivers or mails the original will to the Warren County Circuit Clerk in Monmouth and confirms the current filing fee before filing. | Sunset helps identify accounts, ownership, beneficiary designations and real estate issues so the spouse can decide whether Warren County probate is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | The child can often handle early steps from outside Illinois by e-filing and calling the Circuit Clerk at (309) 734-5179. If a hearing is set in person, Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 1.80 allows a remote-appearance request at least three business days ahead, subject to the judge's discretion. The original will still must be delivered or mailed to Monmouth. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps prepare the estate settlement packet and flags when a local attorney should review the plan. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling real estate usually requires letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5). After letters issue, Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.30(E) sets a 60-day first-inventory deadline except where independent administration under Article XXVIII applies. The claims process also runs on the publication timeline in 755 ILCS 5/18-3. | Sunset helps gather asset information, prepare the probate packet and connect the parent with a Warren County probate attorney when a sale, creditor issue or title problem needs legal help. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Warren County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Warren County estates, current fee questions, original will delivery and remote-hearing logistics. | 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462, (309) 734-5179, https://warrencountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/ |
| Ninth Judicial Circuit Court Rules | Part 9.00 covers local probate practice, including bonds, inventories, accounts and safe deposit boxes. Part 1.80 covers remote hearings. | https://9thjudicial.org/Resources/aa2620d6-750e-4bc8-882f-f6092a8dbda1/Court%20Rules.pdf |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Galesburg office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income people in Warren County. Call first to ask whether the office can assist with an estate matter. | 311 East Main Street, Suite 302, Galesburg, IL 61401, (309) 343-2141, https://www.pslegal.org/ |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online, how do I settle an estate after someone dies | Statewide plain-language guide to Illinois estate settlement steps. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-do-i-settle-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. | https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms/ |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system for Illinois civil cases, including Warren County probate filings. | https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is often helpful in a Warren County estate settlement 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 estate includes a safe deposit box that must be separately inventoried under Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.25. Sunset connects families to a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Warren County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and other assets before the Warren County probate filing is prepared. That gives the family a clearer starting point for estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the estate information needed for the petition, heir and asset details, notices and next steps for letters of office under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5).
Find a local probate attorney. When a Warren County estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Warren County.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset. If legal work is needed, the attorney explains any fee arrangement directly.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Warren County?
File with the Warren County Circuit Clerk at 100 West Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462. 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 decedent's Illinois real estate, then to the county with the greater part of the decedent's personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do I have to e-file a Warren County probate case?
Yes. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 requires e-filing in civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without a lawyer. A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may file the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing. An original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk.
How much does Warren County probate cost?
No Warren County probate fee schedule is published online. Illinois circuit clerk filing fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b and set locally under that framework, so call the Warren County Circuit Clerk at (309) 734-5179 to confirm the current amount before filing.
Can I appear remotely in a Warren County probate matter?
Sometimes. Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 1.80 gives judges discretion to hold remote hearings. Civil matters are not handled remotely for evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, jury or bench trials, or contempt proceedings. If your hearing is set in person and you want to appear remotely, request it in writing or in person at least three business days before the proceeding.
Are there local probate forms in Warren County?
No Warren County decedent-estate probate packet or local probate form set is published online. Illinois has no statewide standardized decedent-estate probate form set. The statewide forms most likely to matter are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases application and the Appearance.
How do I look up a Warren County probate case?
Start with Warren County's Judici page at https://www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL094015J. Judici is a private case-search vendor, not the court. If the estate does not appear there, call the Warren County Circuit Clerk.
Is the Circuit Clerk the same as the Warren County Clerk?
No. Probate filings go to the Warren County Circuit Clerk, also called the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The County Clerk is a different county office and does not take probate filings.
How long do I have to file the first inventory in a Warren County estate?
Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.30(E) requires the first inventory to be filed within 60 days after letters issue, except where independent administration under Article XXVIII applies.
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.