Back to Illinois
Will County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Will County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County. Probate is handled as case type PR on the civil docket. |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court of Will County, first floor, Will County Courthouse, 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. |
| Mailing address | Office of the Circuit Clerk, Will County Court House, 100 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. |
| Where hearings are heard | Probate and Guardianship call, River Valley Justice Center, courtroom 2, on West McDonough Street in Joliet. |
| Phone | (815) 727-8592. No probate-specific phone line is published. |
| Fax | No filing fax is published. The Circuit Clerk states that faxed and emailed pleadings are not accepted. |
| [email protected] for county-specific e-filing questions. Documents are not accepted by email. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except court holidays. |
| Filing fee | Administration of a decedent's estate or missing person's estate is $414.00, effective July 12, 2026. Other probate filings are $314.00, effective July 12, 2026. Filing a will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1. Confirm the filing total with the Circuit Clerk because Will County is one of the counties allowed a per-party add-on under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, and the published schedule does not itemize it separately. |
| Local forms | Yes. The Circuit Clerk publishes a Decedent Estate Packet and a local small estate affidavit, form 29C, under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. |
| E-filing | New estate cases are filed through eFileIL. Original wills may not be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1) and must be delivered conventionally to the Circuit Clerk. |
| Case lookup | iPublic at https://ipublic.il12th.org/. It asks for an email address and sends a verification code to enter. Document images are not available in iPublic. |
| Remote appearance | Zoom remains available for the probate call unless the court directs an in-person appearance. Evidentiary hearings and citation returns are in person under the judge's standing order. |
| Website | https://www.circuitclerkofwillcounty.com/Civil/Probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Will County, identify the assets, debts, title paperwork and beneficiary designations. That determines whether estate settlement can stay outside court, whether a Will County petition is needed, and what proof the representative will need for the first court date.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before estate settlement begins. In Will County, that work is especially useful because the filing counter, court call, local packet and certified letters of office all depend on knowing what property must be collected or transferred.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Will County is the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, and it is the only county in that circuit. Every Will County decedent's estate is opened with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Will County, not with another county in the circuit.
Venue is determined by county under Illinois probate law: the decedent's known place of residence, then the county holding the greater part of the real estate, then the county holding the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1). In Will County, filings and records are handled at the Will County Courthouse on Jefferson Street, while the Probate and Guardianship call is heard at the River Valley Justice Center.
Will County includes Joliet and communities served by branch court locations in Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Frankfort. Those branch locations are not probate filing locations, and no probate call is assigned to them in the current assignment order.
The jurisdiction process
- File the original will conventionally with the Circuit Clerk at 100 West Jefferson Street in Joliet or by mail to the Circuit Clerk, with the date of death. Original wills may not be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), and filing a will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
- Choose the correct Will County local forms. For a court estate, start with the Decedent Estate Packet. If the local small estate affidavit, form 29C, is the right path under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV, the Circuit Clerk says not to file that affidavit with the court.
- E-file the petition to open the estate through eFileIL. The Circuit Clerk says a new estate cannot be opened by mail. Self-represented people can use courthouse e-filing kiosks, and qualifying filers may use the court system's e-filing exemption process.
- Pay the filing fee or apply for a fee waiver. Opening administration of a decedent's estate or missing person's estate is $414.00, effective July 12, 2026, under the Will County fee schedule and 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. Confirm the filing total with the Circuit Clerk because the schedule does not separately itemize the per-party add-on Will County is allowed to collect.
- Set the return date. The Circuit Clerk says the petitioner may put the return date on the cover letter when the estate is filed or file a Notice of Motion with a date certain.
- Appear on the Probate and Guardianship call at the River Valley Justice Center, courtroom 2. The regular call is Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. Shorter hearings may be set at 10:00 a.m., and longer or evidentiary matters may be set at 1:30 p.m.
- Use Zoom only where the assigned judge allows it. The standing order says Zoom remains in effect unless the court directs an in-person appearance, but evidentiary hearings and citation returns are in person.
- Prove the will and heirship as required. Local Rule 10.06(A) requires proof of will in open court, and the judge's standing order says the Affidavit of Heirship should be on file before opening or closing an estate.
- Complete the oath and bond. Will County forms include oath and bond forms with and without surety, and Local Rule 10.07 treats a will's bond waiver as a waiver of surety unless the law allows more.
- After appointment, obtain certified letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from the Circuit Clerk. Will County charges $2.00 each, effective July 12, 2026, under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b.
- Give required notices, publish creditor notice when required and administer the estate. Creditor notice publication triggers the claim period under 755 ILCS 5/18-3, including the 6 months rule stated there, and publication is paid directly to the newspaper.
- File the inventory with the Circuit Clerk when required, handle claims and accounts, and close the estate with the final report, receipts, vouchers and order of discharge. If Will County real estate is sold or retitled during estate settlement, record the deed with the Will County Recorder of Deeds.
Executor duties
Will County's local rules add practical steps to the statewide duties of an executor or administrator. Proof of will is made in open court under Local Rule 10.06(A), and an inventory that must be filed is filed with the Circuit Clerk rather than presented in open court under Local Rule 10.09(A).
Accounts have Will County-specific formatting and notice requirements. Local Rule 10.11 requires notice of the hearing on an account, accompanied by a copy of the account, to people entitled to notice, requires an account within 30 days after one year following issuance of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 unless the court waives it, and requires a statement before discharge that death taxes have been paid, provided for or do not apply.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Will County
Will County is unusually form-rich for an Illinois county. The Circuit Clerk publishes a Decedent Estate Packet described as containing the forms to probate a decedent's estate, with the warning that not every form is used in every case.
| Local form or packet | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Decedent Estate Packet | Local packet for opening and administering a Will County decedent's estate. |
| Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters Testamentary, form 37A | Petition used when there is a will and a nominated executor seeks letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. |
| Petition for Letters of Administration, form 36C | Petition used when administration is sought without a will naming an executor. |
| Order Admitting Will to Probate and Appointing Representative, form 37B | Order used when the court admits a will and appoints the representative. |
| Order Declaring Heirship, form 30A | Order used after heirship is proved. |
| Inventory, form 31C | Inventory filed with the Circuit Clerk when required. |
| Oath and Bond of Representative, No Surety, form 40F | Oath and bond form when surety is not required. |
| Oath and Bond of Representative, Surety, form 54B | Oath and bond form when surety is required. |
| Final Report of Independent Representative, form 37C | Local closing form for an independent representative under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII. |
| Order of Discharge, form 31b | Order used to discharge the representative after closing requirements are met. |
| Small Estate Affidavit, form 29C | Local affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. The Circuit Clerk says not to file it with the court. |
Illinois approved court forms that may matter in Will County include the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Appearance. They do not replace the Will County decedent estate packet.
Fees
| Fee item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open administration of a decedent's estate or missing person's estate | $414.00, effective July 12, 2026 | Published Will County Circuit Clerk fee schedule under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. Confirm the filing total with the Circuit Clerk because the schedule does not separately itemize the per-party add-on Will County is allowed to collect. |
| Other probate filing | $314.00, effective July 12, 2026 | Published Will County Circuit Clerk fee schedule under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. |
| Civil appearance where the filing fee is $314.00 or more | $239.00, effective July 12, 2026 | The same schedule also lists $0.00, effective July 12, 2026, for a guardianship, probate and wills appearance filed for consent or by listed estate or guardianship fiduciaries. |
| File a will alone | $0.00, effective July 12, 2026 | Filing a will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1. |
| Certified letters of office | $2.00 each, effective July 12, 2026 | Letters of office are the Illinois authority document under 755 ILCS 5. Certified copies are priced under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. |
| Annual or current accounting | $25.00, effective July 12, 2026 | The Circuit Clerk's probate page repeats this amount. |
| Claims | $0.00, $20.00, $40.00 or $60.00, effective July 12, 2026 | The amount depends on the claim band published in the Will County fee schedule. |
| Creditor notice publication | Paid to the newspaper | This is not paid to the Circuit Clerk. |
Timeline
- Before filing, gather the will, death certificate information, heir information, asset list and debt information.
- File the original will conventionally with the Circuit Clerk if one exists. Filing a will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
- E-file the Will County petition and local packet through eFileIL. A new estate cannot be opened by mail.
- Select a return date. The petitioner may place the return date on the cover letter or file a Notice of Motion with a date certain.
- Attend the Probate and Guardianship call at the River Valley Justice Center, courtroom 2. The regular probate call is Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m.
- Use the judge's hearing times for contested or longer matters. The standing order places shorter hearings at 10:00 a.m. and longer or evidentiary matters at 1:30 p.m.; the assignment order lists hearings and pretrials Monday through Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
- After appointment, obtain certified letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. Will County charges $2.00 each, effective July 12, 2026, under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b.
- Administer and close the estate. Local Rule 10.11 requires accounting attention after one year following issuance of letters unless waived, and the court requires closing paperwork before discharge.
Local nuance
Will County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Will County |
|---|---|
| Two Joliet buildings | Use the Will County Courthouse on Jefferson Street for the Circuit Clerk's full-service filing counter. Use the River Valley Justice Center for the Probate and Guardianship court call. |
| River Valley filing window | The Circuit Clerk's customer service window at the River Valley Justice Center accepts guardianship filings only. That does not mean decedent estates are heard elsewhere. Decedent estates are part of the Probate and Guardianship call at River Valley. |
| Proof of will | Local Rule 10.06(A) says proof of will is made only in open court. |
| Bond | Local Rule 10.07 says a representative's bond may not be waived except as provided by law, and a will provision waiving bond is presumed to waive surety. |
| Closing and fee petitions | Local Rule 10.11 addresses accounts and death tax statements before discharge. Local Rule 10.17 requires a written verified fee petition presented in open court before an order approving fees. |
Small-estate Alternatives
The Will County Circuit Clerk publishes its own small estate affidavit, form 29C, under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. The local instruction is direct: do not file the affidavit with the court, because its purpose is to avoid filing probate documents with the court.
The clerk tells users to present the affidavit and a death certificate to the bank, agency or other holder, and to contact that holder to ask what it requires. There is no Will County court filing fee for using the affidavit because it is not a court filing.
Recent updates
| Date | Will County update |
|---|---|
| Effective May 1, 2026 | The Third Amended Assignment Order assigned the Probate and Guardianship call to courtroom 2 at the River Valley Justice Center, with the probate call Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. and hearings and pretrials Monday through Thursday at 1:30 p.m. |
| Effective July 12, 2026 | The Will County Circuit Clerk fee schedule set the fee to open administration of a decedent's estate at $414.00, other probate filings at $314.00 and the civil appearance fee at $239.00, with a $0.00 guardianship, probate and wills appearance line for specified appearances. |
| Updated May 22, 2025 | The probate call standing order kept Zoom in effect unless the court directs an in-person appearance, while evidentiary hearings and citation returns are in person. |
| April 12, 2023 | Administrative Order 23-10 set the circuit's remote video appearance protocol for civil matters, including civil exemptions that apply to probate because probate is assigned within the Civil Division. |
| Effective October 1, 2023 | The Twelfth Judicial Circuit Local Court Rules were reissued as Version 13, including Part 10.00 Probate. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Will County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by confirming title to the home and whether any assets need a court-appointed representative. If a Will County court estate is needed, file through eFileIL and attend the Probate and Guardianship call at the River Valley Justice Center. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title and beneficiary information, and prepare the information a Will County attorney or packet will require. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Check whether the local small estate affidavit, form 29C, under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV can be used with the bank or agency. If court is needed, filings are electronic, but a court date may still require Zoom or travel to Joliet. | Sunset helps determine what property exists, create a task list and connect the child with local counsel if a petition must be filed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires authority from a Will County estate representative. File the local packet through eFileIL, appear for appointment at River Valley, obtain letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, and record any deed with the Will County Recorder of Deeds. | Sunset helps collect asset and debt information, prepare for appointment and coordinate attorney help for the sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Will County Circuit Clerk, probate page | Probate FAQs, filing a will, opening an estate, return dates, letters of office, accountings, claim fees, Decedent Estate Packet and small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. | https://www.circuitclerkofwillcounty.com/Civil/Probate, (815) 727-8592 |
| Will County Circuit Clerk fee schedule | Current Will County fee schedule, including probate opening, appearance, claim, accounting and certified copy charges. | https://www.circuitclerkofwillcounty.com/Public-Access/Fee-Schedule |
| Will County Law Library | Public law library on the third floor of the Will County Courthouse with computers, legal materials, printing, copying and scanning. Staff do not give legal advice. | 100 West Jefferson Street, 3rd Floor, Joliet, IL 60432, 815.727.8619 |
| Will County Justice Access Corps | Volunteer help located in the Law Library for self-represented people who need legal information, court forms and help finding their way around the courthouse. Volunteers are not lawyers. | Will County Law Library, 100 West Jefferson Street, 3rd Floor, Joliet, 815.727.8619 |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Joliet office | Free civil legal help for people who qualify. Prairie State lists Will County as served by the Joliet office. | 14A W. Cass Street, 3rd Floor, Joliet, IL 60432, (815) 727-5123, toll free (877) 315-4472 |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language Illinois estate guides and an automated Small Estate Affidavit Easy Form under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-do-i-settle-estate-after-someone-dies |
| Illinois Courts approved forms | Forms such as Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Appearance. | https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms/ |
| eFileIL | Electronic filing system used for Will County probate filings. | https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/ |
| Will County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Attorney referral option listed by the Circuit Clerk when a person asks for a lawyer recommendation. | (815) 726-0383 |
| Court Disability Coordinator | ADA accommodation requests for court users. | [email protected], fax 815.727.8817 |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is often useful in a Will County decedent's estate because the local rules address proof of will, bond, account notice, annual accounting, death tax statements before discharge and written fee petitions, and because court dates are heard in a different building from the filing counter. Illinois also treats a non-attorney representative's attempt to litigate the estate's interests as the practice of law. The Circuit Clerk cannot recommend an attorney and points people to the Will County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, and Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before estate settlement decisions are made.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for Will County's local decedent estate forms, including the will, heirs, assets, debts and proposed representative information.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Will County estate needs court filings, a hearing at the River Valley Justice Center or help with claims and closing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand the next step and decide whether a court filing is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a Will County probate case?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Will County. The full-service filing counter is on the first floor of the Will County Courthouse, 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet. New estate cases are filed through eFileIL, while an original will must be filed conventionally under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1).
Where is the Will County probate hearing?
The Probate and Guardianship call is heard at the River Valley Justice Center, courtroom 2, on West McDonough Street in Joliet. Do not confuse that hearing location with the filing counter at 100 West Jefferson Street.
Can I open a new Will County estate by mail?
No. The Circuit Clerk's probate FAQ says new estate cases must be filed electronically. An original will can be mailed to the Circuit Clerk with the date of death, and filing a will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
Does Will County have local probate forms?
Yes. The Circuit Clerk publishes a Decedent Estate Packet and a local small estate affidavit, form 29C, under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. The packet includes petition, order, oath, bond, inventory, account, notice, receipt and discharge forms.
How much does it cost to open a Will County decedent's estate?
The published fee to open administration of a decedent's estate or missing person's estate is $414.00, effective July 12, 2026, under the Will County Circuit Clerk fee schedule and 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. Other probate filings are $314.00, effective July 12, 2026. Confirm the filing total with the Circuit Clerk because the schedule does not separately itemize the per-party add-on Will County is allowed to collect.
How do I get letters of office in Will County?
After the court appoints the executor or administrator, the Circuit Clerk issues certified letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. Will County charges $2.00 each, effective July 12, 2026, under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Will County probate date?
Often, yes. The standing order for the Probate and Guardianship call says Zoom remains in effect and an attorney or litigant may attend by Zoom unless the court directs an in-person appearance. Evidentiary hearings and citation returns are in person.
How do I look up a Will County probate case?
Use iPublic, the Circuit Clerk's case lookup. It asks for an email address and sends a verification code to enter. iPublic provides limited case information, and document images are not available there.
Do I have to travel to Joliet?
Maybe. Filings are generally handled through eFileIL, and routine probate dates may be available by Zoom if the court permits. If the matter requires in-person attendance, the probate court date is at the River Valley Justice Center, courtroom 2, while paper filing help and records are at the Will County Courthouse on Jefferson Street.
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.