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Eau Claire County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Eau Claire County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | The Circuit Court for Eau Claire County. Estate papers are filed with the Eau Claire County Register in Probate. |
| Courthouse address | Eau Claire County Courthouse, 721 Oxford Avenue, Suite 2201, Eau Claire, WI 54703. |
| Mailing address | Eau Claire County Register in Probate, 721 Oxford Avenue, Suite 2201, Eau Claire, WI 54703. |
| Phone | (715) 839-4823. |
| Fax | Self-represented filers may use the local-rule fax route at (715) 839-1635, subject to Wis. Stat. § 801.16(2), a fifteen-page limit including the cover sheet, and the local rules. E-filers may not file by fax. |
| Hours | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding county-observed holidays. |
| Appointment practice | The office asks you to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment before coming in to open a proceeding in person. |
| Statutory estate fee | Through October 31, 2026, $20 if the value of property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value if it is more, paid with the inventory or other value document (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, (1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. |
| E-filing | Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use Wisconsin circuit court e-filing. Self-represented filers may opt in or may use traditional paper methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), (b), (c)). The e-filing fee is $35 per party per case under Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m) and § 801.18(7), unless waived under Wis. Stat. § 814.29(1). |
| Local forms | Yes. Eau Claire County provides its own probate guidelines, estate interview checklist, declaration of no probate, objection form and tax-waiver order, used with the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. |
| Hearing window | Informal probate hearings and uncontested formal hearings are scheduled by the Register in Probate on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Routine formal matters for a judge go through the court's intake calendar. |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ is the statewide public case search for Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases. |
| Remote appearance | A video or phone request is made at least one week in advance under Local Rule 205.01. The judge decides matters outside the situations the rule encourages, and the person requesting the appearance handles arrangements and costs. |
| Website | https://www.eauclairecounty.gov/departments/register_in_probate_clerk_of_juvenile_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms or call for an appointment, build a clear list of the decedent's assets, debts, how each account or parcel is titled, and whether any beneficiary, payable-on-death, transfer-on-death, trust or marital property issue may keep an item outside the estate. Eau Claire County's own Estate Interview Checklist asks for that same information, including each asset's value subject to administration and how it is titled.
Sunset can help with that first estate settlement step by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organizing account and asset information, and turning the result into a probate packet that fits the Eau Claire County Register in Probate's local filing process.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Circuit Court for Eau Claire County serves decedents who were domiciled anywhere in Eau Claire County at death. Wisconsin places jurisdiction for a decedent's estate in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a non-Wisconsin domiciliary, in a Wisconsin county where the decedent had property, with the first court to exercise jurisdiction having exclusive jurisdiction (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
Eau Claire is the courthouse city. The county's listed municipalities include the towns of Bridge Creek, Brunswick, Clear Creek, Drammen, Fairchild, Lincoln, Ludington, Otter Creek, Pleasant Valley, Seymour, Union, Washington and Wilson, the villages of Fairchild, Fall Creek and Lake Hallie, and the cities of Altoona, Augusta and Eau Claire.
Eau Claire County is its own circuit, its circuit court has six branches, and no single branch is designated for probate. Contested probate matters are assigned among the county's circuit judges under the local rules, and the estate filing counter is the Eau Claire County Register in Probate in Suite 2201, not the clerk of circuit court counter in Suite 2220.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Eau Claire County is the right county. File here if the decedent was domiciled in Eau Claire County at death, or if a non-Wisconsin decedent had property in Eau Claire County and no other Wisconsin court has first exercised jurisdiction (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
- Collect the will, asset list and debt information. Whoever holds the will has a 30-day duty to file it with the proper court after the statutory trigger occurs (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)), and Local Rule 805.01 says only original wills are accepted for filing. If no estate administration is needed, Eau Claire County provides a Declaration of No Probate to accompany the original will.
- Choose the local and statewide forms. Use Wisconsin's statewide PR forms for the probate path and check Eau Claire County's own documents page for its informal administration guideline, summary settlement guideline, summary assignment guideline, special administration guideline, Estate Interview Checklist, Declaration of No Probate, Objection to Probate of Will and Order for Waiver of Fiduciary Income Tax Returns.
- Call before filing in person. The Eau Claire County Register in Probate asks you to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment to open a proceeding in person and to bring completed forms to the appointment.
- File in Suite 2201 or through an allowed filing method. Local Rule 803.01 sends probate documents to the Register in Probate. Local Rule 803.03 allows mail, hand delivery, fax or electronic filing, and does not allow email filings. The self-represented fax route uses (715) 839-1635 under Wis. Stat. § 801.16(2) and the fifteen-page local limit.
- Handle e-filing correctly. Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use circuit court e-filing (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a)). A self-represented filer may opt in, or may file, serve and receive paper documents by traditional methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c)). If the case is e-filed, the e-filing fee is $35 per party per case under Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m) and § 801.18(7), unless waived under Wis. Stat. § 814.29(1).
- Expect the fee to be assessed with the inventory or other value document. Through October 31, 2026, the statewide estate fee is $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that, based on property subject to administration less encumbrances, liens or charges (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, (1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises the minimum to $36 and the threshold to $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged.
- Complete notice and claims steps. The court, or the probate registrar in an informal administration, sets the claim deadline by order at a date not less than three nor more than four months from the date of the order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). Eau Claire County's informal administration guideline places responsibility on the personal representative to complete the probate claims notice, provide required notice to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the county clerk where applicable, and check the court file for claims.
- Schedule or waive the hearing when the local rules allow. Local Rule 804.01 schedules informal probate hearings and uncontested formal hearings on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Local Rule 805.07 says a hearing is not required when waivers are filed by the interested parties, but a hearing may be held if notice is required or if the attorney for the estate, the personal representative or the court requests one.
- Obtain Domiciliary Letters if the estate path requires authority for a personal representative. PR-1810, Domiciliary Letters, is the Wisconsin authority document for both informal and formal administration, and the county's own probate FAQ explains that a person nominated in a will has no authority until authority is granted.
- Administer, report and close the estate under the local deadlines. Local Rule 805.09 makes the inventory due no later than four months after appointment. Local Rule 805.11 requires a Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before closing, unless the court waives it, and also requires a federal estate tax closing letter where the estate had to file a federal estate tax return. Local Rule 805.13 expects estate actions to be disposed of within twelve months from the filing of the petition or application, with extension requests handled under Local Rule 805.14.
Executor duties
Wisconsin uses the term personal representative for the person given authority to administer a decedent's estate. Eau Claire County adds several local duties to the statewide job.
| Local duty | What Eau Claire County requires |
|---|---|
| Proof of heirship on certain paths | Local Rule 805.02 requires proof of heirship with all opening papers for summary settlement, summary assignment and special administration petitions. |
| Inventory timing | Local Rule 805.09 makes the general inventory due no later than four months after appointment, and the statutory estate fee accompanies it. |
| Accounting and fee disclosure | Local Rule 805.10 says filing an estate accounting in an informal action is preferred. When the estate account is not filed in the probate office, a statement of attorney fees is filed. Local Rule 805.12 requires signed receipts and documentation that residual beneficiaries or heirs were advised of the personal representative and attorney fees before closing. |
| Tax clearance before closing | Local Rule 805.11 requires a Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before closing any estate, unless waived by the court, and a federal estate tax closing letter where the estate had to file a federal estate tax return. |
| Extensions | Local Rule 805.14 requires a petition explaining why more time is needed, together with a proposed order, when an estate cannot close within the required time limits. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Eau Claire County
Eau Claire County is one of the Wisconsin counties with its own probate forms and guidance in addition to the statewide PR forms. Local Rule 809.01 still requires standard statewide forms for filing, and Local Rule 208.01 recognizes Eau Claire County forms where the rules call for them.
| Form or guide | How it is used in Eau Claire County |
|---|---|
| Statewide PR forms | Use the Wisconsin Court System probate forms category for forms such as PR-1801 Application for Informal Administration, PR-1806 Proof of Heirship, PR-1810 Domiciliary Letters, PR-1811 Inventory, PR-1816 Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate and PR-1901 Petition for Formal Administration. |
| Informal administration guideline | The county's step-by-step guide for opening and closing an informal administration, including the opening packet, inventory, estate account and closing documents. |
| Summary settlement, summary assignment and special administration guidelines | County guides for those paths, with the statewide forms the office wants filed and the instruction to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment to file. |
| Estate Interview Checklist | A county worksheet for the first conversation with the office. It asks for the decedent, heirs, estate recovery issues, asset categories, values subject to administration and title information. |
| Declaration of No Probate | A county form used when an original will is filed but no court-supervised estate administration is needed, consistent with Local Rule 805.01. |
| Objection to Probate of Will | A county form for a person interested in the estate to state the reasons for objecting to admission of the will. Local Rule 805.01.2 requires a written objection with the statutory fee. |
| Order for Waiver of Fiduciary Income Tax Returns | A county order form for an informal administration where the court waives the Wisconsin fiduciary income tax return and closing certificate requirement under Wis. Stat. § 71.13(3). |
The Register in Probate office says its guidelines are a public service, not legal advice. The office can guide filing procedure, but legal questions belong with an attorney.
Fees
The statutory estate fee is the statewide amount under Wis. Stat. § 814.66 and is paid with the inventory or other document setting out the net value. Through October 31, 2026, that amount is $20 if the value of property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value if it is more (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, (1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged.
| Local money item | Eau Claire County detail |
|---|---|
| Online and phone payment | As of August 2026, Eau Claire County offers online and phone payment of fees owed to the Register in Probate office through its payment page or by phone through AllPaid, Inc. using place code a00714. Debit and credit card payments carry a convenience fee of 2.95 percent of the payment amount with a $3.99 minimum, and paying by phone adds a $3.50 service fee. The total is shown before payment is submitted. |
| Copies and certified copies | Through October 31, 2026, certification is $3 under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(g), and copies are $1 per page under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(h)1. The office asks mail requesters to include a self-addressed stamped envelope and the correct fee. Under Local Rule 803.02.4, copies from court files are not faxed out unless the appropriate costs are paid in advance. |
Timeline
- Before filing: Use the county's Estate Interview Checklist to identify assets, debts, title, beneficiary designations and the value subject to administration. File the original will when Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1) requires it, and remember that Local Rule 805.01 accepts only original wills for filing.
- Opening and hearing: Call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment if you are filing in person. Informal probate hearings and uncontested formal hearings are scheduled on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. under Local Rule 804.01. Call the Register in Probate at (715) 839-4823 to ask when a date can be set.
- Proposed orders: Local Rule 213.01 says proposed orders are held for at least five days after receipt before a judge or court commissioner signs them, unless an objection is received.
- Inventory: Local Rule 805.09 makes the inventory due no later than four months after appointment. The statutory estate fee is paid with that inventory or other value document under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3.
- Closing: Local Rule 805.13 expects estate actions to be disposed of within twelve months from the filing of the petition or application. If more time is needed, Local Rule 805.14 requires a petition explaining why, with a proposed order.
Local nuance
Eau Claire County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two counters in one building | Probate goes to the Eau Claire County Register in Probate in Suite 2201 at (715) 839-4823. The clerk of circuit court is a separate office in Suite 2220 at a different number. |
| Appointment practice | The office asks you to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment before coming in to open a proceeding in person. |
| No email filing | Local Rule 803.03 allows mail, hand delivery, fax or electronic filing, and does not accept email filings. |
| Self-represented fax route | Local Rule 803.02 allows self-represented filings by fax to (715) 839-1635 under Wis. Stat. § 801.16(2), with a fifteen-page limit including the cover sheet. E-filers may not file by fax. |
| Tuesday hearing window | Local Rule 804.01 schedules informal probate hearings and uncontested formal hearings on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. |
| Nonresident personal representative rule | Local Rule 805.06 says only Wisconsin residents may be appointed personal representatives unless the court, in its discretion, requires the nominated nonresident to have a resident agent and post a bond in an amount the court sets. If the decedent died intestate, an automatic surety bond is required. |
| Real estate recording counter | The Eau Claire County Register of Deeds is in the same building in Suite 1310. Estate real estate documents may need to be recorded there, and as of January 1, 2025, that office requires a postage-paid envelope for returned documents. |
| Older estate files | The probate office holds paper estate files beginning in 1953. Pre-1953 files are held at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire research center at McIntyre Library, Room 5022. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Eau Claire County adds a local filing detail to Wisconsin's statewide small-estate and special-administration paths. Local Rule 805.02 requires proof of heirship with all opening papers for summary settlement under Wis. Stat. § 867.01, summary assignment under Wis. Stat. § 867.02 and special administration petitions. The county also provides its own guidelines for summary settlement, summary assignment and special administration, and each guide tells the filer to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment to file.
Transfer by affidavit is a statewide non-court route under Wis. Stat. § 867.03. If real estate is involved, the recording step is handled with the register of deeds in the county where the land is located, and the Eau Claire County Register of Deeds is in Suite 1310 of the same building.
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2022 | The Eau Claire County Circuit Court Rules took effect. Part 8 governs probate practice, including the filing counter, the self-represented fax route, the Tuesday hearing window, the four-month inventory deadline, tax clearance before closing and the twelve-month disposition rule. |
| January 1, 2025 | The Eau Claire County Register of Deeds began requiring a postage-paid envelope for return of recorded documents. This matters when an estate settlement includes real estate paperwork that must be recorded. |
| January 1, 2026 | Legal Action of Wisconsin and Judicare Legal Aid merged into one organization, Legal Action of Wisconsin, with statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the Eau Claire County Estate Interview Checklist because it asks how each asset is titled, including jointly owned, payable-on-death, transfer-on-death and beneficiary designations. Call the Register in Probate at (715) 839-4823 before filing in person. If the home passes through a real estate confirmation or recording step rather than an administration, the Register of Deeds is in the same building in Suite 1310, and that office requires a postage-paid envelope for returned documents as of January 1, 2025. | Sunset identifies accounts and assets, helps separate probate assets from nonprobate transfers, and prepares an estate settlement packet for the Eau Claire County filing counter. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Local Rule 803.03 allows mail, hand delivery, fax or electronic filing, and email filings are not accepted. A self-represented filer may use the fax route to (715) 839-1635 under Local Rule 803.02, but the fifteen-page limit matters. If appointment as personal representative is needed, Local Rule 805.06 says only Wisconsin residents may be appointed unless the court requires a resident agent and bond, and an automatic surety bond is required if the decedent died intestate. | Sunset can gather the asset picture remotely, generate forms for the likely path, and connect the family with a Wisconsin probate attorney if the residency rule, bond or a hearing makes counsel practical. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often points to a court-supervised estate administration. File the original will if Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1) requires it, because Local Rule 805.01 accepts only original wills. Informal and uncontested formal hearings are scheduled Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. under Local Rule 804.01. Local Rule 805.09 makes the inventory due within four months after appointment, Local Rule 805.11 requires the Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before closing unless waived, and the real estate recording step ends with the Register of Deeds. | Sunset builds the asset list and probate packet, then connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale, court filings and closing steps of the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it helps with |
|---|---|
| Eau Claire County Register in Probate / Clerk of Juvenile Court https://www.eauclairecounty.gov/departments/register_in_probate_clerk_of_juvenile_court/index.php | The local probate office, Suite 2201 address, phone number, hours, appointment instruction, records information, documents page, fees page and online payment page. |
| Eau Claire County probate guidelines and forms https://www.eauclairecounty.gov/departments/register_in_probate_clerk_of_juvenile_court/documents.php | County guidelines for informal administration, summary settlement, summary assignment and special administration, plus the Estate Interview Checklist, Declaration of No Probate, Objection to Probate of Will and tax-waiver order. |
| Eau Claire County Circuit Court Rules http://www.wisbar.org/Directories/CourtRules/Wisconsin%20Circuit%20Court%20Rules/Eau%20Claire%20County%20Circuit%20Court%20Rules.pdf | The local probate rules, including where to file, fax limits, hearing windows, inventory timing, closing requirements and the nonresident personal representative rule. |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf | The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide, prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association, for informal administration. |
| Wisconsin Court System self-help law center, probate https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm | Statewide probate overview, links to the guide, statewide probate forms and county Register in Probate information. |
| Circuit court probate forms https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All | The statewide PR form set used for Wisconsin probate, including informal administration, formal administration and summary paths. |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ | Statewide public case search for Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases. |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin https://legalaction.org/ | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Wisconsin residents, with statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. Intake determines whether help is available for a particular issue. |
| Eau Claire County Bar Association free legal clinic https://www.eauclairecountybar.com/ | A monthly third-Wednesday clinic where volunteer attorneys answer short general legal questions, including questions that generally include wills and estates. The clinic does not create court representation or prepare documents. |
When to hire an attorney
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). Informal administration under Wis. Stat. ch. 865 runs administratively before the probate registrar rather than as a proceeding in court, and probate registrar staff have a statutory duty to advise, within their competence, on preparing those informal-administration documents (Wis. Stat. § 865.065(2)). The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide, prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association, states that a formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, that informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and that summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry their own express right to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). In Eau Claire County, counsel is especially useful when real estate must be sold, an heir objects and the file is assigned to a judge under Local Rule 804.03, the nominated personal representative lives outside Wisconsin and Local Rule 805.06 applies, or the closing certificate and final accounting steps need to be assembled. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and title information before you choose forms. That pairs with Eau Claire County's Estate Interview Checklist, which asks for each asset's value subject to administration and how it is titled.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into a probate packet matched to the Wisconsin PR forms and the Eau Claire County Register in Probate's local process, including the appointment-to-file practice and the county's own guidelines.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs formal administration, a real estate sale, a contested hearing, a nonresident personal representative plan or a closing certificate strategy, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney who understands Eau Claire County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset does not charge families for asset discovery, packet generation or the attorney connection, and families can use Sunset to get organized and then decide what to file, mail, e-file or bring to the Eau Claire County Register in Probate.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Eau Claire County?
File estate papers with the Eau Claire County Register in Probate at 721 Oxford Avenue, Suite 2201, Eau Claire, WI 54703. Local Rule 803.01 sends probate documents to that office. The clerk of circuit court is a separate counter in Suite 2220.
What is the phone number for the Eau Claire County Register in Probate?
Call (715) 839-4823 for the Eau Claire County Register in Probate. That is the probate office number for estates, guardianship, protective placement, civil commitment and juvenile matters handled by that office.
Do I need an appointment to file probate papers in Eau Claire County?
The office asks you to call (715) 839-4823 for an appointment before coming in to open a proceeding in person. The county's probate guidelines also tell filers to bring the completed forms to the appointment.
Can I mail or fax a probate filing to Eau Claire County, or do I have to use e-filing?
Local Rule 803.03 allows mail, hand delivery, fax or electronic filing, and does not allow email filings. Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use e-filing under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a). A self-represented filer may opt in or may file by traditional methods under Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c). The self-represented fax route is (715) 839-1635, subject to Wis. Stat. § 801.16(2), the fifteen-page local limit and the local rules.
What does it cost to open an estate in Eau Claire County?
The estate fee is statewide. Through October 31, 2026, it is $20 if the value of property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value if it is more, paid with the inventory or other value document (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, (1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. If the case is e-filed, the separate e-filing fee is $35 per party per case under Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m) and § 801.18(7), unless waived under Wis. Stat. § 814.29(1).
Does Eau Claire County have its own probate forms?
Yes. Eau Claire County provides local probate guidelines and forms, including an informal administration guideline, summary settlement guideline, summary assignment guideline, special administration guideline, Probate Frequently Asked Questions sheet, Estate Interview Checklist, Declaration of No Probate, Objection to Probate of Will and Order for Waiver of Fiduciary Income Tax Returns. Use those with the statewide Wisconsin PR forms.
When are probate hearings held in Eau Claire County?
Local Rule 804.01 schedules informal probate hearings and uncontested formal hearings on Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Routine formal matters for a judge go through the court's intake calendar under Local Rule 804.02. Local Rule 805.07 says a hearing is not required when waivers are filed by the interested parties. Call the Register in Probate at (715) 839-4823 to ask when a date can be set.
Can I serve as personal representative if I live outside Wisconsin?
Local Rule 805.06 says only Wisconsin residents may be appointed as personal representatives unless the court, in its discretion, requires the nominated nonresident to have a resident agent and post a bond in an amount the court sets. If the decedent died intestate, the rule requires an automatic surety bond.
How long does an Eau Claire County estate stay open?
Local Rule 805.13 expects estate actions to be disposed of within twelve months from filing the petition or application. Local Rule 805.09 makes the inventory due no later than four months after appointment. If more time is needed, Local Rule 805.14 requires a petition explaining the reasons for an extension, with a proposed order. In an informal administration, appointment terminates six months after the closing statement is filed if no proceeding involving the personal representative is pending (Wis. Stat. § 865.16(2)).
Can I look up an Eau Claire County estate case online?
Yes. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ is the statewide public case search for Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases. The Eau Claire County Register in Probate also says probate records are open to the public, that the office holds paper estate files beginning in 1953, and that pre-1953 files are held at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire research center at McIntyre Library, Room 5022.
Do I need a lawyer for an Eau Claire County estate?
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide states that a formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, that informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and that summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Eau Claire County's probate office says it cannot give legal advice. A lawyer is especially useful if real estate must be sold, someone demands formal proceedings, the nominated personal representative lives outside Wisconsin, or the estate must be closed with tax and accounting paperwork.
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.