Cook County Probate

When an individual passes away in Illinois, it is sometimes necessary for his/her estate to pass through the local probate court. If you have a loved one who passed away while living in Cook County, Illinois, his/her probate estate will need to pass through the Cook County Probate court located in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

Cook County Probate Court

The Cook County Probate Courts are located on the 18th Floor of the Daley Center, in the heart of downtown Chicago. The Probate call is heard on Mondays through Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Because of the high volume of Probate matters in Cook County, there are multiple judges to handle all of the Probate cases. Also, the high volume of cases tends to make the entire process much slower than many of the surrounding counties. In addition, probate cases in Cook County are typically more scrutinized as they pass through the Court system.

When is Probate Required in Cook County, Illinois?

In Cook County, as in any county in Illinois, probate will generally be required when an individual dies holding real estate in his/her name alone, or when an individual dies holding over $100,000.00 in personal assets in his/her name alone, with no beneficiary designated to receive the property at death. In these two instances, probate will likely be needed to properly handle the estate.

Aside from these two situations, probate could be necessary in the following scenarios as well:

When there are significant claims against an estate
When a decedent owned real property assets with other owners as a tenant in common
When there are contested issues related to an estate
When the decedent, while being domiciled in Cook County at the time of death, held an interest in real estate in another state or country

And if you would like to find out more about when probate is needed, check out our in-depth page on when probate is required in Illinois.

How do I know if Cook County is the right county for my loved one's probate estate?

An Illinois probate case must pass through the local county probate court where a deceased individual was living at the time of his/her death. Thus, if your loved one's primary residence was in Cook County, and if your loved one received his/her mail at this residence, then the Court will presume that Cook County is the county of domicile. This is true even if your loved one owned real estate or other property in another county, state, or country.

How long does the probate process take in Cook County?

As with most probate cases in Illinois, a typical probate case can be fully completed in Cook County in approximately six to twelve months. However, if there are issues that complicate the estate (such as contested issues among the interested parties to the estate), it could take much longer. If you would like to learn more about what causes delays in Illinois Probate estates, check out our page on how long a Probate takes in Illinois.

How does hiring an experienced Cook County Probate Attorney make a difference when handling a Probate case in Cook County?

When looking for the right attorney to represent you in a Cook County Probate proceeding, it is important to find a lawyer that you can trust. Since you will likely interact with this particular attorney for several months to a few years, you should consider how well your personality fits with the attorney you choose. Some lawyers are very aggressive and pushy, while other lawyers are calm and laid back.

In addition, because Illinois Probate Law can become very complicated, it can be very helpful to find an attorney who concentrates his or her practice in the local Probate courts. As with any profession, those professionals who focus on one or two specific areas are typically better able to handle both routine and complex matters more efficiently and more competently than those professionals who have a more general practice.

With all of this in mind, hiring an experienced Cook County Probate Attorney for probate matters in the Cook County court system can provide several benefits, including:

A more efficient probate process
A more cost-effective administration
Familiarity with the Cook County Probate judges and court staff (which can be particularly helpful with complicated and contested probate cases)
Peace of mind knowing that the overall process is handled properly, pursuant to Illinois Probate Law and the Cook County local court rules

And since Attorney Kevin Williams has handled dozens of probate cases in Cook County over the past several years, he has become very experienced with the Cook County court system. Contact our firm to hire a knowledgeable Cook County Probate Lawyer today!

Contact our Firm

Our firm has helped many individuals with routine and complicated probate estates in Cook County. If you have questions regarding a probate estate, complete the form below to set up a free initial consultation:

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