DuPage County Probate

When a person passes away in Illinois, his/her estate will sometimes need to pass through the local probate court process. In order to begin a probate proceeding, the will (if there is one) and a petition to administer the estate needs to be filed in the local county court. If you have a loved one who passed away while living in DuPage County, Illinois, his/her probate estate will need to pass through the DuPage County Probate court located in Wheaton, Illinois.

DuPage County Probate Court

The DuPage County Probate Court has one judge who handles all probate matters for the entire county. The probate call for routine matters is heard Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 2011 of the DuPage County Judicial Center located at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois. Contested hearings are heard later on in the morning or in the early afternoon.

Also, the DuPage County Probate Court is a busy court for probate matters in the Chicagoland area. Fortunately, the court clerks and judges' clerks are very friendly and knowledgeable in helping people to navigate the court system.

When is Probate Required in DuPage County, Illinois?

In DuPage 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 DuPage 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 for sure if DuPage County is the right county for my loved one's probate estate?

A probate case in Illinois must pass through the local county probate court where a deceased person was domiciled at the time of death. Thus, if your loved one's primary residence was in DuPage County, and if your loved one received his/her mail at this residence, then the Court will presume that DuPage County is the county of domicile. This would be true even if your loved one held an ownership interest in real estate or other property in another county, state, or country.

How long does the probate process take in DuPage County?

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

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

When looking for the right attorney to represent you in a DuPage 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 DuPage County Probate Attorney for probate matters in the DuPage County court system can provide several benefits, including:

A more efficient probate process
A more cost-effective administration
Familiarity with the DuPage County Probate judge 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 DuPage County local court rules

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

Contact our Firm

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

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