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Use This County Probate Reference Before You File

This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Circuit Court contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Hancock County.

Local Fee Schedule

Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.

Court Rules and Orders

Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.

Clerk and Filing Logistics

Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.

Hancock County Circuit Court Guide

9th Judicial Circuit of Illinois · Circuit Court information · Updated July 2026

(217) 357-2616Circuit Court

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9th Judicial Circuit of Illinois|

Filing & Fees

Fee Schedule Signals

Probate Filing Fees

Filing TypeFee
Small Estate Affidavit
For estates under threshold (no court filing needed)
$0

Note: No online-published probate fee schedule for Hancock County was located in this hardening pass (accessed 2026-07-18), so no single filing-fee number is stored. Illinois circuit clerk filing fees are flat per-case amounts set by each county board within the statutory caps of 705 ILCS 105/27.1b (probate filings are civil Schedule 2 under Ill. Sup. Ct. order M.R. 29741, capped at $266 in counties outside Cook under the statute text in force July 2026), and every decedent estate administration filing also pays the uniform statewide $100 guardianship and advocacy operations fee (705 ILCS 105/27.3f). Published all-in totals to open a decedent's estate in other Illinois counties run about $356 to $479. Item fees such as estate claim filing fees (banded by claim amount, up to $60 outside Cook) and certified copies of letters of office (up to $2 per page) also apply, and publication of the claim notice is paid to the newspaper directly. The small estate affidavit (755 ILCS 5/25-1) is not filed with the court and has no court fee. Verify the current amounts with the Hancock County Circuit Clerk before filing.

No online-published probate fee schedule for Hancock County was located in this hardening pass (accessed 2026-07-18), so no single filing-fee number is stored. Illinois circuit clerk filing fees are flat per-case amounts set by each county board within the statutory caps of 705 ILCS 105/27.1b (probate filings are civil Schedule 2 under Ill. Sup. Ct. order M.R. 29741, capped at $266 in counties outside Cook under the statute text in force July 2026), and every decedent estate administration filing also pays the uniform statewide $100 guardianship and advocacy operations fee (705 ILCS 105/27.3f). Published all-in totals to open a decedent's estate in other Illinois counties run about $356 to $479. Item fees such as estate claim filing fees (banded by claim amount, up to $60 outside Cook) and certified copies of letters of office (up to $2 per page) also apply, and publication of the claim notice is paid to the newspaper directly. The small estate affidavit (755 ILCS 5/25-1) is not filed with the court and has no court fee. Verify the current amounts with the Hancock County Circuit Clerk before filing.

Required Documents

    E-Filing & Filing Methods

    Source ↗

    Records portal

    Check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.

    Filing Methods: e file, in person, by mail

    Timelines & Proceedings

    Deadlines & Creditor Claims

    Key Deadlines

    Will Deposit
    Verify locally
    Creditor Claims
    6 months

    Creditor Claims

    Period Starts
    first publication of the claim notice
    Statute
    755 ILCS 5/18-3; 755 ILCS 5/18-12

    Related Proceedings

    Property Recording

    Source ↗