Illinois Lawyer Referrals and Legal Guidance
Probate in Illinois
Findgreatlawyers.com is an online resource to help you find a lawyer in Illinois or obtain information on almost every are of Illinois law including probate. You can ask our staff of lawyers questions, search our website for legal information or ask us to provide you with an Illinois attorney referral that fits your needs. If you would like our help please contact us by e-mail or call us toll free at (800) 517-1614. We help just about everywhere in Illinois. For more information on probate in Illinois, please read on.
Probate is the legal process through which the court makes sure that your will is valid, your debts are paid and your assets are distributed correctly. Even though you have created a will, your assets have to go through Illinois probate court because your name is still on the title of an asset after you die. Probate is the legal way in Illinois to remove your name from the title and replace it with a different persons' name.
When you die, you either have a will or you don’t. If you have a will, an executor should be appointed to make sure that your wished are carried out as you desire. If you don’t have a will that means you have died “intestate”. The whole point of having a will is so that your wishes will be met when you pass. If you die without a will, the laws of Illinois determine who will get your assets and fights often ensue over control of an estate.
It is important to remember that even if you have given someone power of attorney over your affairs while you are alive, that ends the moment you die. Having a proper will is, in our opinion, just as important as making sure your interests are protected while you are alive.
If you are the friend or relative of someone that has died and have questions for a lawyer, you should look for an attorney in the county where your friend or loved one lived or in a neighboring county. Any Illinois lawyer can practice in any county in the state, but we suggest that you seek legal help near where your loved one lived because no matter how many or few assets they had, you have to go to court in the county where they lived. In other words, if you live in Wheaton, but your father died without a will in Northbrook, you would be required to go to probate court in Cook County. A DuPage probate lawyer might be able to help you and certainly a Cook County probate attorney should be able to help.
The following links have additional information on Illinois probate laws. For additional information please see:- Grounds For Contesting a Will or Trust in Illinois
- The Role of an Executor in Illinois Probate Matters
- Illinois Probate Overview
- Filing a Will in Illinois Probate Courts
- Cook County probate matterss
- How are attorneys fees paid in probate cases?
- What Makes a Great Estate Planning or Probate Lawyer?
- What Happens When Someone Dies Without a Will in Illinois?
If you have additional questions you can contact us. We will answer any questions you have and if needed, refer you to a lawyer that we think can help you.
Since 2001 findgreatlawyers.com has been a trusted resource for tens of thousands of people who have Illinois legal matters. Find out why consumers say that having access to findgreatlawyers.com is like having a lawyer in the family.