How to Find Information on Wills

Obtaining information on wills involves a few steps, depending on if you're crafting a will or trying to obtain a copy of one that exists already. To craft a will, an Internet search or consulting with an attorney can provide sufficient information. To obtain a copy of an existing will depends on whether the author is deceased and if you are a relative.

• 1

  Determine if the will owner is deceased or still living. Contact the will owner by phone, mail, or in person and request a copy if he is willing to provide one. Contact the court system in the jurisdiction the person lived in last if the will owner is deceased. Ask for the court clerk's office once contact is made.

• 2

  Request the file copy procedure from the court clerk's office staff on how to obtain a copy of the probated will on file (different courts have different local rules). Pay any necessary fees charged for a copy. Arrange for the clerk's office staff to either mail the official copy to your address or to have a scan emailed to you.

• 3

  Determine if an electronic copy can be accessed from court files if the court provides electronic public access. Locate the probated will in the electronic files by using either the deceased party's name or the case file if you know it. Download the file once located and save it to your computer. Print out a hard copy on your computer printer for a paper version.