Search Illinois Criminal Court Records
Illinois criminal court records are public documents maintained by Circuit Court Clerks in each of the state's 102 counties. These records cover felony cases, misdemeanor filings, and other criminal proceedings heard in the Illinois court system. You can search many of these records online through tools like re:SearchIL and Judici.com, or by contacting the Circuit Clerk in the county where a case was filed. Cook County criminal cases require an in-person visit to the courthouse. This page explains how to find and access Illinois criminal court records at both the state and county level.
Illinois Criminal Court Records Quick Facts
How Illinois Manages Criminal Court Records
Illinois has 102 counties. Each one has a Circuit Court Clerk who keeps the official criminal case files for that county. The state is split into 23 judicial circuits, each covering one or more counties. Criminal cases are first heard in Circuit Courts. These are the trial courts of Illinois. From there, cases can move to one of five Appellate Court districts and then to the Illinois Supreme Court at the top of the system.
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) handles court administration statewide. Their office is at 3101 Old Jacksonville Road, Springfield, IL 62704. You can reach them at (217) 782-6830 or at aoic@illinoiscourts.gov. The AOIC describes its mission as one "to protect the rights and liberties of all by providing equal access to justice, resolving disputes and upholding the rule of law." That mission includes making criminal court records open to the public in Illinois. The official state courts website is illinoiscourts.gov.
The Illinois Courts website is the central hub for court information and public access to criminal case records across all 102 counties.
Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, all records kept by court clerks are deemed public records. They must be open for inspection at no charge. This is the main statute behind your right to see Illinois criminal court records. You can walk into any Circuit Clerk's office and ask to view case records under this law.
Illinois State Resources for Criminal Records
The state of Illinois offers several online tools for accessing criminal court records. The main state portal at illinois.gov links out to courts, agencies, and services across the state.
Illinois.gov provides direct access to state agencies, the court system, and law enforcement resources tied to criminal court records.
The Illinois Courts public resources page at illinoiscourts.gov/public is built for everyday people. It covers self-help tools, guides on how the court system works, and links to resources the public can use in Illinois. If you are new to searching for court records, this is a good place to start. The page includes links to court help sites and self-help sections that walk you through common steps.
The public resources section of the Illinois Courts site helps people find court records and understand the process without needing a lawyer.
Search Illinois Criminal Court Records via re:SearchIL
re:SearchIL is the statewide document repository run by the Illinois Courts. It gives you online access to electronic court records and filings from Circuit Courts and reviewing courts across the state. The AOIC describes it as "an easy-to-use site that provides secure, cross-jurisdictional access to electronic court records and documents throughout the state." You can find it at researchil.tylerhost.net.
As of May 1, 2025, public access to reviewing court records opened through re:SearchIL at no charge. The fee for electronic remote access to documents was suspended by court order until further notice. Any non-confidential record filed on or after April 1, 2025 is available through the portal. Records filed before that date may or may not be accessible depending on whether the individual court has addressed confidentiality concerns. Cases that are not public at the Circuit Court level, such as juvenile delinquency cases, will also not appear in re:SearchIL.
The re:SearchIL portal opened free public access to reviewing court records across Illinois starting May 1, 2025.
Find Illinois Criminal Cases on Judici.com
Judici.com is a third-party platform that works with 82 of Illinois' 102 counties to give the public online access to court records. You can search cases by name or case number. Most basic case searches are free. The site is widely used by courts, attorneys, and the public across Illinois. Visit judici.com to start a search.
For the 82 counties that use it, Judici is often the fastest way to look up a criminal case online from home. You can see case summaries, hearing dates, charges filed, and dispositions. Some counties also allow online payments through the system. If your county does not participate, you will need to contact the Circuit Clerk directly or use re:SearchIL instead.
Judici covers 82 Illinois counties and provides free online access to criminal case records, filings, and hearing information.
Note: Cook County criminal cases are not available through Judici or any online portal. In-person access at the courthouse is required for Cook County criminal court records.
eFileIL and Illinois Court Services Online
Illinois uses a statewide e-filing system called eFileIL. Attorneys and self-represented parties use it to file documents in most court cases across the state. You can access it at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. Most criminal proceedings in Illinois now use this system for electronic document submission.
eFileIL handles electronic filing for criminal and civil cases across all participating Illinois courts.
The Illinois Courts e-services page at illinoiscourts.gov/eservices lists all online tools available to the public. This includes links to e-filing, the re:SearchIL portal, and county-level access resources for Illinois court records.
The Illinois Courts e-services portal brings the key digital tools for court access and filing together in one place.
Illinois State Police Criminal History Records
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI) maintains criminal history records for the whole state. They process fingerprint-based and name-based checks for individuals and authorized organizations. The BOI is at 260 North Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432. You can call them at 815/740-5160 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Appointments are required for in-person visits. Email inquiries go to ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov.
The Bureau operates under 20 ILCS 2635, the Uniform Conviction Information Act (UCIA). This law requires that all criminal history conviction information collected by the ISP be made available to the public. The ISP maintains more than five million fingerprint files and uses an advanced Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to process them. As the Bureau states, it "promotes public safety by collecting, maintaining, and disseminating accurate, timely, and complete criminal history information."
The ISP Bureau of Identification is the official state agency for criminal history records and background check processing in Illinois.
CHIRP: Online Name-Based Criminal History Checks
CHIRP stands for Criminal History Response Process. It is an online tool run by the Illinois State Police that lets you run name-based UCIA checks from home. You can access it at chirp.isp.illinois.gov. Registration is required to use the system.
Name-based checks through CHIRP are faster than fingerprint-based requests. But they can produce multiple results when people share the same name. In those cases, a fingerprint-based check may be needed to confirm the right person and get accurate results. CHIRP is often used by individuals who want to see their own criminal history or by organizations doing authorized checks in Illinois.
The CHIRP portal provides fast online access to name-based criminal history checks for Illinois residents and authorized users.
Illinois Criminal History Background Check Fees
The Illinois State Police processes official criminal history background checks for the state. Fees depend on the type of check you need. Electronic submissions are cheaper than paper requests. Individuals can also request their own criminal history at no charge through the ISP's Access and Review process. The background check service page is at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks.
Current ISP fee schedule for background checks:
- State-only check (paper): $20
- State-only check (electronic/Live Scan): $15
- FBI-only check: $12
- State and FBI combined (electronic): $27
- Name-based UCIA inquiry (electronic): $10
- Fingerprint card submission: $15 (electronic)
The ISP background checks portal walks you through the request process and current fee schedule for criminal history checks in Illinois.
Find Your Local Illinois Circuit Court Clerk
Every county in Illinois has a Circuit Court Clerk. They hold the official files for all criminal cases filed in that county. To get records, you need to know which county the case was filed in. Call or visit the right clerk's office once you find it. Some clerks accept mail-in requests. Others require in-person visits for certain types of records.
The AOIC maintains a complete directory of all 102 Circuit Court Clerks in Illinois. It lists addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers for every county. You can find the directory at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/circuit-court-clerks. This is the most direct route to getting criminal court records from a specific county court.
The official directory lists every Circuit Court Clerk in Illinois with full contact details for making records requests.
What Illinois Criminal Court Records Are Open to the Public
Most criminal court records in Illinois are public. Under the Court Record and Document Accessibility Act, 705 ILCS 86, all records and documents are presumed accessible. A clerk may limit access only in specific situations set by law or court order. The Illinois Supreme Court's remote access policy is direct about it: "Court documents are presumptively open to public access unless restricted by court order, Court Rule, Law or policy."
Some records are restricted and not available to the public. These include:
- Juvenile delinquency and child protection cases
- Adoption proceedings
- Sealed or expunged criminal records
- Filings that contain Social Security numbers or financial account data
- Cases with a court-ordered confidentiality designation
Illinois law clearly defines which criminal court records are open and which are protected from public access.
The Code of Criminal Procedure, 725 ILCS 5, governs the criminal process from arrest through sentencing. This code shapes what records get created at each stage of a case. Knowing the code helps you understand what documents to look for when you search for a criminal court record in Illinois.
Legal Help for Illinois Residents
Several groups offer free or low-cost help to people dealing with the Illinois court system. Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org covers criminal records, expungement, record sealing, and other legal topics. It is a solid first stop for anyone who wants free legal guidance in Illinois.
Illinois Court Help at ilcourthelp.gov is a state resource that guides people through court processes and helps them find the right forms. The Illinois State Bar Association at isba.org can connect you with a licensed attorney if you need more formal help with a legal matter in the state.
Illinois Legal Aid Online provides free guidance on criminal records, expungement, and accessing court documents across the state.
If you want to expunge or seal a criminal record in Illinois, the Office of the State Appellate Defender offers guidance on the process. You can also contact the ISP expungement unit directly at ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov. Federal court records are handled separately from state court records. Use PACER to search for federal court case filings in Illinois.
Note: Illinois's Freedom of Information Act under 5 ILCS 140 gives the public the right to government records, but the judiciary is currently exempt from FOIA in Illinois. Court record access is governed by the court rules and statutes above instead.
Browse Criminal Court Records by Illinois County
Each county has its own Circuit Clerk who keeps criminal court records for all cases filed there. Pick a county below to find local contact info and resources for criminal court records in that area.
View All 102 Illinois Counties →
Illinois Criminal Court Records in Major Cities
Residents of major Illinois cities file criminal cases at the county court where the incident occurred. Pick a city below to learn about criminal court records in that area.