Search Chicago Criminal Court Records

Chicago criminal court records are filed with the Cook County Circuit Court, which handles all felony and misdemeanor cases for the city. Cook County is one of the few counties in Illinois where criminal case records are not available online. You must go in person to the courthouse where the case was filed. This guide explains where to go, who to contact, and how to get records for Chicago criminal cases through the Circuit Clerk, Chicago Police Department, and the Illinois State Police.

How to Search Chicago Criminal Court Records

Cook County criminal records are not available through Judici or re:SearchIL. That is the key difference between Chicago and most other Illinois cities. In 82 of Illinois's 102 counties, you can pull up case records online for free. Cook County is not one of them. Criminal case records here are only accessible in person at the specific courthouse where the case was filed.

Chicago has multiple courthouses that handle criminal cases. Felony cases go to the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building at 2600 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608. Misdemeanor and traffic cases may be filed at one of the district courthouses around the city, depending on where the incident happened. You need to know which facility handled the case before you visit. The Circuit Clerk's main office is at 50 W. Washington, Suite 1001, Chicago, IL 60602. You can call 312/603-5030 to ask which courthouse holds a specific case.

Once you are at the right courthouse, go to the clerk's office and ask to look up the case by name or case number. Court staff can pull the file and let you review it. Copies cost a fee. Records that are sealed or expunged will not be shown.

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk

The Cook County Circuit Clerk is Mariyana T. Spyropoulos. The office manages all case filings, court dates, and official records for Cook County courts, including all criminal cases filed in Chicago. The main clerk office is at 50 W. Washington, Suite 1001, Chicago, IL 60602. Phone: 312/603-5030. You can find more information at cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.

The clerk's office maintains charging documents, docket entries, orders, judgments, and final dispositions for every criminal case. That includes felony cases, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations that go through the court system. Staff can verify whether a case exists, tell you the outcome, and provide certified copies of records when requested.

Under 705 ILCS 105, court records in Illinois are public documents. The clerk must make them available to anyone who asks. The main exception is sealed or expunged records, which are removed from public view by court order.

What Chicago Criminal Court Records Contain

A criminal court file for a Chicago case typically holds the charging document (indictment or information), the defendant's name and date of birth, arrest date, charges filed, court dates, motions filed by both sides, plea information, and the final disposition. If the case went to trial, you will find the verdict. If the person was sentenced, the sentence is part of the record too.

Some records are not public. Juvenile records are sealed by default. Records that a judge has ordered sealed or expunged will not show up in a clerk search. Police investigative reports are held by the Chicago Police Department, not the Circuit Clerk, and are separate from the court file. Mental health evaluations and certain victim-related documents may also be restricted.

If you need a certified copy of a court record, bring a valid photo ID and be ready to pay a copying fee. The clerk's office can tell you the current fee schedule when you call or visit.

Chicago RAP Sheet and Police Records

A RAP sheet, or Record of Arrests and Prosecutions, is a Chicago Police Department document. It lists all arrests made by CPD, not just convictions. This is different from a court record. If you want your own RAP sheet, you must request it from the Chicago Police Department Records Division.

The Records Division is at 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653. Phone: (312) 745-5644. In-person requests are handled on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The fee is $16. Bring a valid ID.

You can also request by mail. Send a copy of your ID, a set of fingerprints, a $16 money order made out to "City of Chicago," and a self-addressed stamped envelope with two stamps. Mail to the Records Division at the address above. Processing times vary. If you are requesting someone else's record, you generally need their written consent or a court order unless the record is already public through other means.

Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI) holds statewide criminal history records. These include convictions from courts across Illinois, not just Cook County. If you want a broader picture of someone's criminal record in Illinois, this is the agency to contact.

ISP BOI is located at 260 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432. Phone: 815/740-5160. You can find more at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification.

The screenshot below shows the ISP Bureau of Identification agency page, where you can find forms and instructions for requesting a criminal history record check.

The ISP BOI handles both name-based and fingerprint-based checks. Fingerprint-based checks are more accurate and are typically required for licensing, employment in certain fields, and other official purposes. Under 20 ILCS 2635, the state maintains a Unified Crime Information Act database that feeds into these records.

re:SearchIL and Online Access Limitations for Cook County

re:SearchIL launched statewide on May 1, 2025, and provides free online access to court records across Illinois. The screenshot below shows the re:SearchIL portal, which serves most counties in the state.

However, Cook County criminal cases are not included in re:SearchIL's public-facing search. This is a known limitation. Civil cases and some other record types may be available through re:SearchIL for Cook County, but for criminal cases you still need to go in person. Always check directly with the Circuit Clerk's office for the latest on what is or is not available online before making a trip.

Legal Help in Chicago

Illinois Legal Aid Online offers free legal information and tools at illinoislegalaid.org. The site covers how to request records, understand court documents, and find attorneys. Illinois Court Help, run by the state court system, also provides guidance on navigating the courts without a lawyer.

If you need to file documents in a criminal case, the state's e-filing portal is at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. Note that for criminal cases in Cook County, in-person filing at the courthouse is often still required. Federal criminal cases involving Chicago defendants are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Those records are available through PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov, which requires a free account to access.

Nearby Illinois Cities

These nearby cities also have criminal case records filed at the county level. Each city's cases go through its county's Circuit Court Clerk.