Boone County Criminal Court Records

Boone County criminal court records are filed and maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Belvidere, covering all criminal cases heard in the 17th Judicial Circuit. This page explains how to search, request, and get copies of criminal court records in Boone County, Illinois, whether you need them for legal, personal, or background purposes.

Circuit Court Clerk Office

The Boone County Circuit Court Clerk handles all official criminal court records for the county. Pamela Coduto serves as clerk. The office is at 601 North Main Street, Suite 303, Belvidere, IL 61008. You can call at 815/544-0371 or fax at 815/547-9213. The clerk's website is at boonecountyil.org/circuit-clerk.

The clerk's office processes criminal case filings, maintains dockets, issues certified copies of court documents, and tracks case dispositions. Walk-in visits during regular business hours are the most direct way to get copies of records. Staff can tell you what documents exist in a given case and what fees apply to certified copies. Most routine documents cost a per-page copy fee set by state law under 705 ILCS 105, which governs circuit court clerk duties and filing fees across Illinois.

If you're not local, mail requests are accepted. Send a written request with the case number or defendant name and the years you think the case was filed, along with a check or money order for copy fees. The clerk will search the index and mail back what they find.

Online Search: Judici and re:SearchIL

Boone County participates in Judici.com, a third-party platform used by 82 of Illinois's 102 counties. Judici lets you search criminal case records by name or case number at no charge. Case details include charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. The site is not an official government portal, but it pulls data directly from participating circuit court systems.

The screenshot below shows the Judici.com interface, which covers Boone County along with dozens of other Illinois counties.

Visit Judici.com to search Boone County criminal cases

Judici is a good starting point when you know a name but not a case number. Results are not always complete for older cases, so verify anything important directly with the clerk's office.

The Illinois Courts system also runs re:SearchIL, a statewide case search tool that has been free to the public since May 1, 2025. The re:SearchIL portal covers civil and criminal cases from courts across Illinois, including Boone County. You can find it at researchil.tylerhost.net. Access is free and does not require an account for basic name searches.

The screenshot below shows the re:SearchIL portal homepage.

Search criminal records on re:SearchIL

Both Judici and re:SearchIL are good for locating a case. Neither replaces certified copies, which you must get from the clerk.

What Criminal Court Records Are Public

Most adult criminal court records in Illinois are public. This includes criminal complaints, indictments, motion filings, hearing transcripts, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. Case dockets are also public. Anyone can look at these records without giving a reason.

Some records are not open to the public. Juvenile criminal records are confidential under Illinois law. Records that have been sealed or expunged by court order are no longer accessible. Information like Social Security numbers, financial account data, and certain victim details are redacted from public copies. Cases involving adoptions are also closed.

If you need to know whether a record has been sealed, the clerk's office can tell you that a case exists but may not be able to show you the file. A court order is needed to unseal a record, and even then access is limited to parties with standing.

Criminal History and Background Checks

For a broader criminal history search beyond Boone County, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (BOI) maintains statewide criminal history records. You can contact the ISP BOI at 815/740-5160 or visit their page at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification.

Fingerprint-based background checks are available through the BOI for employers and licensing agencies. The fee and process depend on the type of check requested. The ISP also runs CHIRP, the Criminal History Information Request Portal, which allows individuals to check their own criminal history record.

The screenshot below shows the ISP BOI agency page, where you can find background check request forms and CHIRP login information.

Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification

Individuals have the right to get their own criminal history for free under the Access and Review process. You do not need to pay a fee to see your own record.

Illinois Courts and the Statewide System

Boone County sits within the broader Illinois court structure. The Illinois Courts website gives an overview of the state judiciary, including circuit court locations, judge assignments, and general court rules. The site also hosts the circuit court clerk directory at illinoiscourts.gov, which lists contact information for every county.

It's worth noting that Illinois courts are exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act under 5 ILCS 140. FOIA requests sent to a court clerk will not be processed. Access to court records is governed by court rules and statutes specific to the judiciary, not by the general FOIA framework that applies to other agencies.

Electronic Filing in Boone County

Attorneys filing criminal documents in Boone County use the Illinois e-filing system, eFileIL. The portal is at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. Self-represented parties in criminal cases should contact the clerk's office to find out whether e-filing is available for their case type, as some criminal filings still require in-person submission.

The clerk's office can explain what forms you need, how to submit them, and what the filing fees are. Do not assume an online filing is complete until you get a confirmation from the system or the clerk.

Legal Aid and Court Help

If you need help understanding court records or navigating a criminal case in Boone County, free resources are available. Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org has guides on criminal court procedures, expungements, and how to read court documents. Illinois Court Help at ilcourthelp.gov offers plain-language information for people who don't have a lawyer.

These sites don't provide legal advice. But they can help you understand what a motion or order means, and they explain step-by-step how to file basic documents on your own. For a criminal matter, it's always best to consult an attorney when you can.

Nearby Counties

Criminal court records in counties near Boone are maintained by their own circuit clerks. Each has its own search tools and procedures.