Carroll County Criminal Court Records Search

Carroll County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Mt. Carroll and cover all criminal cases filed in the 15th Judicial Circuit. This page explains how to find, access, and request copies of criminal court records in Carroll County, Illinois, whether you need case filings, docket entries, or disposition information from the Mt. Carroll courthouse.

Carroll County Circuit Court Clerk Office

Patty Hiher is the Carroll County Circuit Court Clerk. The office is at 301 North Main Street, Mt. Carroll, IL 61053. You can reach the clerk at 815/244-0230 or fax at 815/244-3869.

The Carroll County Circuit Court Clerk is the official keeper of all criminal records filed in the county. This includes criminal complaints, indictments, charging informations, motion filings, hearing dockets, plea agreements, and sentencing orders. Staff can search the index by defendant name or case number. Certified copy fees are established by state statute under 705 ILCS 105.

The most direct way to get records is to visit the courthouse in Mt. Carroll during regular business hours. Mail requests are also accepted. Include the defendant's full name, the approximate case year, and any case number you have. Send a check or money order for the copy fee and the clerk will search and mail results back to you.

Online Case Search for Carroll County

Carroll County is among the 82 Illinois counties participating in Judici.com, the third-party case search platform that pulls data directly from circuit court systems. Judici lets you search Carroll County criminal cases by name or case number at no charge. Typical results include the charges filed, hearing dates, and final dispositions.

The screenshot below shows the Judici.com search interface that covers Carroll County and other participating Illinois counties.

Search Carroll County criminal cases on Judici.com

Older cases may not be complete on Judici. For anything that requires accuracy, go directly to Patty Hiher's office in Mt. Carroll.

The state runs re:SearchIL, a free statewide portal open to the public since May 1, 2025, that covers criminal and civil cases from courts across Illinois, including Carroll County. No account is needed. Use it at researchil.tylerhost.net.

Below is a screenshot of the re:SearchIL statewide search portal.

Access Carroll County records on re:SearchIL

Both tools help locate cases quickly. Certified documents must come from the clerk's office in Mt. Carroll.

Public Access to Carroll County Criminal Records

Most adult criminal court records in Carroll County are open to the public. Criminal complaints, indictments, motion filings, dockets, plea agreements, and sentencing orders are all accessible. No explanation is required to access these records. Anyone can request them.

Records that are not open include juvenile criminal cases, sealed or expunged records, and files where personal information has been redacted. Adoption cases are also closed. If a Carroll County case has been sealed, the clerk can confirm it exists but won't provide access without a court order. Illinois courts are exempt from FOIA under 5 ILCS 140, so FOIA requests to the circuit court clerk will not work.

ISP Statewide Criminal History

The Carroll County clerk holds records only for that county. For a full Illinois criminal history, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification handles statewide records. Reach the BOI at 815/740-5160 or visit isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification. The ISP provides fingerprint-based background checks for employers and licensing agencies.

Individuals who want to review their own record can use CHIRP at chirp.isp.illinois.gov at no charge. The Access and Review process gives you free access to your own criminal history in Illinois.

Court Filing and Legal Resources

Carroll County sits in the 15th Judicial Circuit. Attorneys file criminal documents through eFileIL at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. The Illinois Courts website has the full directory of circuit court clerks at illinoiscourts.gov.

Self-represented parties should call the clerk at 815/244-0230 before attempting to e-file. Some criminal case types still require in-person submission at the Mt. Carroll courthouse. Free legal information is available at Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org and Illinois Court Help at ilcourthelp.gov. These sites explain procedures and expungement steps. They don't give legal advice. For an active criminal case, consult a licensed attorney.

Nearby Counties

Each neighboring county maintains its own criminal court records through a separate circuit court clerk.