DuPage County Criminal Court Records

DuPage County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Wheaton and cover all criminal cases filed in the 18th Judicial Circuit, which serves Illinois' second most populous county with nearly 933,000 residents. Whether you need records for a pending case, a past conviction, or background research, this guide covers every access method available to the public.

DuPage Circuit Court Clerk Office

The DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk, currently Candice Adams, handles all court filings and record requests for the 18th Judicial Circuit. The office is located at P.O. Box 707, Wheaton, IL 60187-0707, and you can reach them by phone at 630/407-8700 or by fax at 630/407-8575. The clerk's website at dupageco.org/CircuitCourtClerk has forms, fee schedules, and general guidance for people who need court records or plan to file something.

Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, court records in Illinois are presumed public and must be open for inspection at no charge. That means you can walk into the DuPage clerk's office and view case records during business hours without paying anything just to look. Copies cost a small fee per page. You do not need to give a reason for your request.

The clerk's office manages a broad range of case types: felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, ordinance violations, civil matters, and more. For criminal court records specifically, the case search portal is the fastest starting point.

Search Criminal Court Records Online

DuPage County has one of the more capable online search tools among Illinois counties. The case information portal at dupageco.org/CircuitCourtClerk/CaseInformation lets you look up cases by name, case number, or other identifiers. You can see case status, hearing dates, charges, and basic disposition information without creating an account or paying a fee.

The Illinois Courts website shows a screenshot of the DuPage case search interface, which reflects the county's investment in public access. The portal covers both active and closed cases, though the depth of historical records varies. For older cases, an in-person visit may be the better option.

DuPage also participates in Judici.com, a third-party platform used by 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. Judici pulls case data directly from the clerk's system and presents it in a searchable format. It can be useful for cross-county searches when you're not sure which county holds a record. You do not need an account to run a basic name search on Judici.

For reviewing court records from the Illinois appellate and supreme courts, the state launched re:SearchIL as a free public tool on May 1, 2025. This system covers reviewing court records statewide. It does not replace the local clerk portals for trial court cases, but it's a good supplement when a case has been appealed.

Note: Juvenile cases, sealed records, and expunged cases are not visible in any public search tool. Those records are restricted by law regardless of which platform you use.

How to Request Records in Person or by Mail

If the online portal doesn't have what you need, you can visit the clerk's office in person at the DuPage County Courthouse, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton. Bring any identifying information you have: full name, date of birth, case number if known. Staff can pull records from the system while you wait, or direct you to the appropriate file room for older paper records.

Mail requests are also accepted. Send a written request to P.O. Box 707, Wheaton, IL 60187-0707. Include the subject's full name and approximate case year if you know it. The clerk will contact you with a copy fee before processing. Most mail requests take one to two weeks depending on volume.

The re:SearchIL portal provides free public access to appellate and supreme court records statewide, which supplements local DuPage County court searches for cases that have reached higher courts.

Illinois State Police and Conviction Records

Court records and criminal history records are not the same thing. Court records show what was filed and decided. Criminal history records, maintained by the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI), compile conviction data across all Illinois counties into a single background check report. If you want a comprehensive look at someone's conviction history, a court record search at one county level won't give you the full picture.

Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), Illinois maintains a statewide conviction information system. You can request a conviction record check through the ISP BOI online at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. Third parties pay a fee; individuals checking their own record can do so free of charge through ISP's Access and Review program.

For fingerprint-based background checks, contact ISP BOI directly at 260 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432, phone 815/740-5160. Fingerprint checks return more complete results than name-based searches and are used for employment or licensing checks that require a certified record.

Electronic Filing in DuPage County

DuPage County uses eFileIL, the Illinois Courts' mandatory e-filing platform for attorneys and most civil litigants. Criminal defendants who represent themselves may also use the system with some restrictions. E-filing went mandatory for most case types statewide years ago, so the DuPage clerk's office has extensive experience supporting it. If you run into e-filing issues, call the clerk at 630/407-8700 for help.

What Is and Is Not Public in DuPage Court Records

Most DuPage County criminal court records are public under Illinois law. You can access charging documents, court orders, judgment entries, hearing logs, and sentencing information. The Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure (725 ILCS 5) sets out how criminal cases proceed, and public access to those records is a default right.

Some records are not available to the public. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed and not accessible without a court order. Adoption records are closed. If a court has ordered a record sealed or expunged, it does not appear in any public search. Social Security numbers, financial account data, and certain personal identifiers are redacted from public copies even when a record is otherwise public.

Also worth knowing: Illinois courts are exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). You cannot file a FOIA request with the DuPage Circuit Court Clerk to get records. Instead, you use the clerk's own public access procedures, which are governed by the Clerks of Courts Act and court rules rather than FOIA.

The Illinois Courts website provides statewide guidance on court access, procedures, and the legal framework that governs how DuPage County and all other circuit courts handle public records requests.

Legal Help and Self-Represented Litigants

If you need help understanding a DuPage County criminal case record or navigating the court system, a few free resources are available. Illinois Legal Aid Online provides plain-language guides on criminal records, expungement, and sealing. Illinois Court Help offers a chat tool staffed by court navigators who can answer questions about the court process without giving legal advice.

For a full list of circuit clerks across Illinois, including DuPage, see the Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk Directory. This page lists contact details for all 102 counties and is updated when clerks change.

Note: Illinois Legal Aid Online covers expungement eligibility and can help you determine whether a DuPage County criminal record may qualify for sealing or removal from public view.

Nearby Counties

DuPage County borders several other Illinois counties, each with its own circuit court and public records process.

Cities in DuPage County

The following cities in DuPage County have dedicated criminal court records pages.