Find Fulton County Criminal Court Records

Fulton County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Lewistown, serving about 32,500 residents in west-central Illinois. This page covers how to search and access criminal case records in Fulton County, including the Judici online tool, in-person requests at the courthouse in Lewistown, mail-in requests, and the Illinois State Police statewide criminal history database used for background checks.

Fulton County Circuit Court Clerk

Circuit Clerk Charlene Markley oversees the Fulton County clerk's office in Lewistown. The mailing address is P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542-0152. The main phone is 309/547-3041 and the fax is 309/547-3674. The clerk's website at fultoncounty-il.gov/circuit-clerk lists current hours, forms, and guidance on how to request records from the office.

The clerk's office is the official record keeper for all case files originating in Fulton County courts. For criminal court records, the clerk holds charging documents, docket entries, court orders, plea agreements, sentencing information, and every other filing made during the course of a case. Civil, traffic, and family case records are kept there as well. If you want to know whether a specific record exists or what documents are in a file, a call to 309/547-3041 can save time before making a trip.

Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, court records in Illinois are open to the public by default. You can view any public case file at the clerk's office without charge. Copies carry a per-page fee. No explanation is needed when you ask to look at a public record.

The Illinois Courts website provides background on the circuit court system and links to all 102 county circuit clerks, including Fulton County, through the Circuit Clerk Directory.

Search Fulton County Criminal Court Records Online

Fulton County participates in Judici.com, the primary online tool for searching Fulton County criminal court records. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney name. Results show the case type, charges filed, hearing dates, and current status. Basic searches are free and no account is required.

Judici covers 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. You can run a name search across multiple counties in a single step, which is useful when you want to check Peoria, Knox, or other nearby counties at the same time. This tends to be the quickest starting point before contacting the clerk's office directly.

Judici.com provides online access to Fulton County criminal court records and covers more than 80 other Illinois counties in the same search system.

For cases that went to an appellate court, use re:SearchIL, which became free on May 1, 2025. It holds appellate and supreme court filings from across Illinois. If a Fulton County criminal case was appealed, those records appear in re:SearchIL. Federal criminal matters in Fulton County fall under the Central District of Illinois. Federal case records are on PACER, which is a separate system from state court records.

In-Person and Mail Access

To look at records in person, visit the Fulton County courthouse in Lewistown during regular business hours. Have the subject's full name and, if possible, a case number. Staff will locate the file. Certified copies can be ordered and paid for at the counter.

Mail requests go to P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542-0152. Include the full name, an estimate of the filing date range, the type of record you need, and a contact phone number or email. If there is no case number, allow extra time for a manual search. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want documents mailed back. The fax number is 309/547-3674. Calling first is advised to confirm what the office can process by fax.

Statewide Criminal History Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI) keeps a statewide criminal history database built from conviction data submitted by courts in all 102 Illinois counties, including Fulton. ISP BOI issues certified criminal history reports used for background checks, professional licensing, and screening. The office is reachable at 815/740-5160.

Online background check requests are accepted at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. The Uniform Conviction Information Act, 20 ILCS 2635, sets the rules for what ISP can release and to whom. These certified reports are a statewide resource, separate from the case-level documents held by the Fulton County circuit clerk.

Individuals can view their own criminal history for free through the CHIRP portal at chirp.isp.illinois.gov. CHIRP also provides a formal process for disputing errors in your own record. This self-review is free and available to any Illinois resident.

The ISP Bureau of Identification maintains a statewide conviction database that complements Fulton County criminal court records for searches that span multiple counties.

Which Records Are Public

Most Fulton County criminal court records are public. Charging documents, docket entries, court orders, plea filings, and sentencing records are all accessible. Illinois law presumes court records are open unless a statute closes them.

Some records are not available to the public. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed by default. Records expunged or sealed by court order are removed from public access. Adoption files are confidential. The Illinois Court Record and Document Accessibility Act, 705 ILCS 86, defines which documents the court can restrict. Social Security numbers and financial account information are redacted even from otherwise public case files.

The Illinois judiciary is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. FOIA requests do not work for court records. The right to view court files comes from the Clerks of Courts Act and Illinois Supreme Court rules, not from FOIA.

Electronic Filing

eFileIL is the statewide system used by attorneys and parties to submit court documents in Fulton County cases. Members of the public who want to view filed documents access them through the clerk's office or Judici, not through eFileIL directly.

Legal Aid and Court Help

Illinois Legal Aid Online is free and covers expungement eligibility, record sealing, and how to use the court system in plain language. Fulton County falls within its statewide scope. Illinois Court Help offers live chat with court navigators who explain court procedures without providing legal advice. Both services are available without an appointment and at no cost.

Nearby Counties

Fulton County is in west-central Illinois and is bordered by several other counties, each with its own circuit court clerk and records system.