Livingston County Criminal Court Records

Livingston County criminal court records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Pontiac, serving more than 35,000 residents in east-central Illinois. This page covers how to search and access criminal case files in Livingston County, including the Judici online database, in-person requests at the county courthouse, and the Illinois State Police statewide conviction history system.

Livingston County Circuit Court Clerk

Circuit Clerk Jacquelyn Gragson runs the clerk's office for Livingston County. The address is 110 N. Main St., Pontiac, IL 61764-0320. The main phone is 815/844-2602 and the fax number is 815/844-2322. The clerk's website at livingstoncounty-il.gov/circuit-clerk has current hours, forms, and guidance on how to request records.

The clerk's office is the primary custodian of all case records filed in Livingston County. This covers criminal cases, civil matters, traffic charges, and domestic proceedings. For criminal court records, the clerk holds charging documents, docket sheets, court orders, sentencing data, and all motions filed during a case. Staff can tell you what is available and what fees apply for copies.

Illinois law under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, makes court records public by default. You may view any public criminal case file at the clerk's office free of charge. Per-page fees apply if you want copies. No reason is required to access a public record.

The Illinois Courts website provides system-wide information on how circuit courts operate and links to every county circuit clerk, including Livingston County.

Online Access to Criminal Court Records

Livingston County participates in Judici.com, the main online tool for searching Livingston County criminal court records. You can look up records by party name, case number, or attorney. Results show the case type, charges filed, hearing dates, and status. There is no cost for basic searches and no account is needed.

Judici covers 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. You can run a single name search across multiple counties, which is useful when you aren't certain which county filed a specific case. The platform is the fastest way to see whether Livingston County has a criminal case on record for a given person.

Judici.com is the primary online portal for Livingston County criminal court records and covers over 80 other Illinois counties in the same database.

For appellate court filings, use re:SearchIL. This platform became free on May 1, 2025, and holds documents from the Illinois appellate and supreme courts. If a Livingston County case was appealed, re:SearchIL is where those filings appear. Federal cases involving Livingston County residents would fall under the Central District of Illinois and can be searched through PACER.

In-Person and Mail Requests

The Livingston County courthouse is at 110 N. Main St. in Pontiac. You can visit during regular business hours to view records. Bring the full name of the subject and a case number if you have one. Staff will locate the file. Certified copies can be ordered at the counter and paid for at the time of the request.

Mail requests go to 110 N. Main St., Pontiac, IL 61764-0320. Your letter should include the name, an estimate of when the case was filed, the type of record, and a contact number or email. Allow additional time if there is no case number. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want documents mailed back. The fax number for the office is 815/844-2322.

Statewide Criminal History Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI) runs a statewide criminal history database that pulls conviction data from courts in all 102 Illinois counties, including Livingston. ISP BOI issues certified criminal history reports used for background checks. The office can be reached by phone at 815/740-5160.

Background check requests are accepted online at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. The Uniform Conviction Information Act, 20 ILCS 2635, sets out what the ISP can disclose and to whom. These certified reports are a separate resource from the Livingston County circuit clerk records.

Individuals can check their own criminal history at no charge using the CHIRP portal at chirp.isp.illinois.gov. If you find errors in your record, the portal includes a process for filing a formal challenge.

What Records Are Public

Most Livingston County criminal court records are accessible to the public. Charging documents, docket entries, court orders, plea agreements, and sentencing records are all available. Illinois law presumes court records are public unless a specific statute restricts access.

Some categories are restricted. Juvenile cases are sealed. Records that have been expunged or sealed by court order are not available to the public. Adoption files are confidential. The Illinois Court Record and Document Accessibility Act, 705 ILCS 86, governs which documents courts can keep from public view. Even in open cases, Social Security numbers and financial account data are redacted before release.

Worth noting: the Illinois judiciary is exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. FOIA requests do not apply to court records. The legal basis for public access to court files comes from the Clerks of Courts Act and Illinois Supreme Court rules.

Electronic Filing

Most filings in Livingston County courts go through eFileIL, the statewide electronic filing platform. Attorneys and parties use eFileIL to submit documents. Members of the public who want to look at filed documents use Judici or the clerk's office rather than eFileIL directly.

Legal Aid and Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online is a free resource covering expungement, record sealing, and how to use the court system. Its content includes Livingston County within statewide guidance. Illinois Court Help provides live chat with court navigators who explain steps and procedures without giving legal advice. The Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk Directory lists all 102 county clerks if you need contact information for nearby counties.

Nearby Counties

Livingston County borders several other Illinois counties, each served by its own circuit court clerk and records office.