Search Massac County Criminal Court Records

Massac County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Metropolis, Illinois, serving a county of roughly 14,000 residents along the Ohio River in the far southern part of the state. This guide covers online access through Judici, how to contact the clerk's office in person or by mail, statewide databases from the Illinois State Police, and the rules that govern what records are public.

Massac County Circuit Court Clerk

Circuit Clerk Marcus Grace runs the Massac County clerk's office at One Superman Square, Room 2D, Metropolis, IL 62960. The main phone is 618/524-5011 and the fax is 618/524-4850. The clerk's office is the official custodian of all Massac County court records, including criminal charges, civil cases, traffic matters, and family court filings.

For criminal records specifically, the clerk holds every document filed in a case from the initial charging instrument through any final order. That includes arrest warrants, bond orders, motions, plea agreements, jury instructions, verdicts, and sentencing documents. You can view any public case file at the clerk's office without paying a fee. Copies of documents carry a per-page charge set by state statute.

Staff at the Metropolis office can answer questions about what records are on file, whether a specific case exists, and what the office requires for a copy request. Calling before you visit is smart, especially if you are coming from outside the area.

The Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk Directory lists Marcus Grace as Massac County's clerk along with the Metropolis courthouse address.

Online Criminal Court Records Search

Massac County is part of Judici.com, a free online case search system used by 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. Search by party name, case number, or attorney to find Massac County criminal court records. Results show the case type, charged offenses, scheduled hearings, and current status. No login or account is required.

Judici also supports multi-county searches. You can check Massac County alongside Pulaski, Johnson, and Pope County in a single query, which is useful when a person may have court involvement in more than one county. Results from each county are displayed together so you can compare what came up.

Judici.com provides free access to Massac County criminal court records along with case data from other southern Illinois counties including Johnson and Pope.

Appellate court records, including those from cases appealed out of Massac County, are in re:SearchIL. The platform has been free since May 1, 2025. The Illinois Courts website explains how the circuit and appellate court systems are structured and links to clerk offices statewide.

In-Person and Mail Requests

Visit the Massac County courthouse at One Superman Square in Metropolis to review records in person. Bring the subject's full name and a case number if available. Staff will locate the file. Certified copies can be ordered on-site and paid for the same day.

For mail requests, send a letter to: Massac County Circuit Clerk, One Superman Square, Room 2D, Metropolis, IL 62960. Include the name of the person whose records you want, the approximate date the case was filed, the type of record you need, and your contact information. A self-addressed stamped envelope will help the office return documents to you. Without a case number, the office may need more time to do a manual name search.

The office fax is 618/524-4850. Some basic requests can be submitted that way, but call first to confirm what the clerk will process by fax versus mail or in person.

Statewide Criminal History Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains a statewide criminal history database drawn from court records across all 102 counties, including Massac. When a Massac County case results in a conviction, that outcome gets reported to ISP BOI and becomes part of the statewide record. The bureau's phone number is 815/740-5160.

Background checks are available at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. Certified criminal history reports from ISP BOI are used for professional licensing and regulated employment screening. The Uniform Conviction Information Act, 20 ILCS 2635, governs what ISP may share and with whom.

You can view your own criminal history for free through the CHIRP system. Go to chirp.isp.illinois.gov to log in and request your personal record. CHIRP also has a process to dispute entries that are wrong.

The ISP Bureau of Identification consolidates criminal conviction data from Massac County and all other Illinois circuit courts into a single statewide database.

Public Access Rules and Restricted Records

Most Massac County criminal court records are open to the public. Charging documents, docket entries, court orders, plea agreements, and sentencing records are all available. Illinois assumes court records are public unless a specific law says otherwise.

Certain records are not public. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed. Records expunged or sealed by court order are removed from the public file. Adoption records are confidential. The Illinois Court Record and Document Accessibility Act, 705 ILCS 86, defines which records a court may restrict and under what conditions. Even in public cases, sensitive personal data like Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted before release.

Illinois courts are exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. A FOIA request to the Massac County clerk will not get you court records. Your right to access comes from the Clerks of Courts Act and court rules, not FOIA.

Electronic Filing and Federal Courts

Attorneys and parties to Massac County cases file documents through eFileIL, the state's electronic filing system. Members of the public who want to review filed documents use the clerk's office in Metropolis or search Judici.

If you suspect a case involves federal charges alongside state charges, check PACER for U.S. District Court filings. Massac County falls in the Southern District of Illinois. Federal and state criminal cases are separate systems, so both may need to be searched depending on the situation.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online offers plain-language information on record sealing, expungement, and how to get court records in Massac County and across the state. Illinois Court Help provides live chat with court navigators who explain procedures without giving legal advice. Both services are free and available without an appointment.

Nearby Counties

Massac County sits at Illinois' southern tip and borders several other counties, each with its own circuit court records.