St. Clair County Criminal Court Records Lookup

St. Clair County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Belleville, covering the 20th Judicial Circuit in southwestern Illinois near the Missouri border, serving over 257,000 residents. This guide covers every method for finding and accessing St. Clair County criminal case records, from online search tools to in-person visits to statewide conviction databases.

St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk

Kinnis Williams serves as the St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk. The office is at 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220-1623. Phone: 618/277-6832, fax: 618/277-1562. The clerk's website is co.st-clair.il.us/department/circuit_clerk. The 20th Judicial Circuit serves St. Clair County, and all criminal cases filed in the county go through the Belleville courthouse.

The clerk's office handles all criminal case filings, from misdemeanor charges and traffic offenses to felony proceedings. Each criminal case file includes the charging document, a record of all court dates, orders issued by the judge, plea agreements or trial records, and the final judgment or sentencing order. Viewing that file is a right under Illinois law, not a privilege.

Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, public court records are open for inspection at no charge. Copies carry a per-page fee set by the clerk's office. No account or membership is required, and you do not have to explain your interest in a public case record.

Online Search Options for St. Clair Criminal Records

St. Clair County is part of the Judici.com network used by 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. Through Judici you can search St. Clair County criminal court records by name or case number and see charges, case status, hearing dates, and disposition information without creating an account or paying a fee. The data comes directly from the clerk's case management system and is generally current within a brief delay.

For cases that advanced to higher courts, the re:SearchIL portal provides free public access to Illinois appellate and supreme court records as of May 1, 2025. St. Clair County appeals go to the Fifth Appellate District. Re:SearchIL covers those records and is searchable by party name, case number, or attorney. It does not include trial-level records, which remain at the local clerk level.

The Illinois Courts website is a solid general reference for understanding the state's court system, finding forms, and locating the right resource for your situation. The Circuit Clerk Directory there lists contact details for all 102 counties, which helps when you're researching cases across multiple jurisdictions.

The re:SearchIL database provides free public access to appellate court records including St. Clair County cases appealed to the Fifth Appellate District of Illinois.

In-Person and Mail Record Requests

Walk-in access is available at the clerk's office, 10 Public Square in Belleville. Bring the subject's full name and date of birth; a case number helps staff find the record quickly. You can inspect the case file at a public terminal or with staff assistance. If you need copies, they are prepared on request with a per-page fee due at pickup.

Mail requests go to 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220-1623. State the subject's full name, date of birth, approximate case year, and any case number you have. For searches without a case number, allow extra processing time. The clerk will send a cost estimate before mailing anything. Fax requests go to 618/277-1562. Budget one to two weeks for a written response under normal conditions.

Statewide Criminal History Through ISP

St. Clair County court records only show cases filed in that county. A full Illinois criminal history report comes from the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. ISP BOI collects conviction records from all 102 Illinois counties into a single database and produces certified reports for background checks.

The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) authorizes this statewide system and sets the rules for access. Third parties can order a conviction check online at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. Individuals checking their own record can use ISP's free Access and Review process or the CHIRP portal. For fingerprint-based checks, contact ISP BOI at 260 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432, phone 815/740-5160.

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains statewide conviction records covering St. Clair County and all 101 other Illinois jurisdictions, serving as the authoritative source for certified background check reports.

Criminal Court Records: What Is Open and What Is Restricted

Most St. Clair County criminal court records are public. Charging instruments, court orders, pleas, sentencing documents, and case history logs are all accessible. The presumption of public access is built into Illinois law through the Clerks of Courts Act and the Court Record and Document Accessibility Act (705 ILCS 86). Anyone can access these records for any reason.

Some records are restricted. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed and not visible to the general public. Adoption files are closed. If a court has entered a sealing or expungement order for an adult criminal record, that case disappears from public view, including Judici and the clerk's own portal. Social Security numbers and financial account identifiers are redacted from any public copy even when the underlying case remains open.

The Illinois judiciary is exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act under 5 ILCS 140. A FOIA request to the St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk will be declined. Use the clerk's standard public records procedures instead. The right to access remains the same; it just operates under court rules rather than FOIA.

Also worth noting: the Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure, 725 ILCS 5, governs how criminal cases proceed in Illinois courts. Cases conducted under those procedures generate public records unless a specific exception applies.

Electronic Filing in St. Clair County

St. Clair County uses eFileIL, the mandatory statewide e-filing platform operated by the Illinois Courts. Most attorneys are required to e-file. Self-represented parties in criminal cases should check with the clerk's office at 618/277-6832 about requirements before submitting anything. EFileIL is a filing system, not a public search tool. For case lookups, use Judici or contact the clerk directly.

Note: The eFileIL platform provides attorneys with a case management interface that is separate from what the general public sees in Judici or the clerk's portal. Public access comes through those other channels, not through eFileIL.

Free Legal Help

Illinois Legal Aid Online has free, plain-language information on St. Clair County criminal records, how to request court documents, and whether you might qualify for expungement or sealing. Their screening tool walks you through eligibility questions step by step. Illinois Court Help provides a live chat feature where trained navigators can explain court processes without giving legal advice. Both are free and accessible from any device.

Federal criminal cases connected to St. Clair County fall under the Southern District of Illinois. Federal records can be searched through PACER, which charges a small per-page fee with a quarterly low-use exemption.

Illinois Legal Aid Online offers free guidance on navigating the St. Clair County criminal court system, understanding case records, and pursuing expungement or sealing of eligible records.

Nearby Counties

St. Clair County borders four Illinois counties in the southwestern part of the state.