Union County Criminal Court Records Search

Union County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Jonesboro, covering all criminal cases filed in this deep southern Illinois county of approximately 16,400 residents. This page covers how to search those records online, how to reach the Jonesboro courthouse by phone or mail, what the Illinois State Police provides for statewide criminal history, and the laws that govern public access to court files in Union County.

Union County Circuit Court Clerk

Circuit Clerk Keri Clark manages the Union County clerk's office at 309 West Market Street, Room 101, Jonesboro, IL 62952. The main phone is 618/833-5913 and the fax is 618/833-5223. The clerk's office is the official custodian of all Union County court records, covering criminal charges, civil filings, traffic cases, and family court matters.

For criminal court records, the clerk holds every document in the case file from the initial charge through the final order. That means complaints, indictments, bond orders, motions, docket entries, plea agreements, and sentencing records. Any public file can be reviewed at the Jonesboro courthouse at no cost. Copies carry a per-page charge. You don't need to provide a reason for viewing a public court record.

Union County sits at the southern tip of Illinois, bordering the Shawnee National Forest. The county seat is Jonesboro, a small town. Call 618/833-5913 before visiting to confirm office hours and check whether a specific case is on file. That small step prevents wasted trips.

The Clerks of Courts Act, 705 ILCS 105, requires circuit court clerks across Illinois to keep public records open for inspection. Keri Clark's office operates under that same requirement.

The Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk Directory lists Keri Clark as Union County's clerk with the Jonesboro courthouse address and phone number.

Online Search for Union County Criminal Records

Union County participates in Judici.com, the free case search service used by 82 of Illinois' 102 counties. Search Union County criminal court records by party name, case number, or attorney. Results show the case type, charges filed, hearing dates, and current status. No account is required.

Union County's location in far southern Illinois makes multi-county searching especially useful. If you're not certain which county a case was filed in, run a single Judici name query across Union alongside Jackson, Johnson, Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac. That covers the full southernmost section of Illinois in one pass without separate individual searches for each county.

Judici.com gives free online access to Union County criminal court records and supports combined searches with neighboring counties including Jackson, Johnson, Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac.

For Union County cases that moved up to the Appellate Court, use re:SearchIL to search appellate records. That platform has been free since May 1, 2025. The Illinois Courts website has background on how the state court system is structured and links to all county clerk offices.

In-Person and Mail Requests

To review records in person, visit 309 West Market Street, Room 101, in Jonesboro during regular business hours. Bring the subject's full name and a case number if you have one. Staff will find the file. Certified copies can be ordered and paid for at the counter the same day.

For mail requests, write to: Union County Circuit Clerk, 309 West Market Street, Room 101, Jonesboro, IL 62952. Include the subject's name, the approximate filing date, the type of record needed, and your contact information. A self-addressed stamped envelope helps the office return documents to you. Without a case number, staff must do a manual name search, which takes more time. The fax is 618/833-5223; call first to ask what the office will accept that way.

Illinois State Police Criminal History Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (ISP BOI) collects conviction data from all 102 Illinois counties, including Union. When Union County criminal cases result in convictions, those outcomes are reported to ISP BOI and entered into the statewide criminal history database. The bureau is at 260 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432, reachable at 815/740-5160.

Submit a background check request at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/BackgroundChecks. Fees are $15 electronic or $20 paper. Certified reports are used for professional licensing, volunteer programs, and regulated employment. What ISP can release is governed by the Uniform Conviction Information Act, 20 ILCS 2635.

You can get your own criminal history at no cost through CHIRP at chirp.isp.illinois.gov. CHIRP also provides a process for disputing errors in your record. Individuals do not pay a fee for reviewing their own history.

The ISP Bureau of Identification aggregates Union County conviction data alongside records from every Illinois circuit court into one statewide criminal history database.

What Records Are Public in Union County

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

Some records are not public. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed by law. Records expunged or sealed by court order are removed from public access. Adoption records are always confidential. The Court Record and Document Accessibility Act, 705 ILCS 86, identifies which records courts may restrict. Even in public cases, Social Security numbers and financial account details are redacted before records are released.

Illinois courts are exempt from FOIA. A Freedom of Information Act request to the Union County clerk for court records will not be honored. Public access comes from the Clerks of Courts Act and Illinois Supreme Court rules, not FOIA.

Electronic Filing and Federal Records

Attorneys and parties in Union County cases file documents through eFileIL, the state's electronic filing system. Members of the public access records through the Jonesboro clerk's office or via Judici.com.

Union County is in the Southern District of Illinois for federal court purposes. If a case may involve federal charges alongside state charges, check PACER for U.S. District Court records. State and federal courts are separate systems requiring separate searches.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online provides free guides on expungement, record sealing, and how to access court records in Union County and across Illinois. Illinois Court Help offers live chat with court navigators who explain procedures without giving legal advice. Both services are free and available without an appointment.

Nearby Illinois Counties

Each neighboring county maintains its own criminal court records through its own circuit court clerk.