Frequently asked questions about court records

Are court records open to the public?

Yes, court records are generally open to the public. Each county’s Circuit Clerk keeps the court records. The law requires that these records be open to the public. Each court case has an individual file. You can:

• Look in the court file, 
• Read any documents that have been filed (for example the Complaint or order), or
• Look up what happened on court dates. These are called "docket entries," and include notes by the judge on what happened at court that day.

Which court records are not open to the public?

Juvenile records and adoption records are not open to the public. Other court cases can also be sealed if the judge is convinced there is a good reason not to let the public access them.

Do I have to pay for court records?

Most court records are free to the public. Many counties also make their court records available for free online. However, a few counties charge a fee to get the records online. You may also have to pay to make any photocopies of the records.

Can I pay my court fees online?

Yes, some counties offer a Judici E-Pay to make payments on closed cases with an outstanding balance. See if your county offers this option here.

How do I get copies of court records in Cook County Circuit Court? 

Cook County does not provide online access to criminal records. If your case was filed in Cook County, go to the Circuit Clerk's Office in the district where you went to court. There are no court dispositions for arrests or charges that did not lead to a court case. In certain places, a certified disposition fee may be required to process your request.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County provides online case information as a public service. This service is intended to be used as a resource to find out the general status of court cases. The information is not the official record of the court. Find online case information for Cook County here.

Online Case Search is available for:

• Civil, Law, Chancery, and Domestic Relations/Child Support cases,
• Probate Docket: cases files in Probate Court related to claims against estates and guardianships,
• Probate Will: related to wills filed with the County of Cook, Illinois,
• Traffic Ticket: tickets and cases related to moving violations, DUI, speeding, and suspended licenses,
• County Division: name changes, election matters, real estate tax matters, and other related actions,
• Court Call: data related to court cases being heard today and for the next five business days, and
• Unclaimed Child Support: to see if the Clerk’s Office is holding an undeliverable child support check for you.
   

How do I find a court record in person?

Ask the Circuit Clerk for copies of your court dispositions or use the public computer at the courthouse to look them up and print them out. There may be a fee to get copies of or print out your court dispositions. But you can look at them on the computer and write down the information for free. Some circuits may have online record searching. 

• Go to the Clerk's office at the courthouse where the court case was filed,
• Give the Clerk the case number and ask to see the case file; or if you do not know the case number, most clerks have computers to search by name. Once you have the case number, the Clerk can then get the court file for you.
• Go online to the Clerk's website. Find the Circuit Clerk website for your county here.

If the Clerk does not have a computer, you can look in the Clerk’s ledger book under the Plaintiff’s or the Defendant’s name.

How can I look up a case online?
In some counties, you can find a public court record by searching by name or case number. The site offers basic information about the parties and the docket entries, which tell you what happened in the case on each court date. Depending on what county the court case was in, there are different websites you may use. Judici.com offers online court records for 82 counties in Illinois. 

You usually won’t be able to read the documents that have been filed online. However, the docket entries have the information you want to know, like whether someone has been sued or evicted before.

How do I use Judici.com?

1. Go to the Judici.com website
2. Select your county, if it is listed in the pull-down menu
3. If your county is listed, select your county and click Go
4. You can:
   • Search by case number, if you know the entire case number
   • Search by name in the following format: last name, first name middle initial (for example, "Doe, John M")
5. Click Search
6. If there are any results, click on the case number to see information about the case.
   • Information tab: necessary information about the case
   • Dispositions tab: the result of the case was.
   • History tab: what happened in the case on each court date.
   • Payments tab: any payments related to the case have been made, like the bond in a criminal case
   • Fines & Fees tab: if the court fees have been paid. If you see Pay Now listed, this court will allow you to pay the fees online and get a receipt

Where can I find court records on the county clerk's website?

Not every county is listed on Judici.com. Here are some other Illinois county circuit clerk websites:

How do I find federal criminal records? 

An FBI background check, known as an Identity History Summary, may be required if you’ve been arrested out of state. The process can be handled online or through the mail. If you choose to submit a paper form, you must request that the FBI email you an application. 

See the PACER website

Note: There is a fee to get federal court records. For information on how to use PACER, see, Getting a Pacer account.