How to Search Illinois Court Records (Start Here)
Don't guess which court to use. Follow this order:
- Criminal cases: Filed by the government — felonies and misdemeanors. Search the criminal court databases below.
- Civil cases: Filed by private parties — lawsuits, contract disputes, personal injury. Search civil court databases below.
- Family court: Divorce, custody, child support, adoption. Usually a separate division.
- Appellate cases: Appeals from trial courts. Search the state appeals court database.
⚠ Key Fact: Each court maintains its own records separately. There is no single database for all Illinois court records.
Every source on this page is verified by SearchSystems.net — est. 1997.
Use the databases below to search Illinois court records.
Bureau County Circuit Court
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Civil, small claims, criminal, probate, traffic, and child support cases records from the Bureau County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Carroll County Probate Records
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Search the Carroll County, Illinois Clerk of the Circuit Court closed probate records. Tip: ID is probate, password is cccc.
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Cook County Court - Black Line Trial Call Search
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Search the Cook County Clerk of Court for cases included in the Black Line Pool by case number, plaintiff or defendant name, or by attorney code.
Cook County Court - Court Call
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Search the Cook County Clerk of Court Civil and Law Division Court Call for "data for today and for the next three business.
Cook County Court - Probate Dockets
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Search the Cook County, Illinois Clerk of the Circuit Court probate dockets.
Cook County Court - Probate Wills
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Search the Cook County, Illinois Clerk of the Circuit Court probate wills dockets.
Cook County Court Full Case Dockets
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Search the Cook County, Illinois Clerk of Circuit Court for Chancery, Civil, Law, and Domestic Relations records for dockets.
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DeKalb County | Civil
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Civil court record searches from the DeKalb County Circuit Clerk.
DeKalb County | Criminal
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Traffic and criminal court records from the DeKalb County Circuit Clerk.
Fulton County Court Index 1825-1876
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Search Illinois State Archives database of Fulton County, Illinois Circuit Court Case Files for the period 1825-1876.
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Kane County
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Hearing dates and court record record searches from the Kane County Circuit Clerk 16th Judicial Circuit Court.
Kane County Court Index 1836-1870
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Search Illinois State Archives database of Kane County, Illinois Circuit Court Case Files for the period 1836-1870.
Lake County Court Index 1840-1898
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Search Illinois State Archives database of Lake County, Illinois Circuit Court Case Files for the period 1840-1898.
Livingston County Probate Case Index 1837-1958
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Livingston County Probate Court Case Files Index for the period 1837-1958.
Macon County Court Records 1829-1861
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Macon County, Illinois Circuit Court Case Files for the period 1829-1861 by plaintiff and/or.
Madison County
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Madison County civil, criminal, traffic, probate, family, and small claims case records.
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McHenry County Court Records
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Find civil, criminal, small claims, family law, and traffic filings from the McHenry County Circuit Court.
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McLean County Probate Case Index 1834-1934
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of McLean County Probate Court Case Files Index for the period 1834-1934.
Peoria County Probate Case Index 1825-1887
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Peoria County Probate Court Case Files Index for the period 1825-1887.
Rock Island County Probate Case Index 1834-1899
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Rock Island County Probate Court Case Files Index for the period 1834-1899.
Sangamon County Divorces
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Search this Sangamon County, Illinois Circuit Clerk service by date, case type (choose divorce on drop down menu) or case sequence number.
Sangamon County Probate Case Index 1821 - 1906
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Sangamon County Probate Court Case Files Index for the period 1821 - 1906.
Shelby County Circuit Court Case Files 1828-1871
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of Shelby County, Illinois Circuit Court Case Files for the period 1828-1871.
St. Clair County
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Civil, criminal, and traffic court record search provided by the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk.
St. Clair County Chancery Court Case Index 1815-1870
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Search the Illinois State Archives database of St. Clair County Chancery Court Case Files Index for the period 1815-1870.
Search Illinois by Record Type
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Illinois court records? ▼
Start with the strategy box at the top of this page. It tells you exactly which Illinois court systems to search. Court records are maintained separately by each court — there is no single search that covers everything.
Is there a single database for all Illinois court records? ▼
No. There is no single database for all Illinois court records. Criminal, civil, family, and appellate cases are maintained by different courts. Use the databases listed on this page.
What is the difference between criminal and civil court records in Illinois? ▼
Criminal cases are filed by the government (felonies, misdemeanors). Civil cases are filed by private parties (lawsuits, contract disputes, landlord-tenant). They are usually in different court systems and searched separately.
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