Jo Daviess County Court Records

Jo Daviess County Court Records are records that contain information and entries that are related to case history and proceedings in the county. These records may include case documents, complaints and petitions, orders, pleadings, calendars, indexes, letters, reports, forms, and court judgments.

Jo Daviess court records serve as official proof of everything that occurs in legal cases and are accessible for the proper functioning of court proceedings in the county. This allows the public to monitor the operation of the court and generate informed judgments that will hold the judicial system accountable.

Are Court Records Public in Jo Daviess County?

Yes. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act ensures the public can view and inspect court records on file (5 ILCS 140/1.2 Ch.116). All documents created or owned by an official government agency in the transaction of public business are Jo Daviess County Public Records, which includes Jo Daviess County Court Records.

All court records are presumed to be open and available for inspection unless exempt from public disclosure by court order or any other law in the state. Subject to the law (5 ILCS 140/7), the following are exempt from inspection and copying:

• Personal information, of which disclosure constitutes an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
• Records that may disclose the identity of a confidential source or cause harm to a person or business
• Information created under the possession of law enforcement agencies that may interfere with proceedings or lead to impartial hearing
• Special criminal investigative information or techniques
• Juvenile and mental health files.

Jo Daviess County Court Records Search

Individuals can search for court records in Jo Daviess County at the following physical and online locations:

• Jo Daviess County Circuit Clerk's Office
• Jo Daviess County courthouse
• Jo Daviess County website - Judici website
• Jo Daviess County Recorder's office
• Third-party websites for court record searches.

Jo Daviess County Courts

The Illinois trial court system consists of Circuit Courts, Administrative Adjudication, and Court of Claims. Below is the court address and contact information of Jo Daviess County jurisdiction:

Jo Daviess County Circuit Court
Jo Daviess County Courthouse
330 North Bench Street,
Galena, IL 61036
Phone: (815) 777-0037
Fax: (815) 776-9146
Email: circuitclerk@jodaviesscountyil.gov.

Jo Daviess County Criminal and Civil Records

Jo Daviess Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, except cases heard exclusively by the Court of Claims or the Illinois Supreme Court. The Clerk attends all court sessions, keeps and preserves all court records, and issues processes as required by law.

In-person, the Circuit Court Clerk's office has a terminal computer system for access to court records upon in-person requests to search or print documents. It is possible to view documents for free and write down the information, but payment fees may apply for per-page printing. The court clerk's office is open to visitors from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed holidays).

Jo Daviess County also offers online services that allow members of the public to access records on criminal and civil cases within the county. Alternatively, the Judici website is an online court system that requires the requester to search for court records for free using the party name or case number. However, the user must register for a premium account to access full documents. This website's available civil and criminal case information includes hearing dates, case minutes, will indexes, litigant info, criminal charges, civil judgments, and details about fines and fees.

Furthermore, Jo Daviess County's Criminal Records include arrest records, which are also public records and are made available to individuals upon request. For instance, the Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office provides in-person access to Arrest Records from Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Some examples of Jo Daviess Arrest records include dockets, registers, jail information, fingerprints, and arrest files.

Jo Daviess County Marriage Records

Jo Daviess County's vital records include all official information on events in the county, including birth, death, marriage, divorce, and other public records. Under the Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), only specific individuals have legal access to these vital records.

Jo Daviess County Clerk is the local registrar for vital records and issues certified copies of marriage records and certificates to only eligible persons. All original copies of Jo Daviess County Marriage records are made available in person at the office or through mail by completing this form. The cost is $20 for the first certified copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record. To obtain a copy of Jo Daviess County's marriage certificate, fill out the form on the official records online page using a desktop. The service fee is $10.00, and additional copies cost $30. Requesters will also be required to upload a copy of their driver's license or state-issued ID in the process.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) does not keep certified copies of marriage records but can verify certain facts of a marriage that took place in 1962. Facts of a marriage may include names, dates of birth, date of event, and county of event. A request to verify marriage facts in person or through mail will cost $5.

Jo Daviess County Divorce Records

Divorce or dissolution of marriage records are public records in Jo Daviess County and are available at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in person. Individuals can also verify details of marriage dissolutions from 1962 till date at the Division of Vital Records - IDPH. The requester must download and fill out the application to verify the dissolution of marriage form and obtain a verified copy. This submission must include a valid government-issued photo ID and a fee of $5 to make additional copies. All mail requests should be sent to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737.

Jo Daviess County Birth Records

A birth record or certificate is important as it serves as a form of identification for transactions like passport applications, bank account registration, and institution enrollment.

Illinois State Law (410 ILCS 535/25) states that copies of Jo Daviess County birth records may only be issued upon the order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Moreover, an acceptable written request must be by the person listed on the record if of legal age (18 or older) or by a parent or legal representative of the person on the birth record.

Individuals can visit the Jo Daviess County Clerk's office in person to obtain birth records that were originally filed in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Certified copies of Jo Daviess birth certificates are also made available in person at the office or through the mail by filling out and mailing this form. To request the birth certificate of a deceased person, complete a mail form along with a copy of your driver's license or acceptable identification. A copy of the birth certificate costs $20, and additional copies of the same certificate cost $6 each.

Alternatively, the IDPH through the Division of Vital Records issues copies of Jo Daviess County birth certificates for legal purposes. Individuals can obtain a birth certificate by completing and submitting an Application for Search of Birth Record Files form with a valid government-issued ID. It must include a $10 fee for the first copy of a birth certificate and $2 for each additional copy of the same certificate.

Jo Daviess County Death Records

Jo Daviess County death records are not public records and are only available to those with a personal or property right interest in the decedent's estate (410 ILCS 535/25/4(d)). The law also states that copies of death records may be issued upon specific written request for an uncertified or certified copy in person or through an authorized agent.

Individuals can visit the Jo Daviess County Clerk's office in person to obtain death records originally filed in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Requesters may also obtain a certified copy of Jo Daviess County death certificate in person at the office or by completing and mailing this form along with a copy of their driver's license or acceptable identification. A copy of a certified death certificate costs $20.00 and $10 each for additional certified copies of the same certificate.

IDPH also offers two types of death certificates: a certified copy for legal purposes and an uncertified copy for genealogical purposes. To request a copy of a death certificate from IDPH, the individual must complete and submit the Application for Search of Death Record Files form alongside a valid government-issued ID. A full certified copy costs $19, and each additional copy costs $4.

Jo Daviess County Probate Court Records

Jo Daviess County Probate records are documents on the administration of estates, asset distribution, and handling other legal matters in the county. Some examples of probate records include wills, estate inventories, petitions, and guardianships.

The Probate Division of Jo Daviess County Circuit Court has appellate jurisdiction in probate matters in the county. Individuals interested in obtaining probate records may visit the County Circuit Clerk's office in person or submit a record request through mail.

Additionally, the Judici website provides online access to court records, including probate records in the county. Users may be required to register an account and provide certain information to complete the search.

Jo Daviess County Property Records

The Jo Daviess County Recorder's office maintains the index and records of all property transactions. This includes real estate documents, corporation papers, federal and state tax liens, and other miscellaneous documents, as well as military veterans' separation and discharge papers. Visit the Recorder's office to use the free public terminals available to search for land and property-related information.

Alternatively, requesters who want the freedom to search a wider range of counties can search recorded documents on Tapestry 24 hours a day for a small per-search fee. All that is required is a web browser, an index/image search fee of $8.75 per search, and a printing fee of $1.00 per page.

Jo Daviess County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Illinoiscourtrecords.us provide access to public records like Jo Daviess's court records. These websites allow individuals to access court information from any location in the county conveniently. Moreover, their user-friendly interface helps users search for specific court case information easily, imputing the most basic details. However, as a non-government-owned website, there are downsides to using this resource. Court information made available on this platform comes from different sources and may be less accurate, outdated, or incomplete.