Lake County Court Records

Lake County court records contain documented court proceedings and other information from various trials held within the county. These records promote transparent judicial processes and provide legal precedence for future court litigations. Legal information commonly found in Lake County court records include:

• Minute entry of proceedings
• Details of case parties
• Registrar’s certificates
• Charges
• Decrees and judgments

Are Court Records Public in Lake County?

Yes, Lake County court records are public records. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), every Illinoisan has the right to view or examine public court records. However, certain court records are barred from public access in Lake County, including juvenile and adoption records. Also restricted from the public are records containing sensitive financial or personally identifying information such as tax numbers, the last five digits of social security numbers, and financial passwords.

Lake County Court Records Search

In Lake County, a record requester can search for public court records either online or in person. To search online, they can log on to the Online Portal of the Lake County Circuit Clerk after registering and purchasing the required subscription. Requesters can also visit the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk to view actual records and obtain copies of court records after paying the applicable fees.

Lake County Court Records Search by Name

Lake County Court records can be searched by name online. To do this, an interested person must first register on the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s online portal before. Afterward, they can conduct a name-based search. Court records, such as criminal history records, can also be searched by submitting a name-based record request to the Bureau of Identification (BOI) through its Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP).

Lake County Courts

The Lake County court system, which is located within the 19th Illinois Judicial District, is composed of the Lake County Circuit Courts and the Administration Adjudication systems. While the Circuit Courts oversee all criminal and civil cases, the Administration Adjudication systems handle municipal code violations within the county’s municipalities. Listed below are the locations of the different Circuit Courts and Administration Adjudication systems in Lake County:

Lake County Circuit Court - Juvenile Branch
24647 North Milwaukee Avenue,
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Phone: (847) 377-7888

Lake County Circuit Court - Main Branch
18 North County Street,
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-3380

Lake County Circuit Court - Mundelein Branch
105 East Route 83,
Mundelein, IL 60060
Phone: (847) 377-3300

Lake County Circuit Court - North Branch
1792 Nicole Lane,
Round Lake, IL 60073
Phone: (847) 377-3400

Lake County Circuit Court - Park City Branch
301 Greenleaf Street,
Park City, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-3500 (Main Line)
Phone: (847) 377-3260 (Probate)

Fox Lake Adjudication Court
Village Hall
66 Thillen Drive,
Fox Lake, IL 60020
Phone: (847) 587-2151
Fax: (847) 587-2237

Grayslake Adjudication Hearing System
Village Hall
10 South Seymour Avenue,
Grayslake, IL 60030
Phone: (847) 223-8515

Gurnee Administrative Hearings Process
Police Department Community Room
100 North O’Plaine Road,
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: (847) 599-7070

Hawthorn Woods Administrative Adjudication
Village Hall
2 Lagoon Drive,
Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047
Phone: (847) 438-9050

Highland Park Administrative Hearing System
City Hall
1707 St. Johns Avenue,
Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (847) 926-1030

Lake Forest Administrative Hearing System
Public Safety Building
255 West Deerpath,
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 810-3844

Libertyville Administrative Adjudication
Village Hall Board Room
118 West Cook, Libertyville, IL 60048
Phone: (847) 918-2038

Zion Administrative Adjudication
City Hall
2828 Sheridan Road,
Zion, IL 60099
Phone: (847) 379-8308

Lake County Superior Court Case Search

The 19th Judicial Circuit Court is Lake County’s Superior Court, and it has original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases in the county. It comprises five court divisions including Civil, Family, Felony, Misdemeanor/Traffic, and Juvenile Divisions. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is in charge of the county court records repository and makes basic case information publicly available via its online portal for interested persons, upon request. Requesters are, however, subject to registration before they can access this legal database.

The Lake County Circuit Court regularly hears the following types of cases:

• Felonies
• Misdemeanors and traffic infractions
• Domestic violence
• Juvenile delinquency
• Small claims disputes involving monetary amounts less than $10,000

Lake County District Court Records

The Lake County District Court is the U.S. District Court for the Northern District Of Illinois. It exercises jurisdiction over most federal civil and criminal cases in Lake County. The Clerk of the U.S. District Court -Northern District of Illinois is the record custodian for all criminal and civil case records and makes them available online for public viewing. Records requesters are, however, required to first register by creating an account and pay the specified fees.

Lake County Criminal Records

Lake County criminal records contain Lake county arrest and conviction information from various criminal court case proceedings in the state, including Lake County. The Illinois State Police (ISP)’s Bureau of Identification (BOI) manages the state criminal history records repository and disseminates criminal history information upon request. In addition, interested persons or agencies can access adult criminal history information upon request, per the Uniform Criminal Information Act (UCIA). Juvenile criminal history records are, however, closed to public access. Individual requesters are also required to submit their records requests, which can be either name-based or fingerprint-based, with self-addressed envelopes for searched records to be mailed back. Records requests, which may also attract the payment of applicable fees, can be submitted through any of these institutions:

• An Illinois law enforcement agency such as the Lake County Sheriff’s Office or local police department within the county
• Lake County Adult Corrections facility
• Any licensed fingerprint vendor agency within the county

Lake County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To look up Lake County Criminal Court case information, interested persons can log on to the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office Online Portal for criminal case summaries. Detailed criminal case information is also available online to requesters who are parties or attorneys to criminal cases. Any interested member of the public can, however, visit the Office of Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court in person during operational hours to view hard copies of criminal court cases at:

Lake County Courthouse
18 N County Street,
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-3600

Get Lake County Civil Court Records

The Clerk of the Lake County Circuit Court is the official custodian of civil court records. Civil court records are generated from civil cases heard in the different Circuit Courts and the Administrative Adjudication entities within Lake County. Lake County Civil Court cases typically include:

• Contracts
• Torts and personal injury
• Landlord-tenant disputes
• Small claims settlements of less than $10,000

Lake County civil court records are open to the public. Any interested party can view or inspect them online, in person, or by phone call. The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office maintains civil case summaries online on its web portal. However, requesters who are not parties to a case can only access limited civil case information, while case parties can obtain complete access after first registering on the portal. Requesters can also apply for civil court records in person by visiting the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.

Lake County Family Court Records

Lake County Family Court records refer to information from family court proceedings on family, children, and other domestic matters. The Lake County Family Court, a division of the Lake County Circuit Court, exercises jurisdiction over these matters and routinely presides over the following cases:

• Child custody and visitations
• Adoptions
• Paternity
• Child abuse and neglect

In Lake County, Family Court records are generally non-confidential records, although certain records, like adoption and juvenile records, are barred from public view and inspection. Interested members of the public can access basic Family Court case information online using the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office Online Portal. They can also submit their request by mail or in person at the Circuit Courts where their case proceedings occurred. Mail-in requesters are required to submit their completed Record Request Forms, along with the applicable fees and valid identification, to the Clerk’s Office. Accepted payment forms include checks and money orders, which are made payable to the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.

Lake County Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Clerk of the Lake County Circuit Court is the official record-keeper of dissolution of marriage records in the county. These records document legal proceedings of divorces or marital union terminations within Lake County. However, they are closed to the public, and as such, requesters can only search for case summaries or indexes of Lake County dissolution of marriage records online. Certified dissolution of marriage records are available to case parties and other legally authorized persons upon request by mail or by in-person visits to the courthouses where the marriages were terminated.

Lake County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Lake County Clerk’s Office maintains marriage and divorce records and also responds to records requests. Marriage records document marital and civil unions, while divorce records detail the legal termination of marriages that occurred in the county. Also, marriage and divorce records are vital records that can only be requested by authorized persons such as the individuals named in the record (for marriage records), their child(ren), or any other legally authorized person/entity. Eligible requesters can visit the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, where the marriages were held or the divorces were granted to access these records in person.

Lake County Birth and Death Records

Lake County birth and death records are vital records exempt from public access, per the Illinois State Vital Records Act. While a death record can be accessed by an individual with a personal and/or property right to the decedent’s estate, birth records are only open to the following persons:

• The person named on the record, aged 18 years and above
• Persons named as parents on the record
• The legal representative or guardian of the child

Authorized record seekers can obtain birth and death records by submitting written requests via regular mail to:

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
Division of Vital Records
925 E Ridgely Avenue,
Springfield, IL 62702

Lake County Probate Court Records

Lake County Probate Court records document information on the administration/supervision of a deceased’s (decedent), minor’s, or disabled’s estate. The Clerk of the Lake County Circuit Court

maintains probate records and processes them upon request. Probate records are generally created during Probate Court proceedings for cases relating to the following:

• Guardianships
• Wills and trusts
• Conservatorships

Requesters can view public records of probate case summaries using the Online Portal, while case parties can make paid subscriptions for expanded records access. Furthermore, they may also call the Civil Division of the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office for case information at (847) 377-3209.

Lake County Property Records

Lake County property records contain details of real estate transfers between different parties in the county. The Lake County Recorder of Deeds records, archives, and retrieves documents showing all home and real property transactions/ownership. Typical examples of Lake County property records, which are publicly accessible, include:

• Deeds and mortgages
• Plats
• Liens and releases
• Uniform commercial code filings

An interested individual can search for property records in the county by using Lake County’s online tool after registering an account and paying for their preferred subscription. Subscription fees do not include the cost of printing property record copies, and additional payments of $1 per page are required.

Lake County Court Records Online

Third-party websites, such as Illinoiscourtrecords.us, provide online access to Lake County Court records. While third-party websites may require subscriptions, they provide the general public, including Lake County residents, a convenient substitute for accessing county court records. This is particularly helpful in situations where official search portals may be inaccessible or temporarily unavailable. However, they offer no guarantee for the accuracy of court records served to their users.