Sangamon County Court Records

Sangamon County Court Records are legal documents with information about civil and criminal cases adjudicated in the county. Court records are usually generated and maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk or submitted to the court for jurisdiction. These records may include case documents, complaints, orders, pleadings, calendars, indexes, letters, reports, forms, and recorded information. However, the information in the court record varies depending on the case type.

Illinois court records are accessible for the proper functioning of a democracy and court proceedings in the county. It allows the public to monitor the operation of their courts and generate informed and knowledgeable judgments about their judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in Sangamon County?

Yes. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act ensures the public’s right to view and inspect court records on file (5 ILCS 140/1 Ch.116). All documents created or owned by an authorized government agency in the transaction of public business are Sangamon County Public Records, including 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. Certain court records may be sealed or kept confidential from public view. They typically include the following:

• Private information about parties involved, including victims and witnesses.
• Information that, if disclosed, may pose a risk to anyone’s life or physical safety.
• Financial information or business trade secrets that are confidential and would cause competitive harm to the person or business.
• Information created during administrative or law proceedings and in the possession of law enforcement agencies.
• Criminal investigative information
• Information that may constitute patented or copyrighted material
• Juvenile and mental health files.

Sangamon County Court Records Search

Individuals can search for court records in Sangamon County at the following locations:

• Sangamon County Circuit Clerk's Office
• County courthouse
• Third-party websites for court record searches.

Sangamon County Court Records Search by Name

Individuals can search for Sangamon County court records by name on the county court clerk's official website. The Circuit Clerk is responsible for keeping the official record of all proceedings that come before courts in the county. However, to find a court record using a name, the requester must know the first and last names of the parties involved in the case.

There are various options on the type of record search to use which include by name, case number, driver's license number, traffic ticket number, and filing date. Click on 'yes' and provide details like first, middle, and last name, case year, and case type to complete the search.

Sangamon County Courts

The Illinois trial court system consists of Circuit Courts, Administrative Adjudication, and Court of Claims. Below is a list of court addresses and contact information in Sangamon County jurisdiction:

Sangamon County Circuit Court
Sangamon County Complex
200 South 9th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 753-6674
Fax: (217) 747-5108

Springfield Administrative Court
800 East Monroe Street
Room 327
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 789-2375
Fax: (217) 789-2367

Sangamon County Superior Court Case Search

The Illinois Superior Court has jurisdiction over all matters that come before it. This includes all juvenile, probate, traffic, domestic relations matters, and small claims not less than $10,000. The circuit court shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court to hear cases relating to revenue, writ of mandamus, prohibition, and Habeas Corpus.

Case information and records are available on SearchIL. To access this service, the user must be registered on the official site. However, there are strict rules about the level of access a user can access to ensure a certain level of security for in-person requests to the circuit court clerk's office.

Individuals can search for information on civil and criminal cases and appeals generated by the court through the circuit court clerk. The public computer in the office is available for requesters to search and print court dispositions. To make record research for copies of court records under the custody of the court clerk costs $4.00 per year.

The office accepts money orders, or cashier checks through the mail. One may also request the copies in person but only in cash. However, it is possible to view them for free and write down the information. The court clerk's office is open to visitors from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (Mondays to Fridays).

The Circuit Clerk's Office
200 South 9th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 753-6674
Email: circuitclerk@sangamonil.gov.

Alternatively, requesters can search for court cases online using name, case number, driver's license number, traffic ticket number, and filing date.

Sangamon County District Court Records

The Sangamon County District Court or Seventh Judicial Circuit Court has the jurisdiction to maintain the independence of the judicial system. The circuit Judge has the general authority for all administrative matters arising in the county court. These include misdemeanors, traffic violations, evictions, landlord and tenant disputes, and contract disputes.

Sangamon County Criminal Records

Sangamon County Criminal Records are prepared and maintained by the Illinois Bureau of Identification. Interested persons may obtain Sangamon County arrest and criminal records by performing a name-based background check on the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP) interface. Using CHIRP requires creating an account for billing and request purposes. For additional information, contact the Bureau of Investigation at:

260 North Chicago Street
Joliet, Illinois 60432
Phone: (815) 740-5160
Fax: (815) 740-4401

Sangamon County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals may search for Sangamon County criminal court records at available public terminals in the circuit court clerk's office in person. Requesters can also look up criminal court cases on the case search system available on the official website of the county clerk's office.

Get Sangamon County Civil Court Records

Sangamon County civil court records are created during in-court civil proceedings and include information on conflicts between people or businesses, especially over cash. These records are usually related to civil cases such as housing, evictions, personal injury,

administrative review, liens, defamation, insurance lawsuits, contracts, and estate settlements. Interested persons can search for civil court records at the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk's office for a fee of $4.

Sangamon County Family Court Records

The Sangamon County Circuit Court is in charge of family court cases and records in the county. All requests for Sangamon County family court records may be sent to the county circuit court. These records are available to the public, however, the law restricts access to adoption and juvenile records. They may only be accessible to the parents, legal guardians, attorneys, or owners of the person in the record.

The county circuit court provides services such as family parenting, mediation programs, and domestic violence prevention counseling. Its jurisdiction runs over domestic relations issues and family cases such as child custody and support, termination of parental rights, legal emancipation, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, and status offenses.

Sangamon County Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Sangamon Circuit Court Clerk's office is responsible for maintaining divorce records. Verification of marriage dissolutions from 1962 till date is also available through the Division of Vital Records at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Alternatively, the requester must download and complete the application for verification of the dissolution of marriage form to obtain a verified copy. This submission must include a valid government-issued photo ID and the cost/fee to make 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.

Sangamon County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Sangamon County Clerk's office is in charge of keeping marriages/civil unions that occur in Sangamon County. The County Clerk's Department of Vital Records also issues marriage and civil union licenses to eligible couples. Under Illinois State Law (410 ILCS 535-Vital Records Act), only specific individuals have legal access to this vital record.

The Sangamon County Clerk's Office will issue certificates to eligible individuals only. To obtain a copy online, the requester must submit a valid government-issued photo ID. Furthermore, the applicant must complete and mail in the record request application.

A $25.00 fee is required for the first copy and a $7.00 fee for an additional copy of the same record when purchased at the same time. The application and the required fee must be payable to the Sangamon County Clerk.

Alternatively, the IDPH through the Division of Vital Records can verify marriages that have taken place from 1962 till the current date in the county. All marriage verifications cost $5 and can be obtained in person, by mail, or by fax. Eligible applicants must submit the following to obtain a marriage verification:

• Application for Verification of Marriage/Civil Union Record Files
• Valid government-issued photo identification (ID) that is readable and not expired or out of date.

Sangamon County Birth and Death Records

The Sangamon County Clerk's Office is in charge of keeping records of births and deaths that occur in Sangamon County. All Sangamon County birth and death records available at the County Clerk's Office go back to the year 1877. The County Clerk's Department of Vital Records provides certified copies of birth records to eligible individuals such as:

• The person named on the record, if they are 18 years of age or over
• The parents whose names appear on the birth certificate
• A legal guardian who possesses guardianship papers that are signed by a judge
• Subject's authorized legal representatives.

Individuals eligible to obtain death records from the county clerk's office include:

• Applicants that are immediate family members (mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, child) or must be the informant listed on the death record.
• Applicants with a personal or property right interest in the record.
• Applicants with documentation proof of their need for the record or intended use with valid identification.

To obtain a copy of birth and death records online, the requester must be required to electronically upload a copy of a valid ID or email to vitalrecords@sangamonil.gov.

For birth record requests by mail, complete the required application online, print it out, and sign it. The application must include the person’s name at birth (maiden name), date of birth, and parents’ names with the mother’s maiden name. The applicant must also submit an acceptable form of ID with the request.

For death record requests by mail, the applicant must download the required application. It should include the deceased's name and approximate date and year of death, the intended use of the record, relationship to the deceased, a copy of a valid ID, and the applicant's signature. The required fee for a copy of the death record is $29 and should be mailed to the Sangamon County Clerk's Office.

Alternatively, the IDPH through the Division of Vital Records issues copies of Sangamon County birth certificates for legal purposes. On the other hand, death records are not public records and are only available to those with a personal or property right interest in the decedent’s estate. However, the IDPH offers 2 types of copies of death certificates for legal and genealogical 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. To request a copy of a death certificate, the individual must complete and submit the Application for Search of Death Record Files form alongside a valid government-issued ID.

All requests for birth and death records must be sent to the IDPH Division of Vital Records through mail.

Sangamon County Probate Court Records

The Sangamon County Circuit Court has appellate jurisdiction in probate matters in the county. Its duties include issuing letters of administration for estates, recording all wills and letters, receiving bonds from administrators, paying witnesses, ordering a final distribution of an estate, and ordering the sale of property from an estate for payment of debts.

To obtain copies of probate court records in Sangamon County, visit the Clerk's office in person, online via the record search system, and by mail or phone.

Sangamon County Property Records

Sangamon County Recorder's Office is responsible for keeping land records in the county. The site includes data and document images from 1982 to the present, including scanned deed books dating back to 1901. Deed records from 1950–1969 are also indexed and available on the site.

Individuals without a document number, book, or page may access property documents in person at the Recorder's office. The office also provides free public terminals that allow users to search for property record information. Residents can perform a land record search online through the official website.

Sangamon County Recorder
First Floor - County Building
200 South Ninth Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 535-3150

Alternatively, individuals can also search for property owner and assessment information on the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk's website. The requester may use a parcel number, owner name, or property address to search.

Sangamon County Court Records Online

Interested persons such as researchers can access Sangamon County court records through third-party online websites and online resources. Sites like Illinoiscourtrecords.us can be useful in finding court records across the courts within the county. However, obtaining these records from third-party sites may require a fee. The amount depends on the type of record and how easy or difficult it is for the searcher to use the site. One major downside to these websites is that information obtained from record search tools may not be accurate. This will require the user or researcher to make further inquiries for a successful search.