Whiteside County Court Records

Whiteside County court records are legal documents, information, and other materials that detail local court proceedings. Generally, court records document the entire lifespan of a court case, providing timelines and pertinent information about different incidents that occurred during the case's adjudication.

Whiteside County court records are important because they detail everything during a local court case. This, in turn, ensures transparency, accountability, and ethical oversight of the local judiciary system. Common Whiteside County court records include judgments, pleadings, motions, orders, dockets, case files, and transcripts.

Are Court Records Public in Whiteside County?

Yes. Per the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), all records, including court records, in the custody of a public body are presumed open to the general public for inspection and copying. As a result, most court records are considered part of Whiteside County public records. However, several types of records and information are exempt from being public under FOIA. Some of these exemptions are outlined in 5 ILCS 140/7, and they include and are not limited to:

• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Sealed and expunged records
• Information subject to attorney-client privilege
• Records prohibited from public disclosure by a state or federal statute.
• Mental health records

Whiteside County Court Records Search

Interested persons can conduct a Whiteside County court record search through any of the following:

• The Whiteside County Circuit Clerk's office
• Local courthouses
• Third-party websites that provided court record search services

Whiteside County Courts

There are two types of trial courts in Whiteside County: Circuit Courts and Administrative Adjudication Courts. Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, including small claim actions, domestic relations, and criminal felonies. Meanwhile, the Administrative Adjudication Courts handle municipal ordinance complaints. The courthouse addresses and contact information of Whiteside County courts are provided below:

Whiteside County Circuit Court (Morrison)
Whiteside County Courthouse
200 East Knox Street,
Morrison, IL 61270
Phone: (815) 772-5188
Fax: (815) 772-5187
Phone: (815) 772-5169 (Traffic)

Whiteside County Circuit Court (Sterling)
Sterling Court Building
101 East 3rd Street,
Sterling, IL 61081
Phone: (815) 535-4530
Fax: (815) 535-4548
Phone: (815) 535-4531 (Traffic)

Rock Falls Administrative Adjudication
603 West 10th Street,
Rock Falls, IL 61071
Phone: (815) 622-1100

Sterling Administrative Hearings
212 3rd Avenue,
Sterling, IL 61081
Phone: (815) 632-6621

Whiteside County Criminal Records

Whiteside County criminal records are documents generated by local criminal justice agencies that contain information about an individual's criminal past within the county. Common types of criminal records include arrest, detention, indictment, criminal charge, and conviction records. Per 5 ILCS 140/2.15, arrest reports and other criminal history information are public and available to the general public upon request.

Interested persons can obtain Whiteside County Arrest records from local law enforcement agencies, like the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office. Record seekers contact the County Sheriff's Office dedicated records phone line at (815) 772-5217 to request records over the phone. Alternatively, an in-person request may be made at the County Sheriff's office physical address:

400 N Cherry St
Morrison, IL 61270
Phone: (815) 772-4044
Fax: (815) 772-7944

The Whiteside County Sheriff's Office also provides online resources, like the OffenderWatch portal, that county residents can use to find information about registered sex offenders in the county.

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification, which is the State Repository of Criminal Records, also offers background check services. These allow interested parties to request a subject's criminal history conviction records per the Uniform Conviction Information Act (UCIA). The Bureau accepts fingerprint-based and name-based background check requests. Interested persons can use the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP) website for name-based requests. Note that users must have a Digital ID to access the website. Those who do not have a digital ID can enroll for one through the Illinois PKI Digital ID Registration and Recovery website. Meanwhile, fingerprint-based background checks are submitted to the ISP via licensed live-scan fingerprint vendors. Fortunately, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation provides a list of licensed live scan fingerprint vendors that requesters may contact.

According to the ISP Bureau of Identification Fee Schedule, requesters can charged $16.00 and $10.00 for manual and electronic name-based requests, respectively. On the other hand, manual and electronic fingerprint-based requests cost $20.00 and $15.00, respectively.

Get Whiteside County Civil Court Records

In Whiteside County, civil cases fall under the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court. Civil cases include, but are not limited to, small claims, large personal injury suits, and adoption cases. Record seekers can get Whiteside County Civil Court records through the Circuit Clerk's office. The Circuit Clerk is responsible for maintaining records of all Circuit Court proceedings, including civil court records. Hence, interested persons can query the Circuit Clerk to request civil court records.

Keep in mind that Whiteside County has two Circuit Courthouse, one in Morrison and the other in Sterling. Each court has a branch office of the Circuit Clerk. Therefore, depending on which Circuit Court handled the civil case, the record seeker can visit Whiteside County Courthouse or Sterling Court Building to make an in-person request from civil court records. Record seekers can also use the third-party resources featured on the Whiteside County Circuit Clerk's website to search for civil court records online.

Whiteside County Marriage Records

Whiteside County Marriage records are not subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Under 410 ILCS 535-Vital Records Act, marriage records are only available to specific authorized individuals, such as the bride or groom named on the record.

In Whiteside County, the County Clerk is the keeper of marriage records dating back to 1839. Hence, eligible persons can request certified copies of a Whiteside County marriage certificate by submitting a request to the County Clerk's office. Note that requesters are charged $10 for one certified copy of a marriage certificate and $6 for each additional copy they request. Requesters must also provide a valid photo ID or two other forms of ID when requesting marriage records.

To request Whiteside County marriage records, eligible persons can draft a written request containing sufficient information identifying the desired record. Thereafter, the written request, appropriate fees, and requester's ID may be submitted to the Whiteside County County Clerk's office in person or by mail at:

200 E Knox Street
Morrison, IL 61270
Phone: (815) 772-5189
Fax: (815) 772-7673
Email: kgallegos@whiteside.org

Whiteside County Divorce Records

The Whiteside County Circuit Clerk is responsible for preserving divorce records. Therefore, requests for Whiteside County divorce records should be directed to the County Clerk's Office. Unfortunately, the Circuit Clerk does not provide information online on the procedures and requirements for requesting divorce records. Therefore, the record seeker may contact or visit the Circuit Clerk's office—preferably the clerk's office of the specific Circuit Courthouse that granted the divorce—to inquire about divorce records.

Whiteside Birth and Death Records

One of the primary functions of the Whiteside County Clerk is being the custodian of local vital records, such as birth, death, and marriage records. The County Clerk preserves birth and death records from 1878 to the present. Therefore, interested persons can obtain Whiteside County vital records, including birth and death records, from the County Clerk's office.

However, vital records are not public records and are only accessible to specific eligible persons per 410 ILCS 535-Vital Records Act. For instance, individuals eligible to obtain certified copies of a Whiteside County birth certificate include:

• The registrant (the individual named on the certificate)
• The parents named on the certificate
• The registrant's legal guardian
• An authorized legal representative of any of the aforementioned eligible persons
• An Individual with a court order for the record.

Meanwhile, those eligible to obtain certified copies of a death certificate include:

• The blood relatives of the decedent, such as their
  • Father
  • Mother
  • Brother
  • Sister
  • Spouse
  • Child
• Individuals with personal or property rights interest in the records
• A legal representative of any of the aforementioned persons.
• Individuals with a court order for the record

It is important to note that requesters must present a valid photo ID or two other forms of ID when requesting either death or birth records from the Whiteside County Clerk. Furthermore, a certified copy of a death record costs $14, and additional copies cost $10 each. On the other hand, a certified copy of a birth record costs $10, and additional copies can be requested at $6 each.

Eligible persons can draft a written request containing sufficient information about the desired record to request Whiteside County birth or death records. Subsequently, the written request and all other required items, such as the required fees and the requester's valid ID, should be submitted to the Whiteside County Clerk's office by mail or in person.

Whiteside County Probate Court Records

The Whiteside County Circuit Clerk's Probate Division maintains Probate Court Records.

Hence, interested persons can obtain Whiteside County probate court records by querying the Circuit Clerk's Probate Division. Queries can be made by contacting or visiting the Probate Division at:

200 East Knox Street
Morrison, IL. 61270
Phone: (815) 772-5168

Whiteside County Property Records

In Whiteside County, property records are preserved by the County Recorder of Deeds and Assessor's office. Most property documents, including but not limited to deeds, mortgages, releases, monument records, easements, and leases, are recorded with and are available through the County Recorder's office. Record seekers can utilize the County Recorder's online resources to search and access property records under the Recorder's custody. Note that searches conducted through these online resources are subject to specific fees. Alternatively, record seekers can request property records in person at the County Recorder's office at:

200 E Knox Street
Floor 2
Morrison, IL 61270
Phone: (815) 772-5192
Fax: (815) 772-5241

On the other hand, the Whiteside County Assessor's office assesses real property within the county. Interested persons can use the Assessor's Property Record card inquiry website to access property records the accessor's office holds online. Alternatively, the County Assessor's office can be contacted at:

200 East Knox Street
Morrison, IL 61270
Phone: (815) 772-5195

Whiteside County Court Records Online

Whiteside County court records are accessible online through third-party websites like illinoiscourtrecords.us. These websites offer online search tools that record seekers can use to search for court records by party name or case number. They are connected to a database containing various court records retrieved from different government channels in Illinois. As a result, users can conduct expansive searches for court records generated in Whiteside County and other Illinois counties simultaneously through these websites. Some downsides to using third-party websites are that they have no affiliation with government agencies, and the records they provide are not always up to date.