DeKalb County
DeKalb County, which was formed out of Kane County in 1837, is located 63 miles west of Chicago in the State of Illinois. It is named for Johann de Kalb, an American Revolutionary War hero from Germany (Bavaria). It has a population of over 100,000 people and Sycamore is its county seat.
DeKalb County's court system comprises a circuit court and an administrative adjudication. The DeKalb County Circuit Court hears all civil and criminal suits, outside the exclusive jurisdiction of the Illinois Supreme Court. It encompasses several divisions classified according to case type, including civil, criminal, probate, traffic, domestic relations, and traffic divisions.
The Circuit Court and the Supreme Court share jurisdiction over cases associated with mandamus prohibition, revenue, and habeas corpus. This shared authority is, however, nullified if the apex court accepts jurisdiction over such cases. Also, the Circuit Court, using a simplified Small Claims procedure, hears most civil cases involving amounts up to $10,000 in controversy. However, cases such as General Assembly redistricting and other governance-based cases are outside its purview.
The Administrative Adjudication in DeKalb, or the DeKalb Administrative Adjudication, adjudicates various cases associated with municipal ordinance violations. It, however, has no criminal jurisdiction since its administrative hearings, which are civil actions and attract fine-based punishments, exclude jail terms. Typical administrative adjudication cases include:
- Fire Code Violations
- Parking Ticket Violations
- Tobacco Violations
- Property Maintenance Violations
- Administrative Tows/Vehicle Seizures
DeKalb County court records include documents, files, and any storage material used to detail the activities of court proceedings. They typically encompass a wide range of documentation, including indexes, docket sheets, case transcripts, charging documents, deposition sheets, court orders, and decrees. DeKalb County courts maintain several court records covering various cases in its repository, including:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Family law records
- Juvenile records
- Domestic records
The DeKalb County Circuit Clerk manages the court records repository. Per the State's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), the public can access court records, along with other public records, upon request. Record seekers can view traffic, civil, and criminal case information online on the Circuit Clerk's website. Also, they can obtain court record copies by submitting in-person requests at the Circuit Clerk's Office, while older records are accessible via the Illinois State Archives. In addition, daily civil dockets can also be accessed online on the Circuit Clerk's website.
