Knox County
Knox County, covering 716.4 square miles of land area in the west central region of Illinois, has approximately 49,967 residents. The county was established in 1830, and in 1872, its seat of government was moved from Knoxville to Galesburg City.
Knox County operates only one major trial court, namely the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court. Knox County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all cases brought before it. These include criminal, civil, traffic violations, property transfer, probate, juvenile, family law, and small claims cases. The court also shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court on certain matters, such as mandamus, prohibition, habeas corpus, and revenue. Matters related to legislative redistricting and determination of the Governor's eligibility in power, however, fall outside the legal authority of Knox County Circuit Court. All cases brought before the Knox County Circuit Court may be decided by either the Circuit Judges or the Associate Judges. However, the Associate Judges' authority to sit on felony cases depends on the Supreme Court's authorization.
In Knox County, court records contain the originals of all legal papers and information, such as summons, warrants, affidavits, petitions, exhibits, court judgments, and court orders, gathered during case filings and court proceedings. They are typically maintained by the Circuit Clerk, who facilitates public access to the records.
Some of the common public court records in Knox County are:
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Family Law Records
- Probate Records
Some Knox County court records are not publicly accessible. They include confidential court records, such as juvenile, impounded, secured, and sealed records. However, most court records in the county are available online through the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court Case Search portal. Either a case number or a party's name is required for an online case search. Alternatively, interested persons may obtain the county's court records by visiting the Knox County courthouse in person.
