Sangamon County
Sangamon County was formed from Madison and Bond counties. It is named after the Sangamon River and has its administrative seat in Springfield City. According to data recorded in 2020, Sangamon County is home to at least 196,343 residents and spans across 868 square miles. It is also home to several educational institutions, such as the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the University of Illinois.
The judicial structure of Sangamon County consists of the Circuit Court and the Administrative Court. The Circuit Court has the legal authority to hear both civil and criminal cases. Owing to the variety of cases it handles, the court is divided into Civil, Criminal, Probate, Traffic, Domestic Relations, and Juvenile Divisions. The Administrative Court hears cases related to ordinance violations, traffic offenses, alcohol and tobacco violations, disorderly conduct, property maintenance violations, and nuisance.
Public court records in Sangamon County refer to official documents related to court proceedings in the county which are accessible to the public. These records typically include case transcripts, which provide verbatim accounts of hearings, as well as the names of parties to the case and their attornies. Per the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, members of the public have a right to view and inspect court records on file. The Sangamon County Circuit Court Clerk is the official responsible for the management and maintenance of all county records. This office provides access to the following types of court records:
- Adult criminal records
- Civil records
- Family records
- Property records
- Probate records
To view these court records, interested individuals may conduct an online search using SearchIL, the state's record search portal. However, to access this portal, record seekers must register on the website. The search can be made using the party's name, case number or filing, and the date on which the case commenced. Alternatively, requesters may send an email to the Clerk's office or visit the office in person.
A record search using the public computers in the clerk's office costs $4.00 per year. If a request for court records is made through mail, then the Clerk's Office accepts money orders or cashier's checks as a medium of payment. However, if the request is made in person, only cash is accepted.
