St. Clair County
St. Clair County began in 1790 located in the center Midwest of Illinois. The county is spread out by more than 657 total square miles and is 28th on the list of largest counties in the state based on the total area. It has an estimated population of over 257,400 people and Belleville is the county seat.
The St. Clair County judicial system has a Circuit Court. St. Clair County Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, except those heard by the Illinois Supreme Court. For civil disputes involving $10,000 or less, the Circuit Court provides a small claims process. The court is divided into departments or divisions based on case types, including criminal, civil, probate, traffic, and juvenile cases. St. Clair County Circuit Court offers problem-solving court programs, such as Drug Court Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court, which offer treatment instead of incarceration for certain offenders. The court shares jurisdiction alongside the Supreme Court in the state. on cases related to mandamus prohibition as well as revenue and habeas corpus.
St. Clair County court records are created during legal proceedings within the county. These records consist of case filings, including motions, judgments, complaints, and sentences. Publicly available St. Clair County county records include the following:
- Traffic Records
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Probate Records
The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk's Office stores and manages court records, which are kept in digital and physical formats. Most court records are available to the public, except for confidential records involving adoption and juvenile offenders and sealed court records. St. Clair County civil and criminal court records can be searched online through the County Circuit Court Clerk's portal or in person by visiting the Clerk's Office.
