How to search Illinois court records
Illinois has no statewide trial-court search at all. Each county runs its own independent case-management system, so finding a record means first identifying the right county, then searching that county's own portal. Cost varies by record type — some searches are free, others require a paid account or a formal records request.
county by county varies criminal data
Open the official Illinois portal →
What's actually there
No unified free public name search. Cook County and other large counties publish their own portals.
Other official lookups for Illinois
Federal cases filed in Illinois
State portals don't cover federal court. If the case you're looking for might be a federal criminal prosecution, civil suit, or bankruptcy, use CourtRecordsFree's live federal search — it queries CourtListener/RECAP directly and isn't limited to any one state.
Largest counties in Illinois
- Cook County — Free public case-status lookup run by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Search tips
- Try both "Last, First" and "First Last" — courts index names inconsistently.
- Middle initials and suffixes (Jr., III) often matter for common names.
- A date of birth or case number is the only reliable way to confirm you found the right person.
- An arrest or charge shown in a docket is not a conviction — read the disposition.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search Illinois court records online?
It depends on what you're looking for. Some record types on Illinois's portal are free; others require payment or a formal request.
Does this include criminal records?
Yes. Illinois's portal includes criminal case records alongside civil cases, subject to the sealing and expungement rules described below.
Does one search cover the whole state?
No single search. Illinois has no statewide index — you need to find the right county first, then search that county's own system.
Links move. If the Illinois portal link above is dead, tell us on the corrections page.