How to search Cook County court records
Cook County runs its own case-search portal, separate from Illinois's statewide system. There's no charge and no account required.
county-run free criminal data
Open the official Cook County portal →
What's actually there
Free public case-status lookup run by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The online docket can lag a few days behind the paper record after an update.
Other official lookups for Cook County
Why look at the county instead of the state?
Most criminal prosecutions happen at the county level, and Illinois's statewide system either doesn't cover Cook County in full or doesn't cover trial courts at all. See the Illinois guide for the full picture.
Federal cases
This portal only covers Cook County's own courts. For federal criminal, civil or bankruptcy cases, use CourtRecordsFree's live federal search instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search Cook County court records online?
Yes. Cook County's portal is free to use, with no account required.
Does this include criminal records?
Yes, Cook County's portal includes criminal cases alongside civil.
Links move. If the Cook County portal link above is dead, tell us on the corrections page.