Kankakee County, Illinois Court Records

Kankakee County court records provide an official account of matters brought, actions taken, and events recorded in Illinois' 21st Judicial Circuit Court (which also features Iroquois County). People rely on them to verify what happened in a case, including the arguments made, the evidence presented, and the orders issued. Whether a record concerns a civil lawsuit, criminal prosecution, probate hearing, or family law matter, it serves not only the parties involved but also the broader public interest in an open and accountable court system.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court, being the record custodian, provides manual and electronic access systems so people can review or copy records. Some of the accessible documents may originate from another government agency before being filed with the court. For example, a divorce case may include a marriage certificate, while a probate proceeding may include a death certificate. Although these certificates then become part of the court file, they originate from the Kankakee County Clerk's office.

Are Kankakee County Court Records Public?

Yes. The general right of public inspection flows from Section 16(6) of the Clerks of Courts Act, which categorizes all records, dockets, and books maintained by court clerks as public records. The provision says people should be able to inspect a record for free and also secures the public's right to make copies.

In practice, the Kankakee Circuit Court operates a tiered access structure to court records, as established in Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 8. Public records can be requested by anyone from anywhere; impounded records are only accessible to a party of record (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent); while only the person who filed a confidential record can access it. One other tier is the sealed record, which is unavailable without a court order.

Records generated in certain court cases fall under the confidential records bracket, with disclosure generally limited to parties, attorneys, and relevant public agencies. These include

• Juvenile records (705 Ill. Comp. Stat. 405/1-8)
• Mental health records (740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 110/10(a))
• Adoption records (750 Ill. Comp. Stat. 50/18(c))

What Information is Available in Kankakee County Court Records?

The following details may be found in a Kankakee court record, although the specific instruments in a case file generally vary depending on whether the case is criminal/civil or simple/complex.

• Case docket information (case number, filing dates, case status, party listings)
• Register of actions (chronological history of filings, hearings, and court events)
• Pleadings submitted by case parties (complaints, petitions, answers, responses, etc.)
• Motions and notices
• Court rulings and orders
• Hearing and trial records, including transcripts of proceedings
• Evidence and exhibits
• Judgments, decrees, and sentencing orders

Kankakee County Court Records Search

Members of the public can use the following official avenues to search Kankakee court records.

Online Access

The official website of the Kankakee County Clerk of the Circuit Court provides a link to an online records search hosted on a third-party platform. Record seekers can visit the clerk's website and click "Online Portal" to access the service.

People can locate Circuit Court case information and judgment documents through searches by party name, case number, citation number, attorney name, or judicial officer. Unlike some systems that allow searches with only one name or a partial name, this one requires both the first and last name at a minimum.

Attorneys of record and case parties, especially those representing themselves, may inspect information or copies of documents in their own cases through re:SearchIL, the state's unified system created for this purpose. Only documents filed through eFileIL, the state's electronic filing system, are accessible through this medium. Anyone who has filed a case through eFileIL can use their account on re:SearchIL. Otherwise, they must create a fresh account on the latter platform to view available circuit court records.

In-Person and Phone Access

Individuals seeking records in older or more sensitive cases may visit the Clerk's office at 450 East Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are different clerk counters for different types of cases; so, researchers should ensure they ask at the correct window. Prospective requesters may call ahead to confirm the identification, case information, payment, or other requirements needed before visiting the Clerk's office.

Clerk Division	Floor	Phone
Main (Circuit) Clerk	Room 209	(815) 936-5700
Civil	Second Floor	(815) 936-5760
Criminal	Third Floor	(815) 936-5815
Family	First Floor	(815) 936-5773
Traffic	Room 108	(815) 936-5785

Phones, laptops, and other gadgets are generally not permitted in the courthouse. (The security station has lockers where people must deposit prohibited items before gaining entrance.) Hence, requesters are advised to print any forms or request documents before arriving. While inspection is free, making copies costs 50 cents a page, and getting a document certified attracts a $5 charge.

Mail Requests

Inquirers can send a mailed request to the Circuit Clerk at 450 East Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901 specifying case information, the records they need, and payment in check or money order. A self-addressed stamped envelope is essential. People can call the Clerk at (815) 936-5700 to confirm whether the case exists, the required payment, and how to obtain certified copies by mail.

Fees for Court Records in Kankakee County

The Circuit Court Clerk in Kankakee County applies nominal fees for copies and certification. These fees are not collected for profit but to defray the costs of providing these services to citizens.

• Copy Fees: $2 for the first page, 50 cents for pages 2-20, and 25 cents for page 21 and after
• Certification or Exemplification Fees: $10 per document
• Certification of the First Judgment Order in Small Claims: Free
• Certification of a Name Change Order: $10
• Certification of an Expungement Order: $4
• Mailing Fee: $10 plus postage
• Search Fee: $5 per year or party, or per court division

Kankakee County Courthouse Locations

Here is the address and phone number of the sole court and courthouse in Kankakee County:

Kankakee County Courthouse

450 East Court Street

Kankakee, IL 60901

Phone: (815) 936-5700

Criminal Records Access in Kankakee County

A criminal record is a collection of records generated as a criminal matter moves through law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, and correctional systems. If an individual gets arrested, charged, sentenced, and spends time in county jail or state prison, these events will be documented in that person's complete Illinois Criminal History Record Information (CHRI).

For criminal cases that make it to court, the Circuit Court Clerk maintains the filings, including charges, pleas, dispositions, and judgments. Inquirers may access docket information and sentencing orders through the two online avenues discussed earlier, although re:SearchIL is mainly available for case parties and their attorneys. Full case files are, however, accessible in person at the Clerk's office.

Any individual may approach a Kankakee County law enforcement or correctional facility to obtain a transcript of their own criminal history. The facility sends the person's fingerprints to the Illinois State Police (ISP), which then mails the record to the specified address. The ISP offers this service for free; however, the requester may need to pay for fingerprinting services.

The general public can obtain this type of record as well, but only for statewide convictions. Those interested can request it through the ISP's Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP). However, prospective users must first acquire a digital ID, which can be used to log in to the system. A name-based CHIRP request costs $10 per search, while a paper CHIRP submission costs $16. Fingerprint-based CHIRP checks are also available for employers.

Arrest and incarceration records are the other major criminal records. People can submit a FOIA request to an arresting agency to obtain arrest reports. For individuals sentenced to more than a year in prison for felony offenses, anyone can access their inmate records through the Illinois Individual in Custody Search.

Kankakee County Probate Records

Probate records are created during the legal process of administering someone's estate or formalizing protective custodianship over an individual. Common records include the well-known last will and testament and the less well-known letters of guardianship. Overall, probate records primarily document

• The authority to manage an estate, conferred by a testator, grantor, or a judge
• The authority to be someone's guardian, which is generally conferred by a judge

People can generally visit the Circuit Court Clerk to view or copy open wills, accountings, inventories, letters of administration, and similar documents. These materials are typically stripped of references to protected personal identifiers or private financial information before they become accessible.

Kankakee County Family Court Records

Family law (or domestic relations) records are related to divorce, legal separation, parentage, child custody/visitation/support, orders of protection, and allocation of parental responsibility cases in the Circuit Court. The Clerk manages these records and makes them available to requesters who qualify to inspect or copy them under Illinois law.

Dockets, most orders, and a majority of filings in family law cases are considered public records. However, certain confidentiality protections are in place for records that involve children (child custody, support, visitation, parentage), abuse (domestic violence), and adoption. Only the people involved in the matter and their legal representatives may access these restricted records.

Federal Court Records in Kankakee County

Records in federal civil, criminal, and bankruptcy matters under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois (including Kankakee County) may be located through PACER, the federal court's official electronic case management repository.

A registered account is required-and a 10-cent-per-search fee is charged-to browse the online database for dockets, case information, and available documents.

The public can also visit 218 U.S. Courthouse, 201 South Vine Street, Urbana, IL 61802, to speak with the District Court Clerk there and perhaps obtain certified copies of a specific record. This is the primary location of the Urbana Division of the aforementioned U.S. District Court, where federal matters from Kankakee County are heard.