Jefferson County Court Records Search

    Please enter a valid first name
    Please enter a valid last name

    IllinoisCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on IllinoisCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

    Jefferson County, Illinois, anchors the southern half of the state’s Second Judicial Circuit, with Mount Vernon serving as the county seat. The county’s unified court system processes everything from traffic infractions and small claims to felony prosecutions, estate proceedings, and family law matters. Every action filed in court generates an official record — including pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, and sentencing documents — that the Circuit Clerk maintains as part of the permanent judicial archive. Whether a researcher, attorney, or private individual needs to review a past case, verify a judgment, or locate probate filings, understanding which office holds the records and how to request them is the necessary starting point.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Jefferson County?

    Illinois residents and out-of-state requesters have several practical avenues for locating Jefferson County court records. IllinoisCourts.us can help users orient themselves within Illinois’s court structure and identify publicly available case information across the state. For Jefferson County specifically, the Circuit Clerk participates in the Judici case search platform, which allows free online access to non-confidential case information by party name or case number. Judici also accepts fine payments online.

    Beyond online searches, records can be accessed through the following methods:

    • In person at the Jefferson County Courthouse Circuit Clerk’s office, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • By mail, by submitting a written request with sufficient identifying details to the Circuit Clerk
    • Through e-filing for attorneys and registered filers via the Illinois e-filing portal

    Are Court Records Public in Jefferson County?

    Illinois law establishes a broad presumption of public access to court records. Under 705 ILCS 86, all case records maintained by circuit court clerks are presumed accessible to any member of the public. The clerk is required to provide access to these records upon request without charging a search fee for general inspection.

    That presumption has important limits. The following categories of records are withheld or restricted under Illinois law and applicable court rules:

    • Sealed records — cases or documents sealed by court order are not available to the general public
    • Juvenile records — case files involving minors are confidential under Illinois statute
    • Sensitive personal identifiers — Social Security numbers and other protected data are redacted from publicly accessible documents
    • Victim information in certain cases — names and identifying details of victims in sexual offense and other specified matters are protected
    • Records made confidential by statute — including certain mental health, adoption, and investigatory records

    For criminal history specifically, the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) establishes that conviction records held by the Illinois State Police are publicly available, while arrest records without a resulting conviction carry significantly more restricted access.

    Jefferson County Criminal Court Records

    All criminal cases in Jefferson County — from misdemeanors through the most serious felonies — are heard in the Jefferson County Circuit Court, the sole trial court of general jurisdiction serving the county. The Circuit Clerk’s office maintains all criminal case files, including charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and docket histories.

    Jefferson County Circuit Court
    Address: 100 South 10th Street, P.O. Box 1266, Mount Vernon, IL 62864
    Phone: (618) 244-8007 / (618) 244-8008
    Fax: (618) 244-8029
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

    Non-confidential criminal case records can be searched through the Judici online case search tool. In-person review at the courthouse is available during regular business hours. When paying fines or fees related to traffic or criminal cases, the Clerk’s office accepts cash, money orders, and cashier’s checks — personal checks are not accepted.

    Criminal history information — as opposed to individual case records — is maintained at the state level by the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. Under 20 ILCS 2635, conviction information is publicly available and can be retrieved through name-based background checks via the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP). Fingerprint-based searches offer a more comprehensive result and are required for certain licensing and employment purposes. These searches are conducted through the Illinois State Police rather than the county Clerk.

    For arrest information and current inmate status, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office maintains a publicly searchable inmate lookup tool updated on a regular basis. The Sheriff’s Office is located at 911 Casey Avenue, Mount Vernon, IL 62864, and can be reached at (618) 244-8004.

    Jefferson County Civil Court Records

    The Jefferson County Circuit Court handles the full range of civil matters, including contract disputes, property litigation, tort claims, small claims, and eviction proceedings. The Circuit Clerk maintains files across all civil case types — Law, Chancery, Small Claims, Miscellaneous Remedy, Orders of Protection, and Tax cases among them.

    Civil case records that are not sealed or otherwise restricted are public and may be:

    • Searched online via the Judici platform at no cost
    • Reviewed in person at the Circuit Clerk’s office
    • Requested by mail with written identification of the case (party names, case number, or approximate filing date)

    Attorneys and registered filers must submit new civil documents electronically through the state e-filing system. The Circuit Clerk’s office collects all applicable filing fees, court costs, and judgments in civil and infraction cases, distributing those funds to the appropriate accounts as required by law.

    For county-level public records outside of court case files — such as property documents and county government records — the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s office handles Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Written FOIA requests may be sent to 100 S. 10th Street, Room 105, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864, or submitted by email to jeffcoclerk@jeffersoncounty.illinois.gov. Property records may also be accessed through the Official Records Online portal maintained in partnership with the County Clerk and Recorder.

    Jefferson County Family Court Records

    The Jefferson County Circuit Court has jurisdiction over all family law matters filed in the county, including dissolution of marriage (divorce), legal separation, child custody, child support, adoption, juvenile proceedings, and orders of protection. The Circuit Clerk maintains files for all of these case types and handles the collection and disbursement of child support funds — a significant volume of transactions managed annually by the office.

    Divorce Records

    Divorce records in Jefferson County are maintained by the Circuit Clerk as civil court files and are generally accessible to the public unless sealed. Requesters may search the Judici case search portal for basic docket information, or contact or visit the Circuit Clerk’s office at the courthouse to obtain copies of specific documents from a dissolution case file. For a simple statewide verification of whether a dissolution of marriage occurred — without obtaining the full court file — the Illinois Department of Public Health can verify facts of dissolutions recorded from 1962 through its current index date, for a fee of $5 per verification request submitted by mail, fax, or in person.

    Marriage Records

    Marriage and civil union records are maintained by the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s office, not the Circuit Clerk. Under 410 ILCS 535/1 and Illinois Administrative Code Title 17, Section 500.20, vital records — including marriage certificates — are generally not public. A full certified copy of a marriage certificate is restricted to the parties named on the record and their listed parents. The county’s marriage records date to 1830.

    The following access rules apply:

    • Full certified copy — available 50 years after the date of marriage; fee of $15 for the first copy, $10 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time
    • Front-only copy — available 20 years after the marriage; same fee schedule
    • Genealogy copy — available to individuals with a demonstrated genealogical interest; $10 fee in person or by mail

    Requests may be submitted in person, by mail to the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, 100 South 10th Street, Room 105, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864, or online through Official Records Online. Vital records cannot be faxed or emailed. Mail requests must include certified funds, a copy of photo ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

    Birth and Death Records

    Birth records for Jefferson County are held both by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the local County Clerk and Recorder’s office. The local office’s records date to 1878, and a genealogy copy becomes available when the record is at least 75 years old. The standard fee for a certified copy is $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record requested simultaneously.

    Certified birth certificates from the state level can be obtained through the IDPH birth records portal for $15, or a genealogical copy for $10. Applicants must complete a birth record application form and provide a copy of valid photo identification.

    Death records from Jefferson County are available through the County Clerk and Recorder (local records dating to 1877, with genealogy copies available for records at least 20 years old) and through IDPH for events registered statewide. The fee for a certified death certificate is $19 through IDPH, while a genealogy copy costs $10. The IDPH death certificate request page outlines online, mail, fax, and in-person options. Death records are treated as confidential for 50 years after the event; access during that period is limited to persons with a legal interest in the deceased’s estate or property.

    Jefferson County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Jefferson County — including estate administration, will filings, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust-related proceedings — are heard exclusively in the Jefferson County Circuit Court, which handles all case types within the county. The Circuit Clerk maintains the official files for all probate proceedings.

    Jefferson County Circuit Court — Probate Division
    Address: 100 South 10th Street, P.O. Box 1266, Mount Vernon, IL 62864
    Phone: (618) 244-8007
    Fax: (618) 244-8029
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Trial Court Administrator: Lisa Simmons

    To locate a probate record, requesters should provide the name of the decedent and, if known, the approximate year the estate was opened. Available options include:

    1. Online search — Use the Judici case search platform to search for probate case docket entries by party name or case number
    2. In-person review — Visit the Circuit Clerk’s office during business hours to inspect public probate files at no charge; copy fees apply for reproductions
    3. Mail request — Submit a written request to the Circuit Clerk’s office identifying the decedent and the nature of the record sought; include a self-addressed stamped envelope

    Wills filed in connection with a probate proceeding become part of the court record and are generally accessible as public documents once the probate case has been opened. Wills that have been lodged with the court but are not yet part of an active proceeding may have more limited availability — the Circuit Clerk’s office can advise on what is accessible in a specific situation. The Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s office also provides a reminder that divorce records, wills, and criminal records all route through the Circuit Clerk’s office — not the County Clerk — making it the central point of contact for the majority of Jefferson County court record requests.