Livingston County Court Records Search

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    Livingston County, Illinois sits in the upper central part of the state and maintains a unified court system under the 11th Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Court handles the full range of legal proceedings — criminal felonies and misdemeanors, civil disputes, family law cases, and probate matters — with the Circuit Clerk’s Office serving as the official custodian of all related records. These records exist in paper files, digital archives, and microfilm formats depending on their age, and accessing them correctly requires knowing which office holds the records you need and what procedures apply.

    Ohio residents and those researching Illinois court matters can locate publicly available case information through official clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and online tools. For statewide court case information, IllinoisCourts.us may help users find case details across Illinois jurisdictions, including Livingston County.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Livingston County?

    The Livingston County Circuit Clerk’s Office is the starting point for any court records search in the county. The office is the administrative arm of the 11th Judicial Circuit Court and maintains records of all cases filed, including criminal matters, civil disputes, family law proceedings, and probate cases.

    Livingston County Law and Justice Center – Circuit Clerk’s Office

    DetailInformation
    Address110 North Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764
    Phone(815) 844-2602
    Fax(815) 844-2322
    HoursMonday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Emailcircuitclerk@livingstoncountyil.gov

    Three primary methods are available for searching records:

    1. Online via Judici — The Judici case search portal is the primary online tool for Livingston County court records. Through Judici, users can look up party information, criminal charges and dispositions, civil judgment records, fines and fee payment history, scheduled hearing dates, and court proceeding minutes. Not all record types or older case files are fully digitized.
    2. In Person — Visitors to the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 110 North Main Street, Pontiac, can work directly with staff to locate and retrieve case files. Copying fees apply for printed records.
    3. By Mail or Fax — Written requests can be mailed to the Circuit Clerk at 110 North Main Street, Pontiac, IL 61764, or faxed to (815) 844-2322. Include the full names of all parties, approximate filing year, case type, and case number if known to help staff locate the file efficiently.

    Are Court Records Public in Livingston County?

    Court records in Livingston County are presumptively public under two key Illinois statutes. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) establishes the general right of public access to records held by government agencies, while the Clerks of Courts Act (705 ILCS 105) specifically governs the maintenance and disclosure of court records held by circuit clerks. Under these laws, any person may request to inspect or obtain copies of public court records without being required to explain why they want them.

    However, several categories of records are restricted or exempt from disclosure:

    • Sealed and expunged records — cases ordered sealed or expunged by the court are not accessible to the public; expungement procedures are handled through the Office of the State Appellate Defender
    • Juvenile proceedings — records involving minors are subject to heightened confidentiality under Illinois law and are generally closed to public inspection
    • Adoption records — sealed by statute; access requires a specific court order or petition
    • Sensitive personal identifiers — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar data are redacted from publicly released records under state and federal privacy law
    • Active criminal investigations — investigatory law enforcement materials are not public records under FOIA
    • Records sealed by court order — any record the presiding judge has specifically ordered withheld

    When redaction is required, the Circuit Clerk removes protected information before releasing a copy to the requesting party. The underlying record is retained in its original form in the sealed court file.

    Livingston County Criminal Court Records

    Felony criminal cases in Livingston County are heard in the Livingston County Circuit Court, presided over by Resident Circuit Judge Randy Yedinak and Associate Circuit Judges Mike Regnier and Mary Koll. Misdemeanor cases are also handled at the circuit court level under Illinois’s unified court structure.

    Criminal court records maintained by the Circuit Clerk include charging documents (informations and indictments), arraignment entries, bond records, motions, orders, trial transcripts, verdicts, sentencing orders, and post-conviction filings. These records are searchable through the Judici platform, which displays case-specific information including charge details, dispositions, and sentences for cases indexed in the system.

    For statewide criminal history information, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification (BOI) serves as the central repository. The BOI conducts both name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history checks. Its facility is located at 260 North Chicago Street, Joliet, IL, and operates by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (phone: (815) 740-5160). Under the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), conviction records are public information, while arrests that did not result in conviction may be restricted.

    For information on individuals currently held at the Livingston County Jail, the Livingston County Sheriff operates the detention facility at 844 W. Lincoln Street, Pontiac, IL 61764 (Jail phone: (815) 844-5774). Individuals incarcerated in Illinois state prisons can be located through the Illinois Department of Corrections Inmate Search.

    It is important to understand that court case records document charges and proceedings but are not a substitute for a certified criminal background report. Certified history checks should be obtained through the BOI or a licensed background screening agency.

    Livingston County Civil Court Records

    Civil matters — including contract disputes, personal injury claims, property litigation, foreclosures, small claims actions, and other non-criminal disputes between private parties — are filed and heard in the Livingston County Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk’s Office at 110 North Main Street maintains all civil filings and related court records.

    Filing fees for civil cases are established by the Circuit Clerk and are available in two published schedules:

    Civil case records are searchable online through Judici, which displays civil judgment records and case status information. Records not available through Judici must be requested in person or by mail from the Circuit Clerk’s Office.

    Small claims cases, which involve disputes over limited dollar amounts and follow a simplified court process, are also filed with the Circuit Clerk and appear in the same court records system. Parties representing themselves in small claims matters can obtain procedural guidance directly from the clerk’s office.

    Property records — including deeds, mortgages, liens, plat records, and UCC filings — are maintained separately by the Livingston County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, not the Circuit Court. The Recorder’s office oversees land records for approximately 26,500 parcels in the county. Notices of Foreclosure under 735 ILCS 5/15-1503(b) may be sent to Kristy A. Masching, Livingston County Clerk, 112 W. Madison Street, P.O. Box 618, Pontiac, IL 61764-0618.

    Livingston County Family Court Records

    Family law proceedings in Livingston County are handled within the Circuit Court system. Cases involving the dissolution of marriage, child custody and support, paternity, civil protection orders, and related matters are filed with the Circuit Clerk and adjudicated by the circuit or associate circuit judges.

    Common family law case types include:

    • Divorce (dissolution of marriage) and legal separation
    • Child custody (allocation of parental rights and responsibilities)
    • Child support and modification of support orders
    • Paternity actions
    • Civil protection orders (orders of protection)
    • Visitation and parenting time disputes

    Family court records are generally public unless a court order restricts access — for example, to protect minors or domestic violence victims. Certain sensitive information may be redacted from publicly released copies even when the underlying case file remains accessible.

    Divorce Records — Certified copies of divorce decrees and dissolution judgments are available from the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 110 North Main Street. Mail requests should include the names of both parties, the approximate date of the dissolution, and the case number if available. For basic verification of a divorce event (without full case detail), the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records issues divorce verifications for events occurring in Illinois.

    Marriage and Civil Union Records — Marriage licenses in Livingston County are issued by the Livingston County Clerk and Recorder’s Office at 112 W. Madison Street, Room 11, Pontiac, IL 61764 (phone: (815) 844-2006), not the Circuit Court. Certified copies of marriage records cost $16 for the first copy and $8 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Access is restricted to the parties named on the license, and a valid government-issued photo ID is required.

    Birth and Death Records — Vital records are not court records and are governed separately under the Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535/). Birth certificates cost $18 for the first certified copy and $8 per additional copy; death certificates cost $22 for the first copy and $10 per additional copy. These records are restricted to authorized family members or legal representatives. Requests can be made in person at the County Clerk’s Office, by mail using the Application for Copy of Vital Record form sent to Livingston County Clerk, Attn: Vitals, P.O. Box 618, Pontiac, IL 61764-0618, or online through Official Records Online (an additional $10 service fee applies for online requests).

    Livingston County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Livingston County fall under the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court, as Illinois consolidated its probate and county court functions into the circuit court system effective January 1, 1964. All estate administrations, guardianships, conservatorships, and related proceedings filed since that date are maintained by the Livingston County Circuit Clerk’s Office.

    Types of probate proceedings handled by the court include:

    • Testate estate administration (with a valid will)
    • Intestate estate administration (without a will)
    • Will contests and probate of foreign wills
    • Guardianship of minor children
    • Guardianship and conservatorship of incapacitated adults
    • Adoption proceedings
    • Name changes
    • Minor settlements

    Probate records are generally open to public inspection, with the exception of sealed adoption files. To access probate records, visit the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 110 North Main Street, Pontiac, during regular business hours, or submit a written mail request to the same address with the estate name, decedent’s name, approximate filing year, and any known case number.

    For historical probate records — The Illinois State Archives maintains a searchable Livingston County Probate Case Files Index (1837–1958), compiled by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) System at Illinois State University. The index contains 12,114 records and identifies case type (probate, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, will, and others). Physical case files within this index can be requested by mail or telephone from:

    Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
    Illinois State University
    2016 Warehouse Road, Campus Box 8905
    Normal, IL 61790-8905
    Phone: (309) 452-6027

    Probate case files dated after 1958 — and those not transferred to IRAD — remain in the custody of the Livingston County Circuit Clerk’s Office and must be requested directly from that office. Researchers should note that case numbers in the IRAD index skip certain ranges due to historical numbering gaps, and name spellings in older records may vary significantly due to handwriting interpretation challenges in original documents.