Common Questions About St. Clair County Court Records
How do I search St. Clair County court records?
Start at the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk page and click the Court Record Search link. That opens the county case-lookup portal, which the Circuit Clerk says covers all civil and criminal court dates. The office warns that cases get continued and reset often, so recheck before relying on a date. For daily hearing schedules, use the Court Docket Search page. For full document copies, use the Circuit Clerk Copy Request form. Step-by-step search instructions and the search-field table are on the court records page.
Is St. Clair County a district court county?
No. Illinois does not use the District Court name for state trial work. Every county uses Circuit Courts as the trial courts of original jurisdiction. St. Clair County is a single-county circuit, which means its judges, clerk, and case files all sit under the Illinois Circuit Court system. When you look up a St. Clair County court case, use the names Circuit Court and Circuit Clerk. Federal cases are different and live with the U.S. District Court. Background on the local trial bench is on the Circuit Court page.
Who is the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk?
Kinnis Williams Sr. is the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk. His elected-official page says he was sworn in in December 2022. The office holds the official court records for civil and criminal cases, files new cases, keeps the dockets, and collects and disburses fines and fees. The Circuit Clerk also runs the Copy Request form, the eFiling help desk, and the Pay A Ticket flow. Counter hours, the mailing address, and contact details are on the Circuit Clerk page.
What is the difference between the Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk?
The Circuit Clerk handles court files. That covers case lookups, filings, dockets, copy requests, court payments, and eFiling. The County Clerk is a separate office. It handles vital records, marriage licenses and marriage records, elections, tax-redemption search, statements of economic interest, and other non-court county records. Both offices sit in the same building at 10 Public Square in Belleville, but the windows and the records are different. A full breakdown of County Clerk services is on the County Clerk page.
How do I request a certified court copy?
Use the Circuit Clerk Copy Request form. The form asks for your contact information, the case year, two-letter type code, and sequence number, the case style, the participant names, and whether you need certification. You also list the document names or file dates you want pulled. The Circuit Clerk says you will be notified of the cost before the order is filled, and the office does not accept personal checks. Counter, mail, and certified-copy details are on the Circuit Clerk page.
What does CF mean on a St. Clair County case?
CF means Criminal Felony. The Circuit Clerk Case Categories page defines CF as a case in which at least one count charges a felony under the Illinois Unified Code of Corrections, plus certain indictments. CM is the related code for Criminal Misdemeanor, used when the most serious charge carries less than one year and falls within Class A, B, or C. Other criminal codes include DT for DUI and DV for domestic battery. Charge-vs-conviction explanations and the full criminal code list are on the criminal records page.
What does PR mean?
PR means Probate. The county defines PR as estates of decedents and missing persons. Guardianship matters use a separate code, GR, which covers guardianship of a minor, of a disabled adult, or of an estate. Both PR and GR are filed in the Circuit Court but are governed by the Illinois Probate Act. A petition is filed with the Circuit Clerk, the court appoints a personal representative, creditors get notice, and the estate closes with a final accounting. More on filings, fees, and the local probate process is on the probate records page.
Where do I find divorce records in St. Clair County?
Divorce is a Circuit Court matter, so the file is held by the Circuit Clerk. St. Clair County uses DC for dissolution with children and DN for dissolution with no children. Search the case through the Circuit Clerk Court Record Search by party name or by the year/type/sequence case number. Certified copies of the divorce decree are ordered through the Circuit Clerk Copy Request form. Filing steps, fees, and how to pull a final decree are covered on the marriage and divorce records page.
Where do I get a marriage license in St. Clair County?
Apply in person at the St. Clair County Clerk's Office at 10 Public Square in Belleville. Applications are accepted Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The fee is $45.00. Both parties have to appear together, and each person needs to bring two forms of ID, one of which must be a photo ID. The license is issued at the counter the same day in most cases. Full ID rules, age and residency rules, and waiting-period details are on the marriage and divorce records page.
Can I get married at the St. Clair County courthouse?
Yes. The St. Clair County Clerk's Get Married page says courthouse marriages are performed Monday through Friday at 1:15 p.m. You need a valid marriage license, $10 in exact change for the ceremony, and two witnesses who are 18 or older. The office does not perform marriages after 2:00 p.m., so plan to arrive early. A St. Clair County license is also valid for only 60 days from one day after issue, so pick up the license at least a day before the ceremony. Booking notes are on the marriage and divorce records page.
How do I search inmates in the St. Clair County Jail?
Use the official Sheriff's Inmate Lookup. The search fields are Last Name, First Name, and Booking Number. The page shows a refresh timestamp and states that the data is updated periodically without a warranty of accuracy or completeness. Results show the inmate's name, booking number, charges, and bond. To verify in custody status before posting bond or visiting, call the jail. Full lookup steps, jail address, and visitation rules are on the inmate records page.
How do I put money on an inmate account?
Commissary deposits go through Access Corrections. The Corrections page lists two ways to send funds: online at accesscorrections.com and by phone at 866-345-1884. You need the inmate's full name and county ID number to send a deposit. Fees apply on top of the deposit amount, set by Access Corrections, not by the Sheriff's Office. The jail does not accept cash deposits at the door. Mail rules, phone account info, and the full commissary process are on the inmate records page.
Where do I send mail to a St. Clair County inmate?
Personal mail goes to the ICSolutions Digital Mail Center, not to the jail. Address personal letters with the inmate's full name and ID number to St. Clair County Sheriff Department, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. The mail is scanned and delivered to the inmate as a digital copy. Legal mail and approved publications are different and go directly to St. Clair County Jail, 700 N. 5th Street, Belleville, IL 62220. Full mail rules and what is allowed are on the inmate records page.
Are juvenile records public in St. Clair County?
Generally no. Juvenile court records are restricted under the Illinois Juvenile Court Act, 705 ILCS 405. Access is limited by statute and by court order, and judges weigh confidentiality and rehabilitation interests before letting anyone outside the case see the file. The same is true for adoption files, which are impounded under 750 ILCS 50/18 and opened only by a specific court order naming who may inspect them. Restricted-record categories and the full list of sealed case types are on the court records page.
How do I seal or expunge a criminal record?
Illinois expungement and sealing law is 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. File a petition in the circuit court where the arrest happened or where charges were brought. The petition must include your name, date of birth, current address, the case number, and the arrest details. Notice goes to the State's Attorney, the Illinois State Police, and the arresting agency, and each has a chance to object. Fees apply unless the court grants a waiver. A full walkthrough is on the criminal records page.
Does FOIA apply to St. Clair County court records?
FOIA applies to administrative records held by public bodies. Court case files held by the Circuit Clerk are not handled under FOIA in the same way. Those are governed by Illinois Supreme Court rules, the court access policy, and the Circuit Clerk's own court-record search and copy procedures. Use the Circuit Clerk for case documents and FOIA for eligible administrative records of other county offices. The FOIA process, sample request, and response deadlines are on the public records page.
How do I pay a St. Clair County ticket or court payment?
The Circuit Clerk page links to a Pay A Ticket or Court Payment portal. Eligible guilty pleas and electronic payments can be made through that site. Mail payments are still accepted at P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222, and in-person payments go to the cashier booth on the first floor of the Circuit Clerk's office at 10 Public Square. In person the office accepts cash, money order, business check, or card, with a card fee of 2.25%. Ticket payment details are on the traffic court records page.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office to call, see the Circuit Clerk page for court files or the County Clerk page for marriage and vital records. For broader access rules, see public records. To start a topic-based search, the main entry points are court records, criminal records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, probate, and traffic court. The Circuit Court page covers the trial bench itself.