Cook County Court Records Search
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Cook County is the second-most-populous county in the United States and the largest in Illinois, encompassing the City of Chicago and dozens of surrounding suburbs. Its court system, the Circuit Court of Cook County, is the largest unified court system in the country, employing hundreds of judges across multiple divisions and locations. The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County serves as the primary custodian of all court records generated within this system, maintaining hard-copy case files at the courthouses and electronic docket summaries through online repositories.
Court records in Cook County span a wide range of documents: plea filings, judgments, orders, writs of execution, affidavits, subpoenas, bonds, depositions, jury lists, warrants, verdicts, and transcripts. In Illinois, individuals seeking court case information can search through official clerk offices, courthouse public-access terminals, and state-level online tools. The IllinoisCourts.us website maintained by the Office of the Illinois Courts provides a statewide courts directory and links to county-specific case-search systems, which can help users locate publicly available court case information across all Illinois circuit courts.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Cook County?
Cook County offers several channels for locating court records, depending on the type of case and how far back it dates.
Online Case Search
The Clerk of the Circuit Court provides a free online case search portal with separate tools for different case categories:
- Civil, Law, Chancery, and Domestic Relations cases — searchable by party name, case number, or filing date
- Probate Docket search — search by estate name, claimant, case number, or filing date
- Probate Wills search — locate wills filed with the county
- County Division search — name changes, election matters, and real-estate tax actions
- Traffic tickets — searchable by ticket number or driver’s license number
- Mortgage foreclosure search
- Court calls and unclaimed child support
The electronic docket contains brief summaries of court documents and events. It is not the official record of the court, and updates may lag a few days behind paper filings. For very recent filings, the Clerk recommends using the Public Access Terminals inside the courthouses. A user guide for the Odyssey public-access system is available on the Clerk’s website.
In-Person Requests
Visitors can go to the Clerk’s main office or the courthouse where the case was heard. The main office address is:
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
50 West Washington Street, Suite 1001
Chicago, IL 60602-1305
Phone: (312) 603-5030
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
By Mail
Submit a completed Search or Record Request Form (CCG 0026) to the district court where the records are held. If records span multiple districts, a separate request must be sent to each one. Include a $6.00 record-search fee per year searched, payable by check or money order to “Clerk of Circuit Court”.
By Phone
Contact the Customer Service Call Center at (312) 603-5030 during office hours.
Archives Department (Pre-Electronic Records)
Records predating the Clerk’s computerized indexing (early 1980s) are managed by the Archives Department in Room 1113 of the Daley Center. Archived files are stored off-site and typically require 2–10 business days for retrieval. Contact Archives at (312) 603-6601 or (312) 603-6628. Domestic relations cases filed before 1987 should be directed to Archives.
Courthouse Locations
| Location | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Richard J. Daley Center | 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 603-5030 |
| George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse | 2650 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608 | (773) 674-3140 |
| Juvenile Courts | 1100 S. Hamilton Ave., Chicago, IL 60612 | (312) 433-6961 |
| Domestic Violence Courts | 555 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607 | (312) 325-9350 |
| District 2 – Skokie | 5600 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie, IL 60076 | (847) 470-7277 |
| District 3 – Rolling Meadows | 2121 W. Euclid Ave., Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 | (847) 818-2810 |
| District 4 – Maywood | 1500 Maybrook Dr., Maywood, IL 60153 | (708) 865-6025 |
| District 5 – Bridgeview | 10220 S. 76th Ave., Bridgeview, IL 60455 | (708) 974-6810 |
| District 6 – Markham | 16501 S. Kedzie Pkwy., Markham, IL 60426 | (708) 232-4435 |
Most courthouses operate Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Leighton Criminal Courthouse also has weekend and holiday hours from noon to 3:00 p.m.
Are Court Records Public in Cook County?
Illinois courts are not subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1). Instead, the presumption of public access to court records comes from the Court Record and Document Accessibility Act (705 ILCS 86/5), which provides that all records and documents filed with or maintained by a court or clerk are presumed accessible unless a specific exception applies. Remote electronic access is further governed by the Illinois Supreme Court Remote Access Policy, which the Supreme Court updated to allow free remote public access to court documents effective May 1, 2025.
Despite this broad presumption, certain categories of records are restricted from public view. Confidential and non-public records in Cook County include:
- Financial account numbers, credit card numbers, and PINs
- Social Security numbers
- Proprietary business information, including trade secrets and business tax returns
- Judicial notes, drafts, and work products prepared for or by a judge
- Names, phone numbers, and addresses of potential or sworn jurors in criminal cases
- Juvenile court proceedings
- Records that have been sealed, impounded, or expunged by court order
When requesting copies, the Clerk charges reproduction fees established by statute. The current fee structure for photocopying documents from the Clerk’s files is $2.00 for the first page, $0.50 for pages 2–20, and $0.25 for each page beyond 20. Certification of a document costs $6.00 in civil areas and $2.00 in probate matters. A complete miscellaneous fee schedule (CCG 0140) is available from the Clerk’s office.
Cook County Criminal Court Records
The Criminal Division of the Circuit Court, headquartered at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse (2650 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608), handles felony prosecutions including murder, armed robbery, burglary, and criminal sexual assault. Misdemeanor criminal matters, including those arising from Chicago police court branches, are heard at suburban district courthouses and the city branch courts.
Searching Criminal Case Records
Criminal docket information can be accessed through the Clerk’s online case-search tools and through the Public Access Terminals in the courthouses. However, document images for criminal cases are generally not available through the public online portal; formal copies must be obtained in person at the courthouse where the case was heard.
Licensed attorneys and justice partners (law enforcement, public defenders, state attorney’s offices, and social-services agencies) may register for extended access through the CCC Portal, which provides additional document viewing capabilities.
Arrest Records
Under the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), conviction information maintained by the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification is available to the public. Only conviction data and nolo-contendere dispositions are disseminated; non-conviction arrest records are restricted.
For local arrest information, the Chicago Police Department Adult Arrest Search tool allows the public to look up arrests made by CPD. This database does not include juvenile records or arrests by the Cook County Sheriff, Illinois State Police, or other suburban municipalities. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office maintains a separate Individual in Custody Locator for current detainees in Cook County Jail.
Selected Criminal Fees
- Certified copy of criminal disposition: $6.00
- Certified copy of an order to expunge arrest records: $4.00
- Expungement petition filing: $60.00
Cook County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Cook County is distributed across multiple divisions depending on the amount in controversy and the nature of the claim.
The Civil Division handles cases seeking less than $30,000 in damages, including property damage, contract disputes, evictions, personal injury, replevin, housing complaints, attachments, and garnishments. The Law Division hears cases exceeding $30,000, and the Chancery Division covers equitable matters such as injunctions, mortgage foreclosures, and class actions.
Filing Fees
Civil Division filing fees depend on the claim amount and case type. Based on the Clerk’s current fee schedule (CCG 0603):
| Claim Amount | Small Claims Filing Fee | Appearance Fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0.01 – $2,500 | $287.00 | $0.00 |
| $2,500.01 – $15,000 | $379.00 | $250.00 |
| Over $15,000 | $388.00 | $250.00 |
Eviction (possession only) filings cost $287.00. Joint-action eviction cases and mortgage foreclosure evictions start at $379.00–$388.00 depending on the amount at issue. Self-represented litigants in the First Municipal District may file claims up to $3,000 using the Pro Se Small Claims Court in Room 602 of the Daley Center.
Searching Civil Records
The Civil, Law, Chancery, and Domestic Relations case search tool is the primary online resource. Searches require at minimum a party’s first and last name or a case number. Case files typically show the names of the plaintiff, defendant, and presiding judge, along with court dates and the cause of action.
For records not available online, visit the Clerk’s divisional office at the Daley Center or the suburban district courthouse where the case was heard. The Archives Department handles civil records from the pre-electronic era and can be reached at (312) 603-6601.
Cook County Family Court Records
Family-law matters in Cook County are split across several divisions. The Domestic Relations Division, established under General Order 1.2, 2.1© and governed by Part 13 of the local circuit court rules, handles the following case types:
- Dissolution of marriage (divorce) and dissolution of civil union
- Legal separation and invalidity of marriage or civil union
- Civil orders of protection filed during pending domestic-relations cases
- Child support, allocation of parental responsibilities, and parenting time
- Parentage actions
- Enforcement and modification of prior family-law judgments
The Presiding Judge’s office is in Courtroom 1905 of the Daley Center, reachable at (312) 603-3025. Family Court Services — including mediation, parent education, home studies, and child-custody evaluations — can be accessed through the Family Court Services page.
Accessing Dissolution of Marriage Records
Divorce files are maintained by the Domestic Relations Division of the Clerk’s office. To obtain copies:
- Search the Clerk’s online case portal using the case number or party names. Docket entries for dissolution cases appear under the Civil/Law/Chancery/Domestic Relations search.
- For formal copies, visit the Clerk’s office in person. Only parties named on the divorce record may obtain copies from the court clerk.
- For cases filed before 1987, contact the Archives Department at Room 1113, Daley Center, (312) 603-6601.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses and certificates are maintained by the Cook County Clerk’s Office (a separate office from the Clerk of the Circuit Court). Requests can be made in person, by phone at (866) 252-8974, or by mailing a completed Marriage Certificate Request Form with a $15 money order, a photocopy of valid ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 641070
Chicago, IL 60664-1070
The marriage license fee for a new license is $60. A court ceremony costs $10 (cash only). Online ordering is also available, with a $13.45 processing and postage surcharge.
Birth and Death Records
The Cook County Clerk’s Office also maintains birth and death certificates for Chicago and suburban Cook County. Certified birth certificates cost $15 ($4 for each additional copy of the same record requested simultaneously). Certified death certificates cost $17 ($6 for additional copies). Requests can be made online, by phone, in person, or by mail to the Bureau of Vital Records address listed above, using the appropriate Birth Certificate Request Form. Individuals who are verifiably homeless, domestic-violence victims, or formerly incarcerated may receive birth records free of charge.
Autopsy and postmortem reports are handled separately by the Office of the Medical Examiner (2121 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612; Phone: (312) 997-4425). Fees are $50 per autopsy report and $25 for each additional report.
Cook County Probate Court Records
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court has exclusive jurisdiction over wills, estates, and guardianships in Cook County. Located on the 12th and 18th floors of the Daley Center (Presiding Judge in Courtroom 1803, Phone: (312) 603-7546), the division hears:
- Probate and contest of wills and testamentary instruments
- Claims against estates arising in contract, tort, or otherwise
- Administration of estates of decedents, disabled persons, minors, and wards
- Petitions under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5)
- Guardianship proceedings, including guardianship of minors and disabled adults
- Petitions under the Illinois Insurance Code
Court records in the Probate Division date back to 1875 and are maintained in the court vault. Most probate records are available for public research during business hours. Wills filed for safekeeping (before the testator’s death) are not part of the public record.
Filing a Will
There is no fee for filing a will with the Probate Division. Wills may be filed:
- In person at the Daley Center, Room 1202, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602
- By mail to the same address, Attn: Probate Division
- At any of the five suburban district clerk offices
A death certificate must accompany the filing; a will cannot be filed without a date of death.
Opening a Probate Estate
To open a probate estate, an attorney must electronically file the necessary forms through the eFile system. The filing fee is $479.00. After the judge enters an order appointing the estate representative, the Clerk’s Office issues Letters of Administration.
Probate Copy Fees
- Copies: $2.00 for the first page, $0.50 per page for pages 2–25, then $0.25 per page after 25
- Certification: $2.00 per certification
- Certified copy of letters of office or court orders: $2.00
Guardianship
The Guardianship Assistance Desk for Minors, located at 69 W. Washington St., Suite 1020, Chicago, IL 60602, assists self-represented petitioners. Appointments are required and can be scheduled at (312) 603-0135. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For cases involving disabled adults with assets exceeding $25,000, the Office of Public Guardian of Cook County (69 W. Washington St., Room 1800, Phone: (312) 603-0800) serves as a resource.
Searching Probate Records
Use the Clerk’s Probate Docket search or Probate Wills search tools online. These allow searches by estate or representative name, case number, or filing date. For records not found in the electronic system, contact the Archives Department for pre-electronic files or the Probate Division directly for assistance.