Madison County, Illinois State Court Records
Madison County court records document a filed, heard, or resolved case in the county's court system, and it is stored and released by Madison County Circuit Clerk. Court records are often integrated into other public records. A criminal case file may reference an arrest report, while a probate case may connect to a death certificate issued by the Madison County Clerk's vital records office. Requesters must understand which agency holds which piece of the puzzle to have a successful records request.
Are Madison County Court Records Public?
Court dockets, pleadings, judgments, and orders filed with the circuit clerk are presumed open to public inspection. Clerks of Courts Act (705 ILCS 105) directs clerks to keep records open during office hours. The presumption of public access is also established by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138 and the statewide Electronic Access Policy for Circuit Court Records, both published by the Illinois Courts.
Not every record is open, however. Juvenile delinquency and abuse or neglect cases, adoption files, mental health proceedings, expunged or sealed criminal records, and documents sealed by a judge's order are generally restricted from public view. The Madison County Circuit Clerk maintains a published list of FOIA-exempt and confidential case categories.
What Information is Available in Madison County Court Records?
A regular court record generally covers various information about legal proceedings, and Madison County's court record reflects the same. Court records vary by case type, so their content differs. The following displays the common information that persons would usually find in a court record:
- Case type
- Case number
- Filing date
- Court name and division
- Charges (for criminal cases)
- Name of parties involved
- Name of judge assigned
- Motions and pleadings
- Case status
- Judgement and sentencing details
- Hearing dates
Madison County Court Records Search
Residents and visitors have three ways to locate Madison County court records: searching online, visiting a courthouse in person, or submitting a request by mail or phone. Each method has its own scope, speed, and cost, and the right choice depends mostly on whether the requester already knows the case number, party name, or filing date.
Online Access
The Madison County Circuit Clerk Court Records Search portal offers a free and fast method for the public to look up case information by party name, case number, or date of filing. The court search displays docket entries and case summaries instead of full scanned documents; under the statewide Electronic Access Policy, remote access to document images remains limited for sensitive case types. Access also differs by case type. Family, juvenile, and some criminal records may require an in-person visit.
In-person Access
Visiting the courthouse in person is the most direct way to review or copy a Madison County court record, especially for older files that have not been digitized. The Document Storage / Record Search office sits on the lower level of the Madison County Courthouse:
155 N. Main Street,
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Court staff is always available to help with in-person visits. Visitors without a case number can ask staff to search by the name of the party involved. A search fee applies if the case cannot be found in the system. The courthouse office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and it is closed on county holidays. Visitors should bring a valid photo ID to speed up an in-person request.
Mail and Phone Access
Requesters who cannot visit in person may submit a written request to the Madison County Circuit Clerk by mail or email. Persons are required to complete request forms, which are available on the clerk's Copy Request page. It can be mailed to:
Madison County Circuit Clerk, Attn:
Document Storage / Record Search,
155 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025
Email to: courtcopy@madisoncountyil.gov
Fax: (618) 692-0676
Phone requests for copies are not accepted directly because case details must be verified first, but people can still call (618) 692-6240 for general procedural questions. Staff typically notify the requester by mail or email with the total cost before any copies are made, and payments are usually received in advance.
Fees for Court Records in Madison County
Madison County court records are generally free, but certain fees apply for the cost of producing copies, certifying documents, or conducting a search when no case number is provided. Under 705 ILCS 105/27.1a of the Clerks of Courts Act, circuit clerks across Illinois are authorized to charge statutory copy and certification fees.
In Madison County, $2.00 is the cost for the first page of a document, while $0.50 per page is for 2 to 20 pages, and $0.25 per page beyond that. Certifying a document costs an additional $6.00. If a requester does not know the case number and the record cannot be located in the system, a $6.00 search fee applies per case, per year searched.
Note that mailed copies are billed to the requester. The clerk's office publishes its complete, current Fees of the Court schedule for reference, and all charges must be paid in advance of the copies being mailed or released.
Madison County Courthouse Locations
Madison County's Third Judicial Circuit court operations are spread across a few facilities in and around Edwardsville:
|
Court Name |
Address |
Phone |
|---|---|---|
|
Madison County Courthouse |
155 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025 |
(618) 692-6240 |
|
Madison County Criminal Justice Center |
509 Ramey Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025 |
(618) 692-6240 |
|
Alton Satellite Office |
1700 E. Broadway, Alton, IL 62002 |
(618) 692-6240 |
Criminal Records Access in Madison County
Two different systems govern criminal record access in Illinois. Official, statewide criminal history checks are handled by the Illinois State Police (ISP), Bureau of Identification, not the county court. Under the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), the Illinois State Police maintains the state's repository of conviction data. It also processes name-based or fingerprint-based requests through its Bureau of Identification. These checks return statewide conviction information rather than details specific to a single county case.
On the other hand, the local case record is available through the Circuit Clerk's Court Records Search portal or in person at the courthouse. These local records reflect what happened procedurally in court, while the ISP record reflects the conviction's status on a person's statewide history.
Madison County Probate Records
The legal process of settling a person's estate, guardianship issues and conservatorships for minors or incapacitated adults is usually documented in probate records. Wills, letters of office designating an administrator, estate records, claims against the estate, and guardianship or conservatorship orders are all handled by the Circuit Court's Probate Division in Madison County.
Probate records are accessible to the public like other circuit court documents. However, guardianship-related financial account numbers or health information may not be available to the general public.
Madison County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Madison County are handled by the Family Division of the Circuit Court. All related paperwork is filed through the Circuit Clerk's office (Suite 118) at the Madison County Courthouse. Like most circuit court filings, case records are public, but Illinois law treats some family case record information with confidentiality:
- Financial disclosures
- Juvenile-related details
- Sealed record by court order for confidentiality protections
Parties to a family case, or their attorneys, generally have broader access to the complete file than the general public. Divorce, paternity, and name-change cases can be accessed through the clerk's Forms & Instructions page or the Family Division page. Certified copies of judgments, decrees, or orders can be requested in person.
Federal Court Records in Madison County
Federal court matters that involve Madison County residents fall under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The federal court records are records of matters heard in the federal judicial system, so they are not the same as state court records. They are governed by federal rules, not by the Illinois Open Records Law. Individuals can access federal records via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). Registration is free, but it charges a small per-page fee for record retrieval. In-person requests can be made at the Madison County Circuit Clerk's Office. Full filing procedures and local rules are available at www.ilsd.uscourts.gov.
