Court Records Questions
The most common DuPage records questions touch the Circuit Clerk's search tools and the rules around access. The answers below pull from the official Circuit Clerk site, the Illinois Courts state site, and the local 18th Judicial Circuit page.
Are DuPage County Court records public?
Yes for most circuit-court files. The Circuit Clerk's court records page says all DuPage records are open during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless impounded or sealed by statute or court order. Remote online access is narrower than the access a person gets at the public terminals because of Illinois Supreme Court Rule 8 and the state Electronic Access Policy.
Where do I search DuPage County Court cases online?
The public starting point is the Circuit Clerk's Public Information Application at epay.dupagecircuitclerk.gov. Attorneys, police agencies, and approved self-represented litigants can request a free eAccess account for deeper search of active circuit cases that are not sealed, expunged, or juvenile-first-named-defendant files. See DuPage court records for the walkthrough.
Why can't I see a case online?
A case may be sealed, expunged, impounded, inactive, juvenile, confidential, not indexed for remote access, or blocked by a portal verification step. Use the public terminals at the Circuit Clerk's office at 505 N. County Farm Road or call the office at (630) 407-8700 to confirm.
Who is the DuPage Circuit Clerk?
Candice Adams is listed as the Clerk of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court. The Clerk keeps the court records, attends sessions, holds the court seal, and runs the public service counter. More than 150,000 case filings come in each year. See the Clerk of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court page.
Courthouse and Visiting Questions
Where is the DuPage County Courthouse?
The courthouse is at 505 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. The Circuit Clerk, the trial courts, the law library, the cafeteria, self-help resources, and the public record terminals are all on the county government campus on County Farm Road.
What items am I not allowed to bring to court?
The 18th Judicial Circuit prohibits weapons, outside food and drink, and recording devices, including camera phones. Firearms are prohibited in Circuit Court buildings under 430 ILCS 66/65(a)(4). Leave a camera phone in the car if there is no other option.
Where is self-help available?
The DuPage Law Library on the second floor of the Judicial Center offers self-help materials, work areas, and e-filing kiosks. Illinois Courts Self Help and Illinois Legal Aid Online provide statewide forms and guides.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Questions
How do I get a certified marriage record?
Use the DuPage County Clerk's marriage certification request form. The fee is $14 for the first certified copy and $2 for each additional certified copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Genealogy copies for records 75 years or older cost $1. See the marriage and divorce records page.
Where do I get a DuPage divorce decree?
Divorce files and certified decrees are court records kept by the Circuit Clerk, not the County Clerk. Search the Circuit Clerk's Public Information Application or visit the public terminals at 505 N. County Farm Road. The County Clerk handles marriage records, not divorce records.
Where are DuPage probate records?
Probate cases are heard in the Probate Division of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court. Records are kept by the Circuit Clerk. The probate records page covers case types, the petition process, and Illinois Probate Act references.
Sheriff, Jail, and Visitation Questions
How do I find someone in the DuPage County Jail?
Use the Sheriff's official JailTracker link from dupagesheriff.gov or call the Sheriff's office at (630) 682-7256. The roster runs as a web application and may take a moment to load. See the DuPage inmate records page.
Does DuPage publish recently released inmates?
Yes. The Sheriff has a dedicated Recently Released Inmates page in the Corrections Bureau menu. Open the Sheriff's recently released page for the official list.
For state and federal release searches, the released inmates page links the IDOC, BOP, and VINE tools.
How do I schedule a DuPage jail visit?
Register and schedule online at dupagecountyil.gtlvisitme.com. Visits must be scheduled at least one day in advance and not more than ten days in advance.
The Sheriff's visitation help line is (630) 407-2284 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
What ID is accepted for a jail visit?
Visitors age 17 or older need a valid photo ID. Accepted IDs are a state driver's license, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a state ID card. People under 17 must be accompanied by an adult registered on the same account.
Are cell phones allowed during a jail visit?
No. The visitation rules list cell phones, cameras, MP3 players, pagers, and any other electronic device among denied items. Leave electronics in the vehicle.
How can a victim get custody-change alerts?
Register at VINELink for free notifications when an inmate of interest is booked, transferred, or released. The Sheriff's VINE page links the national registration path.
VINE alerts are notifications, not court orders; protective conditions still depend on the underlying court order.
Criminal Record Questions
How do I clear or seal a DuPage criminal record?
Illinois uses expungement and sealing under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. The Circuit Clerk has hosted free expungement clinics that pair volunteer attorneys with eligible residents. See the criminal records page for the eligibility framework.
Are juvenile records public in DuPage?
No. Juvenile records are restricted under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The Circuit Clerk's eAccess system specifically excludes cases where a juvenile is the first named defendant. Access generally requires a court order.
How do I find a state-prison inmate?
Use the Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search. County jail searches do not cover people sentenced to IDOC custody. The legacy IDOC search is still useful for some older records.
How do I find a federal inmate?
Use the BOP inmate locator at bop.gov. The locator supports find-by-number and find-by-name searches with optional race, age, and sex filters. The U.S. Marshals Service handles federal fugitive arrests; see usmarshals.gov for the Northern District of Illinois.
Public Access and Federal Court Questions
Can I use FOIA to get court records?
Court records sit under the Illinois Supreme Court rules and the Electronic Access Policy rather than under FOIA in the usual sense. Sheriff records, County Clerk records, and most other DuPage department records do follow FOIA. See the public records page for the FOIA process.
Where are federal cases searched?
Federal cases are searched through PACER and CM/ECF for the Northern District of Illinois, not the DuPage Circuit Clerk. Free copies of some federal opinions appear on CourtListener.
Which court hears DuPage appeals?
Appeals from DuPage Circuit Court orders go to the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District. The Illinois Supreme Court may grant discretionary review beyond that. The Illinois Supreme Court approved free remote public access to non-confidential reviewing-court documents through re:SearchIL effective May 1, 2025.
How do I search DuPage property records?
Use the official Recorder search at recorder.dupagecounty.gov/Search.aspx or the property lookup at propertylookup.dupagecounty.gov. The public records page lists both portals.