Illinois Public Records

• How do I access death records in Illinois?
  The Illinois secretary of state's website has a free statewide search of deaths Indexed pre-1916. The state department of health claims that death records are not public; this is what it says: "only available to those who have a personal or property right interest with the decedent." However, on the same page, there's a paragraph about uncertified "often used for genealogy or research, are for informational use only and cannot be used for legal purposes." A link on the IDPH's website, "Researchers," gives two options on how to get the death records for informational purposes only.
• How do I get a list of Illinois divorces filed within the last two months?
  Divorces are filed in counties where the county clerk has them. If you're looking to do statewide research for statistics, then your focus should be statistical data, a different form of public record, instead of a divorce certificate/filing. Mention the county so that others can be of better and specific help.
• Where do I find in Illinois a warrant for someone's arrest?
  There are several counties in Illinois (Lake, Adams, Carroll, and others) where warrant information in their area is published for public viewing online. Some counties, such as Peoria, search databases instead of having a pdf list of names and information. The details/data you will see are (generally) the defendant's name, offense, case number, and bond dollar amount. You may need to search around to determine the offense or charges, as there are a lot of abbreviated terms. Remember that you are searching on your own, so you will need to look around at different web pages, as even various government departments are not necessarily connected to each other's data.
• Where can I find in Illinois, copies of the marriage certificates?
  Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records does not have marriage certificates as many other state's state health department does; the clerk in the county where the marriage occurred is where you can request certified marriage records, according to the Illinois department of health's website.
• Where can I find it in Illinois property databases?
  Depending on the county, Illinois has property databases throughout the state. There are property tax portals from assessors/deed offices, such as the one in Cook county, which is a free online search you can use to look it up. A search can be done by either PIN or property address. The search results (from the county I searched) show the following: Property Characteristics, Tax Bill Mailing Address, assessed value history, property class description, tax billed amounts, tax history, exemptions, appeals, tax sale, documents, deeds, and liens. Other bits and pieces of published information are on the same search page.
• Where can I find my arrest record and mug shot in Illinois?
  How to obtain arrest reports is generally mentioned on the police/sheriff department websites' records divisions; policies can differ from one department to another. Some departments offer the first copy free to the person related to the arrest. Mug shots and arrests can be seen online, but only of recent persons detained. A full report of all arrests and prosecution, called a RAP sheet, is different as it shows all arrests, not just a particular one.
• Where can I find Illinois about free offenders' criminal records?
  It greatly depends on where the criminal search is going to be focused. First, you can look up a list of addresses to check all areas where the criminal record would be. The second issue to consider is when this occurred. If it is recent, individual county and city jails show their inmate lists online for anyone to check freely. If it is post convictions, the department of corrections offers a similar search for their inmates. You will see a mug shot, physical descriptions, and other information about the offense/charges, release, sentence, admission, parole date, and more. Crime maps are a free public source that can search incidents/arrests by city block. Along with free searches, government agencies offer various searches that are minimal in cost. Specific court records searches, such as Adams county, are also free to search. You can get a list of all circuit courts from the state judiciary.
• Where can I find in Illinois access to a copy of my police report and any files about my case?
  These two records are usually obtained in different places, law enforcement agencies for police reports and criminal courts for case files. Which county or area did the arrest occur? Typically larger cities have better online resources. Both courts and law enforcement maintain websites that spell out where and how to get copies of their records from their own individual records divisions. Some police and sheriffs make the initial report free to the arrested person (s). also if a PD or attorney can have a copy of their defendant's arrest and case file.
• How can I find out my court date online in Illinois?
  Which court or county? There are court calendars that show upcoming hearings, 'calendared events' as it is sometimes named. The court clerks also have filing information for the public which anyone can access. However, all courts are not the same and on the same level. There are over one hundred counties in Illinois; each has clerks handling their filings. There are online calendars from state to local level courts. Many court clerks in Illinois maintain a webpage that shows upcoming hearings. Madison is a typical example; when you look up their county's page, you can see where the circuit court clerk lists information about cases. These different court clerks' web pages are not all the same and are not always immediately found. At the state level, the state's public judicial site shows its oral argument calendars (both for Supreme or Appellate). If you still have questions about a particular case, there is a list of court clerks by districts or circuits on the state's court web pages.
• Where can I find recent arrests in Illinois?
  There are several ways (and probably more) to look up recent arrests. If you're looking up the entire state, you can try crime maps which show incidents street or block by block. Another method is to look at each police department's list of persons in custody, commonly known as an inmate or jail roster, and sometimes arrest logs. State police departments don't make as many arrests as local police departments. Since local police departments make most of the arrests, their records will be spread across various localities across the state. They are not reliable but can be helpful, are the online news organizations as they may not show un-eventful arrests.
• How do I find court records and newspaper articles regarding an old murder in Illinois?
  Libraries carry periodicals going back many years; sometimes, they're on micro fish or, if updated, in the database. Many researchers use this method, including journalists. That is, if there was an article about it. Smaller, local papers are more likely to have it.
• How do I find in Illinois if a person has been divorced in the past twenty years?
  You can look into the county's case files online or on-site. Start with free searches for cases online; LaSalle county offers that service openly along with others, usually larger/ more populated counties; smaller counties don't always have their site.
• How do I know in Illinois if there are sex offenders in my neighborhood?
  Go to the Illinois state police website, and it will give you info for your neighborhood.
• Where can I find in Illinois if there is an active warrant for my arrest?
  Some counties, such as Will county, have a sheriff's office warrant search. Which county?
• Where can I find contact information for the owner of a property next door in Illinois?
  Assessors in Illinois provide the public with property information; some charge, and others don't. Depending on the county, they can be readily available online such as in DuPage. However, Cook and Champaign charge a fee. Some of the assessor's sites that charge will show some information about the property before asking to place the order.
• How can I determine if my son has filed for a divorce in Illinois?
  If you don't need an official copy, you can get a verification from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Vital Records Division. You can request by mail, fax, or in person. The verification only shows the names, DOBs, date of the divorce, and location. The courthouse also has divorce records; however, you need to know which county the divorce was filed in; there are 102 counties in Illinois. Official divorce records are not available from the IDPH; they can verify that it was granted for a small fee, around five dollars. The verification from the IDPH covers the dissolution of marriages from 1962; it is done by providing the names, DOBs, date of divorce, and location of the divorce. If you need official divorce records, you can go to the individual circuit court clerks of the county where it occurred. You can view a list and access either of these with the links on the page below. The Illinois Court Record link will take you to the state's court home page, and from there, you can access the circuit court clerk individually. For the verification, you can use the link to birth records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce records are usually provided by the same departments) and access the webpage where the verification can be requested.
• Where can I find a 78-83-year-old individual named David Arthur Moore in Illinois?
  One of the crucial parts of starting a successful search is knowing which area to look at, such as in the county or city. Even if it is an old residence. With common names, it isn't easy to point out which one is the right person. Therefore, you must use something about the unique person that would appear on public records. An example is the person's age; there are far fewer people in the age group you've described, which makes it easier. The keyword is 'people search' or any similar to look for databases of names and residences. Knowing the age/age span and the middle initial should be enough help. Other visitors may be able to help by knowing in which city or area the person was last known to be.
• Where can I find in Illinois an index that lists deaths by location?
  Recorded deaths? As in homicides? Crime mapping shows incidents/crimes, including assault and homicides, from one street to another. All areas are not covered; however, larger cities are generally offered.
• Where can I find in Illinois a transfer of a deed on a property that was foreclosed?
  Which county? Many private sites offer varieties of lists of foreclosed homes and properties; however, if you are looking for a government source to check also, the county of Lake, for example, shows foreclosed property sales, sales schedule, most recent sales, and bidder and homeowner information.
• Where can I find in Illinois how many felons live in my county?
  Which county? Statistics use the data of where the crime occurs rather than where the criminal lives. However, there are sources, sex offenders, warrants, and wanted lists that show their last known location. Depending on the county, the law enforcement agency can make arrests on crime mapping.
• Where can I find in Illinois what criminal sexual assault means?
  "Sec. 11-1.20. Criminal Sexual Assault" can be found by looking up the Illinois compiled statutes on the Illinois General Assembly's website. Look for CRIMINAL OFFENSES (720 ILCS 5/) Criminal Code of 2012; within that database, you can find links to general definitions and major sex offenses, which should help define them.
• Where can I find the law that gives the County the right to tax my property in Illinois?
  The Illinois Department of Revenue explains property taxes here on their website. "Illinois Property Tax System - Illinois Department of Revenue" should appear among the first on your search engine results. It is a pdf that tells about the tax better for some than the codes alone (such as 35 ILCS 200/ Property Tax Code. - Illinois General Assembly). You can also find the PDF by going to the department's website and accessing their publications with a link on their left menu titled "Publications." After clicking "All Other Publications" on that webpage, you will see two helpful links, 1. PTAX-1004 - The Illinois Property Tax System and PIO-16 - An Overview of Property Tax.
• Where can I find in Illinois if someone is divorced?
  Most state health departments provide divorce/vital records, or dissolution of marriage, as the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) names it. The IDPH can only verify facts such as the names of persons divorcing, dates of birth, event, and the location of the divorce from 1962 to the present index date. For official (certified) copies, you need to contact the county's circuit court clerk where the divorce occurred/was granted. A list of all circuit court clerks can be viewed online by clicking on the link 'Illinois Court Records:' on the home page, you will see the 'Courts' tab, select 'circuit,' then click on #3 Circuit Court Clerks/Contact Information, and you will see a list of all clerks and their contact information.
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Departments which record, maintain and provide official documents, certificates or information requested by the general public.

• Illinois Attorney:
  Look up lawyers names, educational background, licensing, expiration and disciplinary history.
• Illinois Criminal Records:
  Where and How to Request Criminal Record Checks.
• Illinois Court Records:
  Criminal cases, civil filings, divorces, bankruptcy and judgments.
• Illinois Most Wanted:
  Photos and description of fugitives wanted by law enforcement agencies.
• Illinois Sex Offenders:
  Location and information of convicted sex offenders and predators by neighborhood.
• Illinois Prison and Jail Inmates:
  Database of available photos and details of jailed inmates in custody.
• Illinois Deadbeat Parents:
  Statutes, information and services regarding individuals in violation of child support payments.
• Illinois Official Website:
  Government department official public web-portal.
• Illinois Open Public Record Act:
  Laws supporting public's right to inspect government documents.
• Illinois Public Records Request:
  A written request form inquiring about a public record may be used in finding specific files - the more descriptive, the more likely the record will be found..
• Illinois Birth Records:
  Certified or informational copy requests from official departments.
• Illinois Marriage Records:
  Date and location of marriage, name of groom and bride.
• Illinois Divorce Records:
  Certified divorce decrees, family law cases and court rulings.
• Illinois Death Records:
  Death index, certificate and proof of death documents.
• Illinois Military Records:
  Military background from all five branches of service.
• Illinois Missing People:
  Photos, description and available details of persons reported missing to law enforcement.
• Illinois Cold Cases:
  Unsolved cold cases by law enforcement agencies still on record.
• Illinois Elected Officials:
  Names and contact information and public press releases of members elected to office.
• Illinois Constitution:
  Political processes, amendments, proposals adopted by the state legislature, legal and political organizations.

• Total Violent Crime:
  51,561
• Murder And Nonnegligent Manslaughter:
  832
• Rape:
  6,078
• Robbery:
  12,464
• Aggravated Assault:
  32,187
• Total Property Crime:
  233,984
• Burglary:
  34,433
• Larceny Theft:
  180,776
• Motor Vehicle Theft:
  18,775

• Information About People and Demographics

• Total population of persons residing within the state
  12,830,632
• Estimate of the state's total residency
  12,419,658
• Percentage change of the total resident population
  3%
• Net change of residents' total population
  411,339
• Complete count of statewide resident population
  12,419,293
• Population estimate of residents less than 5 years of age
  893,952
• Estimated percentage of residents that are less than 5 years of age
  7%
• Estimate of residents that are less than 18 years of age
  3,177,377
• Estimated percentage of residents that are less than 18 years of age
  25%
• Percentage estimate of residents that are 65 years of age and older
  12%
• Estimate of residents that are 65 years of age and older
  1,594,473
• Total estimate percentage of female residents
  51%
• State's white resident population
  9,177,877
• State's black resident population
  1,866,414
• State's American Indian and Alaska Native resident populations
  43,963
• State's Asian resident population
  586,934
• State's Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander resident population
  4,050
• Statewide resident population of two or more races
  289,982
• Statewide resident population of Hispanic or Latino origin
  2,027,578
• Non Hispanic white resident population
  8,167,753
• Statewide percentage of white residents
  72%
• Statewide percentage of black residents
  15%
• Statewide percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native residents
  0%
• Statewide percentage of Asian residents
  5%
• Statewide percentage of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
  0%
• Statewide percentage of Two or more races
  2%
• Statewide percentage of Hispanic or Latino Origin
  16%
• Statewide percentage of non Hispanic white
  64%

• Vital Statistics

  Births and deaths occurring in Illinois
• Births
  180,836
• Deaths
  100,503
• Infant death occurring within the state of persons one year of age or less
  1,217
• Percentage of persons with the same residence of one year or more
  86%

• Resident Background Information

  Education and background history of Illinois Residents
• Percentage of foreign born population in the state
  13%
• Percentage of residents 5 years of age and older that speak languages other than English at home
  21%
• Percentage of persons from 25 years of age and older with high a school education or higher
  86%
• Percentage of persons from 25 years of age and older with bachelor's degree or higher
  30%
• Total number of Veterans
  811,879

• Current Housing and Real Estate Data

  Households located in Illinois
• Average time spent commuting to work for person 16 years and over not working from their personal residence
  28 Min
• Housing unit estimates
  5,292,016
• Net change of housing units estimates
  406,268
• Housing unit estimates - percentage change
  8%
• Percentage of the state's housing units being occupied by owners
  69%
• Median value of the state's housing units being occupied by owners
  $200,400
• Percentage of housing in structure of multi dwelling units
  33%
• Total number of households
  4,749,388
• Average size of households
  3

• Illinois Employment Data

  Income, earnings and payrolls of people residing within the State
• Per capita income in the past 12 months in dollars adjusted to inflation
  $28,469
• Statewide income of median households in Illinois
  $53,974
• Percentage of persons living in poverty
  13%
• The personal income of persons employed
  $526,006
• Per capita income of persons employed
  $41,012
• Labor force of civilian workers
  6,606,103
• The unemployment of the civilian labor force
  664,946
• The rate of unemployed civilian labor force
  10%
• Employment of person relating to all industries
  7,608,799
• Net change of employment in all industries
  192,490
• People employed by the government
  900,277
• Earnings by persons working in all industries
  403,923,009
• Average earnings per job in all industries
  53,086
• Number of private non farm establishments
  321,942