St. Clair County Criminal Records
What Is St. Clair County Criminal Records
Criminal records in St. Clair County, Illinois, are official government documents that chronicle an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system, from initial law enforcement contact through final court disposition. These records are generated and maintained by multiple agencies across the county and state, each capturing a distinct phase of the criminal process.
Arrest records document the act of taking an individual into custody and reflect probable cause determinations made by law enforcement; they do not indicate guilt or a formal conviction. Conviction records, by contrast, reflect a court's final finding of guilt, whether through a guilty plea, bench trial, or jury verdict. Under Illinois law, a felony is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment in a state correctional facility for a term exceeding one year, while a misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of up to 364 days in a county jail. Adult records are generally accessible to the public, whereas juvenile records are confidential by statute and may be sealed or expunged upon the subject's petition. Active warrants represent current judicial orders authorizing arrest, while historical records document past enforcement actions that have been resolved.
The principal agencies responsible for maintaining criminal records in St. Clair County include:
- St. Clair County Sheriff's Office — maintains arrest records, booking data, and jail rosters
- St. Clair County Circuit Clerk's Office — maintains court case files, charges, pleas, dispositions, and sentencing orders
- Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification — maintains statewide criminal history records
- Local municipal police departments — maintain incident and arrest reports within their respective jurisdictions
Records maintained across these agencies collectively document charges filed, arraignments, pleas entered, trial proceedings, sentencing orders, probation and parole conditions, and any subsequent modifications to those orders. The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk serves as the official custodian of all court case records within the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk's Office 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 277-6900 Circuit Clerk | Departments - St. Clair County
St. Clair County Sheriff's Office 700 N. 5th St., Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 277-3505 (Non-Emergency) | (618) 456-7606 (Jail) Sheriff's Department - St. Clair County
Are Criminal Records Public In St. Clair County
Criminal records in St. Clair County are presumptively open to the public under Illinois law. Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS § 140/1 et seq.), all persons have the right to inspect and copy public records held by government bodies, including law enforcement agencies and court offices, unless a specific statutory exemption applies. Court records are additionally governed by Illinois Supreme Court rules, which establish a general presumption of public access to judicial proceedings and case files.
Under current law, the following categories of information are generally available to the public:
- Adult arrest records and booking information
- Court case filings, charges, and case numbers
- Pleas, verdicts, and final dispositions
- Sentencing orders, including terms of probation and parole
- Sex offender registration data
The following categories are restricted or exempt from public disclosure:
- Records pertaining to ongoing criminal investigations, where disclosure would interfere with law enforcement proceedings
- Juvenile delinquency records, which are confidential under 705 ILCS § 405/1-7
- Sealed or expunged records, which are treated as though they never existed following a court order
- Victim identifying information in certain sensitive case types
- Mental health and medical records incorporated into criminal proceedings
Members of the public seeking access to restricted records must demonstrate a lawful basis for disclosure or obtain a court order authorizing release.
How To Look Up Criminal Records In St. Clair County in 2026
Members of the public may obtain St. Clair County criminal records through several official channels, depending on the type of record sought and the level of detail required.
Step 1 — Identify the appropriate custodial agency. Arrest and jail records are held by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office or the arresting municipal police department. Court case records, including charges, pleas, and dispositions, are held by the Circuit Clerk's Office.
Step 2 — Submit a written public records request. Requests directed to the Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agencies must be submitted in writing pursuant to 5 ILCS § 140/3, which requires government bodies to respond within five business days. Requests should include the subject's full legal name, date of birth, and any known case or booking numbers.
Step 3 — Visit the Circuit Clerk's Office in person. Members of the public may inspect court case files at the public counter of the Circuit Clerk's Office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Certified copies of court documents are available for a statutory fee.
Step 4 — Request a statewide criminal history record. A complete Illinois criminal history record may be obtained through the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification by submitting a fingerprint-based background check request. This process captures records from all jurisdictions across the state, not solely St. Clair County.
Step 5 — Pay applicable fees. Fees for certified copies of court records are set by statute. Inspection of records at the public counter is generally available at no charge. Fees for fingerprint-based background checks are established by the Illinois State Police.
How To Find Criminal Records in St. Clair County Online?
Several official online portals currently provide access to St. Clair County criminal and court records without requiring an in-person visit.
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk — Online Case Search The Circuit Clerk's Office provides an online case search portal through which members of the public may search civil and criminal court cases by party name, case number, or attorney. The portal contains case filing dates, charge descriptions, hearing schedules, and disposition information. Registration is not required for basic case lookups. The Circuit Clerk's online services also support eFiling pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9.
St. Clair County Corrections — Inmate Search The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office maintains a live jail roster through its Corrections division, which allows members of the public to search for individuals currently held at the St. Clair County Jail. Records are updated on an hourly basis and include the inmate's name, booking date, and charges. This portal does not contain historical records of individuals who have been released.
Illinois Department of Corrections — Offender Search The Illinois Department of Corrections offender search provides statewide information on individuals currently incarcerated in Illinois state prisons, as well as individuals on parole or mandatory supervised release. The portal also includes information on wanted fugitives and community notification of early releases. No registration is required.
Illinois State Police — Sex Offender Registry The Illinois State Police Offender Registry provides public access to the statewide sex offender registration database, including individuals registered in St. Clair County. The registry includes registrant names, addresses, photographs, and offense information. A complete public record of Illinois criminal history may also be obtained through the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification.
Records that are available only through in-person inspection include sealed case files accessible by court order, certain victim-related documents, and original paper filings predating electronic case management systems.
Can You Search St. Clair County Criminal Records for Free?
Illinois law mandates that members of the public have the right to inspect public records at no charge. Under 5 ILCS § 140/6, government agencies may not charge a fee for the inspection of records; fees apply only when copies are requested. The following resources are currently available at no cost:
- Circuit Clerk in-person inspection — Members of the public may review court case files at the public counter of the Circuit Clerk's Office free of charge during business hours
- Online case search portal — The Circuit Clerk's web-based case search is accessible without registration or payment
- St. Clair County jail roster — The live inmate search maintained by the Sheriff's Department is publicly accessible at no cost
- IDOC offender search — The state-level offender search tool is free to use
- Illinois Sex Offender Registry — Public registry lookups carry no fee
Fees are assessed for certified copies of court documents, fingerprint-based background checks processed through the Illinois State Police, and certain specialized record requests requiring extensive staff research time.
What's Included in a St. Clair County Criminal Record?
A complete St. Clair County criminal record may contain information drawn from multiple agencies and compiled across the full arc of a criminal case.
Identifying Information
- Full legal name and known aliases
- Date of birth and physical description (height, weight, eye and hair color)
- Booking photograph (mugshot)
- Last known address
- State Identification Number (SID) and FBI number
Arrest Information
- Date, time, and location of arrest
- Arresting agency and officer
- Booking number and facility
- Charges filed at the time of arrest
- Bail or bond amount set
- Jail facility where the individual was held
Court Case Information
- Case number and court of jurisdiction (Twentieth Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County)
- Filing date and assigned judge
- Charges and applicable statutes, including felony class (Class X, 1, 2, 3, or 4) or misdemeanor class (A, B, or C)
- Plea entered (guilty, not guilty, or no contest)
- Attorney of record and prosecuting agency
Disposition Information
- Verdict and conviction date
- Sentencing details, including incarceration term, fines, restitution, and special conditions
- Probation or parole terms
- Appeals filed and outcomes
Additional Record Elements
- Active or recalled arrest warrants
- Orders of protection or no-contact orders
- Sex offender registration status
- DUI or DWI adjudications
- Traffic violations adjudicated in criminal court
- Pending charges not yet resolved
How Long Does St. Clair County Keep Criminal Records?
Criminal records in St. Clair County are subject to retention schedules established under Illinois law and administered by the relevant custodial agencies. The Illinois Local Records Act (50 ILCS § 205) governs the retention and disposal of public records held by county agencies and requires that records be maintained for periods sufficient to serve administrative, legal, and historical purposes.
Current retention periods for principal record categories are as follows:
- Felony court case files — Retained permanently or for a minimum of 20 years following final disposition, depending on offense class
- Misdemeanor court case files — Retained for a minimum of 7 years following final disposition
- Arrest and booking records — Retained by the Sheriff's Office for a minimum of 5 years; longer periods apply where charges resulted in conviction
- Conviction records — Retained permanently as part of the official court record
- Expunged or sealed records — Physically destroyed or segregated from public access following a court order, though certain law enforcement agencies may retain restricted copies
- Juvenile records — Subject to separate retention and destruction schedules under the Juvenile Court Act
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification retains criminal history records indefinitely for individuals with felony convictions. Agencies are required to submit records disposal requests to the Local Records Commission prior to destruction of any public record.