Fulton County Criminal Records

Fulton County criminal records are kept by the Circuit Clerk's office at the courthouse in Lewistown. The county is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit and has a population of about 32,510. You can search for criminal case data through the Judici portal, which covers Fulton County court filings. The system is free and open to the public. No account or registration is needed to run a search. This page walks through how to find, request, and understand criminal records in Fulton County, Illinois.

Fulton County Circuit Clerk Records

The Fulton County Circuit Clerk handles all court files for the 9th Judicial Circuit within the county. Criminal cases, civil suits, traffic matters, and small claims all pass through this office. The clerk keeps the original case files, manages court dates, and issues copies of records on request. The office is in the Fulton County Courthouse in Lewistown, Illinois.

If you need to look up a criminal case, you can visit the clerk's office during business hours. Bring any case numbers or names you have. The staff will search the system and pull the file for you. Copies cost a per-page fee. Certified copies carry the court seal and cost more than standard copies. For mail requests, send a letter with the person's full name, any known case numbers, and a money order or cashier's check to cover the fees. The clerk processes the request and mails the results back.

Fulton County is a smaller county, so the clerk's office handles a lighter caseload compared to places like Peoria or Tazewell. That often means faster turnaround on requests. The staff is usually able to help with questions over the phone as well. Call the courthouse in Lewistown to ask about fees, hours, or the status of a specific case.

Search Fulton County Criminal Records Online

Fulton County makes court records available through the Judici system. This is a web-based portal that many Illinois counties use. It lets you search by party name, case number, or filing date. Results show the case type, charges, filing date, and current status. You can click into a case to see a full history of court events, including scheduled dates and dispositions.

The Judici portal for Fulton County court records provides free access to criminal case data filed in the 9th Judicial Circuit.

Search for Fulton County criminal filings on Judici by entering a name or case number into the search tool.

The search covers both open and closed cases. Active cases show upcoming court dates and the next scheduled event. Closed cases show the final outcome. Not all records will appear in the system, though. Cases that have been sealed or expunged by court order are taken out of public view. Juvenile records, mental health cases, and certain other confidential proceedings are also excluded. What you see on Judici is the public portion of Fulton County's criminal case files.

Note: Fulton County records that have been sealed or expunged will not show up in the Judici search results.

Fulton County and State Criminal History Checks

For a criminal history check that goes beyond Fulton County, the Illinois State Police runs the statewide system. The Bureau of Identification holds fingerprint files and conviction data from all 102 counties. Fulton County arrests and court outcomes feed into this database. A state check gives you a fuller picture since it pulls records from every circuit in Illinois, not just the 9th.

The CHIRP portal is the online tool for name-based conviction searches. It costs $10 for electronic results. You need to register with an Illinois ID. CHIRP covers conviction data under the Uniform Conviction Information Act at 20 ILCS 2635. This law makes conviction records public information. The search pulls from the full state system, so you get results from Fulton County and every other county in one report.

The CHIRP login page is the starting point for running a statewide criminal history check that includes Fulton County conviction data.

Log into CHIRP to run a name-based conviction search covering Fulton County and all other Illinois counties.

Fingerprint checks cost more. A state-only fingerprint search runs $15 for electronic results. A combined state and FBI check costs $27 electronic or $32 for paper. You get fingerprinted at a Live Scan vendor and the prints go to the ISP for processing. Several vendors operate in the Peoria area, which is the closest metro to Fulton County.

Criminal Records Laws for Fulton County

The Criminal Identification Act at 20 ILCS 2630 is the main Illinois law governing how criminal records are kept and shared. It applies to Fulton County just like it does everywhere else in the state. The act covers what the Illinois State Police must maintain, how individuals can challenge errors in their records, and the rules for sealing and expunging criminal history data.

Sealing hides a record from public view but keeps it available to law enforcement. Expungement destroys the record entirely. Which option you qualify for depends on the case outcome and the offense type. Arrests that did not lead to conviction are often eligible for expungement. Certain supervision and probation outcomes can be sealed after waiting periods of two and five years respectively. The court fee for filing a petition is $60 in Fulton County. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has a thorough guide on who qualifies and what forms to file.

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act under 5 ILCS 140 gives the public the right to request government-held records. That includes police reports, arrest logs, and incident reports held by Fulton County law enforcement agencies. Agencies have five business days to respond to a FOIA request. Put it in writing and send it to the department that has the records you need.

Get Copies of Fulton County Criminal Records

You can get copies of criminal records from the Fulton County Circuit Clerk in person or by mail. In-person visits to the courthouse in Lewistown are the fastest option. The staff can pull files and make copies while you wait. Bring any case numbers or names you have to speed things up.

For mail requests, write to the Fulton County Circuit Clerk at the courthouse in Lewistown, IL. Include the full name of the person, the date range you want searched, and a money order or cashier's check for the fees. Personal checks may not be accepted. The clerk handles the request and mails back what they find. Call ahead to confirm current fee amounts. Rates can change and getting the right payment on the first attempt saves time and back and forth.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Fulton County. Each has its own circuit clerk and court system. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the offense happened, so check neighboring counties if needed.