Madison County Criminal Records

Madison County criminal records are held by the Circuit Clerk's office at the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville. The county sits in the 3rd Judicial Circuit and has a population of more than 263,000 people. You can search Madison County criminal records on the clerk's website by name or case number. Court case data for both felony and misdemeanor cases is on file there. The clerk also runs a satellite office in Alton for those who live in the north end of the county. This page covers how to search for and get copies of criminal records in Madison County.

Madison County Circuit Clerk Criminal Records

The Madison County Circuit Clerk is Patrick McRae. His office keeps all court files for criminal cases in the county. That means felony charges, misdemeanor charges, and traffic cases all go through this office. The main office sits inside the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville. If you need to pull records or file court forms, this is where you go. The clerk's staff can help you look up a case, get a copy of a court file, or check the status of a pending case. Walk-in access is the most direct way to get what you need from the Madison County criminal records system.

The Madison County Circuit Clerk website has details on office hours, forms, and services. You can find court dates, look up case numbers, and get contact info for specific divisions of the clerk's office from this page. The site also lists fee amounts for copies and certifications of Madison County criminal records.

The Madison County Circuit Clerk website shows the main portal for the clerk's office and its criminal records services.

From this page you can find links to court forms, search tools, and contact details for the Madison County clerk staff.

Search Madison County Criminal Records Online

Court case information can be viewed on the Madison County website. You may search for specific case information using participant name or case number. The court records search page is the starting point for any online look up. This is free to use. You type in a name or a case number and the system pulls up matching results. The search covers criminal, civil, and traffic cases in Madison County.

The search results show basic case info. You can see the case type, the filing date, and what charges are on file. It also shows the current status of the case. This is useful if you want to check on a pending criminal matter or find the outcome of a past case in Madison County. Keep in mind that some records may not show up in the online system if they have been sealed or expunged under Illinois law.

The court records search page lets you look up criminal cases in Madison County by name or number.

Results include case type, filing date, charges, and case status for criminal filings in Madison County.

Note: Some sealed or expunged records will not appear in search results.

Madison County Felony Court Docket

Madison County posts a felony court docket on the circuit clerk's website. The felony State's Attorney court docket is updated on Tuesdays and Fridays. This list shows upcoming court dates for felony criminal cases. It includes the defendant name, the case number, the assigned judge, and the date and time of the next court event.

If you are tracking a specific felony case in Madison County, checking the docket twice a week gives you the most current scheduling info. This is a public resource. Anyone can view it. The docket helps lawyers, defendants, victims, and members of the press stay informed about active felony cases moving through the Madison County court system.

Criminal Records at the Alton Satellite Office

Madison County runs a satellite office in Alton. This office serves the north part of the county. If you live closer to Alton than Edwardsville, you can handle some court business there instead of driving to the main courthouse. The Alton office can help with basic record requests and case lookups.

Not all services from the main courthouse are available at the satellite location. For more complex filings or certain certified copies of Madison County criminal records, you may still need to visit the Edwardsville courthouse. Call ahead to check what the Alton office can handle before you make the trip. The clerk's website has the address and phone number for both locations.

Illinois State Criminal Records Resources

Beyond the local Madison County courts, the Illinois State Police keeps criminal history data for the whole state. The Bureau of Identification holds fingerprint files and conviction records. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), conviction data is public. Anyone can request a name-based check through the state system. The cost is $10 for an electronic check.

The CHIRP system is the online portal for running those name-based checks. You need an Illinois ID to register. CHIRP searches conviction records kept by the state police and returns results tied to the name you submit. This can be helpful if you want criminal record data that goes beyond what the Madison County court search shows. County court records focus on cases filed in that county, while the state check pulls data from across all of Illinois.

The Criminal Identification Act under 20 ILCS 2630 sets the rules for how criminal records are stored and who can see them in Illinois. It also controls sealing and expungement. If a record has been sealed or expunged in Madison County, it will not show up in a public search at either the county or state level. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives you the right to ask any government body for public records, including criminal justice agencies. FOIA requests must get a response within five business days.

Expungement of Madison County Criminal Records

Illinois law allows some criminal records to be expunged or sealed. Expungement means the record is destroyed. Sealing means it still exists but the public cannot see it. Which one you can get depends on the case outcome and the type of offense. Arrests that did not lead to conviction are often eligible for expungement. Certain supervision and probation cases can be sealed after a waiting period.

To start the process in Madison County, you file a petition with the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court. The clerk's office can give you the forms. There is a $60 court filing fee. Once the judge grants the petition, the clerk notifies the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement to update their records. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has detailed guides on who qualifies and what steps to take. The waiting period is two years for supervision cases and five years for qualified probation under the Criminal Identification Act.

Note: Expunged or sealed criminal records will not appear in Madison County court searches or state-level checks.

Get Copies of Madison County Criminal Records

You can get copies of criminal records from the Madison County Circuit Clerk in a few ways. In person at the courthouse is the fastest. Bring the case number if you have it. The staff will pull the file and make copies for you. Fees vary based on the type of copy. Standard copies cost a per-page rate. Certified copies cost more but carry the clerk's official seal, which some agencies and courts require.

You can also request copies by mail. Send a written request to the Circuit Clerk at the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville, IL. Include the full name of the person, the case number if known, and a check or money order for the copy fees. The clerk's office will process the request and mail the copies back to you. For questions about fees or how to make a request, call the clerk's office directly or check the circuit clerk website.

Nearby Counties for Criminal Records

Madison County borders several other counties in southwestern Illinois. If the person you are looking for had a case in a neighboring county, check those courts as well. Criminal records only show up in the county where the case was filed.