Find Felony Records in Champaign

Champaign felony records are filed at the Champaign County Circuit Court in Urbana. With about 90,000 residents, Champaign is the largest city in Champaign County. The county seat is actually Urbana, right next door, so the courthouse where felony cases are heard sits just a few minutes from Champaign. The circuit clerk's office holds all case filings, docket entries, and court orders for every felony case in the county. Champaign County has an online portal for searching court records, making it one of the more accessible counties in Illinois for finding felony case information.

Champaign County Court for Felony Cases

All felony cases from Champaign are filed at the Champaign County Circuit Court at 101 E. Main St. in Urbana. The circuit clerk's office there is the official keeper of all felony case records. This includes complaints, motions, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and docket sheets. Walk-in requests during business hours are the standard way to get copies. Staff can search by case number or by name.

Champaign County belongs to the 6th Judicial Circuit along with DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties. Cases from Champaign stay within the Champaign County division. The courthouse in Urbana is just a short drive from anywhere in the city of Champaign, so visiting in person is practical for most residents.

Champaign Felony Records Online

Champaign County has an online portal for searching court records. This sets it apart from many Illinois counties where you can only access felony records in person. The portal lets you search by defendant name, case number, or other identifiers. You can find docket entries, hearing dates, charges, and case outcomes for Champaign felony records right from home.

The Champaign County Circuit Clerk's online system gives public access to felony case data for Champaign and the rest of the county.

Judici is another option. It covers Champaign County along with over 80 other Illinois counties. The system holds more than 100 million court records. Search by picking Champaign County from the drop-down and entering a name or case number. The "CF" prefix in case numbers stands for criminal felony. Always use the four-digit year format.

The re:SearchIL statewide portal may also hold Champaign County court documents. Full case files can be restricted under the Electronic Access Policy, but docket summaries usually show up.

The record search request form from Champaign County lets you submit formal requests for felony record copies.

Champaign Felony Record Fees

Champaign County charges the standard Illinois rates for court record copies. The first page is $2.00. Pages two through twenty cost $0.50 each. Pages after twenty are $0.25 each. A certification seal is $6.00. If you need the clerk to run a name search without a case number, that costs $6.00 per year searched.

You can request copies in person at 101 E. Main St. in Urbana or by mail. For mail requests, send a check or money order to the Champaign County Circuit Clerk. Include the case number or defendant name and specify what documents you need. The online portal is free for viewing basic case data, but certified copies always need a formal request.

Champaign Police and FOIA Requests

The Champaign Police Department keeps arrest reports and incident records that are separate from court records. Courts are exempt from FOIA in Illinois. Police departments are not. You can file a FOIA request with the Champaign Police for arrest records and incident documents connected to felony cases in the city.

The Illinois FOIA statute (5 ILCS 140) requires police agencies to respond within five business days. There may be a small copy fee. Pulling both the court file from the Champaign County clerk and the arrest report from the police gives you the most complete set of documents for any Champaign felony case. The court file shows the legal proceedings. The police record shows what led to the arrest.

Note: The University of Illinois Police Department also operates within Champaign and handles felony arrests on campus, so check with them too if the incident happened at the university.

Felony Record Laws in Champaign

Under the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630), the Champaign Police Department must send fingerprint and arrest data for every felony arrest to the ISP Bureau of Identification. This means Champaign felony records show up in both the county court system and the statewide ISP database. The BOI in Joliet holds more than five million fingerprint files from across Illinois.

The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) allows anyone to request a name-based conviction search. It costs $16 by paper or $10 electronically. Only convictions are returned. No consent is needed. Illinois classifies felonies into five levels under the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5). Class X is 6 to 30 years. Class 1 carries 4 to 15. Class 2 is 3 to 7. Class 3 runs 2 to 5. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years.

Expunging Champaign Felony Records

Certain Champaign felony records can be sealed or expunged. Expungement removes the record entirely. Sealing hides it from most public searches but leaves it visible to law enforcement. Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act spells out the rules. Not all convictions qualify. Class 3 and Class 4 felonies may be eligible for sealing in some situations. You file the petition with the Champaign County Circuit Court at 101 E. Main St. in Urbana.

The State Appellate Defender's guide covers the full process for free. The ISP charges $60 to process the court order. Filing the petition costs nothing. Illinois Legal Aid Online has step-by-step resources for getting copies of criminal records and navigating the sealing process in Champaign County.

State Resources for Champaign Felony Records

The ISP Bureau of Identification holds statewide criminal history data at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet. Appointments are required. Call 815-740-5160. For a free check of your own record, do an Access and Review at a licensed Live Scan vendor. The Illinois Courts Clerks Directory lists contact info for every circuit clerk office in the state.

The ISP fee schedule shows costs for name-based and fingerprint-based felony record searches that cover Champaign and the rest of Illinois.

Felony Records Near Champaign

These nearby cities also have felony records pages with local court and access details.

Champaign County Felony Records

For the full breakdown of Champaign County court resources and felony record access, visit the county page.