Search Bureau County Felony Records

Bureau County felony records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's office in Princeton, Illinois. Sitting in north-central Illinois with a population of about 33,000, Bureau County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit. The clerk at 700 South Main Street stores all felony case filings, docket entries, bond documents, and court orders. You can search many of these records online through Judici or make a request in person at the courthouse. This guide walks through how to find Bureau County felony records, what you will pay in fees, and what Illinois statutes say about public access to criminal case files.

Bureau County Circuit Clerk Office

Dawn Reglin is the Circuit Clerk for Bureau County. Her office manages all criminal case filings, bond paperwork, docket entries, and court orders related to felony cases. The courthouse sits at 700 South Main Street in Princeton. You can call 815/872-2001 to check on a case or ask what forms you need for a records request.

The 13th Judicial Circuit covers Bureau County along with Grundy and LaSalle counties. Each county in the circuit keeps its own records. If you are not sure where a felony was filed, the clerk in Princeton can help point you to the right office. Princeton is a small city, so most walk-in requests are handled fairly quickly during business hours.

Bureau County Felony Records Online

Bureau County uses Judici for online case searches. This free tool lets you look up felony cases by defendant name or case number. It shows docket entries, hearing dates, charges, and case status. Just select Bureau County from the drop-down menu and type in your search.

You might also find some Bureau County documents on re:SearchIL, the statewide court document system managed by Tyler Technologies. It pulls from courts across Illinois. Neither Judici nor re:SearchIL provides the complete case file. Under the Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy, certain documents are only available for in-person review at the courthouse.

Tip: Always use four-digit years when typing case numbers on Judici. Enter 2024CF0025 instead of 24CF0025 for the best results.

Fees for Bureau County Felony Records

Illinois sets uniform copy fees for all circuit courts. The first page is $2.00. Pages two through nineteen cost $0.50 each. After page nineteen, each page is $0.25. Certified copies add $6.00 per seal. A name search without a case number runs $6.00 per year searched.

To request records by mail, send a check or money order to the Bureau County Circuit Clerk. Include the case number or the defendant's full name and date of birth. A self-addressed stamped envelope will get your documents back faster. In-person requests are handled at the front counter during regular hours. Staff can pull the file while you wait in most cases.

Illinois Law and Bureau County Felony Cases

Felony arrests in Bureau County are reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) makes this mandatory. Every law enforcement agency in Illinois must send fingerprints and arrest data to the ISP's central database in Joliet. That database holds more than five million records.

Sentencing for felonies follows the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5). The ranges are the same no matter which county files the case. Class X carries 6 to 30 years. Class 1 is 4 to 15. Class 2 runs 3 to 7. Class 3 is 2 to 5 years. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years. Bureau County felony records show these classifications along with the charges and disposition for each case.

You can see the ISP's fee schedule for ordering records at the state level, including costs for conviction history searches and fingerprint-based checks.

This screenshot shows the ISP fee page, which lists costs for statewide conviction searches and other record requests that may include Bureau County felony data.

Statewide Conviction Search

The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) lets anyone request a statewide conviction report from the ISP. The electronic version is $10. Paper costs $16. No consent from the subject is required. Only convictions appear in the results.

This option works well if you need records beyond Bureau County. The ISP database covers every county in Illinois. Processing times vary, but electronic submissions are generally faster. You get results by mail or through the ISP's online portal.

Sealing or Expungement of Bureau County Records

Some Bureau County felony records qualify for sealing or expungement. Sealing removes the record from public view. Law enforcement can still access it. Expungement destroys the record entirely. Eligibility depends on the felony class and the person's full criminal history. Certain Class 3 and Class 4 felonies may be sealed after a waiting period.

File a petition with the Bureau County Circuit Court. There is no filing fee. If the court grants the order, the ISP charges $60 to process it. The Illinois expungement and sealing page explains the process in detail. You can reach the ISP expungement unit at ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov.

The re:SearchIL document repository may contain some Bureau County court documents available for online viewing.

This screenshot shows the re:SearchIL search interface, a statewide tool where some Bureau County felony-related court documents can be found.

FOIA and Bureau County Records

Illinois courts are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Court records fall under judicial rules, not FOIA. However, law enforcement agencies in Bureau County, like the sheriff and Princeton police, are covered by FOIA. You can submit a written request for arrest reports and incident logs to those agencies.

The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory has contact information for every circuit clerk in the state. Use it to reach the Bureau County office or any neighboring county.

Counties Near Bureau County

Bureau County is in north-central Illinois. Several nearby counties maintain their own felony records through separate circuit clerk offices.