Hancock County Felony Records

Felony records in Hancock County are filed with the Circuit Clerk's office in Carthage, Illinois. The county is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit and has about 17,000 residents. Finding felony case information here can be done online or in person. The clerk's office keeps all criminal case filings, docket sheets, sentencing records, and related court documents. Whether you need a case number, want to check on a hearing date, or are looking for a specific conviction, this page walks through the tools and steps for searching Hancock County felony records.

Hancock County Circuit Clerk Details

Keara Webber is the Circuit Clerk for Hancock County. Her office handles all felony case filings, bonds, court orders, and sentencing documents. The courthouse is in Carthage. You can reach the clerk at 217/357-2616 to ask about a specific case or to find out what you need to bring for a records request. Walk-in visits are welcome during normal business hours.

The 9th Judicial Circuit also covers Adams, McDonough, Warren, Henderson, Fulton, and Schuyler counties. If a felony was charged in a different county within that circuit, you would need to contact that county's clerk instead. Each county keeps its own case files even though they share the same judicial circuit.

Note: Bring a case number or full name of the defendant when you visit to speed up your search.

Felony Records Search in Hancock County

Hancock County participates in the Judici online case search system. Over 100 million court records from Illinois are available through this tool. Select Hancock County from the court list and enter a name or case number. The system pulls up docket entries, charge details, and case status. It is free for single-case lookups. The search runs fast and gives you a good starting point before contacting the clerk for full copies.

One thing to watch is case number format. Judici needs the full four-digit year. A case like 24CF0050 should be typed as 2024CF0050. This is a common trip-up. The "CF" in the number stands for criminal felony.

If you want to cast a wider net, re:SearchIL is the statewide document repository. It may hold additional documents from Hancock County cases. Both tools are free to use.

Hancock County Felony Record Fees

Copy fees are set by state law. The first page is $2.00. Pages two through nineteen cost $0.50 each. Pages twenty and beyond are $0.25 each. Certified copies carry an extra $6.00 per certification seal. These are the standard rates at every Illinois circuit clerk office.

You can request copies by mail. Make your check or money order out to the Hancock County Circuit Clerk. Put the case number or defendant name in your letter so the staff knows what to look for. Postage costs may apply if the clerk mails copies back to you. For urgent needs, going in person to Carthage is the fastest option.

How Illinois Law Affects Hancock County Records

All felony arrests in Hancock County get reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires every law enforcement agency in the state to send fingerprints and arrest information to the ISP for all felony arrests. This creates a central statewide database. The BOI in Joliet maintains over five million fingerprint files.

Public access to conviction records is also governed by the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). This law lets anyone request a name-based conviction search through the ISP. You do not need the person's consent. The cost is $10 for an electronic submission or $16 for paper. Only convictions appear in the results. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal stay out of the report.

The ISP fee schedule page gives a complete list of costs for criminal history searches, fingerprint submissions, and expungement processing.

This official fee schedule shows what the ISP charges for various types of criminal history requests, including name-based searches for Hancock County felony records.

Sealing Hancock County Felony Records

Certain felony convictions in Hancock County can be sealed under Illinois law. Sealing hides the record from most public searches. Law enforcement still sees sealed records. Expungement goes further and removes the record entirely. Not every felony qualifies. Class 3 and Class 4 felonies may be eligible for sealing depending on the facts of the case and the person's criminal history.

You file a petition with the Hancock County Circuit Court. There is no fee to file the petition itself. The ISP charges $60 to process the court order once a judge grants it. The Illinois expungement and sealing information page has step-by-step guidance on how to start. You can also email ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov with questions.

FOIA and Hancock County Felony Cases

Illinois courts do not fall under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Court records are governed by separate court rules. But law enforcement agencies in Hancock County are covered by FOIA. You can send a FOIA request to the sheriff's office or local police for arrest reports, incident reports, and other records connected to a felony case. The ISP also accepts FOIA requests by mail or email at ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov.

The Illinois Courts clerk directory lists contact information for every circuit clerk in the state. It is a useful backup if you need to verify the clerk's phone number or address for Hancock County or any neighboring county.

This statewide directory lets you look up clerk contact details for all 102 Illinois counties, including Hancock County.

Counties Near Hancock County

Hancock County borders several other Illinois counties. Felony cases filed in those counties are handled by their own circuit clerks.