Jo Daviess County Felony Records

Jo Daviess County felony records are held at the Circuit Clerk's office in Galena, Illinois. With about 21,000 residents and a seat in the 15th Judicial Circuit, this county handles its felony caseload through the courthouse on North Bench Street. You can search case data online for free through Judici, visit in person, or submit a written request. The clerk maintains all felony filings, docket entries, bond records, court orders, and sentencing documents. Below you will find details on how to look up felony records here, what it costs, and how Illinois law governs access.

Jo Daviess County Circuit Clerk Office

Kathy A. Phillips is the Circuit Clerk for Jo Daviess County. Her office is responsible for all felony case filings, bond documents, docket entries, and court orders. The courthouse is at 330 North Bench Street in Galena. Call 815/777-0037 if you need to ask about a case or find out what paperwork a records request needs.

The 15th Judicial Circuit covers the far northwest corner of Illinois. It includes Jo Daviess, Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Stephenson counties. Each county in this circuit runs its own clerk's office and keeps its own case files. If a felony was charged in one of those other counties, you would contact that county's clerk.

Online Search for Jo Daviess County Felony Cases

Jo Daviess County participates in Judici. This free online tool lets you look up case data without any account or fee. Select Jo Daviess County, type a name or case number, and the results show docket entries, charges, hearing dates, and case status.

You can also check re:SearchIL, a statewide court document repository run by Tyler Technologies. Some Jo Daviess County filings may appear there. Keep in mind that neither system provides the full case file. The Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy limits some documents to in-person viewing at the courthouse.

When using Judici, type four-digit years in case numbers. Use 2024CF0015 instead of 24CF0015. The system works better with the full format.

Fees for Jo Daviess County Record Copies

The fee schedule is the same in every Illinois circuit court. Your first page costs $2.00. Pages two through nineteen are $0.50 each. Pages twenty and beyond drop to $0.25 each. A certified copy adds $6.00 per certification seal on top of copying costs.

For mail requests, send a check or money order to the Jo Daviess County Circuit Clerk. Include the case number or the defendant's full name. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want documents sent back. In-person requests are handled at the clerk's counter. Name searches through the clerk's index run $6.00 per year.

Illinois Statutes and Jo Daviess County Felonies

Every felony arrest in Jo Daviess County gets reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires this of every law enforcement agency in Illinois. Fingerprints and arrest details go into a central database in Joliet that holds millions of records.

Jo Daviess County felony sentences follow the ranges set by the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5). Class X felonies carry 6 to 30 years. Class 1 is 4 to 15 years. Class 2 brings 3 to 7 years. Class 3 is 2 to 5. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years. These classifications appear in the felony records alongside the charges and outcome.

Statewide conviction searches are available from the ISP under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). It costs $10 online or $16 by paper. No consent is needed. Only convictions show up in the results.

This Judici page shows the list of participating Illinois counties, including Jo Daviess County, where you can search felony case information for free.

Expungement and Sealing in Jo Daviess County

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

Start by filing a petition with the Jo Daviess County Circuit Court. No filing fee is charged for the petition. If the court grants the order, the ISP charges $60 to process it. The Illinois expungement and sealing page has the forms and eligibility rules. You can email ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov with questions.

The ISP fee schedule shows the costs for various criminal record services, including conviction searches and expungement processing that may involve Jo Daviess County records.

FOIA and Jo Daviess County Records

Illinois courts are not covered by the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Court records follow separate judicial rules. But the Jo Daviess County Sheriff and local police departments are subject to FOIA. You can submit a written request for arrest reports, incident logs, and similar law enforcement records.

The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory lists contact details for Jo Daviess County and every other circuit clerk in the state. It is useful if you need to contact clerks in multiple counties.

Counties Near Jo Daviess County

Jo Daviess County sits at the far northwest tip of Illinois. These neighboring counties each maintain their own felony records.