Felony Records in Johnson County

Johnson County felony records are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk in Vienna, Illinois. Located in the far southern part of the state, Johnson County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit and has about 13,000 residents. You can search for felony cases here through the Judici online system or stop by the clerk's office at the courthouse. All felony filings, docket entries, court orders, and sentencing documents are public records maintained by the clerk. Copies are available in person, by phone request, or through the mail. Below you will find the details on how to search, what it costs, and where to go.

Johnson County Felony Records Search

Judici is the best way to search for Johnson County felony records without leaving your house. Johnson County is one of more than 80 Illinois counties that participate in this case search platform. You can look up a case by the defendant's name or by case number, and there is no fee for individual searches. The system contains over 100 million records from Illinois courts going back years.

What you will find on Judici are docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. Full case documents are not available for remote viewing. The Illinois Supreme Court enacted an Electronic Access Policy in April 2004 that restricts what can be seen online to docket summaries only. To get the actual case file for a Johnson County felony, visit the clerk's office in Vienna or submit a written request by mail. You can also try the re:SearchIL statewide repository, which may have some Johnson County documents depending on the case.

Always use the four-digit year when typing a case number. Enter 2024CF1234, not 24CF1234.

Johnson County Circuit Clerk

Ryan M. O'Neal is the Circuit Clerk for Johnson County. His office at 105 N. 6th St in Vienna is where all felony records for the county are kept. Call 618/658-4751 to check on a case. Walk-ins are welcome during regular hours. Staff can look up felony cases by name or case number and make copies while you wait.

The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires all policing agencies in Johnson County to submit fingerprint data for felony arrests to the ISP Bureau of Identification. The state police then store this information in a centralized database. For court documents like dispositions, plea records, and sentencing orders, you go to the circuit clerk in Vienna. The ISP has the arrest and criminal history side. The clerk has the court file side. Depending on what you need, you might contact both.

Note: Johnson County is a small county and caseloads are lighter than in urban areas, so requests are often processed quickly.

Johnson County Felony Record Fees

Johnson County follows the same fee schedule that most Illinois counties use for court records. A name-based search runs $6.00. If you have the case number, no search fee applies. Copy costs are standard across the state. The first page is $2.00. Pages two through nineteen cost $0.50 each. After that, pages are $0.25 each. Certification adds $6.00 per document.

Pay in person with cash, check, or money order. Mail requests should include a check or money order made out to the Johnson County Circuit Clerk. Do not send cash by mail. Start with just the $6.00 search fee. The full amount is due after the clerk completes the search and you know how many pages you need copied.

Felony Case Process in Johnson County

A felony in Johnson County starts with an arrest. The case goes to the State's Attorney for charges. If the State's Attorney files, the clerk assigns a case number with a "CF" prefix and the case enters the 1st Judicial Circuit Court. From there it moves through arraignment, pretrial conferences, and ultimately a trial or plea.

Illinois classifies felonies under the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5). There are five classes. Class X carries 6 to 30 years with no probation. Class 1 is 4 to 15 years. Class 2 means 3 to 7 years. Class 3 runs 2 to 5 years. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years. Johnson County felony records show which class applies to each charge. You can read the docket on Judici to see the charge class, hearing schedule, and any sentencing details that have been entered. In a rural county like Johnson, most felony cases involve Class 3 and Class 4 charges, though higher-level offenses are filed here from time to time as well.

ISP Criminal History for Johnson County

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains statewide criminal history records. Johnson County felony arrests are in the ISP database. A name-based search under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) costs $16 by paper or $10 electronically. Only conviction records come back. You do not need the subject's consent.

Fingerprint searches cost $20 paper or $15 Live Scan and provide a more complete history. The ISP fee schedule has everything spelled out. The BOI facility at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet is restricted. You need to call 815-740-5160 for an appointment.

You can view the circuit clerk directory for contact details of all Illinois clerks, including Johnson County.

The Office of the State Appellate Defender provides free expungement guidance for anyone looking to clear a Johnson County felony record.

Expungement of Johnson County Felony Records

Some Johnson County felony records can be expunged or sealed. Expungement erases the record entirely. Sealing keeps it out of public view but still visible to law enforcement. The rules are in Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630). Not every felony qualifies for either process. Class 3 and Class 4 felonies may be eligible for sealing in certain situations.

The Office of the State Appellate Defender has a free step-by-step guide at osad.illinois.gov. File the petition with the Johnson County Circuit Court in Vienna. The ISP charges $60 to process the court order. Filing the petition costs nothing. Send questions to ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov.

Counties Near Johnson County

Johnson County sits in southern Illinois near several other counties. Felony records for these neighboring areas are handled by their own circuit clerks.