Macon County Felony Records
Macon County felony records are held at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Decatur, Illinois. The county is part of the 6th Judicial Circuit and has a population around 105,000. Decatur serves as the county seat, and the clerk's office at 253 East Wood Street is where all felony case filings are stored. Searching for a felony record in Macon County can be done through the Judici online portal at no cost, or you can visit the courthouse in person during regular business hours. The clerk's staff handles walk-in requests and mail requests for felony record copies throughout the week.
Macon County Quick Facts
Search Macon County Felony Records Online
The best way to search Macon County felony records online is through Judici. Macon County participates in this system. Over 82 Illinois counties are on Judici, and it holds more than 100 million records from the history of Illinois courts. Single-case lookups are free. You can search by the defendant's name or by case number. Results show docket entries, case status, and upcoming hearing dates.
Use the full four-digit year when searching by case number. Enter 2024CF0789, not 24CF0789. The "CF" prefix marks criminal felony cases in Macon County.
The re:SearchIL portal is also worth checking. Run by Tyler Technologies for Illinois courts, it serves as the statewide document repository. Coverage varies by county, but some Macon County court documents may be available there.
Keep in mind that the Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy limits what you can see online. Docket summaries are generally available. Actual case documents for felony records typically require an in-person visit to the Macon County courthouse in Decatur.
Macon County Circuit Clerk Details
| Clerk | Sherry Doty |
|---|---|
| Address | 253 E. Wood St, Decatur, IL 62523 |
| Phone | 217/424-1454 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Circuit | 6th Judicial Circuit |
Sherry Doty is the Circuit Clerk for Macon County. Her office is the official keeper of all court records including felony cases. The office sits at 253 East Wood Street in Decatur. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours. You can ask the staff to look up a case by name or by number. They can print copies right there.
For mail requests, send a letter to the clerk with the person's full name, date of birth if known, and any case numbers you have. Include payment for the search fee and estimated copy costs. Make checks payable to the Macon County Circuit Clerk.
Macon County Felony Record Fees
Macon County follows the standard Illinois schedule for court record copies:
- First page: $2.00
- Pages 2 through 20: $0.50 per page
- Pages 21 and up: $0.25 per page
- Certification: $6.00 per seal
- Name search: $6.00 per search
If you know the case number, you skip the $6 search fee. Just pay for copies. The search fee applies only when the clerk must look up records by name alone. Certified copies cost more because of the additional $6 per seal. Some agencies and other courts require certified versions, so ask what you need before ordering.
Felony Records Law in Macon County
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) is the primary Illinois law governing felony records. It requires all police agencies to submit fingerprints and arrest data for every felony arrest to the ISP Bureau of Identification. Felony arrests in Macon County get recorded both at the county level and with the state police in Joliet.
Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), anyone can submit a name-based search to get conviction records from the ISP. The cost is $10 electronically or $16 on paper. No consent from the subject is needed. Only conviction data comes back, not all arrests.
The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) defines felony classes in Illinois. Class X is the top level at 6 to 30 years. Class 1 is 4 to 15. Class 2 is 3 to 7. Class 3 is 2 to 5. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years. Seeing the felony class on a Macon County court record helps you gauge the severity of the charge.
ISP Records for Macon County Felonies
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification holds statewide criminal history records that cover Macon County. You can request a name-based conviction search or a full fingerprint-based search. The ISP's fee schedule breaks down all costs. Fingerprint-based searches need the person's consent and a visit to a Live Scan vendor. Find vendors at idfprapps.illinois.gov.
The ISP's main facility is at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet. It is by appointment only. Call 815-740-5160 for questions about Macon County felony records held at the state level.
Sealing Felony Records in Macon County
Certain felony records in Macon County can be sealed or expunged under Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630). Not every felony qualifies. Class 3 and Class 4 felonies may be eligible for sealing in some cases. You file the petition at the Macon County Circuit Court in Decatur. The filing itself is free, but the ISP charges $60 to carry out a court order for sealing or expungement.
The Office of the State Appellate Defender publishes a free guide at osad.illinois.gov. It covers who qualifies, what forms to fill out, and the steps involved in clearing a record.
Macon County Court Records Screenshot
The Judici system is the go-to tool for Macon County felony record searches online.
Choose Macon County from the list to run a free search for any felony case on file.
Cities in Macon County
Decatur is the largest city in Macon County and the county seat. Felony cases for Decatur residents are filed at the Macon County Circuit Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties neighbor Macon County and each maintain their own felony records: