Perry County Felony Records Search

Perry County felony records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Pinckneyville, Illinois. This southern Illinois county has a population near 21,000 and belongs to the 20th Judicial Circuit. The clerk's office handles every felony filing, docket entry, bond document, and court order that comes through the Perry County courthouse. If you need to look up a criminal case here, this page explains your options for online and in-person searches, covers the fees you can expect, and outlines how Illinois statutes govern public access to these records.

Perry County Circuit Clerk Office

Tricia Kelly Chandler serves as the Circuit Clerk for Perry County. Her office takes care of all criminal case filings, docket records, bond paperwork, and court orders tied to felony matters. The courthouse is in Pinckneyville, and you can reach the office at 618/357-6726 to ask about a particular case or check on what forms you need.

The 20th Judicial Circuit includes Perry County and several other counties in southern Illinois. Each one runs its own clerk's office and maintains its own case files separately. If you think a felony might have been filed in a neighboring county instead of Perry County, the clerk's staff can usually help you figure out the right place to look. They deal with questions like this often.

Search Perry County Felony Records Online

Perry County uses Judici for online case lookups. This free tool lets you search by name or case number to pull up docket entries, charges, case status, and hearing dates. Select Perry County from the list, enter what you know, and the system returns results quickly.

The re:SearchIL platform is worth checking too. Tyler Technologies runs this statewide document repository for Illinois courts. Perry County documents may be available there, though coverage can be spotty for smaller counties. Neither tool provides the actual case file documents. The Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy limits full document access to in-person review at the courthouse.

The re:SearchIL document repository provides an alternative way to look up court records from Perry County and other Illinois counties.

This screenshot shows the re:SearchIL interface, where you can search for court documents from Perry County and other participating Illinois courts.

Fees for Perry County Felony Records

Fees are set by state law. Every Illinois circuit court charges the same rates. Your first page costs $2.00. Pages two through nineteen are $0.50 each. From page twenty on, it drops to $0.25 per page. Certification adds $6.00 per seal.

ISP name searches cost $16 by paper or $10 electronically. That is per name. For mail requests to the Perry County clerk, send a check or money order payable to the Perry County Circuit Clerk. Include the case number or the defendant's full name. A self-addressed stamped envelope speeds up the return of documents.

Walk-in requests at the counter are fine too. Staff can find a file and make copies while you are there, though it may take a bit if the office is busy.

Illinois Law and Perry County Felony Cases

Every felony arrest in Perry County gets reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification in Joliet. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires this from all law enforcement agencies statewide. Fingerprints and arrest data feed into a central database that now holds more than five million records.

The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) sets sentencing ranges for felonies in Perry County and the rest of Illinois. Class X carries 6 to 30 years. Class 1 is 4 to 15 years. Class 2 means 3 to 7. Class 3 is 2 to 5 years. Class 4 brings 1 to 3 years. Those ranges appear on Perry County felony records alongside each charge and disposition.

You can request a statewide conviction search under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). The cost is $10 electronically or $16 on paper. You don't need consent from the person being searched. Results only show convictions.

The Illinois Courts website offers public resources that explain how courts across the state, including Perry County, handle felony cases and records access.

Sealing and Expungement in Perry County

Some Perry County felony records may be eligible for sealing or expungement. Sealing keeps the record out of public view. Police and prosecutors retain access. Expungement goes all the way and destroys the record. Eligibility depends on the felony class and the person's full criminal history. Certain Class 3 and Class 4 felonies can be sealed.

File a petition with the Perry County Circuit Court to start. There is no filing fee for the petition. If the court grants the order, the ISP charges $60 to process it. Visit the Illinois expungement and sealing page for a full walkthrough. You can email ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov with questions.

FOIA Requests in Perry County

Courts in Illinois are not covered by the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Court records fall under separate rules from the judiciary. Law enforcement agencies in Perry County are subject to FOIA, though. The Perry County Sheriff and local police can be asked for arrest reports, incident logs, and similar records through a written FOIA request.

Need to find clerk contact info for other counties? The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory lists every circuit clerk in the state, including Perry County. It is a useful bookmark.

Counties Near Perry County

Perry County sits in southern Illinois, surrounded by counties that each have their own circuit clerk handling felony case records.