Randolph County Felony Records

Randolph County felony records are maintained at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Chester, Illinois. The 20th Judicial Circuit covers all felony cases filed in Randolph County. You can search these records online through Judici or request them in person at the courthouse. Whether you are looking for a specific case number or want to check a name, the clerk's office and online tools make it possible to find felony records tied to Randolph County. This page covers how to search, what fees to expect, and where to go for help with felony record requests.

Randolph County Circuit Court Clerk

Julie A. Carnahan is the Circuit Clerk for Randolph County. The office sits in Room 302 at the courthouse on Taylor Street in Chester. All felony case filings, motions, court orders, and docket sheets for Randolph County pass through this office. The clerk keeps both active and archived case files. You can visit during normal business hours to search for felony records or request copies. Staff can look up records by name or case number if you ask at the counter.

The full directory of Illinois Circuit Court Clerks is available on the Illinois Courts website. It lists every county clerk with addresses and phone numbers.

Search Randolph County Felony Records Online

Randolph County participates in the Judici online case search system. This is the easiest way to look up felony records from home. Judici is free for single-case searches. You can search by the defendant's name or by a case number. The site shows case type, filing dates, charges, and docket entries. It covers both open and closed felony cases going back years.

Make sure to use the four-digit year when entering a case number on Judici. For instance, type 2023CF0100 rather than 23CF0100. The CF code means criminal felony. This is how the system identifies the case type. Randolph County is one of more than 80 counties in Illinois on the Judici platform.

The re:SearchIL statewide document repository may also hold some Randolph County court documents. Keep in mind that the Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy still limits remote access to full case documents. You may only see docket summaries online. Getting the actual documents usually means going to the clerk's office in Chester.

This page on Judici confirms which Illinois courts participate, including Randolph County's Circuit Court.

Fees for Randolph County Felony Records

Copy fees follow the statewide schedule. The first page is $2.00. Pages 2 through 19 cost $0.50 each. After that, each page is $0.25. Certification adds $6.00 per seal. If you need the clerk to run a search because you lack a case number, that is $6.00 per search.

You can pay in person with cash, check, or money order at the Randolph County courthouse. For mail requests, send a check or money order payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Include the case number or the defendant's full name and date of birth. The clerk will let you know the total cost before sending copies.

Randolph County Felony Record Laws

The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) governs how felony records are collected and shared in Illinois. It requires all police agencies to report felony arrest data and fingerprints to the Illinois State Police. Randolph County law enforcement follows this rule. The act also sets out the process for expungement and sealing of criminal records.

The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) defines felony classes in Illinois. Class X felonies are the most serious with 6 to 30 years in prison. Class 4 is the least severe at 1 to 3 years. Each felony record in Randolph County will list the specific class of the charge. Understanding the class helps you know what level of offense the case involved.

Randolph County court records are public unless a judge orders them sealed or expunged. Courts are not subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, but the records they hold are still open to the public through the clerk's office.

State Criminal History Searches

The ISP Bureau of Identification keeps statewide criminal history records. A name-based inquiry costs $16 on paper or $10 electronically under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). This search pulls up conviction data across Illinois, including Randolph County felony convictions. You do not need the person's consent for a name search.

For your own record, the ISP offers a free Access and Review. Get fingerprinted at a Live Scan vendor and wait for your results by mail. If you find errors, the Access and Review packet includes a Record Challenge form you can send back to the BOI in Joliet.

The ISP fee schedule breaks down every cost for state-level felony record searches in Illinois.

Expungement in Randolph County

If you want to clear a felony record in Randolph County, you may be able to petition for expungement or sealing. The petition is filed at the Randolph County Circuit Court. There is no fee to file. Once a judge signs the order, the ISP charges $60 to process the expungement or sealing. Not every felony qualifies, so check the rules at the State Appellate Defender's expungement page before filing.

Note: Expungement removes the record entirely, while sealing hides it from public view but keeps it accessible to law enforcement.

Nearby Counties

Randolph County sits in southern Illinois near these counties. If the felony was filed in a different county, contact that county's clerk instead.

Cities in Randolph County

Chester is the county seat and main city in Randolph County. Other communities include Sparta, Red Bud (partly), and Steeleville. All felony cases from these areas go through the Randolph County Circuit Court. None of the cities in Randolph County have a population over 50,000.