Union County Felony Records

Felony records in Union County, Illinois are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's office in Jonesboro. Part of the 1st Judicial Circuit, Union County has around 16,000 residents. The clerk's office keeps all criminal case filings, docket sheets, sentencing records, and court orders for felony matters. You can search for Union County felony records online through the Judici case search tool or go to the courthouse in person to review files. This page covers where to search, fees, and the legal rules that control access to these records in Illinois.

Union County Circuit Clerk Details

Keri Clark is the Circuit Clerk for Union County. Her office in Jonesboro processes all felony filings and keeps track of case dockets, bonds, court orders, and sentencing data. Call 618/833-5913 if you want to check on a case before heading to the courthouse. The staff can tell you if a case file is available for review and what you need to bring.

The 1st Judicial Circuit covers a big stretch of southern Illinois. Besides Union County, it includes Jackson, Williamson, Johnson, Saline, Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, and Hardin counties. Every county in the circuit maintains its own felony case files through a separate clerk's office.

Searching Union County Felony Records

Judici is the main online tool for looking up Union County felony records. This free system covers more than 82 Illinois counties. You pick Union County from the court list, type in a name or case number, and the results show docket entries and case status. Judici holds over 100 million records from across the state.

Full case documents are not available online. The Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy blocks remote access to actual court files. What you see on Judici are docket summaries. For the full case file, you need to visit the clerk's office in Jonesboro or send a written request. The re:SearchIL statewide repository may also have some Union County documents, but the same limits apply.

Union County Felony Record Fees

Standard copy fees apply. The first page is $2.00. Pages two through nineteen cost $0.50 each. After that, pages are $0.25 each. Want a certified copy? That adds $6.00 per seal. These fees are the same at every circuit clerk office in Illinois.

You can mail in your request with a check or money order made out to the Union County Circuit Clerk. Include the case number or defendant's name so staff can find the right file. Postage costs will apply if you want copies sent back. Walk-in requests at the courthouse are usually handled the same day during business hours.

Note: For older cases that may be in archives, ask the clerk about any extra time needed to pull the file.

Felony Classifications in Union County Cases

Illinois uses five felony classes. The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) defines them all. Class X is the worst, bringing 6 to 30 years and no chance of probation. Class 1 runs 4 to 15 years. Class 2 is 3 to 7. Class 3 is 2 to 5 years. Class 4 is 1 to 3 years. These ranges matter when you read Union County felony records because the class tells you how serious the charges were and what sentence range the court could impose.

On Judici, felony cases use "CF" in the case number. The docket typically lists each charge and its class so you can see exactly what the defendant faced.

State-Level Resources for Union County

Every felony arrest in Union County gets reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires this. Law enforcement agencies send fingerprints and arrest details to the ISP, which stores more than five million fingerprint files at its facility in Joliet.

The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) allows anyone to run a name-based conviction search through the ISP. Electronic searches cost $10 and paper ones cost $16. You do not need consent from the person being searched. The results show convictions only. Dismissed charges and acquittals are left out.

If you want to review your own record, the ISP offers an Access and Review process. You go to a Live Scan vendor, get fingerprinted, and the results are mailed to you. There is no charge. Find a vendor near you using the Live Scan vendor locator.

This ISP page explains how to view and challenge your own criminal history record, which may include felony data from Union County.

Expungement of Union County Felony Records

Some felony records in Union County may be eligible for sealing or expungement. The rules fall under Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act. Sealing hides the record from public view but lets law enforcement still access it. Expungement removes it entirely. Not every felony qualifies. Certain Class 3 and Class 4 felonies can be sealed under the right conditions.

Start by filing a petition with the Union County Circuit Court. No filing fee is charged for the petition. The ISP charges $60 once a judge signs the order. For a full walkthrough, visit the Illinois expungement and sealing information page.

FOIA Requests in Union County

Courts in Illinois are not covered by FOIA (5 ILCS 140). You cannot use a FOIA request to get court files. However, the Union County Sheriff's office and local police departments do fall under FOIA. Send a written request for arrest reports, incident logs, or other law enforcement documents connected to a felony case. The ISP takes FOIA requests too, either by email at ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov or by mail to their Springfield office.

The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory can help you confirm contact details for Union County or any other county clerk in the state.

Counties Near Union County

Union County is in southern Illinois near several other counties in the 1st Judicial Circuit. Each has its own circuit clerk for felony records.