Access Wayne County Felony Records

Wayne County felony records are filed at the Circuit Clerk's office in Fairfield, Illinois. The county has about 16,000 people and sits in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. All felony case documents, from initial filings to final sentencing orders, are stored at the courthouse. You can search Wayne County felony records on the Judici case search system or visit the clerk in person. This page explains the different search methods, copy fees, and what Illinois law says about getting access to criminal case records in Wayne County.

Wayne County Clerk Information

Georgiana Fletcher serves as the Circuit Clerk for Wayne County. The office at 301 East Main Street in Fairfield handles all felony case filings, bond documents, court orders, and sentencing records. Staff can help you find a case by name or case number. Give them a call at 618/842-7684 to ask about a file before making the drive.

Wayne County is part of the large 2nd Judicial Circuit. Other counties in this circuit include Jefferson, Marion, Richland, White, Wabash, Edwards, Hamilton, Franklin, Washington, Gallatin, and Lawrence. Each county keeps its own records. If you are not sure where a case was filed, the Wayne County clerk's staff can sometimes help you figure that out.

Online Search for Wayne County Felony Records

Wayne County participates in Judici, the free online case search tool used by over 82 Illinois counties. Select Wayne County, type in a name or case number, and the system returns docket entries, charge details, and case status. The tool is fast and free for single-case lookups. It is a good first step before requesting full copies.

Remember to use the full four-digit year when entering case numbers. A case numbered 24CF0025 should be typed as 2024CF0025. The "CF" stands for criminal felony. Judici shows docket summaries only. The actual case documents cannot be viewed online because of the Illinois Supreme Court's Electronic Access Policy.

The re:SearchIL repository may also hold documents from Wayne County. It is the statewide system run by Tyler Technologies.

Fees for Wayne County Felony Records

All Illinois circuit clerks follow the same fee schedule. The first page of any document costs $2.00 to copy. Pages two through nineteen are $0.50 each. Pages twenty and above cost $0.25 each. Certified copies add $6.00 per certification seal.

Mail-in requests should include a check or money order payable to the Wayne County Circuit Clerk. Put the case number or full name of the defendant in your letter. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return copies. For in-person visits, pay at the counter and pick up copies the same day in most cases.

Illinois Law and Wayne County Felony Cases

Under the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630), every law enforcement agency in Wayne County must send fingerprints and arrest data to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification for all felony arrests. This feeds into a statewide criminal history database with over five million fingerprint files.

The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) sets felony sentencing ranges used in Wayne County and statewide. Class X felonies mean 6 to 30 years with no probation option. Class 1 is 4 to 15 years. Class 2 carries 3 to 7 years. Class 3 runs 2 to 5 years. Class 4 is the lightest felony class at 1 to 3 years. A Wayne County felony record will show the class for each charge along with the sentence that was handed down.

Anyone can request a conviction check through the ISP. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) lets you run a name-based search without needing the subject's consent. The cost is $10 online or $16 on paper. Only conviction data comes back.

This page from the Office of the State Appellate Defender explains how to expunge or seal criminal records in Illinois, including felony records from Wayne County.

Sealing Wayne County Felony Records

Certain Wayne County felony records can be sealed or expunged. Sealing removes the record from public view. Expungement deletes it. Not every felony qualifies. Class 3 and Class 4 convictions may be eligible for sealing depending on the case details. Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act lays out the rules.

File a petition with the Wayne County Circuit Court to get started. The petition itself has no fee. Once a judge grants the order, the ISP charges $60 to process it. Visit the expungement and sealing information page for full instructions. You can email ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov with questions about the process.

FOIA and Wayne County Records

Courts are exempt from the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Court records are public but governed by court rules, not FOIA. Law enforcement agencies in Wayne County are covered by FOIA, though. You can send a written request to the sheriff's office or local police for arrest reports, incident logs, and other documents tied to a felony case.

The Illinois Courts clerk directory is a handy resource for verifying contact details for the Wayne County clerk or any other clerk in the state.

Counties Near Wayne County

Wayne County shares borders with several other counties in the 2nd Judicial Circuit area. Each maintains its own felony records at the local clerk's office.