Start with the DuPage Circuit Court case search — then move to the Clerk, Sheriff or Illinois State Police when needed
DuPage County criminal records are not kept in one database. Criminal prosecutions are filed in the Circuit Court of the 18th Judicial Circuit, the Circuit Court Clerk maintains the case file and docket, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office maintains county-jail booking and sheriff incident records, and the Illinois State Police maintains the state’s central criminal-history repository. The correct source depends on whether you need a court case, certified disposition, booking record, incident report or statewide conviction-history search.
First decide which DuPage criminal record you are looking for
Criminal court case
Charges filed in court, docket entries, hearings, judgments, sentences and qualifying public court documents.
Jail or booking record
Current county-jail custody, booking files and Sheriff’s Office incident records.
State criminal history
Statewide conviction information maintained by the Bureau of Identification.
Arrest / incident report
A city police department or Sheriff’s Office may hold the incident record that led to the prosecution.
Criminal appeal
DuPage appeals currently route through the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District.
Federal case
Federal criminal prosecutions are separate from the DuPage Circuit Court and are searched through PACER.
Search DuPage County criminal court cases online
The official 18th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk Public Information Application is the normal public starting point for DuPage County court-case lookup.
The Clerk states that the service can be used to:
- search for a court case
- check case status
- find the next court date
- review docket entries
- search by case number
- search by defendant/case name
- search qualifying ticket or complaint numbers
- register for certain traffic-case updates
How to search a DuPage criminal case step by step
Open the Clerk’s Public Information Application
Choose the option to search for a case rather than the payment-only options.
Use the strongest identifier available
A known case number is the most direct route. If you only know the defendant, use the supported name and date-of-birth fields.
Verify that you selected the correct person
Compare available case type, DOB, court date, charges and other identifiers. Do not assume every matching name belongs to the same person.
Open the case and read the docket
Review case status, future court date and chronological docket activity rather than stopping at the initial charge.
Identify the final disposition
Look for dismissal, acquittal, guilty finding, supervision, conviction, sentence or another final disposition.
Order the actual document if needed
A docket entry is not the same as a certified judgment, sentencing order or Statement of Charge and Disposition.
How to read a DuPage criminal docket correctly
| Docket item | What it generally means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | The criminal offense alleged in court. | A charge is not automatically a conviction. |
| Case status | Whether the court matter is active, closed or otherwise classified. | Read later docket entries for the actual resolution. |
| Next court date | The next scheduled appearance. | Dates can change; recheck before attending court. |
| Plea | The defendant’s formal response to a charge. | Check whether sentencing or another disposition followed. |
| Supervision | A disposition used in certain Illinois cases. | It should not automatically be described as a criminal conviction. |
| Dismissed / Nolle prosequi | The prosecution or charge did not result in conviction in that form. | Check whether other counts remained. |
| Judgment / sentence | The final adjudication and sentence entered by the court. | Check later appellate or post-judgment activity. |
DuPage felony and misdemeanor cases are both within the 18th Judicial Circuit
Unlike jurisdictions where felony and misdemeanor files belong to separate county court systems, DuPage criminal matters are administered through the Circuit Court, with separate criminal divisions and assignments.
Felony prosecutions
Felony criminal cases are assigned within the Circuit Court’s Felony Division. The court’s local rules use the CF case classification for felony matters.
Misdemeanor and traffic cases
The Circuit Court also maintains misdemeanor and qualifying traffic cases. Local court rules reference classifications including CM, MT, TR and OV.
For criminal and traffic Clerk questions, the current department phone number is: 630-407-8600.
Do not confuse the public case search with DuPage CRIS
DuPage also operates the Clerk Restricted Information System (CRIS). It is not the ordinary anonymous public case-search page.
CRIS is designed for authorized users such as:
- attorneys
- law firms
- law-enforcement agencies
- qualifying self-represented litigants
Self-represented users requesting CRIS access must identify the case or cases for which they seek authorized access, and the Clerk reviews the request.
In-person DuPage court-record viewing is free
The Circuit Court Clerk states that court records are open for public inspection during business hours unless they are sealed, impounded or otherwise restricted by statute or court order.
Public computerized information terminals are available at:
Office of the DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk
505 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except court holidays
Criminal/Traffic: 630-407-8600
How to order DuPage criminal court documents
Once you identify the correct case, the Circuit Court Clerk provides document-copy services online, by mail and in person.
DuPage currently uses i2File for online public document-copy requests. The Clerk notes that i2File is a third-party vendor approved for e-filing by the Illinois Supreme Court.
Find the case first
Use the public case search and save the DuPage case number.
Identify the exact document
Decide whether you need a complaint, order, judgment, disposition, sentencing record or another filed document.
Choose plain or certified copy
Certification is normally necessary only when the receiving agency or legal purpose requires an official certified copy.
Submit the request
Register with i2File for an online copy request, or order through the Clerk in person or by mail.
Current DuPage court-document copy fees
| Service | Current published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First page of document | $2.00 | Applies to copy requests. |
| Pages 2–20 | $0.50 per page | Same basic copy fee whether ordered online, in person or by mail. |
| Pages 21+ | $0.25 per page | Applies after the twentieth page. |
| Document certification | $6.00 per document | Added when a certified record is required. |
Need proof of the outcome? Ask about a Statement of Charge and Disposition
For many purposes, the most useful document is not the entire case file but a concise record showing the criminal charge and how it was resolved.
DuPage’s Clerk fee schedule includes a specific Statement of Charge and Disposition service for criminal and traffic cases.
Confirming a specific outcome
A disposition statement may be more practical than ordering dozens of docket pages when you simply need official evidence of what happened in the case.
Certified or uncertified?
Tell the Clerk what the receiving agency requires before selecting certification.
Court transcript and court-record copy are different things
A Clerk document copy reproduces a filed court record. A transcript is a written record of what was said during a proceeding where a court reporter created a record.
DuPage’s Official Court Reporters Office currently accepts transcript requests using a specific request form. Published rates include different pricing based on delivery speed.
| Transcript service | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Regular delivery, up to approximately 3 weeks | $4.00 per page |
| Expedited, up to approximately 7 days | $4.75 per page |
| Daily copy, approximately 24 hours | $5.50 per page |
DuPage County jail and inmate records
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office provides an official Inmate Search link for county-jail custody information.
This is different from the Circuit Court record. A person can be booked into the jail before a criminal court case has progressed far enough for detailed docket information to appear online.
Current custody
Use the Sheriff’s inmate-search resources for jail status and booking-related information.
Criminal prosecution
Use the Clerk’s case search to follow filed charges, hearings and disposition after the court case is opened.
DuPage Sheriff’s incident and booking records
The Sheriff’s Records Division maintains:
- incident reports created by Sheriff’s deputies
- traffic crash reports
- DuPage County Jail booking files
- records responsive to qualifying FOIA requests
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
501 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone: 630-682-7256
Public access hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Current report-copy charges
| Sheriff record | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Accident report for involved party | No fee |
| Redacted accident report for third party | $5.00 |
| Incident report under 50 pages | No fee |
| Incident report over 50 pages | $0.15 per page |
Official source: DuPage County Sheriff’s Office — Records Division .
How to approach warrant information in DuPage County
A warrant can appear in the context of a criminal court case, but warrant information can also be maintained by law-enforcement agencies.
The DuPage Sheriff’s Office publishes a Most Wanted page, but that page is not a complete database of every warrant in DuPage County.
Court case information can help identify the underlying criminal case and any docket activity associated with the warrant.
Illinois State Police statewide criminal-history information
DuPage court records cover DuPage cases. If your purpose is a broader Illinois conviction-history search, the statewide repository is the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification.
Under the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act, conviction information collected and maintained by ISP is available to the public.
Case-level record
Best for the actual DuPage prosecution, docket, judgment, sentence and Clerk-certified records.
Statewide conviction history
Best for an Illinois conviction-history inquiry covering records in the state’s central repository.
Current UCIA fees
| UCIA request | Manual / paper | Electronic / Live Scan |
|---|---|---|
| Name-based conviction inquiry | $16 | $10 |
| Fingerprint-card conviction inquiry | $20 | $15 |
Official source: Illinois State Police — Criminal History .
How to review your own complete Illinois criminal history
Illinois State Police provides a separate Access and Review process for people who want to inspect and challenge their own Illinois criminal-history transcript.
Use a law-enforcement agency, correctional facility or licensed fingerprint vendor
The agency or vendor takes your fingerprints and identifying information.
The fingerprints are sent to Illinois State Police
Fingerprints allow ISP to match you to the repository record more reliably than a name-based search.
Receive the transcript or “no criminal history” response
ISP mails the response to the address designated through the Access and Review process.
Use the Record Challenge form if something is wrong
ISP includes a process for challenging inaccurate or incomplete information.
Official guidance: Illinois State Police — What’s on My Record? .
DuPage County criminal appeals currently go to Illinois Appellate Court, Third District
DuPage County is within Illinois’ 18th Judicial Circuit, and current Illinois Courts district information places the 18th Circuit within the Third District Appellate Court.
Illinois Appellate Court — Third District
Appellate Court Building
1004 Columbus Street
Ottawa, IL 61350
Phone: 815-434-5050
The Illinois Courts website publishes:
- Third District opinions
- Rule 23 orders
- oral-argument calendars
- oral-argument audio
- selected high-profile case information
Expungement and sealing of DuPage criminal records
Illinois uses both expungement and sealing, and the two remedies have different legal effects.
Qualifying records can be removed
Expungement is generally available only for qualifying arrests and cases that meet Illinois statutory requirements. Most ordinary convictions cannot simply be expunged unless a specific exception applies.
Public access is restricted
Illinois allows many qualifying conviction records to be sealed from ordinary public access, although specified government and authorized entities can retain access.
The Illinois Supreme Court’s statewide expungement and sealing forms must be accepted by Illinois circuit courts, including DuPage.
The current statewide form suite includes:
- instructions for clearing an adult criminal record
- Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records
- case-list attachments
- additional-arrest / additional-case forms
- proposed court orders
- separate juvenile-expungement forms
Sealed, expunged, impounded and juvenile cases are not ordinary public records
The DuPage Clerk states that ordinary public records are open for viewing, but cases or documents that are sealed, impounded or otherwise restricted are not available through normal public access.
DuPage’s restricted-access system also specifically excludes:
- inactive records where access is unavailable under system rules
- impounded cases
- sealed cases
- expunged cases
- cases where a juvenile is the first named defendant
Federal criminal cases involving DuPage County are separate
DuPage Circuit Court records do not include federal prosecutions. Federal criminal matters arising in DuPage County are generally within the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Use PACER for federal criminal case dockets and public federal court documents.
DuPage County Courthouse and Circuit Court Clerk contact
Office of the Circuit Court Clerk
505 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187-0707
Criminal / Traffic: 630-407-8600
Main / Civil: 630-407-8700
Appeals: 630-407-8612
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except court holidays
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
501 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Records / public contact: 630-682-7256
The Sheriff’s Records Division handles Sheriff’s incident reports, booking files and FOIA record requests.
Map: DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton
The Circuit Court Clerk, public record terminals and the DuPage County Courthouse are located within the County Farm Road government complex in Wheaton.
DuPage criminal-record search tips that save time
Use the public application first
CRIS is a restricted system. Ordinary public research should start with the Clerk’s Public Information Application.
Save the case number
It is the fastest identifier for later copy, transcript and appeal requests.
Use DOB when possible
A full name plus date of birth helps separate people with common names.
Read beyond the first charge
Dismissal, supervision, plea or conviction can appear later in the docket.
Inspect before copying
Public courthouse terminals can help identify the exact document before you pay copy fees.
Need only the result?
Ask whether a Statement of Charge and Disposition is sufficient instead of ordering the whole file.
Recent arrest? Check Sheriff custody
A jail record can appear before a court case has developed a detailed online docket.
ISP search is statewide
Use ISP conviction information when you need Illinois-wide coverage rather than only DuPage County.
Appeal? Use Third District
Current Illinois Courts information places DuPage’s 18th Circuit within the Third Appellate District.
Using DuPage criminal records for employment, housing or other screening
A DuPage public court-case search is not automatically the same thing as a legally compliant consumer background report used for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or another regulated purpose.
Illinois and federal law can impose additional requirements depending on how criminal-history information is obtained and what decision is being made.
DuPage County criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. How do I search DuPage County criminal court records online?
Use the 18th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk Public Information Application. It allows the public to search cases and review case status, next court date and docket entries.
2. Can I search a DuPage criminal case by name?
Yes. The public application supports case-name searches using fields including last name, first name, middle name and date of birth.
3. Is DuPage court-record viewing free?
Public inspection of qualifying records at the Circuit Court Clerk’s public information terminals is free. Copying and certification fees apply when you order documents.
4. How much does a DuPage court-record copy cost?
The Clerk currently charges $2 for the first page, 50 cents per page for pages 2 through 20, and 25 cents per page thereafter. Certification currently costs $6 per document.
5. What is DuPage CRIS?
CRIS is the Clerk Restricted Information System used by authorized attorneys, agencies and qualifying self-represented litigants. It is different from the normal public case-search application.
6. Where do I search current DuPage County Jail inmates?
Use the official DuPage County Sheriff’s Office website and its Inmate Search link. Jail custody information is separate from the Circuit Court criminal docket.
7. Can I request a DuPage Sheriff’s incident report?
Yes. The Sheriff’s Records Division maintains incident reports generated by Sheriff’s deputies and DuPage County Jail booking files. Fees depend on the type and size of the record.
8. Is a DuPage case search the same as an Illinois statewide criminal-history search?
No. DuPage’s Circuit Court Clerk shows DuPage court cases. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains statewide Illinois criminal-history information.
9. Can a DuPage criminal record be expunged or sealed?
Some Illinois criminal records qualify for expungement or sealing under state law. Eligibility depends on the disposition, offense, sentence and other criminal-history factors. Illinois Courts provides statewide forms that DuPage must accept.
10. Where do DuPage criminal appeals go?
Current Illinois Courts district information places the DuPage County 18th Judicial Circuit within the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District.
Official sources used for this DuPage County guide
- DuPage County Clerk of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court
- DuPage Circuit Court Clerk — Public Information Application
- DuPage Circuit Court Clerk — Court Records
- DuPage Circuit Court Clerk — Order Court Documents
- DuPage Circuit Court Clerk — Contact Information
- DuPage Clerk Restricted Information System
- DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
- DuPage County Sheriff’s Office — Records Division
- Illinois State Police — Criminal History
- Illinois State Police — Access and Review
- Illinois State Police — Criminal History Fee Schedule
- Illinois Courts — Expungement and Sealing Forms
- Illinois Appellate Court — Third District
- PACER — Federal Court Case Search