Search St. Clair County Criminal Cases, Arrest Records & Public Records
St. Clair County criminal information is split among several agencies. The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk maintains the official court record for criminal cases filed in the county; the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department maintains county jail and law-enforcement records; and the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains Illinois statewide criminal-history information. This guide shows which source to use, what each system can tell you, and what to do when an online search does not answer the whole question.
Which St. Clair County criminal record should you search?
The word “criminal record” can refer to several different records. In St. Clair County, choosing the correct agency first usually saves time.
Criminal court cases
Felony and misdemeanor prosecutions, court dates, dispositions, docket activity and official court-file records.
Jail and booking information
Current county-jail custody and qualifying records maintained by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department.
Statewide criminal history
Illinois conviction-history information and fingerprint-based criminal-history checks.
State prison / parole
Current Illinois Department of Corrections custody and qualifying parole information.
Sex offender registry
Public statewide registry search separate from an ordinary Circuit Clerk criminal case lookup.
Federal criminal cases
Federal cases arising in the area are searched through the Southern District of Illinois and PACER.
How to search St. Clair County criminal court records
The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk is responsible for maintaining the official court record for criminal and civil cases filed in the county.
The Circuit Clerk provides an online Court Record Search for public case information.
Open the official St. Clair County court search
Use the Circuit Clerk’s website instead of a third-party “criminal records” service.
Search by the strongest identifier you have
A case number is usually best. Name searches can also work, but common names require extra identity checks.
Review court dates and case history
The Circuit Clerk says the website can be used to access civil and criminal court dates. Court dates can change when matters are continued or reset, so recheck before attending.
Read the disposition, not just the charge
Determine whether each count ended in conviction, dismissal, acquittal, amendment, supervision or another outcome.
Contact the Circuit Clerk for the official file
When the online record is unclear or you need a certified document, use the clerk’s office rather than treating the web search as the official record.
St. Clair County criminal case-type codes
Illinois circuit-court case codes help explain what kind of proceeding you are seeing. St. Clair County publishes its own case-category reference.
| Code / type | General meaning | Search caution |
|---|---|---|
| CF | Criminal felony | A felony charge does not establish conviction. |
| CM | Criminal misdemeanor | Read the final disposition for each count. |
| DT | DUI case | DUI matters can include related traffic or license proceedings. |
| TR | Minor traffic | A traffic case should not automatically be described as a criminal conviction. |
| OV | Ordinance violation | Local ordinance matters can differ from state criminal prosecutions. |
| QC | Quasi-criminal | St. Clair County describes this category as petty/business-class offenses under Illinois law. |
| MX | Miscellaneous criminal | Can include search warrants, grand-jury matters, seized property, sealing/expungement petitions and other criminal-related proceedings. |
How to read a St. Clair County criminal case correctly
| Case item | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | The allegation filed against the defendant. | Do not treat the filing itself as a conviction. |
| Case status | Whether the case is active, closed or in another recorded status. | Status alone may not explain the outcome of each charge. |
| Court date | A scheduled hearing or proceeding. | Recheck because dates can be continued or reset. |
| Disposition | The outcome entered for a charge or case. | Look for conviction, dismissal, acquittal, supervision or another result. |
| Sentence / assessment | Court-ordered consequences or financial obligations. | Read in context with the disposition. |
| Case number | The official identifier for the proceeding. | Save it when ordering records or contacting the clerk. |
The online case search is not the official court record
St. Clair County’s Circuit Clerk terms make an important distinction: the online service is intended to help the public understand the general status and history of past and current cases, but the website itself is not the official court record.
The Circuit Clerk currently offers the online case-information service without a search charge.
How to get St. Clair County criminal court copies
When an online entry is not enough, the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk can provide qualifying court-file records and copy services.
You may need an official copy when you are:
- verifying that a criminal case was dismissed
- documenting a conviction disposition
- preparing an expungement or sealing request
- correcting an inaccurate background report
- responding to a licensing or legal request
- obtaining a court-certified record
The county publishes a current Circuit Clerk fee schedule and copy-fee chart. Because page counts, certification and record type can affect the total, confirm the fee before ordering.
Circuit Clerk records and fee informationSt. Clair County Circuit Clerk office
St. Clair County Courthouse
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
Main county/court contact: 618-277-6600
Public office hours
Monday-Friday
8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Criminal Cashier’s Booth:
Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The Circuit Clerk’s current elected-office page lists Kinnis Williams Sr. as Circuit Clerk and explains that the office maintains the official court record for all civil and criminal cases.
St. Clair County Courthouse map
Confirm the office, courtroom and hearing information before visiting because a court case can be reassigned or rescheduled.
St. Clair County jail and current inmate search
The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department operates the county corrections system and provides a public Inmate Search for people currently held in the county jail.
The county says the current inmate-search information is updated hourly.
St. Clair County inmate searchSt. Clair County Sheriff’s records and law-enforcement information
Arrest reports, incident records and other Sheriff’s Department records are separate from the official Circuit Clerk court file.
St. Clair County Sheriff
700 N. 5th St.
Belleville, IL 62220
Non-emergency:
618-277-3505
Jail:
618-456-7606
Ask the correct custodian
Use the Sheriff for qualifying agency-generated law-enforcement records and the Circuit Clerk for the official criminal court case.
Illinois State Police statewide criminal-history records
A St. Clair County court search tells you about cases filed in St. Clair County. If you need broader Illinois criminal-history information, the statewide source is the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification.
Illinois’ Uniform Conviction Information Act makes conviction information maintained by the Illinois State Police available to the public.
Illinois name-based criminal-history searches
Illinois State Police provides name-based inquiries through the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP).
ISP’s current UCIA fee schedule lists:
| Illinois criminal-history request | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Name-based UCIA inquiry — manual / paper | $16 |
| Name-based UCIA inquiry — electronic | $10 |
| Fingerprint-card UCIA inquiry — manual | $20 |
| Fingerprint UCIA inquiry — electronic / Live Scan | $15 |
Criminal-history fees can change. Confirm the current Illinois State Police fee schedule before submitting.
ISP name-based background checksIllinois fingerprint-based criminal-history checks
Illinois State Police also supports fingerprint-based background checks. For in-state requests, fingerprint submissions must be sent electronically through a licensed Live Scan fingerprint vendor.
ISP’s fee schedule can include separate State-only, FBI-only and State-plus-FBI processing fees depending on the authorized purpose of the request. Live Scan vendor charges may be additional.
ISP fingerprint background-check guidanceHow to review or challenge your own Illinois criminal record
Illinois State Police provides an Access and Review process for individuals who want to see and, if necessary, challenge their own Illinois criminal-history transcript.
Get fingerprinted
Visit an Illinois law-enforcement or correctional facility that provides the service, or use a licensed fingerprint vendor.
Submit fingerprints and identification information
The facility or vendor submits the information to Illinois State Police.
Receive the criminal-history transcript
ISP returns the transcript or a statement that no criminal history was found.
Challenge an incorrect entry
The Access and Review packet includes the record-challenge process when information appears inaccurate.
Illinois prison and parole records
The Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search is the appropriate statewide source for current IDOC custody and qualifying parole information.
IDOC says publicly releasable information can include items such as:
- name
- IDOC number
- institution or current status
- certain identifying information
- admission and release dates
- sentencing information
Illinois sex-offender registry search
Illinois State Police maintains the state’s public Sex Offender Registry. The registry can be searched by combinations of:
- first and last name
- date of birth
- city
- ZIP code
- county
- compliance status
- registrant status
- geographic neighborhood search
ISP states that the registry database is updated daily.
Search Illinois Sex Offender RegistryExpunging or sealing a St. Clair County criminal record
Illinois distinguishes between expungement and sealing. Eligibility depends on the case result, type of conviction, sentence and other factors.
The Illinois Supreme Court publishes statewide approved forms that every Illinois circuit court must accept. The statewide forms were updated again in 2026.
Gather every relevant St. Clair County case
Obtain case numbers and dispositions from the Circuit Clerk.
Obtain your Illinois criminal-history transcript when useful
Your ISP Access and Review transcript can help identify arrests or cases that need to be evaluated.
Determine which records qualify
Dismissals, acquittals and convictions can have different eligibility rules and waiting periods.
File in the proper Illinois circuit court
Requests relating to St. Clair County arrests or cases are generally filed with the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk.
Federal criminal cases involving St. Clair County
St. Clair County is within the federal U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Federal cases do not appear simply because you search the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk website.
Use PACER for federal case and docket information.
The Southern District of Illinois also provides a free telephone case-information service called McVCIS. For criminal matters, callers can choose the criminal-proceeding option after connecting to the Southern District.
St. Clair County criminal-record search tips
Save the case number
It is the fastest way to move from the web search to an official clerk record request.
Look at the case code
CF, CM, DT, TR and MX identify different kinds of proceedings and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Recheck court dates
St. Clair County specifically warns that continued cases can be reset.
Online is not certified
The Circuit Clerk’s web search is a public information tool, not the official certified court record.
Jail record ≠ court outcome
Move from the Sheriff’s inmate record to the Circuit Clerk to learn how the charge was resolved.
County search ≠ Illinois history
Use Illinois State Police when you need statewide conviction information rather than just local court cases.
Use fingerprints for your own record
The ISP Access and Review process gives stronger identity verification than a simple name search.
Check IDOC after sentencing
Someone transferred from the county jail to state prison may no longer appear as a current St. Clair County inmate.
Federal means PACER
A federal prosecution in East St. Louis is separate from the county Circuit Clerk database.
St. Clair County criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search St. Clair County, Illinois criminal cases?
Use the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk’s official Court Record Search. The Clerk maintains the official court record for criminal and civil cases filed in the county.
2. Is the St. Clair County court search free?
The Circuit Clerk currently offers its online public case-information search without a search charge. Fees can apply for paper copies, certified copies and other clerk services.
3. Is the online St. Clair County court result an official court record?
No. The Circuit Clerk’s terms state that the website is intended to help users understand the general history and status of a case and is not itself the official court record.
4. What do CF and CM mean in St. Clair County court records?
CF generally identifies a criminal felony case and CM a criminal misdemeanor case. Other categories include DT for DUI, TR for minor traffic and MX for miscellaneous criminal proceedings.
5. How do I find a current St. Clair County jail inmate?
Use the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department inmate-search service. The county says current jail information is updated hourly.
6. Where can I get a statewide Illinois criminal-history check?
Use the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. Name-based conviction-history searches are available through the state’s CHIRP process, and fingerprint-based searches are available through approved Live Scan procedures.
7. How do I get a copy of my own Illinois criminal record?
Use the Illinois State Police Access and Review process. You are fingerprinted, ISP processes the request, and you receive your criminal-history transcript or a statement that no Illinois criminal history was found.
8. Can a St. Clair County criminal record be expunged or sealed?
Some Illinois arrests, cases and convictions may qualify for expungement or sealing depending on the outcome, offense, sentence and other factors. Illinois courts publish statewide forms accepted by every circuit court.
9. Does the St. Clair County jail search include Illinois state prisoners?
Not necessarily. The county inmate search is for local county-jail custody. Use the Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search for people in state correctional custody.
10. Does the St. Clair County court search include federal criminal cases?
No. Federal criminal cases are separate and are maintained by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Use PACER or the court’s federal case-information service.
Official sources used for this St. Clair County guide
- St. Clair County Circuit Clerk
- St. Clair County Circuit Clerk — Court Search
- St. Clair County Circuit Clerk — Case Types
- St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
- St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department — Corrections / Inmate Search
- Illinois State Police — Criminal History
- Illinois State Police — Name-Based Background Checks
- Illinois State Police — Fingerprint-Based Background Checks
- Illinois State Police — Access & Review / My Record
- Illinois Department of Corrections — Individual in Custody Search
- Illinois State Police — Sex Offender Registry
- Illinois Courts — Expungement & Sealing Forms
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois — Case Information
- PACER — Federal Court Records