CHICAGO PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Chicago Public Records?

Chicago public records include any information produced, prepared, used, or maintained by local and state bodies agencies in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, except as limited by law. Chicago public records comprise typewritten and handwritten information. It also includes electronic documents or materials such as pictures or information transmitted by email. Particular parts of a public record can be publicly limited or redacted if it contains:

• Records and documents exempted under another statute
• Private information that would constitute an invasion of a person’s privacy
• Some types of criminal history record information from criminal justice agencies
• Records put together by a public body for administrative enforcement proceedings
• Trade secrets
• Confidential, commercial, or financial information
• Preliminary drafts, notes, memoranda, and suggestions
• Documents or materials pertaining to collective negotiating of matters between public bodies and their employees or representatives, that are not the final contract or agreement
• Information used by a public body responsible for controlling or supervising financial institutions or insurance undertakings, unless otherwise required by state law for disclosure.

Chicago Crime Statistics

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) provides annual reports of crime statistics for Chicago City, Illinois. In 2019, Chicago reported a total number of 97,978 crimes, including 16,820 violent crimes and 81,158 property crimes. The violent crimes include 492 murders, 1,761 rapes, 7,983 robberies, and 6,584 aggravated assaults. The property crimes include 9,578 burglaries, 62,083 larcenies, 9,081 motor vehicle thefts, and 416 arsons.

Chicago’s 2019 crime statistics reveal a decline in total crimes of the city in five years. Between 2015 and 2019, there was a decline in all eight major crimes. For violent crimes, murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault rates declined by 15%, 7%, 18%, and 2% respectively. Property crimes burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson rates declined by 18%, 5%, 10%, and 2% respectively.

Are Chicago Criminal Records Public?

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Chicago criminal records are mostly public records which are accessible to interested persons. There are however certain exceptions provided for in Section 7(1)(d)(vi) of the law. They include criminal records that are maintained by public agencies for administrative enforcement cases and any law enforcement or correctional agency for law enforcement purposes. This is when the release of the record would:

• Interfere with any law enforcement or correctional agency that is the recipient of the request, whether pending or currently and fairly envisaged;
• Interfere with the active administrative enforcement proceedings carried out by the public body which receives the application;
• Establish a substantial probability of depriving a person of a fair trial or an impartial hearing;
• Unavoidably reveal the identity of a confidential source, confidential information supplied only by the confidential source;
• Endanger the life or physical protection of law enforcement officials or any other individual; or
• Obstruct a pending criminal investigation by the agency that is the recipient of the appeal.

Interested persons may request Chicago criminal history records for $16 per Chicago rap sheet from the CPD. The Illinois State Police (ISP) provides issuance of criminal records services at the state level.

How to Obtain Chicago Police Reports and Arrest Records?

The CPD provides copies of Chicago arrest records and police reports. Members of the public can request copies of arrest records and police reports. Chicago arrest records include the arrested person’s name, age, mugshot, address, charges, information on arrest date, time, and location, central booking number, and incarceration details. The CPD provides Chicago arrest records online. The arrest records available are adult arrest records. It excludes juvenile arrest records.

Requesters can obtain copies of Chicago police reports by making in-person and mail requests. Make in-person requests at the Central Police Headquarters at 3510 South Michigan, 1st Floor, Room 1043, Chicago. The office opens from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Make mail requests by preparing a written application with the following information:

• The victim or reporting person’s name and address
• The nature of the location of the incident
• The RD number, (a report number given at the time a report is made)

The written application should be sent with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment to:

Chicago Police Department
Records Inquiry and Customer Service Section, Unit 163
3510 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60653

The accepted payment methods are check or money order payable to the Department of Revenue, City of Chicago. It costs 50 cents for each copy of a case report and $5 for a copy of a Traffic Crash Report. It costs $20 for a report generated by an accident reconstruction officer or accident reconstruction team in the case of a traffic crash.

Traffic crash reports are also available online at a fee of $6 per report. Call (312) 745-5130 for more information

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Chicago?

The CPD maintains the directory of sex offenders living in the City of Chicago, as well as important information about them. The CPD provides public access to Chicago sex offender information through the CLEARMAP Sex Offenders web application. This web application allows interested persons to search the CPD’s database of registered sex offenders. It can be searched with the sex offender’s name, address, park, beat, school, ward, or community. Researchers can also use a combination of an address and a search distance. A third available option is the offender type, gender, and age. Sex offender information is updated once per day.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Chicago Jail?

The Cook County Department of Corrections administers the operations of the ten jail divisions in Cook County. Each jail division has its visitation rules and schedules. To visit an inmate and obtain information about the jail division where they are incarcerated, call (773) 674-5245 or contact the Cook County Department of Corrections at:

Cook County Department Of Corrections
2700 South California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 674-7100

How to Find Chicago Inmate Records?

To find Chicago inmate records, call (773) 674-5245 or use the online inmate locator. Interested persons can search this portal with the name or booking number of the inmate. In the result provided, the first set of characters indicate the jail division where the inmate is incarcerated. The second set of characters provides the inmate’s tier or living unit. The information provided can be useful to obtain information about inmates, so as to contact the proper jail division.

Court Records

Cook County courts maintain copies of various types of Cook and Chicago court records. Some of the court records involve civil, criminal, probate, traffic, domestic relations, and juvenile cases.

Locations of Courts in Chicago

The Cook County trial system includes 25 Circuit Courts and 33 Administrative Adjudication Courts. The Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. Administrative Adjudication Courts deal with ordinance violation cases.

Cook County Circuit Courts
Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Suite 1303
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-6132
Fax: (312) 603-4211

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 1006
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-4641
Fax: (312) 603-4722

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Branch Courts 23 & 50)
5555 West Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60639
Phone: (773) 804-6101

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Branch Courts 29 & 42)
2452 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: (773) 404-3304

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Branch Courts 34 & 48)
155 West 51st Street
Chicago, IL 60609
Phone: (773) 373-8877

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Branch Courts 35 & 38)
737 East 111th Street
Chicago, IL 60628
Phone: (773) 982-3035

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Branch Courts 43 & 44)
3150 West Flournoy Street
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (773) 265-8915

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Central Bond Court)
Criminal Court Building
2600 South California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: (773) 674-5882

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Criminal Department (Domestic Violence Court)
555 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 325-9498

Cook County Circuit Court - 1st Municipal District - Traffic Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Lower Level, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-2000
Fax: (312) 603-2928

Cook County Circuit Court - 2nd Municipal District
Second Municipal District Courthouse
5600 Old Orchard Road
Room 136
Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (847) 470-7250
Fax: (847) 470-5049

Cook County Circuit Court - 3rd Municipal District
Third Municipal District Courthouse
2121 Euclid Avenue
Room 121
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Phone: (847) 818-3000
Fax: (847) 818-2706

Cook County Circuit Court - 4th Municipal District
Fourth Municipal District Courthouse
1500 Maybrook Avenue
Room 236
Maywood, IL 60153
Phone: (708) 865-6040
Fax: (708) 865-4881

Cook County Circuit Court - 5th Municipal District
Fifth Municipal District Courthouse
10220 South 76th Avenue
Room 121
Bridgeview, IL 60455
Phone: (708) 974-6500
Fax: (708) 974-6384

Cook County Circuit Court - 6th Municipal District
Sixth Municipal District Courthouse
16501 South Kedzie Parkway
Room 119
Markham, IL 60428
Phone: (708) 232-4551
Fax: (708) 232-4682

Cook County Circuit Court - Chancery Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 802
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-5133
Fax: (312) 603-3020

Cook County Circuit Court - Child Protection Division
Juvenile Center Building
1100 South Hamilton Avenue
Room 13
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 433-6870
Fax: (312) 433-4463

Cook County Circuit Court - Civil Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 601
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-5116
Fax: (312) 603-3330

Cook County Circuit Court - County Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 1202
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-5731
Fax: (312) 603-3335

Cook County Circuit Court - Criminal Division
George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building
2650 South California Avenue
Room 526
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: (773) 674-3922
Fax: (773) 674-4444

Cook County Circuit Court - Domestic Relations Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 802
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-6300
Fax: (312) 603-6336

Cook County Circuit Court - Elder Law and Miscellaneous Remedies Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room CL-16
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-9233

Cook County Circuit Court - Juvenile Justice Division
Juvenile Court Building
1100 South Hamilton Avenue
Room 13
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 433-4881
Fax: (312) 433-6863

Cook County Circuit Court - Law Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 801
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-6930
Fax: (312) 603-3348

Cook County Circuit Court - Probate Division
Richard J. Daley Center
50 West Washington Street
Room 1202
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-6441
Fax: (312) 603-6204

Cook County Administrative Adjudication

Arlington Heights Administrative Adjudication
Village Hall
33 South Arlington Heights Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Phone: (847) 368-5300

Barrington Administrative Adjudication
Village Hall Board Room
200 South Hough Street
Barrington, IL 60010
Phone: (847) 304-3400

Berkeley Administrative Adjudication
Village Hall Board Room
5819 Electric Avenue
Berkeley, IL 60163
Phone: (708) 449-8840

Broadview Office of Adjudication
Village Hall Council Chambers
2350 South 25th Avenue
Broadview, IL 60155
Phone: (708) 345-8174

Buffalo Grove Administrative Adjudication Program
Village Hall Council Chambers
50 Raupp Boulevard
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Phone: (847) 459-2500

Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings
740 North Sedgwick Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (312) 742-4747
Fax: (312) 742-8248

Country Club Hills City Court
3700 175th Place
Country Club Hills, IL 60478
Phone: (708) 798-3191

Crestwood Red Light Camera Court
13840 South Cicero Avenue
Crestwood, IL 60418
Phone: (708) 371-4800

Des Plaines Division of Administrative Hearings
City Hall
1420 Miner Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Phone: (847) 391-5303

Dolton Traffic Court
Harper Municipal Center
14014 Park Avenue
Dolton, IL 60419
Phone: (708) 841-2533 (Police)
Phone: (708) 201-3263 (Housing)

Evanston Division of Administrative Hearings
2100 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: (847) 448-8163
Fax: (847) 448-8164

Evergreen Park Red Light Camera Court
9420 South Kedzie Avenue
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
Phone: (708) 422-2142

Glenview Administrative Adjudication
2500 East Lake Avenue
Glenview, IL 60026
Phone: (847) 904-4302

Harvey Municipal Court
15320 Broadway Avenue
Harvey, IL 60426
Phone: (708) 210-5300

Hoffman Estates Office of Adjudication
Police Department
411 West Higgins Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Phone: (847) 781-2800

Hometown Municipal Court
4331 Southwest Highway
Hometown, IL 60456
Phone: (708) 424-7500
Fax: (708) 424-7589

Homewood Office of Administrative Adjudication
Police Department
17950 Dixie Highway
Homewood, IL 60430
Phone: (708) 206-3430

Lemont Administrative Adjudication
Police Department
14600 127th Street
Lemont, IL 60439
Phone: (630) 257-2229
Fax: (630) 257-5087

Lincolnwood Administrative Adjudication Process
Village Hall Council Chambers
6900 North Lincoln Avenue
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Phone: (847) 673-1540

Matteson Red Light Camera Court
20500 South Cicero Avenue
Matteson, IL 60443
Phone: (708) 748-1564

Maywood Housing Court
40 Madison Street
Maywood, IL 60153
Phone: (708) 450-4414
Phone: (708) 450-2288 (Parking Ticket Contests)

Midlothian Administrative Courts
14801 South Pulaski Road
Midlothian, IL 60445
Phone: (708) 389-0200

Norridge Adjudication Court
Village Hall
4000 North Olcott Avenue
Norridge, IL 60706
Phone: (708) 453-0800

Oak Park Office of Adjudication
Village Hall
123 Madison Street
Oak Park, IL 60302
Phone: (708) 358-5630

Orland Hills Municipal Hearings
Village Board Room
16039 South 94th Avenue
Orland Hills, IL 60487
Phone: (708) 349-4434

Palos Park Administrative Adjudication
Kaptur Administrative Center
8999 West 123rd Street
Palos Park, IL 60464
Phone: (708) 448-2191

Richton Park Property Maintenance Adjudication Court
4455 Sauk Trail
Richton Park, IL 60471
Phone: (708) 481-8950
Fax: (708) 481-9315

Skokie Administrative Hearing Program
Village Hall Council Chambers
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (847) 933-8270 (Code and Health Violations)
Phone: (847) 933-8423 (Vehicle and Parking Violations)

South Holland Local Court
16330 South Park Avenue
South Holland, IL 60473
Phone: (708) 331-3131

Stickney Office of Adjudication
6533 West Pershing Road
Stickney, IL 60402
Phone: (708) 788-2131
Fax: (708) 749-2742

Tinley Park Administrative Court
Jogmen Center - Tinley Park Police Department
7850 West 183rd Street
Tinley Park, IL 60477
Phone: (708) 444-5300

Wheeling Administrative Adjudication Hearings
Village Hall
2 Community Boulevard
Wheeling, IL 60090
Phone: (847) 499-9049

Worth Municipal Court
Village Hall Board Room
7112 West 111th Street
Worth, IL 60482
Phone: (708) 448-3979
Fax: (708) 923-3749

Can you look up a Chicago Court case online?

The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County provides the general public with online access to court records. The Cook County Online Case Search allows searches on civil, chancery, domestic relations, probate, traffic ticket, election, tax matters, etc. cases. The Circuit Court Clerk does not provide online access to criminal court records or cases.

Are Chicago Court Records Public?

Chicago court records are mostly open to the general public. The Circuit Clerk maintains Cook County and Chicago court records. Access to juvenile records and adoption records is restricted. In addition to this, where a case is sealed by a judge the public cannot access it.

How to Obtain Chicago Civil Court Case Records?

Chicago civil court case records are available through in-person or mail requests to the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk. To obtain a case record, fill out the records search request form or the records request form. The records search request form indicates the particular location where form should be submitted, as well as contact information. Attach the appropriate fees to the filled-out form and submit it to:

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
50 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602

How to Obtain Chicago Criminal Court Records?

The Circuit Clerk maintains Chicago criminal court records. Interested persons may submit in-person or mail requests to obtain copies of a criminal court record. Simply complete the records search request form or the records request form and include payment. Submit the request to:

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
50 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602

What are Chicago Vital Records?

Chicago vital records are official documentations of lifetime events that occurred within the city of Chicago. They include Chicago divorce, marriage, birth, and death records. These vital records are not available at the city level. They are kept at the county and state level. At the county level, the Bureau of Vital Records of the Cook County Clerk’s Office maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths that happened in Chicago and Cook County. Copies of these records are available to eligible persons upon request. The Vital Records Division of the Illinois Department of Health is the keeper of marriage, birth, and death records in the state.

Where and How to Obtain Chicago Divorce Records?

The Domestic Relations Division of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court keeps Chicago divorce records. To obtain a divorce record, complete the records search request form or the records request form. Or prepare a written application with information about the divorce, such as the full names of the divorced persons, the date of the divorce, and the case file number of court records. Submit the completed form or written application to:

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
50 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602

Where and How to Get Public Chicago Marriage Records?

The Cook County Clerk’s Bureau of Vital Records Division keeps records of marriages that were performed in Chicago and Cook County. Interested persons can request Chicago marriage certificates in person and by mail. Make in-person requests at any of the Clerk’s Office Locations:

Northwest Suburbs - Rolling Meadows
2121 Euclid Avenue
Room 238
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
(847) 818-2850

North Suburbs - Skokie
5600 W. Old Orchard Road
Room 149
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 470-7233

West Suburbs - Maywood
1311 Maybrook Square
Room 104
Maywood, IL 60153
(708) 865-6010

Southwest Suburbs - Bridgeview
10220 South 76th Avenue
Room 238
Bridgeview, IL 60455

(708) 974-6150
South Suburbs - Markham
16501 South Kedzie
Room 238
Markham, IL 60426
(708) 232-4150

Downtown Chicago - Vital Records
50 West Washington Street
East Concourse Lower Level
Room 25
Chicago, IL 60602

To make a mail request, fill out the Chicago Marriage Certificate Request Form. Include a copy of a photo ID, payment, and a self-addressed envelope with the filled-out form. Mail it to:

Cook County Clerk’s Office
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 641070
Chicago, IL 60664-1070

The first copy of a Chicago marriage record requested costs $15, and $4 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Accepted means of payment are checks and money orders made payable to the Cook County Clerk.

The Illinois Department of Health provides interested persons with verification letters for marriages performed in the state. A marriage verification letter costs $5, and an interested person can submit an in-person on mail request to obtain a letter. Simply fill out the Application for Verification of Marriage Record Files. Submit the filled-out form with a valid government-issued ID and payment to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737

Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Chicago?

All marriage records in Chicago and Cook County are considered public.

Where and How to Find Chicago Birth Records?

Chicago birth records are in the custody of the Bureau of Vital Records of the Cook County Clerk. Birth records are available to:

• The record’s subject
• Parents
• Legal guardian or representative, with proof to that effect
• Persons with a genealogical interest
• Persons with court orders

These eligible persons can make requests for Chicago birth certificates in person or by mail. To make an in-person request, visit one of the Clerk’s Office locations. For mail requests, fill out the Birth Certificate Request Form. Enclose payment, a copy of a photo ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope with the filled-out form. Submit them to:

Cook County Clerk’s Office
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 641070
Chicago, IL 60664-1070

A Chicago birth record costs $15 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Free birth records are given to the persons that are:

• Homeless
• Living in a domestic violence shelter
• Formerly incarcerated & released in the last 90 days

The person must submit a verification from a parole release form or a status certification form by an approved human services provider to get a birth record for free.

The Illinois Department of Health processes requests for birth records in the state. To get copies of a birth record, fill out the Application for Illinois Birth Record. Submit the filled-out form, payment, and a valid government-issued ID to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737

Where and How to Find Chicago Death Records?

Chicago death records are at the Cook County Clerk’s Office. Chicago death records are available to relatives of the deceased or persons that can prove financial interest in the deceased’s death. These persons can make in-person or mail requests for Chicago death certificates. To make an in-person request, go to one of the Clerk’s Office locations. For mail requests, complete the Death Certificate Request Form. Attach a self-addressed stamped envelope, payment, and a copy of a photo ID. Submit these documents to:

Cook County Clerk’s Office
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 641070
Chicago, IL 60664-1070

The first copy of a death record costs $17, while additional copies of the same record cost $6 each.

Alternatively, obtain death records from the Illinois Department of Health through in-person or mail requests. Do this by completing the Application for Illinois Death Record. Enclose payment and a valid government-issued ID and submit requests to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737