BLOOMINGTON PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Bloomington Public Records?

Bloomington public records, according to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, include any information generated, prepared, used, or retained by state or local agencies. Such records may include reports, letters, forms, maps, books, papers, microfilms, tapes, photographs, symbols, data processing software, or other forms of information relating to the conduct of government businesses. Nevertheless, certain parts of the Bloomington public records may be considered confidential and restricted from public view due to the information it contains. Such exemptions may be as a result of the following:

• Cases involving juveniles
• Certain medical or financial records
• Information breaching an individual's privacy
• Information on a case pending investigation
• Information on an ongoing investigation
• Information revealing trade and security secrets
• Information from attorney-client privilege

Bloomington Crime Statistics

The Bloomington Police Department (BPD) maintains and publishes citywide statistics on crime trends, traffic statistics, and arrests. The 2019 Bloomington crime statistics show that the city recorded a total number of 1491. The crimes recorded include 1 homicide, 49 forcible rape, 57 robberies, 280 aggravated assaults, 171 burglaries, 851 larceny thefts, 74 motor vehicle thefts, and 8 arsons. In 2019, the BPD reported a total number of 1537 crimes. A further breakdown of these crimes includes 9 homicides, 68 forcible rape, 37 robberies, 225 aggravated assaults, 196 burglaries, 909 larceny thefts, 88 motor vehicle thefts, and 5 cases of arson.

Are Bloomington Criminal Records Public?

Not all Bloomington criminal records are considered public records. Certain criminal records may be restricted from public view as established under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Interested persons may request criminal records and background checks in person at the Bloomington Police Department, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Requestors are to contact the police department at:

Grossinger Motors Arena
101 South Madison Street
Bloomington, IL 61701

How to Obtain Bloomington Police Reports and Arrest Records

The Bloomington Police Department provides information on police reports and arrests records within the city. Interested persons may obtain both the police reports and arrest records in person or by mail. The BPD charges varying fees depending on the type of request. Requestors are advised to contact the police department at the following locations, for walk-in requests:

Grossinger Motors Arena
101 South Madison Street
Bloomington, IL 61701

Or

for mail-in requests:
109 East Olive Street
Bloomington, IL 61701

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Bloomington

The Illinois State Police maintains a searchable statewide database for sex offenders in Bloomington and other parts of the state. The database provides information on sex offenders such as names, known aliases, physical descriptions, etc. The ISP updates its records on the database daily and allows interested persons to search sex offender information using different combinations

To find sex offender information in Bloomington, interested persons may search using the registry search or geographic search. For the registry search, interested persons can use any of the following options:

• First Name
• Last Name
• City
• County
• Zip Code
• Compliance Status
• Offender Type

How to Find Bloomington Inmate Records

The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) maintains and provides a statewide inmate search tool for Bloomington and other cities in the state. Interested persons may find Bloomington inmate records by searching with any of the following details:

• Last name
• IDOC number
• Birthdate

How Do I Visit Inmates in Bloomington Jail?

The McLean County Sheriff’s Office operates the McLean County Detention Facility which serves Bloomington and other cities in the county. The McLean County Jail visitation varies depending on the housing location of an inmate. For instance, the older section or linear section has different visiting hours for females and males. However, the direct supervision section uses the same visiting hours for both male and female inmates.

The facility operates a video visiting option that allows inmates three 30 minute visits per week. This includes an onsite and offsite visitation. Visitors are required to schedule a visit and present a valid photo ID upon visitation. Also, different hours are depending on the type of visitation - onsite or offsite.

Onsite Jail visitation

• Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Offsite Jail visitation

• Monday - Sunday: 9:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

NOTE: The McLean County Jail does not allow visitation between 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

McLean County Jail
104 West Front Street
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5034

Court Records

The Illinois trial court system consists of three major courts. This includes the Circuit Courts, Administrative Adjudication, and the Court of Claims. Nevertheless, there is only one circuit court in McLean County. Depending on the type of case, Bloomington court cases are heard at:

McLean County Law and Justice Center
104 West Front Street,
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5301

Are Bloomington Court Records Public?

Bloomington court records are considered public records, except for cases where the state law or the order of a judge prohibits such records to be available for public view. Such records are exempt and considered confidential due to the private or sensitive information it contains. A confidential court case may fall under any of these categories:

• Certain divorce cases
• Cases involving juvenile proceedings: delinquency cases and dependency cases
• Information breaching an individual's privacy
• Paternity and child adoption proceedings

How to Obtain Bloomington Civil Court Records

Requestors may obtain copies of Bloomington civil court records at the McLean County Circuit Clerk’s office. Requests can be in person or online. For in-person requests, interested persons are required to provide information about the desired records to facilitate record search. Such information may include a name to be searched, date of birth, case number, business name, and more. Requestors are to visit the Circuit Clerk office at:

Circuit Clerk
104 West Front Street
Room 303 / 404
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5301

Alternatively, interested persons may obtain Bloomington civil court records by using the Circuit Clerk’s Public Access Search System. Requestors may choose to search by name, business name, and case number.

How to Obtain Bloomington Criminal Court Records

Interested persons obtain Bloomington criminal court records at the McLean County Circuit Clerk’s office. Requests can be done in person or online. To facilitate record search, interested persons are expected to provide information on the desired criminal court records. Such information may include name or alias to be searched, case number, date of birth, and more. Request application should be submitted to:

Circuit Clerk
104 West Front Street
Room 303 / 404
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5301

Also, interested persons may obtain Bloomington criminal court records by using the Circuit Clerk’s Public Access Search System. Requestors may choose to search by name, date of birth, and case number.

What are Bloomington Vital Records?

Bloomington vital records include certificates or documents of life events such as birth records, death records, divorce records, and marriage records that are generated by government bodies. Although most vital records are public records, certain records or parts are considered confidential. Such records are restricted from public view and only accessible by authorized persons.

Where and How to Obtain Bloomington Divorce Records

The McLean County Circuit Clerk maintains and issues records for all divorces that occur within the county. Requests for Bloomington divorce can be in person, by mail, or online. Interested persons may obtain divorce records during business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. To facilitate search requests, interested persons are required to provide names of the parties involved and the year of dissolution.

Requestors are to submit a completed divorce record request form. For in-person requests, divorce records can be obtained at:

McLean County Circuit Clerk
104 West Front Street
Room 303 / 404
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5301

Interested persons who wish to request via mail can do so to the address:

McLean County Circuit Clerk
Attn: Family Division
P.O. Box 2420
Bloomington, IL 61702-2420

The Circuit Clerk office charges $2 for the first-page photocopy, $0.50 for each copy from 2-19 pages, and $0.25 for each page thereafter.

Where and How to Get Public Bloomington Marriage Records

All marriage records in Bloomington and other parts of Illinois are restricted from public view and only available to authorized persons.

Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Bloomington

The McLean County Clerk maintains and issues certified copies of Bloomington marriage records upon request. The County Clerk office maintains records of marriages in McLean County from 1831 to date. Interested persons may obtain the records in person, by mail, or online. A certified Bloomington marriage is only available to:

• Parties involved in the marriage or civil union
• Anyone, after 50 years of the union

Interested persons are required to submit a completed marriage record request form and present a valid photo ID. The County Clerk office charges $15 for the first certified copy and $9 for each additional copy of the same record. Requests can be made from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding county holidays). For in-person requests, interested persons may visit the County Clerk office at:

McLean County Clerk
115 East Washington Street
Room 102 (Main Floor)
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5190

For mail-in requests, interested persons may address applications to the:

McLean County Clerk
P.O. Box 2400
Bloomington, IL 61702-2400
Phone: (309) 888-5190

Where and How to Find Bloomington Birth Records

Interested persons may obtain Bloomington birth records at the McLean County Clerk’s office. The office maintains and issues certified copies of birth records in Bloomington from 1860 to date. Birth records that are over 75 years old are available for genealogical purposes (the office issues a non-certified copy with a stamp stating “for genealogical purposes only”). To obtain a certified Bloomington birth record, requestors must be any of the following:

• Named person on the record (must be 18)
• The parent of the named person on the record
• A legal guardian with certified court documentation.
• A legal representative
• A member of a law enforcement agency with authorized access

Requests for Bloomington birth records can be done in person, by mail, or online. The County Clerk office is open to requests from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding county holidays). Interested persons are required to submit a completed birth record request form and present a valid photo ID. The office charges $15 for the first certified copy and $9 for each additional copy of the same record. For in-person requests, interested persons can submit an application at the:

McLean County Clerk
115 East Washington Street
Room 102 (Main Floor)
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5190

While mail-in requests should be addressed to:

McLean County Clerk
P.O. Box 2400
Bloomington, IL 61702-2400
Phone: (309) 888-5190

Where and How to Find Bloomington Death Records

The McLean County Clerk office maintains and issues certified copies of death records that occur in Bloomington and other parts of the county. The office keeps records of deaths within the county from 1878 to date. To obtain a certified Bloomington death record, the requestor must be any of the following:

• The next of kin
• The informant listed on the death certificate
• The executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate
• Anyone with a personal or property right interest in the record

Requests can be done in person, by mail, or online. Requestors are required to submit a complete death record request form as well as a valid photo ID. The County Clerk's office charges $17 and $11 for each additional copy of the same record. Interested persons can walk into the:

McLean County Clerk
115 East Washington Street
Room 102 (Main Floor)
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 888-5190

All mail-in requests are to be addressed to the location:

McLean County Clerk
P.O. Box 2400
Bloomington, IL 61702-2400
Phone: (309) 888-5190