What are Springfield Public Records?
Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, public records include all maps, forms, books, papers, photographs, records, and other documentary materials that have been used by or submitted to a public body, irrespective of the form they are stored. Springfield public records include both physical and electronic documents, such as pictures, audio recordings, and information received by email. Some documents are not available to the public. These include:
- Any record that law prohibits its disclosure
- Private information, except a law or a court order, requires the disclosure
- Some records of criminal history from criminal justice agencies
- Records created in the course of administrative enforcement proceedings
- Trade secrets and commercial or financial information that is confidential
- Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda, and other records in which opinions are expressed
- Records used by a public body which controls or supervises financial and insurance institutions, unless a law requires the disclosure
- Records of preliminary negotiations between public bodies and their employees or agents, that are not the concluded agreement
Springfield Crime Statistics
The Illinois State Police (ISP) publishes yearly reports of crime statistics for all cities in Illinois. In 2019, Springfield City reported a total number of 5,993 crimes, including 889 violent crimes and 5,104 property crimes. The violent crimes include nine murders, 108 rapes, 208 robberies, and 564 aggravated assaults. The property crimes include 1,039 burglaries, 3,776 larcenies, 265 motor vehicle thefts, and 24 cases of arson. Springfield City’s 2019 crime statistics reveal a decline in total crimes of the city from the previous year. Between 2018 and 2019, there was a decline in five of eight major crimes. Robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and arson rates declined by 16%, 7%, 12%, 13%, and 7% respectively. Murder and rape rates increased by 16% and 7% respectively.
Are Springfield Criminal Records Public?
Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Springfield criminal records are available to the public with the exception of exempted records. These exempted records are provided for under Section 7(1)(d)(vi) of the Act. The exemptions usually apply when public access to the record would:
- Interfere with any pending or reasonably foreseeable law enforcement proceedings by any law enforcement or correctional agency that receives the application;
- Interfere with ongoing administrative enforcement proceedings being conducted by the public body that receives the request;
- Create a likelihood that a person will not have an impartial hearing or a fair trial;
- Inevitably make known the identity of a confidential source;
- Disclose a special investigative technique which is not generally known;
- Jeopardize the safety of any person, including law enforcement personnel; or
- Interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by the body that receives the request.
The Illinois State Police (ISP) Bureau of Identification maintains records of criminal history for all counties in the state. This includes Sangamon County, where Springfield is located. Interested persons can run a name-based background check on the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP) web portal. The background check costs $10 and requires a State of Illinois Digital ID. Interested persons may also contact the Bureau in person or through a mail request. It costs $16 for each name-based check. The ISP can be contacted in person at:
Illinois State Police
Indicate Division or Office
801 South 7th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
How to Obtain Springfield Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Springfield Police Department provides copies of Springfield arrest records, police reports, and traffic crash reports. Springfield’s arrest records include the name, age, mugshot, address, charges, information on arrest date, time, and location, central booking number, and incarceration details of the arrested person.
Interested persons can obtain copies of the Springfield police reports and arrest records by making a request either in person, by mail, by phone, or by fax. A requester can make an in-person or mail request to:
Springfield Police Department Records Section
800 East Monroe
5th floor
Springfield, IL 62701
Requesters can make phone, fax, or email requests to the Springfield Police Department. For phone requests, call (217) 788-8325. Make fax requests to (217) 788-8319, or send emails to communicationsdirector@springfield.il.us. In-person requests can be made between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., from Monday to Friday. Springfield traffic crash reports are available for purchase from the Springfield Police Department. Each record costs $5, and requesters can obtain a copy either in person or by mail. Interested persons may purchase a Springfield traffic crash report in person by visiting the Records Division at:
Springfield Police Department Records Section
5th floor
800 East Monroe
Springfield, IL 62701
Requesters should have a valid picture ID and payment, either in cash or as a check. To make a mail request, send a written request, a $5 check made payable to the Springfield Police Department, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope by mail to the Police Department’s Records Section. In the written request, the requester should include the crash report number, the requester’s name, and the requester’s contact phone number. In the absence of a crash report number, the requester should include as much detail of the crash as possible, such as the driver, date, and location of the crash.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Springfield?
The ISP and the Illinois Department of Corrections maintains a record of all registered sex offenders who live in any city or county in Illinois. The database is available to the public. Interested persons can find a registered sex offender who lives in Springfield City and Sangamon County by searching the person’s name, city, or zip code. The information is available on ISP Sex Offender Registry Search portal and the Illinois Department of Corrections Sex Offender Information portal respectively. Interested persons can also find all registered sex offenders living close to them with the Map Your Neighborhood tool on the site. Even more, the office of the Sheriff in Sangamon County allows interested persons to search the database.
How to Find Springfield Inmate Records?
Persons apprehended by law enforcement agencies in Springfield are incarcerated in the Sangamon County Jail. The Corrections Division of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office maintains and administers the operations in the jail facility. It provides a regularly updated PDF document called prisoner report. This document contains information about persons incarcerated in the jail facility. This information includes the inmate’s name, booking number, booking date, sex, date of birth, type, reason for incarceration, and classification.
Interested persons can also search for inmate information from the Illinois Department of Corrections. It provides an inmate search portal. Interested persons can search it with the inmate’s last name, IDOC number, or birthday. The search result would return a matching list of inmates with their IDOC numbers, birthdays, and names. Selecting any inmate and querying the highlighted inmate would bring up the inmate’s details. This includes the correctional facility the inmate is in, the date of custody, the crime the inmate was convicted for if the inmate has been granted parole, and other relevant information. The database can be used to obtain helpful information about inmates.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Springfield Jail?
The jail in Springfield is the Sangamon County Jail. Members of the public can visit inmates in the jail daily, from 9:00 a.m. till 1:30 p.m., and from 4:30 p.m. till 9:30 p.m., through the video visitation system. The visitation time shall last for 25 minutes and inmates have up to five visits each week. The calls are monitored. Inmates with a child below 12 years old can also request parental visits. The parental visits are conducted in a glass visitation booth. Inmates can request parental visits through jail administration and may have one parental visit weekly if approved. Interested persons can call the Sangamon County jail administration at (217) 753-6886 or (217) 753-6887. They can also contact the administration physically at:
Sangamon County Jail
One Sheriffs Plaza
Springfield, IL 62701
Court Records
Sangamon County has a unified trial court system with the Circuit Court exercising general jurisdiction over both civil and criminal cases. The Administrative Adjudication is the other court in the county handling ordinance violation cases.
Location of Courts in Springfield
Sangamon County Circuit Court
Sangamon County Circuit Court
Sangamon County Complex
200 South 9th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 753-6674
Fax: (217) 747-5108
Sangamon County Administrative Adjudication
Springfield Administrative Court
800 East Monroe Street
Room 327
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: (217) 789-2375
Fax: (217) 789-2367
Are Springfield Court Records Public?
Illinois state law allows residents of Springfield access to Springfield court records. However, not all court records are available to the public, as the Act exempts some records. Access does not extend to personal information, such as passwords, driver’s license, financial accounts, and social security details. Court records are also not available to the public if sealed by a court order or if the records are confidential. Confidential records include mental health files, adoption files, juvenile files, and Grand Jury materials. These records are only available to qualified persons. Files of termination of parental rights and adoption are usually sealed by the court, and can only be made available through a court order. The Sangamon County Circuit Court Clerk maintains the court records and processes requests from individuals who wish to obtain copies of Springfield court records.
Can you look up a Springfield Court Case Online?
Springfield court records are available to the general public online. Interested persons can search for cases on the Circuit Court Clerk Case Lookup System. Cases can be searched by name, by case number, by driver’s license number, by traffic ticket number, and by filing date. Searches by filing date will only return results within the previous 31 days. Users can print or save electronic copies of the records from the site at no cost. Registration is not required to search for cases, and anyone can do it. However, certain confidential records are not accessible. Confidential cases are cases involving adoption, juveniles, mental health, among other things.
How to Obtain Springfield Civil Court Case Records?
To obtain certified copies of Springfield civil court case records, contact the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk’s office by visiting or sending a mail request to:
Sangamon County Circuit Clerk
Sangamon County Building
Room 405
Fourth Floor
200 South Ninth Street
Springfield, IL 61701
(217) 753-6674
circuitclerk@co.sangamon.il.us
The Clerk’s Office charges $4 per year for court record searches. The Circuit Clerk’s office accepts money orders and cashier’s checks for mail-in requests and cash for in-person orders.
How to Obtain Springfield Criminal Court Records?
The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk maintains the Springfield criminal court records and makes it available to the public. Members of the public may make in-person or mail requests to obtain copies of the Springfield criminal court records at:
Sangamon County Circuit Clerk
Sangamon County Building
Room 405
Fourth Floor
200 South Ninth Street
Springfield, IL 61701
(217) 753-6674
circuitclerk@co.sangamon.il.us
Certified copies are available for $4 per year. The accepted means of payment are money orders and cashier’s checks for mail-in requests and cash for in-person orders.
What are Springfield Vital Records?
Springfield vital records are official files that show certain life occurrences within Springfield city. They include records of births, civil unions, marriages, divorces, and deaths in Springfield. Springfield vital records are not available at the city level. They can only be gotten at either the county or state level. The Sangamon Circuit Court Clerk is the primary custodian of Springfield divorce records. The Sangamon County Clerk maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths in Springfield City and Sangamon County. Only qualified persons may request these records. The Vital Records Division of the Illinois Department of Health maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths in Illinois.
Where and How to Obtain Springfield Divorce Records?
The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office keeps the Sangamon County divorce records. Interested persons can obtain certified copies at a cost of $25. A certified divorce record can be obtained from the Clerk’s office at the address below.
Sangamon County Building
Room 405, Fourth Floor
200 South Ninth Street
Springfield, IL 61701
(217) 753-6674
Although the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) does not issue certified copies of divorce records, it provides verification for divorces that occured in Sangamon County from 1962 till the present. This can be obtained at a cost of $5. It can be requested in person, through the mail, or through fax. Interested persons should fill out the Application for Verification of the Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union Files to get a verified record. They should also attach a valid photo ID and the copy fee. Mail requests should be sent to:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
Requests by fax should be sent to (217) 523-2648. The faxed order will include fees for verification at $5, a credit card handling fee at $12.95, and a UPS charge at $19.50. In-person requests can be dropped off at:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
Where and How to Get Public Springfield Marriage Records?
Springfield marriage records are provided at the county level by the Sangamon County Clerk. The marriage records in Sangamon are from 1821 till present. They are available upon request online and by mail. A copy can be requested online either by emailing a scanned copy of a valid ID to vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us or upload it through the driver’s license submission page. Acceptable ID options include a valid driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID, and military ID. After submitting the driver’s license, users will be redirected to a website where they will then complete the request. Users who choose to submit a scanned copy of a valid ID through email can directly visit the website and complete the request. The cost for every certified copy is $25. However, if more than one copy is being purchased at the same time of the same record, it shall be $25 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy of the same record. Payment can be via money order, check made payable to Sangamon County Clerk, cash, or by Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or American Express.
Interested persons can also obtain certified copies of Springfield marriage certificates by making a request through mail. This would involve filling and submitting the Request for Vital Records Application form and a money order or check for the fee. The requester should also include a photocopy of a valid ID in the mail request. Send the request to:
Sangamon County Clerk’s Office
200 South Ninth Street
Room 101
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-6700
vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us
The IDPH only provides copies of verification of marriages within the state. The cost to obtain a marriage verification record is $5. Interested persons can complete the Application for Verification of Marriage/Civil Union Records form to request verified copies. It would require attaching a valid ID and the copy fee. It can be requested through fax, in person, or through mail at:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
(217) 523-2648
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Springfield?
All marriage records in Springfield and Sangamon County are considered public.
Where and How to Find Springfield Birth Records?
Springfield death records can be obtained from the custodian bodies at the county and state level. Individuals who may request the birth records are the following.
- The person whose name is on the record, if they are 18 years old or older
- A parent whose name appears on the birth certificate as the father or mother
- A legal guardian who has papers that have been signed by a judge
- A legal representative representing the person whose name appears on the record or representing the person’s parent or parents
- A court order
At the county level, the Sangamon County Clerk’s Office maintains certified copies of Springfield birth records. The Clerk’s office charges a fee of $25 for the first certified copy of a requested birth record and $7 on all other copies of the same record requested at the same time. They are accessible through online and mail requests. Eligible persons can make online requests by emailing a scanned copy of a valid ID to vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us or uploading it on the driver’s license submission page. Valid driver’s license, passport, state issued ID, and military ID are the acceptable identifications. If the copy of identification is uploaded, the requester will be redirected to a website where they can then complete the request. For requesters that emailed the scanned copy, they can directly visit the website and complete the request.
To make mail requests for Springfield birth certificates, requesters should complete the Request for Vital Records Application form. Enclose a money order or check payment and a valid ID. Send the request by mail to:
Sangamon County Clerk’s Office
200 South Ninth Street
Room 101
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-6700
vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us
Interested persons can also request certified copies of Springfield birth certificates from the IDPH. The IDPH only provides records of births that occurred in Springfield City in or after 1916. The IDPH charges $15 for a long-form birth record and $10 for a short-form birth record. To order a copy of a copy of a Springfield birth record, complete the Application for Birth Records form. Enclose a valid ID and the copy fee. Submit the request by fax, in person, or through mail at:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
(217) 523-2648
Where and How to Find Springfield Death Records?
Springfield death records are available at the county and state level. To obtain copies, the applicant must be an immediate family member, or must have a personal or property right in the record. The applicant should also have valid identification and be prepared to show documents proving their alleged need for the record.
The Sangamon County Clerk’s Office maintains certified copies of Springfield death records. The Clerk’s office charges a fee of $29 for the certified copy of a requested death record and $11 for each additional copy of the same record. Payment can be made through a money order, a check made payable to Sangamon County Clerk, cash, or by Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or American Express. Applicants can order copies of Springfield death records online or by mail. To make an online request, email a scanned copy of a valid ID to vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us or upload it on the driver’s license submission page. The identification that can be sent or uploaded are valid driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID, and military ID. After submitting the driver’s license, an applicant will be redirected to a website where they will then complete the request. For applicants that emailed the scanned copy of a valid ID, they can directly visit the website and complete the request.
Applicants can make mail request for copies of Springfield death certificates by completing the Request for Vital Records Application form. Enclose a money order or check payment and a valid ID. Mail the application to:
Sangamon County Clerk’s Office
200 South Ninth Street
Room 101
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-6700
vitalrecords@co.sangamon.il.us
Alternatively, applicants can order certified copies of Springfield death records from the IDPH. The IDPH only provides records of deaths that occurred in Springfield City in or after 1916. The records are not available to every person. The IDPH charges $19 for a death record. To make requests, interested persons should complete the Application for Death Records form. Provide a valid ID and the copy fee. Send the applications by fax, in person, or through mail at:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
(217) 523-2648
