Find Court Records in Boone County
Boone County court records are filed and stored at the Circuit Clerk's office in Belvidere, the county seat. The 17th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Winnebago County, handles all cases in Boone County. This includes civil disputes, criminal charges, traffic violations, family law matters, and probate cases. Boone County sits in the Rockford metro area of northern Illinois. This page covers how to search Boone County court records, how to request copies, and where to find legal help.
Boone County Quick Facts
Boone County Circuit Clerk Office
Circuit Clerk Pamela Coduto manages the Boone County court records office at 601 North Main Street, Room 303, in Belvidere. The office handles all case filings, stores court records, and processes requests for document copies. Boone County court records are public under 705 ILCS 105/16(6). You do not need a special reason to access most records. Any member of the public can walk in and request to see a case file or get copies.
The circuit clerk also operates a website at boonecircuitclerk.us, though the site has experienced some technical issues in the past. Call the office at (815) 544-0371 to confirm current access options before visiting. Staff can tell you whether your record is available in the office or needs to be pulled from archive storage. For most cases filed within the last ten years, records should be on-site.
| Circuit Clerk | Pamela Coduto |
|---|---|
| Address | 601 North Main Street, Room 303, Belvidere, IL 61008 |
| Phone | (815) 544-0371 |
| Fax | (815) 547-9213 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | boonecircuitclerk.us |
Online Search for Boone County Court Records
Boone County is included in the Judici.com case search system, which covers 82 of Illinois's 102 counties. You can search Boone County court records online for free by entering a party name, attorney name, or case number. Judici shows case type, filing date, case status, and scheduled hearings. It is useful for civil, criminal, traffic, and family cases. Full document images are not available through Judici, but it gives you enough to identify the case and know what you are dealing with before contacting the clerk.
For appellate-level cases, re:SearchIL provides free access to Supreme Court and all five Illinois appellate courts for cases filed on or after April 1, 2025. Boone County appeals go to the 2nd Appellate District. The platform has been free since May 2025. If the case you are tracking was appealed after April 2025, it should appear there.
The Illinois Courts interactive map lets you confirm which court serves Boone County and find contact information for the 17th Circuit. This is useful if you are not sure whether a case is a circuit-level matter or has moved to the appellate courts.
What Boone County Court Records Include
The Boone County Circuit Court processes a full range of case types. Each creates its own set of public records. Civil cases include small claims disputes up to $10,000, general civil suits for larger amounts, and chancery cases like injunctions and foreclosures. Criminal records include all felony and misdemeanor charges filed in Boone County. The state's attorney files these cases. Traffic cases include DUI, moving violations, and license suspension hearings. Each of these is a matter of public record in Boone County.
Family law records cover divorce, child custody, support, and paternity. Orders of protection are also filed in family court and are public. Probate matters deal with wills, estates, and guardianship. These are also public case records in Boone County. Adoption records and juvenile case files are sealed by law and are not available through public requests. Expunged records are removed from public view by court order and cannot be accessed either.
How to Get Copies of Boone County Court Records
Walk-in requests are the quickest way to get copies of Boone County court records. Go to Room 303 at 601 North Main Street during business hours. Bring the case number if you have it. If not, give staff the names of the parties and the approximate year the case was filed. Staff will locate the file and produce copies. Standard copy fees apply by the page. Certified copies, which carry the clerk's official seal, cost more and are usually required for use in legal proceedings.
Mail requests are accepted at the Boone County Circuit Clerk office. Write to 601 North Main Street, Room 303, Belvidere, IL 61008. Include the case details, the documents you need, and payment. Call (815) 544-0371 before mailing to confirm the fee per page and find out how long processing takes. For urgent needs, in-person visits are faster.
Electronic filing for active cases is available through eFileIL, the state's online filing platform. If you are a party to a pending Boone County case, you may access filed documents through your electronic filing service provider account. Under 5 ILCS 160/, the State Records Act, records must be retained for defined periods, so even older Boone County cases should be on file.
The 17th Circuit and Boone County
Boone County is part of the 17th Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Winnebago County. Winnebago is home to Rockford, one of Illinois's largest cities, and carries a much higher case volume. But Boone County maintains entirely separate records in Belvidere. Circuit judges serve both counties and rotate on a schedule. If a case in Boone County is transferred to Winnebago or vice versa, the records move to the receiving county's clerk office.
The Illinois Courts website lists all circuit judges assigned to the 17th Circuit and provides general information about the court structure. For Boone County-specific questions, always contact the Belvidere clerk's office directly. Do not call the Winnebago County clerk expecting them to have Boone County records. The two offices are separate.
The Illinois Courts site at illinoiscourts.gov is the authoritative source for court directory information, including Boone County.
Legal Resources for Boone County
Free legal help is available for Boone County residents. Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) provides guides on family law, housing, and civil disputes. The site is free and available around the clock. ILAO's document tools let you build court forms step by step, which is helpful if you are filing on your own in Boone County court.
Illinois Court Help operates a free phone line at (833) 411-1121, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Call them with questions about how to access Boone County court records, what forms to use, or how the court process works. They will not give you legal advice, but they will help you understand the steps. Court forms are free at the Illinois Courts forms library.
If you believe a Boone County court record is being improperly withheld, you have the right to file a request under 5 ILCS 140/, the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The clerk must respond within five business days. Court records are nearly always public, so FOIA requests are rarely needed for routine access.
Cities in Boone County
All cities in Boone County file court cases through the Circuit Clerk's office in Belvidere. There is one courthouse serving the entire county.
Belvidere is the county seat and largest city in Boone County, with a population of about 25,000, which falls below the 100,000 threshold for individual city pages on this site. Other communities include Poplar Grove, Capron, Garden Prairie, and Caledonia.
Nearby Illinois Counties
Boone County shares borders with these northern Illinois counties, each with its own circuit clerk and court record system.