Search Fayette County Court Records
Fayette County court records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Clerk's office in Vandalia, Illinois, which serves all civil, criminal, traffic, family, and probate matters for the county under the 4th Judicial Circuit. This page explains where to search Fayette County court records, what types of cases are available, how to request copies, and what free legal resources are offered in the area.
Fayette County Quick Facts
Fayette County Circuit Clerk Office
Clerk Kathy Emerick manages the Circuit Clerk's office at 221 South 7th Street in Vandalia. The office is the official custodian of all court records filed in Fayette County. Staff handle case searches, copy requests, and document filing. Under 705 ILCS 105/16(6), court records are public unless sealed by court order. You do not need to show a reason to access most files. The office is open Monday through Friday. Call (618) 283-5009 before visiting if you need an older archived record, since retrieving those may require advance notice.
The fax number for the office is (618) 283-4490. The county's circuit clerk web page has experienced DNS issues, so the most reliable way to get current information is to call the office directly. Staff can confirm hours, fees, and document availability over the phone.
| Circuit Clerk | Kathy Emerick |
|---|---|
| Address | 221 South 7th Street, Vandalia, IL 62471 |
| Phone | (618) 283-5009 |
| Fax | (618) 283-4490 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | fayettecountyillinois.gov (circuit clerk page currently unavailable) |
Online Search for Fayette County Records
Fayette County participates in Judici.com, the free online case search system used by 82 Illinois counties. You can search by party name, attorney name, or case number. The system returns case type, filing date, party names, and court dates. Judici does not show full document images, but it confirms whether a case exists and what its current status is. This is often enough to determine whether you need to contact the clerk for copies.
If a Fayette County case was appealed, it may appear on re:SearchIL, which covers Illinois Supreme Court and appellate filings from April 2025 forward. For older appeals, contact the 5th District Appellate Court or request records through the circuit clerk. The Illinois Courts website provides contact information for all state courts and explains how to navigate the court system if you are unsure where a case was filed.
Types of Court Records Available in Fayette County
The Fayette County Circuit Court handles civil, criminal, traffic, family, and probate cases. Civil cases include contract disputes, small claims (capped at $10,000 in Illinois), property matters, and civil suits. Criminal cases cover both misdemeanors, which are heard at the county level, and felonies, which go through more formal indictment procedures. Both are public records once filed with the Circuit Clerk.
Family law cases in Fayette County include divorce filings, child custody and support orders, paternity actions, adoptions, and guardianship proceedings. Most family records are open to the public. Adoption files and records involving minors as parties are typically restricted. Traffic records cover speeding tickets, DUI charges, and license suspension hearings. Probate filings deal with estates, will contests, and guardianship for adults who can no longer manage their own affairs. All of these are part of the public court record maintained by the clerk.
Juvenile court records are sealed in Illinois and are not available through public record requests.
How to Get Copies of Fayette County Court Records
The most direct way to get copies is to visit the Circuit Clerk's office at 221 South 7th Street in Vandalia. Bring the case number or the names of the parties involved. Standard copies cost a per-page fee. Certified copies, which carry the official clerk's seal, cost more and are required for many legal purposes such as proving a judgment, verifying a criminal record, or filing a record in another state. Call (618) 283-5009 to confirm current fees before you visit.
If you cannot get there in person, send a written request by mail to the Fayette County Circuit Clerk, 221 South 7th Street, Vandalia, IL 62471. Include the case number or party names, the specific documents you are requesting, and payment for the fees. Call ahead to confirm the fee amount so your check covers the cost. Mailed requests take longer to process than in-person visits.
Electronic filing for cases in progress is handled through eFileIL. Attorneys and self-represented litigants can submit documents online using one of the state's certified e-filing service providers. This covers filings in pending cases but does not apply to record requests. Under 5 ILCS 140/, the Illinois FOIA law, you may submit a formal records request if you believe a record is being improperly withheld. The office has five business days to respond.
Fayette County and the 4th Judicial Circuit
Fayette County falls within the 4th Judicial Circuit alongside Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Jasper, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties. Circuit judges rotate among the counties to hear cases. If a case was transferred from Fayette County to another county in the circuit, you may need to contact that county's clerk for records. Each county maintains its own files even within the shared circuit structure.
Vandalia, the county seat, served as Illinois's state capital from 1820 to 1837, before Springfield took over. That history does not affect how modern court records are filed or accessed, but it does reflect the long institutional presence of county government in Vandalia. The courthouse handles all current filings, and the clerk's staff are familiar with the county's records going back many years.
Record Retention in Fayette County
Court records in Illinois are retained according to schedules set by the State Records Act (5 ILCS 160/). Most civil case files are kept for several years after the case closes. Some permanent records are kept indefinitely. This means older Fayette County cases are generally still available, though archived files may take longer to retrieve. Ask the clerk when calling or visiting whether the file you need is in active storage or has been archived.
Sealed and expunged records follow different rules. Sealed records still exist but cannot be viewed without a court order. Expunged criminal records are physically destroyed or returned to the petitioner. If you are not sure whether a record has been sealed or expunged, the Circuit Clerk can confirm whether an accessible public record exists for that case.
Legal Help for Fayette County Cases
Illinois Legal Aid Online offers free guides on family law, housing, civil cases, and more. The site has a document builder that creates court forms at no cost. It is available any time and covers most legal topics you are likely to face in Fayette County.
Illinois Court Help operates a phone line at (833) 411-1121, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Staff can help you understand court procedures, find the right forms, and figure out which office handles your case. They do not provide legal advice but can answer process questions for Fayette County and other Illinois courts. Free court forms are available at illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms.
The image below shows the Judici case search portal, which covers Fayette County and 81 other Illinois counties.
Search by name or case number to find Fayette County cases in the Judici system.
Cities in Fayette County
All cities and towns in Fayette County use the Fayette County Circuit Court in Vandalia for case filings. There is one courthouse serving the entire county.
Vandalia is the county seat and largest community in Fayette County. Other towns include St. Elmo, Brownstown, Ramsey, and Kinmundy. None of these communities reaches the 100,000-population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
Nearby Illinois Counties
These counties share borders with Fayette County. Each has its own circuit clerk office and courthouse.