Search Jefferson County Court Records

Jefferson County court records are maintained by the 2nd Judicial Circuit Clerk in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The court serves all of Jefferson County with civil, criminal, traffic, family, and probate filings. This page explains how to search Jefferson County court records, what types of cases are available, and how to get copies from the clerk's office.

Jefferson County Circuit Clerk Office

Circuit Clerk Randy Pollard, Jr. leads the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk office in Mt. Vernon. This office is the official custodian of all court records filed in Jefferson County. The staff handles case filings, index searches, copy requests, and certified document services. Under 705 ILCS 105/16(6), most court records in Illinois are public, and you do not need to provide a reason to access them.

The mailing address is P.O. Box 1266, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864. For in-person visits, go to the Jefferson County Courthouse in Mt. Vernon. Staff can search the case index by name if you do not have a case number. For archived files or older records, call ahead at (618) 244-8008 to allow staff time to locate and pull the file. The fax number is (618) 244-8029 for written requests sent that way.

Jefferson County Court Records: Online Search

The main online tool for Jefferson County court records is Judici.com. This free platform covers most Illinois counties and lets you search by party name, attorney, or case number without creating an account. Results include case type, file date, parties, and scheduled court dates. Judici is useful for verifying whether a case was filed, finding a case number, or pulling basic information before making a trip to the courthouse in Mt. Vernon.

For cases that were appealed beyond the circuit court, re:SearchIL provides free access to Illinois appellate and Supreme Court records filed on or after April 1, 2025. Jefferson County falls in the 5th Appellate District. If a circuit court case from Mt. Vernon was taken to the appellate level, check re:SearchIL for that record.

The Illinois Courts website maintains a full directory of circuit clerks across the state. You can use it to confirm the 2nd Circuit's contact details and find which judges are assigned to Jefferson County cases. Below is a screenshot of the re:SearchIL platform, which handles appellate and Supreme Court records for cases including those originating in Jefferson County.

re:SearchIL is free and updated regularly. Use it to find appellate-level records from cases that started in Jefferson County.

Types of Cases Filed in Jefferson County

The Jefferson County Circuit Court handles the full range of case types. Civil cases include contract disputes, personal injury claims, small claims under $10,000, collections, and landlord-tenant matters. Criminal cases cover misdemeanor and felony charges filed by the state's attorney. Misdemeanor cases are resolved at the circuit court level. Felony charges require grand jury action or a preliminary hearing before trial. All criminal filings are public once entered into the court's index, unless the court seals a specific record.

Family court matters in Jefferson County include divorce, legal separation, child custody, support orders, adoption, and guardianship proceedings. Most family records are open to the public. Adoption records and any case where a minor is the defendant are sealed by Illinois law. Traffic cases range from minor violations to felony DUI charges, and all are filed with the Circuit Clerk. Probate records handle estate administration, will contests, and the appointment of guardians for adults who cannot make decisions for themselves. All of these case types can be found through the clerk's office or through Judici online.

Juvenile records are not public in Illinois. These files are sealed regardless of the case outcome.

How to Get Copies of Jefferson County Court Records

In-person visits to the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk in Mt. Vernon are the fastest way to get copies. Bring a case number or the name of at least one party in the case. Staff will locate the file and make copies at the per-page rate. Certified copies, which carry the clerk's seal, cost more but are often required for use outside the courthouse. Common examples include submitting a divorce decree to another state or proving a conviction to a licensing agency.

Mail requests go to Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, P.O. Box 1266, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864. Include the case number or party names, a description of the documents you need, and a check or money order for copy fees. Call (618) 244-8008 before mailing to confirm the current fee schedule. Mailed requests take longer to fulfill than in-person visits, and turnaround depends on the clerk's current workload.

Active document filings for pending Jefferson County cases go through eFileIL, the statewide electronic filing system. This is for submitting documents in active cases, not for requesting copies of old records. If you are a party to a pending case and use an authorized e-filing service provider, you may be able to access filed documents through your account.

If you believe the clerk is wrongly withholding a public record, you can file a formal FOIA request under 5 ILCS 140/. The office must respond within five business days. Most court records are accessible without a formal request, but this law is your recourse if you encounter a problem.

Jefferson County and the 2nd Judicial Circuit

Jefferson County is part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Illinois, which covers several southern Illinois counties. The 2nd Circuit also includes Marion, Hamilton, Wayne, White, Franklin, Perry, and Washington counties. Judges rotate among the counties in the circuit. If a case was transferred from Jefferson County to another county in the 2nd Circuit through a change of venue, the clerk in the receiving county would hold the records. The Mt. Vernon courthouse sits at the junction of I-57 and I-64 in southern Illinois.

Mt. Vernon is both the county seat and the largest city in Jefferson County. For scheduling questions and hearing dates, call the clerk at (618) 244-8008 or check Judici for any case calendar information posted online.

Legal Help for Jefferson County Cases

Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) is a free resource with plain-language guides on civil, family, and criminal law. The site's document tool can help you build court forms at no cost. It is available at any hour and covers all Illinois counties, including Jefferson.

Illinois Court Help runs a free phone line at (833) 411-1121, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Staff do not give legal advice, but they can explain court procedures, help you find the right form, and point you toward resources for Jefferson County matters. Free court forms for most case types are available at the Illinois Courts forms page.

The Illinois State Records Act at 5 ILCS 160/ sets the retention schedule for court records in Illinois. Most civil case records are kept for years. Some are permanent. This means Jefferson County records from closed cases remain available to the public well after the case ended, as long as the retention period has not expired.

Cities in Jefferson County

All cities in Jefferson County file court cases through the Jefferson County Circuit Court in Mt. Vernon. The clerk's office serves the entire county.

Mt. Vernon is the county seat and the largest city in Jefferson County, with a population of about 14,000. Other communities include Benton, Woodlawn, and Ina. No city in Jefferson County reaches the 100,000 resident threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Illinois Counties

These counties border Jefferson County. Each has its own Circuit Clerk and courthouse for local court filings.