Access Kankakee County Civil Court Records
Kankakee County civil court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk of the 21st Judicial Circuit in Kankakee, Illinois. Free online access is available through Judici.com, and the clerk's office handles copy requests in person and by mail. This page explains how to find Kankakee County civil court records, what the files contain, how the eFiling system works in the 21st Circuit, and what legal resources serve Kankakee County residents.
Kankakee County Quick Facts
Kankakee County Circuit Clerk Office
Sandra Cianci serves as the Circuit Court Clerk of Kankakee County. Her office at 450 East Court Street in Kankakee is the official keeper of all civil court records for the 21st Judicial Circuit. The clerk's office processes new case filings, stores official civil court records, handles copy requests, and provides public access to civil court records in Kankakee County.
Kankakee County is located about 60 miles south of Chicago and has a mix of urban and rural communities. The city of Kankakee serves as the county seat and the main center of civil court activity. The circuit court handles contract disputes, landlord-tenant cases, personal injury suits, and other civil matters common to the county. Staff at the clerk's office can help you locate a civil case, explain how to request copies, and point you to legal help resources. They cannot give legal advice. The Illinois Courts directory at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/circuit-court-clerks lists current contact details for the Kankakee County clerk.
| Clerk | Sandra Cianci |
|---|---|
| Address | 450 East Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901-3917 |
| Phone | (815) 936-5700 |
| Fax | (815) 939-8830 |
| Online Access | Judici.com |
Office hours are generally Monday through Friday during standard business hours, excluding court holidays. Call (815) 936-5700 to confirm hours before visiting the courthouse on East Court Street in Kankakee.
Civil Court Records Search in Kankakee County
Kankakee County civil court records are available free online through Judici.com. No account is needed for basic public case searches. Search by party name, case number, or attorney name. Judici provides the electronic docket for each civil case in Kankakee County, showing filing dates, hearing information, case events, and current status. It covers 82 Illinois counties and is the standard public access tool for the 21st Judicial Circuit.
What you find on Judici is the electronic docket, a summary of case activity. The full documents filed in any Kankakee County civil case are held at the clerk's office in Kankakee. For copies, contact the clerk at (815) 936-5700, visit in person, or send a written request by mail. Very recent filings can take a short time before showing on Judici. Call the clerk for the most current status on a pending Kankakee County civil case.
The screenshot below shows the Illinois state portal page on eFiling for civil court records, which is the system used for all civil filings in Kankakee County.
The Illinois Courts site at illinoiscourts.gov links to Judici and other resources for understanding how to access civil court records statewide. For appellate-level cases, re:SearchIL at researchil.tylerhost.net is available, though Judici covers the 21st Circuit court level.
What Kankakee County Civil Court Records Contain
Civil court records in Kankakee County document each case from filing through resolution. The file opens with the complaint or petition, names all parties, assigns a case number, and records the date filed. The docket tracks every event after that, including motions, hearings, and orders. Judici shows this in summary form. The full documents are at the Kankakee courthouse.
Inside a Kankakee County civil court file you will find the original pleadings, any responses and counterclaims, all motions with supporting materials, and every court order. Final judgments and dismissal orders are part of the record. If a settlement was placed on the record, that document is included too. For cases that went to hearing or trial, court reporter transcripts can be obtained through the clerk. Certified copies of judgments from Kankakee County civil court records are available on request and are often needed for debt collection, real estate matters, or enforcement in other courts.
Under 705 ILCS 105/16(6), the clerk must keep a public docket open at all times during office hours. Most civil records are open to the public. Juvenile files, adoption records, and sealed cases are not accessible. Social Security numbers and other sensitive identifiers are redacted from public copies.
Electronic Filing in Kankakee County
Civil filings in Kankakee County go through the Illinois mandatory eFiling system at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. This covers new cases and all documents filed in pending civil matters. The portal is open 24 hours a day. You need an account and must use an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider, called an EFSP, to submit documents to the Kankakee County circuit court.
Standard exemptions apply. Incarcerated persons, individuals with disabilities that prevent electronic filing, will and testamentary filings, juvenile and adoption cases, and situations where a judge grants a good-cause exemption are all exempt from the eFiling requirement. Illinois court forms are available at illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms. Complete the fillable PDFs and upload them through eFileIL. For help, call Illinois Court Help at (833) 411-1121.
Fees for Kankakee County Civil Court Records
The fee schedule for Kankakee County civil court records follows 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. A record search costs up to $6.00 per year searched. Paper copies are $2.00 for the first page, $0.50 for pages two through twenty, and $0.25 per page after that. These apply to copies requested in person or by mail from the Kankakee courthouse.
Online access through Judici is free. The Illinois Supreme Court suspended the electronic access fee under Supreme Court Rule 313, effective May 1, 2025. Searching Kankakee County civil court records online costs nothing. Certified copies carry an additional charge. Call (815) 936-5700 for the current certified copy fee before visiting the courthouse.
Legal Help for Kankakee County Civil Cases
The clerk's office in Kankakee maintains civil court records but cannot give legal advice. If you need help with a civil case, these resources serve Kankakee County.
Illinois Court Help is free for everyone. Call (833) 411-1121, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. The website is at ilcourthelp.gov. Staff can explain civil procedures in the 21st Judicial Circuit, help you with forms, and refer you to local legal aid in Kankakee County. More than 200 languages are supported through inLingo.
Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org has guides for civil matters including landlord-tenant disputes, small claims, and contract issues. Their guide on getting copies of court records is at illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-get-copies-your-court-records. Prairie State Legal Services provides civil legal aid to qualifying low-income Kankakee County residents. The Illinois Courts self-help page at illinoiscourts.gov/self-help is also useful for self-represented litigants in Kankakee County civil cases.
Cities in Kankakee County
All civil court records for cases filed in Kankakee County are handled by the 21st Judicial Circuit Court Clerk in Kankakee. Kankakee County does not have any cities with a population over 50,000. The city of Kankakee, along with Bourbonnais and Bradley, are served by the main courthouse on East Court Street.
Nearby Counties
Kankakee County borders several other Illinois counties. If you are not sure which county filed a civil case, check the courthouse address on your court documents.