St. Clair County Civil Court Records Search
St. Clair County civil court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk of the 20th Judicial Circuit in Belleville, Illinois. Public case search is free through Judici.com, and the clerk's office handles copy requests in person or by mail. This page covers how to find St. Clair County civil court records, what those files contain, how the eFiling system works, and what legal help is available in the county.
St. Clair County Quick Facts
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk Office
The Circuit Court Clerk of St. Clair County is the official keeper of all civil court records filed in the 20th Judicial Circuit. The main courthouse is in Belleville, which is the county seat and the hub of civil court activity in St. Clair County. The clerk's office processes all new civil filings, maintains the official case files, handles copy requests, and provides public access to civil court records for St. Clair County. The official court website is at illinoiscourts.gov.
St. Clair County is located in southwestern Illinois, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. The county handles a substantial volume of civil cases, including contract disputes, personal injury suits, foreclosures, and domestic relations matters. The clerk's office can help you find a case, explain how to request copies, and direct you to the right department. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can point you to legal help resources in the area.
| County Seat | Belleville, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Judicial Circuit | 20th Judicial Circuit |
| Online Access | Judici.com |
| State Courts Directory | illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/circuit-court-clerks |
For current contact information including address, phone number, and office hours, visit the Illinois Courts circuit court clerk directory at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/circuit-court-clerks.
Civil Court Records Search in St. Clair County
St. Clair County civil court records are available free to the public through Judici.com. No account or login is required for basic case searches. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney name. The Judici platform is used by 82 of Illinois's 102 counties and provides the electronic docket for each case, which shows filing dates, hearing dates, case status, and a summary of court events.
The screenshot below shows the Illinois Courts public resources page, which links to Judici and other statewide tools for accessing civil court records in St. Clair County and across Illinois.
What you find on Judici is the electronic docket, not the full case file. The docket summarizes what happened in the case and when, but the actual documents are held by the clerk's office. For copies of filed documents or certified copies of court orders, contact the St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk directly. Very recent filings may take some time before they appear on Judici, so call the clerk if you need the most current information on a pending St. Clair County civil case.
What St. Clair County Civil Court Records Contain
Civil court records in St. Clair County document the history of a case from start to finish. Each file opens with the complaint or petition that started the case, the names of all parties, the case number, and the filing date. From there, the docket tracks every event: motions filed, hearings held, orders entered, and deadlines set. The docket on Judici shows this timeline in summary form.
The actual case file holds the documents themselves. You will find the original complaint, any answers or counterclaims, all motions, and every order the judge signed. If a case settled, the settlement agreement or dismissal order is in the file. Final judgments are part of the record too. For cases that went to trial, transcripts can be obtained through the court reporter. Certified copies of judgments are often needed for matters like property transactions or collecting on a debt, and St. Clair County civil court records can supply those through the clerk's office.
Most civil records are public under 705 ILCS 105/16(6), which requires the clerk to keep a public docket open at all times during office hours. Records that are not public include juvenile files, adoption records, and cases sealed by a judge. Sensitive data such as Social Security numbers is redacted before public copies are produced.
Electronic Filing in St. Clair County
Civil case filings in St. Clair County must go through the Illinois mandatory eFiling system at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. This covers new cases, motions, responses, and other civil documents. The portal runs 24 hours a day. You need an account and must use an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider, called an EFSP, to submit anything to the court.
Exemptions from eFiling include 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. Illinois approved court forms are at illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms. These are fillable PDFs you can complete before uploading through eFileIL. If you have questions about eFiling in St. Clair County, the Illinois Court Help line at (833) 411-1121 can assist.
Fees for St. Clair County Civil Court Records
The fee schedule for St. Clair County civil court records follows 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. A record search costs up to $6.00 per year searched. Paper copy fees 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 courthouse in Belleville.
Online access through Judici.com is free. The Illinois Supreme Court suspended the electronic access fee under Supreme Court Rule 313, effective May 1, 2025. Searching St. Clair County civil court records online now costs nothing. Certified copies carry an additional charge. Contact the clerk's office for the current certified copy fee before your visit to the courthouse in Belleville.
Legal Help for St. Clair County Civil Cases
The clerk's office handles civil court records for St. Clair County but does not provide legal advice. If you need help with a civil case or guidance on your legal options, the following resources serve St. Clair County.
Illinois Court Help provides free civil court guidance by phone at (833) 411-1121, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. The website is at ilcourthelp.gov. Staff can explain civil procedures specific to St. Clair County, walk you through court forms, and connect you with local legal aid. The service supports more than 200 languages through inLingo interpretation, so residents who do not speak English can still get full help.
Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org has guides, self-help tools, and a referral service. Their guide on getting copies of court records is at illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-get-copies-your-court-records. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid serves low-income residents in St. Clair County and southwestern Illinois with civil legal matters. The Illinois Courts self-help page at illinoiscourts.gov/self-help is also worth checking if you are handling a civil case on your own.
Cities in St. Clair County
All civil court records for cases filed across St. Clair County are handled by the 20th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk in Belleville. St. Clair County does not have any cities with a population over 50,000. Communities including Belleville, O'Fallon, Collinsville, and Fairview Heights are all served by the main courthouse in Belleville.
Nearby Counties
St. Clair County shares borders with several other Illinois counties. Check the courthouse address on any court documents you have received if you are not sure which county handled a case.