How to Search Cook County Court Records
The Clerk of the Circuit Court runs the public online case information service at cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/online-case-information. The Clerk's page says the docket is a public service for general status of historical and active cases and that the online data is not the official record. Official files are held at the courthouse or in other Clerk repositories. The Clerk also warns that recent filings may not appear online for a few days.
The Clerk online case information page is captured below. Read the disclaimers before you start a search.
Have a case number ready before you start. Without one, the Clerk charges a paper search fee of $6 per year searched on the CCG0026 Record Search Request Form. Knowing the year and division also helps the search application route the query correctly.
- Open the Clerk's online case information page.
- Read the public-service disclaimer and follow the link to casesearch.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.
- Pick the division to search. The Clerk's brochure points to County Division search; other divisions include civil, law, chancery, domestic relations, probate, and traffic.
- Enter the case number exactly. If you do not have the case number, search by party name where the public search allows it.
- Open the docket. Look for case status, party caption, judge, courtroom, hearing date, filing date, and event entries.
- For certified or full copies, file the Record Search Request Form CCG0026 or visit the Clerk's office on Suite 1001 of the Daley Center.
The CCC Portal is a separate path for Illinois-licensed attorneys and justice partners. The Clerk's case lookup page sends registered attorneys there. Members of the public should not register.
Cook County Court Records Search Fields
The Clerk's public case search lets you choose a division and then enter case-identifying detail. The search application returned a Request Rejected error during research review, so the exact dropdown options and field validation rules are not fully captured. The table below shows the field set the Clerk's brochure and case-lookup page describe.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division search | Tab / dropdown | Yes | County Division shown in brochure; other dockets include civil, law, chancery, domestic relations, probate, and traffic. |
| Case number | Text | Strongly preferred | Year, division code, sequence number. Exact format matters for an exact match. |
| Party name | Text | Optional | Last name plus first name where the division exposes name search. |
| Filing date / date range | Date | Optional | Narrows result set when name search is used. |
| Submit | Button | Yes | Sends the query to the Clerk's search engine. |
Note: If a field is blank on the result, the Clerk says the office likely does not have responsive data in its master database.
Types of Cook County Court Records
The Circuit Court of Cook County hears nearly every kind of state case. Each division creates its own kind of file. The County Department divisions handle subject-matter calendars. The Municipal Department districts handle geographic calendars. Some records are public and some are restricted by statute.
The full Problem-Solving Courts page at the Circuit Court site is shown below. It is one of several treatment-oriented dockets in the county and is one of the more specialized record sets.
- Chancery files: foreclosures, injunctions, class actions, declaratory judgments, receiverships, liens, trust and will construction, and dissolution of partnerships.
- Law Division files: civil suits for money damages over $30,000 in Chicago and over $100,000 in the suburban districts.
- Criminal Division files: felony case files, indictments, charging instruments, bond and pretrial orders, sentencing orders, and expungement petitions.
- Domestic Relations files: dissolution of marriage and civil union, parentage, child support, parenting time, and division of property.
- Probate files: decedent estates, adult guardianships, minor estates, and matters under the Power of Attorney Act.
- County Division files: adoptions, mental health, name changes, tax deeds, tax objections, and election matters.
- Traffic Section files: citations, court dates, plea entries, dispositions, and supervision orders. See traffic court records.
What a Cook County Court Record Shows
The Clerk describes the online version as a brief summary of court documents and court events. The actual paper file in the courthouse holds the full pleadings, exhibits, and orders. Personal identity information is redacted under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Year, division code, and sequence. CH for Chancery, L for Law, P for Probate, OP for order of protection. |
| Caption | Plaintiff/defendant, petitioner/respondent, or People of the State of Illinois v. defendant. |
| Filing Date | Date the case was opened with the Clerk. |
| Judge and Courtroom | Assigned judge, room number, branch, and municipal district where shown. |
| Docket Events | Complaint filed, motion filed, hearing set, order entered, continuance, judgment, dismissal, sentencing, warrant issued or quashed. |
| Case Status | Active, closed, disposed, on appeal, or transferred. |
| Disposition | The outcome of a case or charge. |
| Financial Fields | Fines, fees, costs, restitution, civil judgment amount, fee waivers. |
Public Access Framework for Cook County Court Records
Cook County court records are public under a layered framework. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act governs records held by public bodies, but court case files are run through the Clerk's office, the Supreme Court Remote Access Policy, and Supreme Court rules rather than FOIA. The Clerk's public records request page covers archives, court files, court data, and media requests.
The Clerk's public-records page is captured below. It is the right starting point for older paper files, certified copies, and bulk court data.
Anyone may request a copy of a public court record. Fees are statutory under 705 ILCS 105/27.2A. Certified copies cost more than plain copies and are required for many uses outside the court, including immigration and out-of-state recording.
Note: The online docket is a public service, not the official court record. Order certified copies if you need an official document.
Records That Are Sealed or Confidential in Cook County
Juvenile justice and child-protection records are confidential under the Juvenile Court Act, 705 ILCS 405. Adoption files are sealed under the Adoption Act, 750 ILCS 50. Mental health files are restricted under state mental-health confidentiality statutes and HIPAA. Grand-jury matters are secret under 725 ILCS 5/112-6, even though the indictment itself becomes public once returned.
Expungement and sealing under the Criminal Identification Act, 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, remove or restrict public access to eligible arrest and court records. Cook County Criminal Division hears arrest-record expungement petitions. To view a sealed record, an authorized party files a motion in the court that issued the seal order.
Public Access Terminals and Remote Access
The Daley Center has a Remote Access Center in Room CL-16 with twelve computers for Zoom court. Skokie has six computers in Room 157. Rolling Meadows has four computers in Room LL062. Maywood, Bridgeview, and Markham each have remote access rooms. The Free Legal Help Desk at the Daley Center is in Room CL-29 on the concourse level.
The Sheriff's visitor registration page below is a separate workflow for jail visits, not for case search. Members of the public should not confuse it with the Clerk's case search.
In-Person Court Record Requests
Order an official or certified copy at the Clerk's Office at the Daley Center. The CCG0026 paper request form covers mail and over-the-counter requests. Bring photo ID, case number, party names, the year filed, and the division. If you do not know the year, expect a $6 per year search fee.
Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court
50 W. Washington St., Suite 1001
Chicago, IL 60602-1305
(312) 603-5030
Live chat M-F 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.