FOIA vs Court Records in Cook County
Illinois FOIA, 5 ILCS 140, governs records of public bodies. That covers Sheriff administrative records, State's Attorney administrative records, County Clerk vital and election records, the Office of the Chief Judge administrative side, and most county agencies. Court case files are different. The Clerk of the Circuit Court controls case files under the Clerks of Courts Act, the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, and the Supreme Court Remote Access Policy.
The Illinois FOIA Act page is shown below.
The Illinois General Assembly publishes the full FOIA chapter as well, including the public-policy section. The screenshot below shows the General Assembly FOIA chapter index.
County Clerk Public Records
The Cook County Clerk handles vital records, election records, board records, statements of economic interests, lobbyist registrations, and tax-extension functions. The County Clerk's main office is at 69 W. Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602, phone (312) 603-5656.
- Marriage and civil-union certificates.
- Birth and death certificates dating to 1872.
- Genealogy birth, marriage, and death records by age threshold.
- Election records, voter rolls, and judge of election rosters.
- Statements of Economic Interests filed by elected and appointed officials.
- Lobbyist registration and semiannual reports.
- Tax-extension records, permanent real-estate numbers, and property tax codes.
- Board of Commissioners legislative records and code of ordinances.
For full County Clerk detail, see the Cook County Clerk page.
Clerk of the Circuit Court Public Records
The Clerk of the Circuit Court holds civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate, juvenile, chancery, and county case files. The Clerk's public records request page links Archives, Court Files, Court Data, and Media Requests. The CCG0026 Record Search Request Form is the direct copy request form; the Clerk charges a $6 per year search fee plus copy fees of $2 first page and $0.50 each additional page.
For full Clerk detail, see the Clerk of the Circuit Court page. For online dockets and case search, see Cook County court records.
Sheriff and Law-Enforcement Records
The Sheriff's office is subject to FOIA for administrative records. Arrest reports are partly covered by FOIA at 5 ILCS 140/2.15, which sets out specific disclosure rules for arrest reports and criminal history maintained by law enforcement. Sheriff administrative records, policies, contracts, and incident summaries can be requested.
The Sheriff's Individual in Custody Locator at iic.ccsheriff.org is the right place for current custody status. The search-form image below shows the Sheriff locator's structure.
Federal Records for Cook County Residents
Federal cases that arise in Cook County are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Federal records access is through PACER and CM/ECF. Federal custody status uses the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. The federal BOP locator page is shown below.
Federal records also exist for U.S. Attorney's Office prosecutions, U.S. Marshals Service custody and transport, immigration enforcement, and federal agency programs in Cook County. Each federal source uses its own FOIA process.
How to File a Cook County Public Records Request
The steps below cover a Cook County FOIA request to a county agency. Court case records use the Clerk's CCG0026 process instead.
- Identify the agency that holds the record (Sheriff, State's Attorney, County Clerk, Office of the Chief Judge, Forest Preserve, Health and Hospitals System, etc.).
- Locate the agency's FOIA officer or public records officer. Many agencies publish the contact at the bottom of their official website.
- Write a short, specific request. Identify the document, date range, and format needed.
- Send by email, mail, fax, or web form. Many Cook County agencies offer an online portal.
- Wait the statutory response window, usually 5 working days with an extension allowed.
- Review the response. If the request is denied or fees are excessive, request review by the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor or file an action in the Circuit Court.
FOIA Request Form Fields
Most Cook County FOIA forms collect a similar set of fields. The table below shows the typical inventory used by Cook County agencies. Court record requests use the Clerk's CCG0026 form instead, which has its own field set covered on the court records page.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requestor name | Text | Yes | Identifying information. |
| Mailing address | Text | Yes for mail response | Street or PO box. |
| Phone / email | Text | Recommended | For agency follow-up questions. |
| Records sought | Long text | Yes | Specific document, date range, format. |
| Commercial purpose | Checkbox | Yes | Required disclosure under FOIA. |
| Format preference | Checkbox | Optional | Email, paper, electronic data file. |
| Signature / date | Signature / date | Often required | Some agencies require certification. |
Cook County Public Records Fees and Timing
Illinois FOIA fees are tightly controlled. Public bodies usually cannot charge for the first 50 pages of black-and-white copies, and electronic records may not be charged like paper copies except for allowed media and programming costs. Court copy fees are different; the Clerk's $6 per year search fee comes from the Clerks of Courts Act, not from FOIA.
| Item | Typical Fee or Timeline |
|---|---|
| FOIA response window | 5 working days, extendable for 5 more |
| FOIA copy fee | First 50 black-and-white pages free; modest per-page fee after |
| Electronic records | Cost of media and programming only |
| Court record search | $6 per year searched (Clerk CCG0026) |
| Court copy, first page | $2 |
| Court copy, each additional page | $0.50 |
| Certified marriage certificate (County Clerk) | $15 first, $4 additional |
Confidential and Exempt Records
FOIA exemptions at 5 ILCS 140/7 and 7.5 include private information, parts of law-enforcement records, trade secrets, certain personal-privacy categories, and records made confidential by other statutes. Juvenile case records are confidential under 705 ILCS 405. Adoption records are sealed under 750 ILCS 50. Mental health records are restricted under state mental-health confidentiality statutes. Personal identity information is restricted under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138.
Attorney General Public Access Counselor Review
If a Cook County public body denies a FOIA request or charges excessive fees, the requester can ask for a review by the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. The PAC can issue a binding opinion or a non-binding determination. The requester can also file a civil action in the Circuit Court of Cook County to enforce FOIA rights.
Note: Court-record disputes are usually handled through the court and Clerk rather than FOIA review.
The Public Access Counselor can be reached through the Illinois Attorney General's office. A request for review must usually be filed within 60 days of the denial. The PAC reviews the agency's response, the records at issue, and the cited exemptions before issuing its determination.