Court records for Kankakee County, Illinois, are maintained by the Circuit Clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the clerk's office. KankakeeCourt.us is a convenient resource for starting a search for public court case information. Additional sources include the Kankakee County Circuit Clerk's website, the Illinois Courts Directory, and the clerk's office at the courthouse.
Kankakee Court System Overview
Illinois operates a unified Circuit Court system. Kankakee County is part of the 21st Judicial Circuit, which serves two counties — Kankakee and Iroquois. The Chief Judge of the 21st Circuit provides administrative leadership for both counties.
All first-instance cases — criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile matters — are heard by the Circuit Court. The court is not divided into separate "district" and "magistrate" courts as in some other states; instead, cases are assigned to Circuit Judges and Associate Judges based on category. The courthouse is located at:
Courts Serving Kankakee
Residents of Kankakee County have access to courts of several levels of jurisdiction.
State Circuit Court
State Appellate Court
Appeals from the 21st Judicial Circuit are heard by the Third District Appellate Court in Ottawa.
Federal District Court
Kankakee County falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
Federal Bankruptcy Court
Municipal Courts
There are no separate municipal courts in Illinois. Violations of city ordinances are handled by the Kankakee County Circuit Court.
What Types of Cases Kankakee Courts Hear
The Circuit Court of the 21st Judicial Circuit hears virtually all categories of first-instance cases. Here are the main ones:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors
- Traffic violations and DUI
- Civil lawsuits of any size, including small claims cases
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, paternity, protective orders
- Probate: estate cases, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile cases: delinquency, child protection, adoption
District Court Cases in Kankakee
In Illinois, there is no separate "district court" at the county level — this role is fulfilled by the Circuit Court. Circuit Judges have full jurisdiction and handle the most complex cases.
Felonies are transferred to a Circuit Judge after a preliminary hearing. They also handle civil cases with large claims, appeals from Associate Judges' decisions, and post-conviction proceedings. Cases are assigned by the Chief Judge of the 21st Circuit. Hearings are held at the Kankakee County Courthouse.
Magistrate Court Cases in Kankakee
The role of magistrate judges in Illinois is performed by Associate Judges. They are appointed by Circuit Judges and have broad authority.
Associate Judges handle:
- Misdemeanors and minor offenses
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Civil cases with claims up to $100,000
- Small claims cases — up to $10,000 according to the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure
- Traffic violations — fines can be paid online on the Circuit Clerk's website
- Initial hearings in DUI cases
With a heavy workload, some Associate Judges may specialize in specific categories — for example, exclusively on traffic cases or family law.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Kankakee
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, and protective orders are handled in the family division of the Circuit Court. Standardized forms for divorce and child support are approved by the Illinois Supreme Court and available on the official Illinois Courts website. Certified copies of divorce decrees are issued by the Circuit Clerk of the county where the case was filed — the Department of Public Health does not issue them.
Probate
Estate, guardianship, and conservatorship cases are handled by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court. They are usually overseen by a Circuit Judge, although an Associate Judge may also handle less complex cases.
Juvenile Matters
Juvenile proceedings — delinquency, child protection (abuse/neglect), adoption — are conducted in closed sessions. Juvenile case records are confidential under Illinois law. For information, contact the Circuit Clerk's office directly at 815-936-5700.
How Cases Move Through the Kankakee Court System
- Case Initiation. A criminal case begins with a complaint or indictment. A civil case starts with a lawsuit. Family or probate cases begin with a petition. All documents are filed through the e-filing system, which has a kiosk at the Circuit Clerk's office.
- Judge Assignment. The Chief Judge of the 21st Circuit assigns cases to Circuit and Associate Judges.
- First Hearing. In criminal cases, this is the arraignment — the defendant is read the charges and enters a plea. In civil cases, it's a scheduling conference to set the timeline.
- Pretrial Phase. Motions, discovery, plea negotiations, or settlement discussions.
- Trial or Resolution. The case may end with a plea deal, jury verdict, judge's decision, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Judgment. Sentencing, appeal to the Third District Appellate Court, or enforcement of the judgment.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Kankakee
The administration of the courts in the 21st Judicial Circuit is overseen by the Chief Judge. The court administrator coordinates daily operations. Local rules for the 21st Circuit are published on the Office of the Illinois Courts website.
Public Access to Records
Most court records in Illinois are public. Exceptions include juvenile cases, sealed and expunged records, and certain documents in family cases. An important note: court records and records of divisions under the Chief Judge's authority are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Requests for court records should be directed to the Circuit Clerk.
Attending Hearings
Most court hearings are open to the public. Digital recordings of all sessions are available for order — contact Sue Travis, Court Reporter Supervisor, at 815-937-2918 for a transcript.
Court Administration Contacts
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Kankakee
- Case Search and Fine Payment. The Kankakee County Circuit Clerk's website allows payment of traffic fines, child support, and other fees online. For general case searches, also use KankakeeCourt.us.
- Court Forms and Self-Help Resources. Approved forms for family cases are available on the Illinois Courts page. Additional court information can be found on the county's website.
- Vital Records. Birth, death, and marriage certificates are issued by the County Clerk's office. Marriage licenses are also processed there, at 189 E. Court St.
- Criminal History. The Bureau of Identification at the Illinois State Police maintains state-level conviction records. Personal records can be requested through the fingerprint submission system.
- Inmate Search. To check if someone is held in the county jail, visit the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office website. For state system inmate searches, use the IDOC Individual in Custody Search.
- Sex Offender Registry. Information is available on the Illinois Department of Corrections portal, which also includes data on wanted fugitives.
- Expungement. The city of Kankakee holds special expungement events — details are on the Kankakee United Virtual Expungement Fair page.
- Law Enforcement. The Kankakee City Police Department is located at 385 East Oak Street; phone for urgent matters: 815-933-3321.