Champaign County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Champaign County, Illinois, is a 996.27 square miles county in the East Central part of the State of Illinois with an estimated population of over 209,000. The county operates a streamlined court system, which comprises primarily the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court is the county's central court, handling all initial trial proceedings. This extensive jurisdiction ensures a single, accessible venue for addressing legal issues and a direct process for seeking legal redress. The court has significantly contributed to ensuring law and order across the county.

The Champaign County Circuit Court, situated in Urbana, Illinois, is an integral part of the county's legal system. This court handles a wide range of legal matters, encompassing both civil disputes and criminal offenses, including misdemeanors and felonies. Traffic violations also fall under the Circuit Court's purview. Parties that are dissatisfied with the decision of the Circuit Court regarding their case may file an appeal at the Appellate Court.

The Champaign County Circuit Court has an active caseload. On average, the Circuit Court receives over 3,000 civil case filings annually. However, the bulk of the court's caseload is criminal matters. In 2020, the Circuit Court received over 15,000 case filings, of which over 2500 of them were misdemeanors and felonies, and 13,000 filings for traffic offenses. Champaign County's crime rate of 20.9 per 100,000 persons and the Circuit Court's criminal caseload reflects the court's commitment to ensuring reduced crime in the county and an active judiciary. The Champaign County Circuit Court typically maintains a record of both active and decided cases and all other documents filed or submitted before the court, all of which constitute the court's records. Court records are generally available to the public and interested persons may contact the Champaign County Circuit Clerk to access or obtain their preferred court record. Some specific records are naturally sealed or inaccessible online without special permission due to the nature of the case. Those typically have to do with juvenile matters.

In summary, the Champaign County court system plays a vital role in maintaining law and order within the county. This court, structured to handle a wide variety of legal matters, provides residents with a clear path to address grievances and defend their rights. The system's transparency is further bolstered by public access to court records. This accessibility fosters public trust in the court's administration of justice, a quality essential for any effective court system.