Findlay, Illinois Public Records

Inspecting records is free under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, the first 50 black and white pages are free and later pages cost 15 cents each. Circuit clerk case searches are free, a certified Illinois birth certificate costs $15 from IDPH or about $16 from a county clerk, and a certified death certificate is $19.

Ask the Findlay police department records division for incident and accident reports if the town has its own force; otherwise the Shelby County Sheriff's Office keeps reports for the area. Crashes worked by the Illinois State Police are bought online or by mail from the ISP, and reports are released in redacted form under FOIA.

Cases filed in Shelby County are heard by the circuit court for the county, and the Shelby County Circuit Clerk runs the case search and sells copies. The Illinois Courts website covers the Supreme and Appellate Courts.

Deeds and mortgages are recorded by the Shelby County Recorder of Deeds, a duty of the county clerk in many counties. Property is assessed by the township assessor or the county supervisor of assessments, and the Shelby County Treasurer mails and collects the tax bills.

The Shelby County Clerk issues certified birth, death and marriage certificates for events in the county, usually over the counter. The Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records in Springfield also issues birth and death certificates by mail, which takes about 12 weeks.

Yes. The Illinois State Police offers name-based criminal history checks of conviction information through its CHIRP system for a fee, and fingerprint checks for full records. Circuit clerk case searches also show criminal cases by name.

Illinois agencies must respond within five business days under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, and may extend that once by five more business days with written notice. Requests for commercial purposes get 21 business days.