Guide
Illinois Expungement Research Resources
Use the resources below to identify the agencies, courts, records, and related research tools that often matter when you are exploring expungement, sealing, or other record relief options in Illinois.
- Illinois Public Records Hub Start with the broader Illinois public record directory before narrowing to expungement or sealing research.
- Illinois Criminal Records Review related criminal record research resources that often intersect with expungement and sealing questions in Illinois.
- Illinois Court Records Look for court-level case information, docket access, or filing context connected to expungement matters in Illinois.
- Illinois Police Records Browse police-record and law enforcement resources that may help identify originating agencies in Illinois.
- Illinois Background Checks Compare how records may appear in background check workflows related to Illinois.
- Illinois Inmate Search Use inmate search and corrections links when expungement research overlaps with custody or supervision history in Illinois.
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in Illinois
Illinois has no statute or Supreme Court rule that closes divorce files. What the Supreme Court has done is limit the screen: the Remote Access Policy, in its revision effective July 1, 2026, allows the general public to view documents remotely only in arbitration, eminent domain, law, law magistrate, municipal corporation and tax case types, and makes dissolution and family case documents available remotely only to the parties and Illinois licensed attorneys, while stating that access to court records at the courthouse is governed by court order, rule or law and is not changed by the policy. The policy groups expunged, impounded, confidential, sealed and otherwise secured records as restricted.
Sealing or impounding a document or a file is by motion and court order in the circuit court. Local rules add automatic protection for the money documents in some circuits: the 17th Judicial Circuit's Rule 14.02, amended September 4, 2018, provides that financial affidavits and any supporting documentation shall be accepted by the Office of the Circuit Clerk and be filed as impounded documents, while Cook County's Rule 13.3.1(d) keeps the affidavit out of the file altogether unless the court orders it filed. The policy is at illinoiscourts.gov and the 17th Circuit rule at 17thcircuit.illinoiscourts.gov.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state