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Don't let a criminal record become a barrier to future opportunities. You may be eligible to expunge or seal your record so that you can pursue your life worry-free. We help clients determine their eligibility and file the motion to clear your record Give our offices a call at (312) 466-9466 for a free legal consultation today.
In every courtroom, you may notice a court reporter diligently transcribing every word said by the judge, defendant, and attorneys in the room. Court transcripts are just one type of court record that is preserved and filed by the Kane County Clerk's Office. In addition, the county keeps a record for anyone who has been court-involved -- whether you've been arrested, charged, or convicted of a crime.
This information can be accessed by the public. In 1991, Illinois passed the Uniform Conviction Information Act. This act mandates that all criminal history record conviction information collected and maintained by the Illinois State Police and the Bureau of Identification be made available to the public. This specific law permits only conviction information to be disseminated to the public, but information about criminal charges can also be accessed by the public.
When you are arrested or charged with an offense, a criminal record is automatically created, even if you are ultimately found Not Guilty. Your criminal records can be read by anyone, including your family, friends, employers, trade organizations, banks, and credit agencies. If you were found Not Guilty, the record will reflect that; however, your record will not delete the charge automatically.
Not all court records are available for public viewing. The exceptions are juvenile criminal records and adoption filings. But all criminal convictions or charges that occurred over the age of 18 will show up when searched.
This article will discuss the process for obtaining Kane County criminal records and other court documents.
Kane County court records are available online. They can be accessed through the Public Access portal provided by the Kane County Clerk's office.
You can look up your case by name, case number or ticket number in the search field. If you are looking for the record for your own criminal case, it is easiest to search using the case number if you have it at your disposal.
The online portal displays various pieces of information, including the defendant's name, the crime they were charged with, and the status of the case. If the defendant was found Not Guilty, or if he pled Guilty, this information is displayed. In addition, the record contains a list of all court hearings and appearances and details about each one. If there was a conviction, the online court record will describe the terms of the sentence.
Kane County criminal records are also accessible in the Kane County courthouse at the Circuit Clerk's office. The Kane County Clerk's Office is located at 540 South Randall Road, St. Charles, Illinois 60174. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30pm-4:30pm, with extended hours until 7pm on Wednesdays.
When you search Kane County criminal court records at the Clerk's office, you may also be able to access any documents that were filed throughout the course of a case, for example, a motion or sentencing memorandum. These court documents are not available through the online portal and must be requested in person at the Kane County Clerk's Office.
Court records accessed through the online Kane County court records database are free. These records may be printed at home if desired.
However, if you would like to search more in-depth information in the clerk's office, there is a fee to search and make copies. According to the Clerk's Office fee schedule, it costs $6.00 per record search for each year searched and for each name searched.
In addition, the Clerk's office charges $6.00 for every docket sheet printed out. A docket sheet lists a record of all court hearings and appearances throughout the course of a criminal case, from the initial arraignment to the final sentencing. For more information about the Clerk's fee schedule, visit the Kane County Circuit Court Clerk website.
The process described above for accessing Kane County criminal court records is limited in its scope. For one, it is difficult to compile a delineated list of all instances of court involvement, because you have to search case by case. It does not include all arrests, and if you have been accused of a crime in a county other than Kane, that charge will not show up.
If you have lived in various places and have been involved with the court in more than one county, you will have to search each court record database individually. In other words, if you were convicted of a crime in Will County, it will not show up by searching the Kane County criminal record database. However, if a future employer runs a background check on you, he or she will see your criminal history in all counties.
It is possible to order a full Illinois criminal history report through the office of the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. This is a good option if you have been arrested or charge in various counties and you want to make sure you have all the information. However, there is a fee to file for the full report.
The record check can be performed either based on name or fingerprint. For more information on pulling your full Illinois Criminal History report, visit the Illinois State Police website.
Having a criminal record can be a burden. Oftentimes, potential employers or landlords pull a criminal history report, which can affect whether or not you get the job or an apartment. If you are saddled by a criminal record and would like to clear it, it is possible. In Illinois and Kane County, you have the right to file for expungement or sealing of your record.
To learn about the expungement process in Kane County and see if you are eligible, please visit our Kane County Criminal Records Expungement and Sealing page.
We have thirty years under our belt vigorously defending criminal defendants in Illinois. At the Law Office of Steven R. Hunter, we are invested in our clients. If you find yourself facing criminal charges in Kane County, don't hesitate to contact our Kane County criminal defense attorney. From DUI to domestic battery to drug trafficking, we defend clients accused of any crime in Kane County. To schedule a free consultation, call our office at (312) 466-9466.
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