This page helps you find Court Records in Lake County, Illinois, and choose the right official path for case searches, document copies, certified copies, and record search requests.

The Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Online Portal is the main online service for certain civil, criminal, and traffic public record summaries from the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Lake County.

Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Online Portal

Use the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Online Portal to search certain civil, criminal, and traffic public records. The portal also supports document access for attorneys and parties of record, along with online options for fines, fees, document copy payments, traffic school requests, and proposed orders.

To access court information online, users must register for an account under the Illinois Remote Access Policy.

  • Go to the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Online Portal.
  • Register for a public user or attorney account.
  • Use the case search tools to look for available civil, criminal, or traffic case information.
  • For document viewing, use the portal access available to attorneys and parties of record.

Access may vary by role. Public users can access certain court record summaries, while attorneys and parties of record may have document access for their cases.

Request a document copy

If you need a copy of a document from a court file, use the Document Copy Request Form. The form asks for your contact information and case details so staff can locate the requested document.

  • Your name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Case number and case title
  • Document name and filing date
  • For criminal cases, the defendant’s name
  • Whether the copy should be certified

The Circuit Clerk’s office states that it tries to complete requests by the end of the next business day, but next-business-day completion is not guaranteed. You may call to confirm whether the file or document is ready.

Record searches by mail or in person

The Circuit Clerk’s Office maintains records of criminal, traffic, and civil actions in Lake County, Illinois. Record searches may be requested for a person or a business by mail or in person.

Include the following details with a record search request:

  • Name of the person or business
  • Years to be searched
  • Types of cases to search, such as criminal, traffic, or civil
  • Date of birth, when the request is for an individual
  • Self-addressed stamped envelope

Juvenile records are sealed and are not included in record searches.

The record search fee is $6 per name per year for a background check. Mail requests must be paid by money order, certified check, or cashier’s check payable to “Clerk of the Circuit Court.” Personal checks are not accepted. Cash and credit cards are accepted in person only.

Certified copies and older case images

Certified copies may be requested online through the Clerk E-Certify service for non-restricted cases and non-restricted documents. No account or sign-in is required.

Older cases may show a document labeled “Case Document Images” instead of separate document names. If you know the specific document you need from that bulk image, submit the help desk request identified for that issue. If you do not know the document name, contact the Records Department for help.

For certified copies related to eviction enforcement, parties must submit their own certified copies to the Lake County Sheriff. Effective May 1, 2026, the Circuit Clerk’s office no longer forwards eviction enforcement requests to the Sheriff.

Files in storage

If the file you need is in storage, use the Storage File Retrieval Request Form rather than the document copy request form. The storage request asks for your name, phone, email, and case information.

The Request a File or Document page also identifies the basic information needed for a file or document request, including your full name, law firm name if applicable, case number, phone number, and email.

Naturalization records

Naturalization records are not provided by the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office. Requests for naturalization records must go through the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois State Archives Department.

For Illinois Regional Archives Depository information, contact the Illinois State Archives by phone at (217) 782-4866 or use the Illinois State Archives contact form and choose “Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) System” in the regarding field.

Lake County court records contacts

Use these contacts for Lake County, Illinois court record searches, document copies, certified copies, and division-specific questions.

Common questions

Where can I search Lake County, Illinois court records online?

Use the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Online Portal for certain civil, criminal, and traffic public record summaries from the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Lake County.

Do I need an account to use the portal?

Yes. Users must register for an account to access court information through the portal under the Illinois Remote Access Policy.

How do I request copies of court documents?

Use the document copy request form and provide the case number, case title, requested document name, filing date, and your contact information.

Are juvenile records included in Lake County record searches?

No. Juvenile records are sealed and are excluded from record searches handled by the Circuit Clerk’s Office.

The fee is $6 per name per year for a background check. Mail payments must be made by money order, certified check, or cashier’s check payable to “Clerk of the Circuit Court.”

Who handles Lake County naturalization records?

Naturalization records are handled through the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois State Archives Department, not the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office.