This page helps users handle court records tasks in McHenry County, Illinois, including online case information, copy requests, filing resources, and contact options for the Circuit Clerk.
The main public path is the McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Public Access Portal, which provides online access to public court record summaries from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of McHenry County.
Public Case Access for McHenry County court records
Use the Circuit Clerk’s public access system to look up public case information online. The portal is designed for public court record summaries and related online services.
- Go to Public Case Access.
- Choose the case information search option.
- Review the public case summary shown in the portal.
- Use the copy request process if you need filed documents rather than an online summary.
Important: Online summaries are not the official court record and may not include every update or document.
Online case summary limits
The Public Access Portal provides public court record summaries as a public service. The Circuit Clerk notes that the information is not guaranteed to be complete, accurate, current, or the official record of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court.
Some court information may need to be verified through the Circuit Clerk, especially when a case date, recent update, or document copy matters for your next step.
Request copies from court files
The Circuit Clerk can provide copies of documents filed in court files. Most case files are public, but some case types and documents are restricted.
For copy instructions, use the Request Copies page. Copy requests are made by email to [email protected] and should include your name, phone number, email address, case number, party names, document title, file date, whether you want an emailed or mailed copy, and whether certification is needed.
Copy fees are calculated before the documents are sent. Wait for the Circuit Clerk’s reply before making payment.
| Copy item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First page | $2.00 |
| Each additional page up to 20 pages | $0.50 per page |
| Each additional page after that | $0.25 per page |
| Certification | $6.00 per certification |
Restricted files and unavailable documents
Public access does not cover every court file or every document within a file. Examples of excluded case types include adoption, juvenile abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, expunged and sealed cases, mental health cases, and cases impounded by court order.
Some documents inside public files may also be restricted, including financial statements, medical records, mental health records, Social Security numbers or other personal identity information, and certain victim names in sexual assault cases.
Police reports, transcripts, evidence, and exhibits are not obtained from the Circuit Clerk’s court file copy process. Police reports must be requested from the arresting agency. Transcripts must be requested from the 22nd Circuit Court Reporters through Court Administration at (815) 334-4385.
Court forms and e-filing
For common filings, the Circuit Clerk provides access to statewide forms, McHenry County forms, and self-help form resources. Start with Commonly Used Forms when you need forms for civil, family, traffic, criminal, probate, guardianship, order of protection, or other listed matters.
Civil and family filings are handled electronically through the statewide eFileIL platform. McHenry County accepts criminal, traffic, and juvenile documents electronically through i2File using the non-EFM filing option. The Circuit Clerk also provides public e-filing stations during regular business hours outside Rooms 136 and 353.
For filing instructions and rejection reasons, review Electronic Filing of documents.
Court dates, daily calls, and reminders
The Circuit Clerk offers online services for court date reminders, Zoom check-in, payments, and daily court information. Daily court call lists may not reflect recent changes because they are generated the week prior.
When a court date is missing, changed, or uncertain, verify the information through Public Case Access or the Circuit Clerk before relying on a daily court call list.
McHenry County Circuit Clerk contact information
Use the Circuit Clerk for public case access questions, copy requests, court file questions, and general court record support.
- McHenry County Circuit Clerk, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Rooms 136 & 353, Woodstock, IL 60098
- Phone: (815) 334-4190
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
- McHenry County Law Library, Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center, Room 344, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098
- Phone: (815) 334-4166
- Email: [email protected]
- McHenry County Legal Self-Help Center, Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center, Room 346, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098
- Phone: (815) 334-0317
- Email: [email protected]
Common questions
Where can I look up McHenry County court case information online?
Use the Circuit Clerk’s Public Case Access portal for public court record summaries from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of McHenry County.
Are online case summaries the official court record?
No. The online summaries are public record summaries, but they are not the official court record and are not guaranteed to be complete, accurate, or current.
How do I request copies of court documents?
Email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with your contact information, case number, party names, document title, file date, delivery preference, and whether you need certification. Wait for the amount due before paying.
Can I get police reports from the court file?
No. Police reports are not filed in court files. Request a police report from the arresting agency.
Where do I request a court transcript?
Transcripts must be requested from the 22nd Circuit Court Reporters through Court Administration at (815) 334-4385.
Which court files are not generally available to the public?
Examples include adoption, juvenile abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, expunged and sealed, mental health, and impounded cases.