Franklin County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Franklin County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Franklin County, Illinois may access publicly available case information through FranklinILRecords.org as well as through official government channels maintained by the county and state judiciary. Court records in Franklin County are created and maintained by the Circuit Clerk's office and may reflect proceedings across a range of case types, including criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic, and small claims matters. The information available through public channels may include case numbers, party names, hearing dates, docket entries, and disposition data, though completeness varies by case type, filing date, and applicable access restrictions.
Records that members of the public may encounter include:
- Criminal case filings, charges, and dispositions
- Civil complaints, judgments, and orders
- Family law matters such as divorce decrees and custody orders
- Probate filings and estate records
- Traffic citations and infractions
- Small claims filings and judgments
- Felony and misdemeanor sentencing entries
Court records in Franklin County may be searched through five primary methods:
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Franklin County Circuit Clerk maintains the official repository of court records. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request case files, certified copies, or docket information. Providing a full party name, case number, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals The Circuit Clerk's office provides a public access computer terminal available for use by members of the public to search information in non-secured cases. This terminal is available during regular business hours at the courthouse.
3. Online Court Search The State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts maintains statewide judicial resources, and case information for Franklin County Circuit Court may be accessible through state-level search tools. Availability of online records depends on case type and whether the matter is subject to access restrictions.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Illinois Courts system provides directory and case access resources through its statewide portal. The Franklin County Courthouse is listed within the Illinois Courts directory, which provides jurisdictional and contact information for the court.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the Circuit Clerk's office. Requests should include the full name of a party, the approximate filing date or case number, and the type of record sought. Fees for copies and certified documents apply and must be submitted with the request.
Are Court Records Public in Franklin County
Court records in Franklin County are subject to public access under Illinois law. Under 735 ILCS 5/8-2101, court records maintained by the clerk of the circuit court are presumptively open to public inspection. The Illinois Supreme Court has also adopted rules governing access to court records, reinforcing the principle that judicial proceedings and their associated documents are matters of public record.
Records that are considered public and available for inspection include:
- Case docket entries and hearing schedules
- Party names and case numbers
- Filed complaints, petitions, and answers
- Court orders and final judgments
- Sentencing entries and probation orders
- Civil judgments and decrees
Certain categories of records are confidential, sealed, or restricted under current law and court rules:
- Juvenile delinquency and abuse/neglect proceedings
- Adoption records
- Mental health and substance abuse treatment records
- Sealed criminal records and expunged matters
- Records subject to protective orders
- Certain identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, which are redacted from public filings pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138
A distinction exists between in-person inspection and online access. While members of the public may inspect most non-restricted case files at the courthouse, not all records are available through online portals. Older paper files, sealed matters, and certain sensitive case types may require an in-person visit to the Circuit Clerk's office.
What Are Court Records in Franklin County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In Franklin County, the Circuit Clerk serves as the official custodian of trial court records, preserving all documents from the initial filing of a case through its final disposition and any subsequent post-judgment proceedings.
A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the State of Illinois against an individual charged with a criminal offense. Filed pleadings are the formal documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.
Public filings are those accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection by court order or statute. Trial court records are maintained at the county level by the Circuit Clerk, while appellate records are maintained by the Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth Judicial District, which has jurisdiction over Franklin County.
Court records are created at the moment a case is filed and are updated continuously as parties submit documents, hearings are held, and orders are entered. Upon final disposition, the record is closed but remains subject to retention and access rules. Appeals generate a separate appellate record transmitted to the reviewing court.
What's Included in a Franklin County Court Record?
A court record in Franklin County may contain a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type and the stage of proceedings. The following information may appear within a publicly accessible court record:
- Case number assigned at filing
- Court name and division, such as civil, criminal, family, or probate
- Filing date and case initiation documents
- Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, and respondents
- Case type and current status
- Docket entries reflecting each action taken in the case
- Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
- Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, and responses
- Court orders, including temporary and permanent orders
- Judgments, decrees, and final dispositions
- Minute entries summarizing court proceedings
- Sentencing entries, pleas, convictions, and probation terms in criminal matters
- Custody rulings and parenting plans in family cases
- Probate orders, inventory filings, and estate distributions
- Filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown
Certain materials are excluded from public access or are restricted within the record. Sealed filings, expunged criminal matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, and protected personal data are not available for public inspection. Some exhibits, particularly those containing sensitive personal information or subject to protective orders, may also be withheld from the public portion of the record.
Types of Courts in Franklin County
Franklin County is served by the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois, which is the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county. As the Illinois Courts system explains, most Illinois counties maintain trial courts within a county-based courthouse that also houses other government offices. The Franklin County Circuit Court hears matters across all subject-matter divisions available at the trial court level.
The Circuit Clerk's office at the Franklin County Courthouse maintains the official record for all cases filed in the Circuit Court. Appellate review of Franklin County Circuit Court decisions is conducted by the Illinois Appellate Court, Fifth Judicial District.
Franklin County Circuit Clerk
100 Public Square
Benton, IL 62812
Phone: (618) 438-3221
Circuit Clerk - Franklin County
Franklin County Courthouse
100 Public Square
Benton, IL 62812
Franklin County Courthouse - Illinois Courts
What Types of Cases Do Franklin County Courts Hear
The Franklin County Circuit Court, as a court of general jurisdiction, hears the full range of cases authorized under Illinois law:
- Criminal matters: felonies, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations
- Civil matters: contract disputes, personal injury, and property claims
- Family law: dissolution of marriage, legal separation, child custody, and support
- Probate: estate administration, guardianship, and conservatorship
- Juvenile matters: delinquency, abuse, neglect, and dependency proceedings
- Traffic: moving violations, DUI, and related infractions
- Small claims: civil disputes involving amounts within the statutory limit
- Mental health: involuntary commitment and related proceedings
Small claims and traffic matters represent limited-jurisdiction proceedings within the Circuit Court's structure, while felony criminal cases and complex civil matters fall within the court's general jurisdiction.
How to Search Franklin County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Franklin County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection of non-restricted case files at the Circuit Clerk's office is available without charge during regular business hours. The public access computer terminal provided by the Circuit Clerk allows free electronic case searches for non-secured matters within the courthouse.
State-level judicial search tools accessible through the Illinois Courts website may provide free access to certain case information. Federal court records for cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois are accessible through PACER, which charges a per-page fee after a quarterly threshold is met.
The following table summarizes typical costs associated with court record access in Franklin County:
| Access Method | Cost |
|---|---|
| In-person case file inspection | Free |
| Public access terminal at courthouse | Free |
| Standard copy of a document | $2.00 per page (clerk fee schedule) |
| Certified copy of a court document | $6.00 per document plus copy fees |
| Mail request processing | Varies; prepayment required |
| PACER (federal courts) | $0.10 per page after threshold |
Fees for copies and certified documents are established pursuant to 705 ILCS 105/27.1, which governs clerk of court fees in Illinois. Members of the public seeking only to view a file without obtaining copies are not charged an inspection fee.
How Long Does Franklin County Keep Court Records?
The retention of court records in Franklin County is governed by the Illinois Supreme Court's records retention schedules, which establish minimum periods for which different categories of court records must be preserved. Retention periods vary by case type and the nature of the record.
Under current judicial records management policy:
- Felony criminal case files are retained permanently or for extended periods due to the severity of the underlying offense
- Misdemeanor and traffic case files are subject to shorter retention periods, which may range from several years to a decade or more depending on the disposition
- Civil case files are retained based on the nature of the judgment and applicable statute of limitations periods
- Probate records involving real property or permanent legal status changes are retained for extended periods
- Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official chronological record of court activity
- Judgments are retained for periods sufficient to cover enforcement and revival under 735 ILCS 5/12-108
Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the content is preserved in an accessible format. Destruction of a physical file does not constitute expungement or sealing; the record remains accessible in its preserved form. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives held at the courthouse or transferred to state archival facilities.
Expungement and sealing are distinct legal processes that restrict access to a record regardless of its retention status. An expunged record is treated as though it does not exist for most purposes, while a sealed record is withheld from public inspection but remains accessible to authorized parties.
How To Find a Court Docket in Franklin County
A court docket is the official chronological index of all actions taken in a case, distinct from the full case file, which contains the actual documents filed. The docket records each filing, hearing, order, and status change from the date of case initiation through final disposition and any post-judgment proceedings.
Members of the public may locate a Franklin County court docket through the following methods:
- Public access terminal at the Circuit Clerk's office: The terminal available at 100 Public Square, Benton, IL 62812 allows users to search docket information for non-secured cases by party name or case number.
- In-person clerk request: Staff at the Circuit Clerk's office can retrieve docket information for a specific case upon request during business hours.
- Statewide judicial search tools: The Illinois Courts portal provides access to court directory information and may link to available case search resources for the Second Judicial Circuit.
To locate a docket, members of the public should have available the full name of at least one party, the approximate filing date, and the case type. A case number, if known, provides the most direct path to the correct docket.
A court docket typically contains:
- Hearing dates and courtroom assignments
- Continuances and rescheduled proceedings
- Motions filed and their disposition
- Orders entered by the court
- Minute entries summarizing in-court proceedings
- Status updates and case milestones
A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits that have been restricted from public access. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office and reflect upcoming proceedings rather than historical case activity. Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court rules governing court records, docket information for non-restricted cases is available to any member of the public without a showing of particularized need.