Pretoria County, established in 1825 and located in central Illinois, was formed from Fulton County. Home to over 180,000 residents, Peoria County covers an area of about 631 square miles and has its county seat in Peoria City.
Courts in Peoria County
The Peoria County court system has a single court structure, with only the Circuit Court adjudicating all legal matters within the county. The Peoria County Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases and hears appeals from lower courts and administrative bodies. The Circuit Court is divided into:
- Civil Division: The Civil Division handles civil law cases, including eminent domain, mental health, small claims, tax, probate, and family law cases
- Criminal Division: The Criminal Division hears cases involving felonies, misdemeanors, ordinance violations, conservation violations, and juvenile delinquencies
- Traffic Division: The Traffic Division deals with cases involving traffic violations, such as speeding, running red lights, driving with suspended licenses, and other violations of traffic laws.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Peoria County
Public court records are documents maintained by the courts in Peoria County that are available to the public for inspection and copying. The Circuit Clerk is the record custodian for public court records and provides electronic access to the documents using the Peoria County Records Portal. The Clerk’s Office permits in-person viewing of court records at the courthouse during its business hours and permits mail requests for public court records.
Types of Public Court Records in Peoria County
Public court records provide insights into the workings of the judiciary and may be used as precedents for future lawsuits. Publicly accessible court records in Peoria County include:
- Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including theft, assaults, drug possession, shoplifting, and vandalism
- Civil Court Records: Breach of contract, personal injury, business litigations, landlord-tenant disputes, and property disputes
- Probate Records: Wills, estate administration, guardianships, estate litigations, and trusts
- Family Law Records: Dissolution of marriage, child custody, child support, legal separation, and annulment
- Traffic Records: Parking violations, speeding tickets, driving under the influence. School zone violations and seatbelt violations
Confidential Court Records in Peoria County
Confidential court records are documents containing sensitive or private information that is inaccessible to the public. Confidential records are sealed to protect the identity and prevent harm to the record holder. Court records exempted from public view in Peoria County include:
- Adoption records
- Mental health commitment records
- Trade secrets
- Grand jury proceedings
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Juvenile court records
In addition, state and federal laws require the removal of personal data from court records. Personal identifiers are confidential to protect the individual from fraudulent practices and identity theft. Therefore, the following personal identifying information is redacted from public court records:
- Social Security numbers
- Medical records
- Driver's license numbers
- Tax identification numbers
- Birth dates, home addresses, and phone numbers.
Juvenile Delinquency in Peoria, IL
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Peoria County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Illinois often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 685 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Peoria County. Of that total, 52% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 357 court cases. Another 47% were dependency cases that accounted for 323 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Peoria County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Peoria County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 11,309 |
| Dependency | 6,046 |
| Status | 362 |
Government of Peoria County, IL
| County Seat: | Peoria |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1825 |
| Total Square Miles: | 631 |
| 2019 Population: | 183,011 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |
| County Contact: | 324 Main St Ste 101
County Courthouse Peoria , IL 61602-1368 http://www.peoriacounty.org |