Court records of Tazewell County, Illinois, are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's office and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the office. TazewellCourt.us will help you find public information about court cases in this county. Additionally, you can use the re:SearchIL portal, visit the Tazewell County Courts page, or contact the court office in person or by phone.
Tazewell Court System Overview
Tazewell County is part of the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois. This judicial circuit also serves the counties of Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, and Stark. The Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction, handling criminal, civil, family, probate, and other types of cases. The chief judge of the county is appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court and is responsible for the administrative management of all courts in the county.
The courthouse is located in Pekin:
Additional information about the schedule of hearings, rules of conduct, and judge assignments can be found on the Tazewell County Courthouse page on the Illinois Courts website.
Courts Serving Tazewell
Residents of the county are served by several courts of different levels of jurisdiction.
State Circuit Court
Federal District Court
Tazewell County is part of the Central District of Illinois, where federal cases are heard in the Peoria division.
Access to federal court records is provided through the PACER system.
Federal Bankruptcy Court
Bankruptcy cases for county residents are also heard in the Central District of Illinois, Peoria division.
What Types of Cases Tazewell Courts Hear
The Tazewell County Circuit Court hears a wide range of cases:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil lawsuits, including small claims
- Family law: divorce, child custody, child support, protective orders
- Probate cases: estate management, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile cases: offenses and child protection
- Traffic violations, including DUI
- Adoption and paternity establishment
Each category is discussed in more detail below.
District Court Cases in Tazewell
In Illinois, there is no separate "district court" at the state level — the Circuit Court serves this role. The circuit court judge hears serious criminal cases (felonies) after a preliminary hearing, civil lawsuits without monetary limits, appeals from associate judges, and post-conviction petitions. Criminal cases reach the court after an indictment by a grand jury or an information by the prosecutor. Cases are assigned to judges according to the internal schedule of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Civil lawsuits involving significant sums — such as real estate disputes, contract issues, or damage claims — are also heard by circuit judges.
Magistrate Court Cases in Tazewell
Associate judges in Tazewell County perform a role similar to magistrates in other states. They handle misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, preliminary hearings in felony cases, and civil lawsuits within a defined jurisdiction.
- Small claims: up to $10,000 according to Illinois law
- Traffic violations and DUI: initial hearings, pleas, sentencing
- Misdemeanors: petty theft, disorderly conduct, etc.
In high-volume cases — particularly traffic — associate judges are often assigned to specific hearing days. The specific schedule depends on current court assignments, which are published on the county courts page.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Tazewell
Family Law
Divorce, custody determinations, child support, protective orders from domestic violence, paternity establishment, and termination of parental rights are all handled by the Tazewell County Circuit Court. Certified copies of divorce decrees are issued by the circuit clerk's office, not the state health department, as explained by the IDPH.
Probate Cases
The probate division of the court handles estate management of deceased persons, appointment of guardians and conservators, and trust disputes. These cases are usually handled by an associate judge.
Juvenile Cases
Proceedings in juvenile cases — offenses and child protection — are confidential under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (705 ILCS 405). Access to materials is restricted, and third parties generally cannot view these records without court permission.
How Cases Move Through the Tazewell Court System
- Case initiation: criminal complaint or indictment (criminal cases), complaint (civil), petition (family, probate, juvenile).
- Judge assignment: the case is assigned to a circuit judge or associate judge according to the category.
- First hearing: in criminal cases — arraignment (charge presentation and bail determination); in civil — planning conference.
- Pre-trial phase: evidence exchange (discovery), motion filing, plea negotiations or settlement.
- Trial or resolution: jury or bench trial, settlement, plea, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment: sentencing (criminal), judgment enforcement (civil), appeal to the Fourth District Appellate Court.
All documents are filed through the eFileIL system, which is mandatory for attorneys in Illinois. Parties without an attorney may file documents in paper form through the clerk's office.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Tazewell
The administrative management of the county courts is carried out by the chief judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit with the support of the court administrator. Local rules and the schedule of hearings are available on the Tazewell County Courthouse page on the Illinois Courts portal.
Public Access to Records
Most court records in Illinois are public. However, juvenile records, sealed and expunged records, and some family case documents have restricted access. As of May 1, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court has approved free remote access to appellate court documents.
To obtain public records at the county level, you can also submit a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA, 5 ILCS 140). The Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's office explains citizens' rights under this law.
Attending Hearings
Court hearings are open to the public, except for juvenile cases and closed hearings by judge's order. The courthouse has rules of conduct published on the county website. For information on remote participation, contact the court office directly.
Clerk's Office Contact
A list of all circuit court clerks in Illinois is available on the Illinois Courts website.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Tazewell
- Online case search: Tazewell County no longer uses the Judici system. Current court record searches are available through links on the county courts page and through the re:SearchIL portal.
- Approved court forms: Standardized forms for self-filing, including forms for expungement and sealing of records, are available on the Illinois Courts website.
- Vital records: Birth, death, and marriage certificates can be obtained through the County Clerk & Recorder's office of Tazewell County.
- County inmate search: The sheriff's office provides an inmate lookup and warrant check on its website.
- State inmate search: The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) offers an online inmate search.
- Criminal history: A full state criminal background check can be ordered through the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification.
- Sex offender registry: The Illinois State Police Offender Registry allows checking if a person is registered as a sex offender.
- FOIA requests to the sheriff: The county sheriff's office accepts FOIA requests for law enforcement records.
- Court self-help: The courthouse has public access computers where visitors can conduct legal research and view forms.
For a general overview of the state court system, use the Office of the Illinois Courts portal. For information on county property taxes, visit the Assessment Office or the tax bill pages on the county website.