How to Search Lake County Criminal Records
Three official paths cover most criminal-record needs in Lake County. The first is the Circuit Clerk's online case portal, where civil and criminal docket entries live for cases of the 19th Judicial Circuit. The second is the paper record-search procedure run by the same Clerk, used for background checks by name and year. The third is the Illinois Department of Corrections individual-in-custody search for people sentenced to state prison.
For active jail bookings, see Lake County inmate records, which links the Sheriff's official Corrections Records Search. For arrest investigations and case status, contact the State's Attorney's Office. The Clerk's office cannot offer legal advice or eligibility opinions.
- Visit the Circuit Clerk's online portal. Register or login under Illinois Remote Access Policy.
- Submit a Case Access Request if you are a public user, a party of record, or a firm administrator.
- After approval, search by case number or party name. Filter to criminal case types if the portal allows.
- Review docket entries, charging documents, hearing dates, and dispositions on non-restricted cases.
- For background checks by name and year, mail a record-search request to the Clerk at 18 N County Street with payment of $6 per name per year.
The image above shows the Criminal Court Tower page, where the 19th Circuit publishes entrance details, parking, hours, and a floor directory. Felony and misdemeanor criminal courtrooms sit in this building at 301 Washington Street, one block from the main courthouse.
Arrest Records vs Court Records in Lake County
An arrest record and a court record are not the same thing. An arrest record describes the moment law enforcement took someone into custody. A court record begins after charges are filed and the case enters the Circuit Court. The Lake County Sheriff and local police agencies hold the arrest records; the Clerk of the Circuit Court holds the case records. Both are subject to redaction under Illinois privacy and FOIA rules.
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act at 5 ILCS 140 generally lets the public inspect arrest reports through the relevant police agency, with redactions for private information and active investigation material. Court case access runs through the Clerk under the Clerks of Courts Act and the Illinois Remote Access Policy.
| Record | Custodian | How to Access |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest report | Lake County Sheriff or local police | FOIA request to the arresting agency |
| Booking and jail roster | Lake County Sheriff Corrections Division | Sheriff's Corrections Records Search |
| Charging document and docket | Clerk of the Circuit Court | Online portal or mail / in-person request |
| Prosecution decisions | State's Attorney's Office | Direct contact with the office |
| State prison custody | Illinois Department of Corrections | IDOC individual-in-custody search |
What Lake County Criminal Records Show
A criminal case file in Lake County holds the formal record from charging through disposition. Field labels vary by case type, but the table below covers what shows up most often when a public user or party reads the case in the Clerk's portal.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Year, criminal case type, and sequence number. |
| Defendant | Name as charged, alongside any aliases listed by the arresting agency. |
| Charging Document | Information, complaint, or indictment with the statute charged. |
| Arresting Agency | Sheriff, municipal department, Illinois State Police, or other agency. |
| Bond / Conditions | Bond amount or recognizance, plus release conditions. |
| Court Dates | Arraignment, status, motion calls, and trial setting. |
| Plea | Not guilty, guilty, or no contest, plus any plea agreements. |
| Disposition | Dismissed, acquitted, convicted, supervision, or deferred entry. |
| Sentence | Jail or prison time, probation, fines, restitution, and treatment. |
| Post-Judgment | Probation reviews, appeals, motions to reduce, and warrant entries. |
Charges, Convictions, and Court Supervision
Reading a Lake County criminal record means keeping three terms straight. A charge is what the State accuses. A conviction is a finding or plea of guilt entered on the record. Court supervision is an Illinois disposition that withholds entry of conviction if the defendant meets the conditions during the supervision period. Each carries different long-term consequences for licensing, immigration, employment, and firearm rights.
Sealing and expungement run on a separate track. Lake County's expungement procedure uses Illinois Supreme Court standardized forms and an MX case subtype. The Clerk's expungement page describes the filing breakdown - $82 to the request, $60 to the Illinois State Police, and $10 for postage - and notes that fee waivers are available for filers who cannot afford the cost.
| Status | Where It Appears | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Charged but dismissed | Stays on the public docket unless expunged | No conviction; eligible for expungement after waiting period |
| Court supervision | Remains on Clerk record; reported to Secretary of State for traffic | Avoids entered conviction if conditions are met |
| Conviction | Permanent on the case docket | May be eligible for sealing under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2 |
| Sealed | Hidden from public search after court order | Authorized agencies may still see; not on E-Certify |
| Expunged | Removed from public access by court order | Treated as if the arrest or case did not exist for most uses |
State's Attorney and Public Defender
Illinois uses the title State's Attorney rather than District Attorney. The Lake County State's Attorney's Office is led by Eric Rinehart, who took office December 1, 2020. The office prosecutes criminal cases, represents Lake County in civil matters, supports victims through a Victim Assistance Coordinator, and publishes a public Data Dashboard. The State's Attorney sits in the County Administrative Tower: felony and drug prosecution on the second floor, administration on the third, felony DUI / misdemeanor / traffic on the fourth, civil and child support on the fifth.
The Lake County Public Defender's Office represents indigent criminal defendants charged with offenses punishable by incarceration. The office is at 15 S County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085. Existing clients can call 847-377-3360 to confirm a next court date. The Public Defender is not a general free lawyer for civil matters; appointment runs through the court based on indigence and the type of charge.
The State's Attorney homepage links the Data Dashboard, victim rights work, and ongoing initiatives such as restorative justice and specialty court expansion under Chief Deputy Karen Levi.
Juvenile Records and Sealed Cases
Juvenile records are sealed by statute. The Clerk's Record Searches page explicitly states that juvenile cases are excluded from background search results. Access runs under the Juvenile Court Act at 705 ILCS 405. For juvenile expungement, the Clerk's juvenile branch line is 847-377-7888. Juvenile cases are heard at the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Complex Center at 24647 N Milwaukee Ave in Vernon Hills.
Sealed and expunged adult cases do not show up in the Clerk's online portal or on E-Certify. The Criminal Identification Act at 20 ILCS 2630/5.2 sets the rules. A sealing order restricts public access but lets authorized agencies still review the file. An expungement order removes the record from public files entirely.
State Police and IDOC Records
Lake County criminal records do not include state-prison custody data. After a Lake County conviction with prison time, the offender moves to Illinois Department of Corrections custody. The IDOC individual-in-custody search lets users look up state prisoners by last name, IDOC number, or birthdate. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification handles official statewide criminal-history responses, not commercial people-search sites.
For sex-offense registration status, the Illinois State Police Sex Offender Registry supports name and geographic searches under the Sex Offender Registration Act at 730 ILCS 150. For federal custody, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Recent Lake County Criminal Justice News
The State's Attorney 2025 archive covers the office's news from the prior year. Press items have included the promotion of Karen Levi to Chief Deputy for Restorative Justice and Training, expansion of specialty courts, and a Champion of Victims' Rights award for State's Attorney Eric Rinehart and Chief of Victim Services Jacqueline Herrera Giron with Marsy's Law for Illinois.
The 2025 news archive also tracks prosecution data, deflection programs, and policy updates that shape how local criminal records get charged and disposed.