The Clerk of the Court in Lake County, Keith Brin, announced last month online access to public records is now live. While court records have always been available to the public, accessing them required a trip to Waukegan. I attended a presentation this week, hosted by the Lake County Bar Association, where Keith explained some of the features and benefits of the system. He explained is not meant for “super-users”, (read: data warehouse firms) to access, but rather for individuals to look up entries on an “as needed” basis. The system can be accessed here.
Basic details about any civil, criminal or traffic court record filed after 1985 in Lake County, which is not sealed or impounded, is available for free to anyone armed with your name or case number and a computer. Employers, schools, and business associates are just a few parties who may be looking up your information.
How to search: The search has a maximum return of 500 records, but name searches can be narrowed by date of birth, case date and case type. The name search does allow partial last name entries, but also requires at lease a first initial.[1]
What it does and does not show: This means everything from traffic tickets to criminal cases can be found with a few keystrokes. The search will show a) the case number, b) all dates associated with the case, c) the attorneys of record, d) the disposition of the case and e) the costs and fines assessed. Keith emphasized the system does not and will not biographical data such as the address, phone number, birthdate or Social Security Number of any party.
What can you do: Public access to the information just got a lot easier. If you have a court record in Lake County, the only way to have that information removed is through a court order. My office can help you through the process of petition the court to have your Lake County criminal record expunged.
Lake County is the latest in a string of counties to offer remote access to public records. Most counties that are not currently offering web access to public records have plans to offer it in the future. If you have a criminal record in any county in Illinois, don’t delay in taking steps to remove it from public view.
If you want more information about the criminal record expungement process, click here. To contact my office, click here or call us at 773-481-6648.
[1] For example, a search of “K George*” or “K Georgevich” would both return records for me, Kathleen Georgevich but a search of just “Georgevich” would be rejected.