Search Joliet Divorce Decree Records
Divorce decree records for Joliet are maintained by the Will County Circuit Court Clerk under the 12th Judicial Circuit. This page covers where to find those records, how to request certified copies, and what online tools are available for searching Illinois dissolution of marriage filings.
Joliet Quick Facts
Where Joliet Divorce Cases Are Filed
Joliet is the Will County seat. The Will County Courthouse is right in the city at 100 West Jefferson Street. That is also where the Circuit Court Clerk, Andrea Chasteen, has her office. All dissolution of marriage cases for the Will County portion of Joliet go through this office. A small part of Joliet extends into Kendall County, but the large majority of filings land in Will County. If you are not sure which county applies to your address, check your property tax bill or call the clerk's office before you file.
The Will County courthouse being located in Joliet itself is convenient for local residents. You do not need to travel to a distant county seat. The building is centrally located, accessible, and well-staffed to handle the high volume of family law cases that flow through Will County's 12th Judicial Circuit. Family law cases have their own division within the circuit, and dissolution of marriage cases stay with that division from filing through final judgment and beyond.
| Office | Will County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Andrea Chasteen |
| Address | 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432-4399 |
| Phone | (815) 727-8592 |
| Fax | (815) 740-8074 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Online Case Search for Joliet Divorce Records
Will County participates in Judici.com, a free public court records portal that covers more than 80 Illinois counties. You can search Joliet divorce cases by party name or case number with no account and no fee. Judici shows case status, scheduled hearings, and basic filing history for dissolution of marriage cases. Full document text is not displayed, but you can get the case number you need to request copies from the clerk's office.
Judici.com provides free public access to Will County court records including Joliet divorce decree filings and dissolution of marriage case histories.
Searching for Joliet divorce cases on Judici is free, quick, and requires no account, making it the fastest starting point for finding a case number before requesting documents from the Will County clerk.
For cross-county searches, re:SearchIL lets you search across multiple Illinois circuit courts in one place. If there is any question about whether a case was filed in Will or Kendall County, or if you need to look at records from multiple Illinois jurisdictions, that tool covers a broader range of courts than Judici alone.
Both tools are free and require no registration. They are good for verifying whether a case exists and finding a case number, but neither gives you the full text of filed documents. For that, you go to the clerk's office in person or by mail.
Requesting Certified Copies of Joliet Divorce Decrees
To get a certified copy of a divorce decree from Will County, visit the Circuit Court Clerk's office at 100 West Jefferson Street in Joliet. Bring a photo ID. If you know the case number, bring it. If you only have names and an approximate year, the clerk can search the index for you. Fees are charged per page. Call (815) 727-8592 ahead of time to confirm the current fee schedule before you visit.
Certified copies carry the court's official seal and the clerk's signature. That is the version required by the Social Security Administration, the Illinois Secretary of State, and most banks and financial institutions when proof of divorce is needed. A plain copy will not work for those purposes.
Mail requests are accepted. Send a written request with both party names, the year of the divorce, and a check or money order for the fee to the Will County Circuit Court Clerk at 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. The clerk will contact you if additional payment is needed. Allow extra time for mail processing. In-person pickup is faster if you need the document quickly.
Illinois Statewide Divorce Verification
The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps a statewide index of divorces recorded in Illinois since 1962. The IDPH record is a verification letter. It confirms the divorce happened but does not contain the full terms of the decree. The fee is $5, and processing takes four to six weeks.
To request, mail to 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Include the full names of both spouses, the county where the divorce was granted, and the year. You can also reach IDPH at (217) 782-6554. If you need details from the decree, such as property division or custody terms, the IDPH record is not enough. You need the full document from the Will County Circuit Court Clerk.
Illinois Divorce Law Essentials
Illinois divorce is governed by 750 ILCS 5/, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. The only ground for divorce in Illinois is irreconcilable differences. Fault is not a factor. If both parties have lived apart for six continuous months, that period of separation is treated under state law as irrebuttable proof of irreconcilable differences. You do not need to wait six months to file, but the six-month rule applies if you want to rely on it as your legal basis.
At least one spouse must have been an Illinois resident for 90 days before filing. For Joliet residents filing in Will County, that is a state-level requirement. Court records are public under 735 ILCS 5/. Financial disclosures and records involving minor children may have restricted access. The 12th Circuit follows the same statewide rules on access as other Illinois circuits.
Attorneys must file through eFileIL, the state's mandatory e-filing platform, which has been required since July 1, 2018. Self-represented filers can also use the system. Free approved forms for divorce, child support, and maintenance are available on the Illinois Courts forms page. Free legal resources are available through Illinois Legal Aid Online.
What's in a Will County Divorce Case File
A divorce decree is a single document within a larger case file. The full file may include the original petition, proof of service, financial disclosure statements, agreed settlement agreements, parenting plans, and interim court orders. All of those documents are stored under the same case number and can be requested from the Will County Circuit Court Clerk.
Post-decree activity also gets filed under the same case number. Support modifications, parenting schedule changes, and enforcement orders are all added to the original case file over time. That means the full record of a divorce, including everything that happened after the final judgment, lives in one case file at the clerk's office. Be specific about which documents you need when you make a request. The clerk can pull individual items.
For property transferred as part of the Will County divorce, real estate records are with the Will County Recorder. Name changes granted as part of the decree are in the court file. Take a certified copy of the name change order to the Illinois Secretary of State's office when updating your driver's license or ID. Marriage records are maintained by the Will County Clerk, a separate office from the Circuit Court Clerk even though both are in Joliet.
Nearby Cities
Other Illinois cities near Joliet with qualifying city pages are listed below.
Will County Court Records
All Joliet divorce cases are filed and maintained through Will County's 12th Circuit Court. Visit the county page for full clerk details, courthouse hours, and additional filing information.