Clark County Divorce Decree Records
Clark County divorce decree records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Marshall, Illinois, the county seat of this east-central Illinois county in the 5th Judicial Circuit. This guide explains how to look up dissolution of marriage cases online, request certified copies by mail or in person, use the Illinois Department of Public Health verification service, and access free legal forms and guidance for anyone involved in a divorce case filed in Clark County.
Clark County Quick Facts
Clark County Divorce Decree Records at the Clerk's Office
Ami Shaw is the Circuit Court Clerk for Clark County. The clerk's office in Marshall is the keeper of all civil and domestic court records in the county, including dissolution of marriage decrees filed in Clark County's 5th Circuit. Certified copies of any divorce decree entered here come only from this office. No other agency, including the Illinois Department of Public Health, can provide a certified court copy.
| Office | Clark County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Ami Shaw |
| Address | P.O. Box 187, Marshall, IL 62441-0187 |
| Phone | (217) 826-2811 |
| Fax | (217) 826-1391 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
The mailing address is a P.O. Box; call (217) 826-2811 to confirm the street address before visiting in person. Staff can look up cases by name and approximate year even without a case number. Call ahead to save time on your visit.
The Judici free case search includes Clark County and gives you a way to search online before contacting the clerk's office.
Judici.com, shown above, covers Clark County in its statewide free case search and lets you look up dissolution of marriage filings by name or case number at no cost.
How to Search Clark County Divorce Cases
Clark County is one of 82 Illinois counties covered by Judici.com. The site lets you search by party name or case number for free, no account required. Results include the case type, filing date, and docket entries recorded by the clerk. This is a good first step before making a formal records request.
The re:SearchIL cross-county search tool lets you check records across multiple Illinois counties at once. If you are not certain a divorce was filed in Clark County or in one of its neighbors like Crawford or Coles, re:SearchIL can help quickly. Neither service provides certified copies.
For in-person searches, visit the Clark County Courthouse in Marshall during business hours. Bring names of both parties and an approximate year. The clerk's office can work with partial information to locate records. Mail searches are also accepted if you cannot visit in person.
Certified Copies of Clark County Divorce Decrees
Certified copies carry the court seal and clerk's signature and are required for legal transactions involving the decree. You need one for a name change, a property transfer, or documentation of marital status. A plain copy will not do for most legal purposes.
In-person requests are the fastest way to get a certified copy. Visit the courthouse in Marshall and bring a photo ID and the names of both parties. If you have the case number, bring it. Fees depend on page count and certification; call (217) 826-2811 before your visit to confirm current rates so you are not surprised at the counter.
Mail requests are also processed. Write a letter with the full names of both parties, the approximate year, your mailing address, and a copy of your ID. Include a check or money order payable to the Clark County Circuit Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three weeks for processing by mail. Note: call to confirm fees before you send payment.
IDPH Verification of Clark County Divorce Records
The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide index of Illinois divorces from 1962 to the present. IDPH offers verification only -- it can confirm a divorce occurred and provide basic facts such as names and county of filing -- but it cannot issue certified court copies. That distinction matters: if you need a document for legal use, go to the Clark County clerk, not IDPH.
IDPH charges $5 per verification. Mail requests to 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Phone: (217) 782-6554. Mail processing takes four to six weeks. Divorces from before 1962 are not in the IDPH system; the Clark County Circuit Clerk is the only source for those records.
Illinois Dissolution of Marriage Law
The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5/) governs all divorce cases in the state. Illinois has no fault-based divorce. Irreconcilable differences is the only ground. Section 401(a)(2) provides that a separation of at least six months is conclusive proof of irreconcilable differences, so neither spouse needs to prove more once that threshold is met.
At least one spouse must have resided in Illinois for 90 days before filing. Section 104 lets you file in any county where either party lives, which means Clark County residents can file locally in Marshall. Court records are public under 735 ILCS 5/, and divorce decrees are generally accessible to anyone. A court may seal parts of a file for specific reasons, but the decree itself is usually public. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535/) covers how the state tracks and maintains divorce statistics through IDPH.
Legal Aid and Divorce Forms for Clark County
Free standardized divorce forms approved by the Illinois Supreme Court are available from the Illinois Courts forms page. These forms work in Clark County's 5th Circuit and every other Illinois circuit court. Download petitions, financial disclosure forms, and judgment templates at no cost.
Illinois Legal Aid Online provides free plain-language guidance on the divorce process, including how to file, serve the other party, and what to expect at a hearing. For Clark County residents who need more than online resources can offer, Illinois Legal Aid also has a directory of local legal aid organizations. Attorneys must use eFileIL for all filings in Clark County courts since July 1, 2018, but self-represented filers may also use the platform.
Illinois Legal Aid Online, shown above, provides Clark County residents with free, accessible guidance on how to navigate a dissolution of marriage case in the 5th Judicial Circuit.
Nearby Counties
Illinois law allows you to file for divorce in any county where either spouse resides. If Clark County is not the right place to file, these neighboring counties in the 5th Circuit and nearby area may be relevant.