Find Saline County Divorce Decree Records

Saline County divorce decree records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Harrisburg, Illinois, the county seat of this southern Illinois county in the 1st Judicial Circuit. This page explains how to search divorce case records online through Judici, how to request a certified copy from the clerk's office in Harrisburg, and when the IDPH verification service is an appropriate alternative for basic documentation needs.

Saline County Circuit Clerk Office

Mary Kuczynski is the Saline County Circuit Court Clerk. Her office in Harrisburg keeps all civil and domestic court records filed in the county, including dissolution of marriage decrees entered by the 1st Circuit. Certified copies of divorce decrees must be requested through this office.

The courthouse is at 10 East Poplar Street in Harrisburg. Bring valid photo ID when visiting in person. Call (618) 253-5096 before making the trip to confirm the case is on file and to ask about the current copy fee schedule.

Searching Saline County Divorce Case Records

Saline County is part of the Judici free online case search system. No account or fee is required to use Judici.

Visit judici.com and select Saline County. Enter the name of either spouse. Results list case numbers, filing dates, and case status. Judici does not show the full text of the decree but confirms whether a case is on file and gives you the case number needed to request a certified copy from the clerk.

For older records or cases not found on Judici, call the clerk at (618) 253-5096. Staff can check paper indexes for earlier filings. Having the approximate year of the divorce and at least one full name helps staff locate records more quickly.

Re:SearchIL at researchil.tylerhost.net may offer document-level access for some Saline County filings. It serves as a secondary option after Judici, particularly for newer cases where documents may have been submitted electronically through the eFileIL system.

Requesting Certified Copies of Divorce Decrees

Certified copies of Saline County divorce decrees come only from the Circuit Court Clerk. IDPH and other state agencies do not have the authority to issue court-certified documents. You must go through Clerk Kuczynski's office in Harrisburg.

In-person requests are the most direct method. Bring government-issued photo ID. For a mail request, write a letter including the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, the case number if you have it, your return mailing address, and payment. Call (618) 253-5096 first to confirm the current fee. Make checks or money orders payable to the Saline County Circuit Clerk. Do not mail cash. You can fax written requests to (618) 253-3904.

Under 735 ILCS 5/, most Illinois court records are open to the public. Standard dissolution decrees are available to any requestor who can identify the case. Sealed records require a court order to access.

IDPH Divorce Verification Service

The Illinois Department of Public Health provides a $5 divorce verification service. This is not a certified court copy. An IDPH verification confirms a dissolution of marriage occurred and lists the names of both parties and the date of the decree.

IDPH maintains records from 1962 to the present. Processing takes four to six weeks. To request a verification, contact IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737, phone (217) 782-6554, or visit dph.illinois.gov.

Use the IDPH service when you need to confirm a divorce occurred and do not need the actual court document. For legal filings, name changes requiring a court order, or any situation where an official document is specified, request the certified copy from the Saline County clerk.

Illinois Divorce Law and the 1st Judicial Circuit

Saline County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit, which covers several southern Illinois counties. All divorce cases in the circuit follow the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5/.

To file in Saline County, at least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before filing. The only ground for divorce in Illinois is irreconcilable differences. If the parties have lived separate and apart for six continuous months, that separation is conclusive proof of irreconcilable differences under 750 ILCS 5/401. No evidence of fault is needed from either spouse.

Venue rules allow filing in the county where either spouse lives. If one party resides in Saline County, the case may be filed in Harrisburg. The circuit court enters the final decree, which is the permanent legal record of the dissolution. Terms in the decree covering property, maintenance, and parenting are binding court orders.

The Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535/, requires the clerk to send dissolution data to IDPH after each finalized case. This legal obligation is why IDPH can provide statewide divorce verifications going back to 1962.

E-Filing and Legal Help in Saline County

Illinois mandated electronic filing for most civil cases as of July 1, 2018. Divorce filings in Saline County go through eFileIL. Attorneys and eligible self-represented filers use this system to submit documents to the 1st Circuit clerk electronically.

Standardized divorce forms are free at illinoiscourts.gov. Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org provides plain-language guidance on the full divorce process. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid serves southern Illinois counties including Saline. Check the legal aid website for eligibility details and contact information for the Harrisburg area.

Nearby Counties

Saline County borders four other southern Illinois counties. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk for divorce record requests.