St. Clair County Divorce Decree Records

St. Clair County divorce decree records are filed and maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Belleville, Illinois, the county seat of this large Metro East county in the 20th Judicial Circuit, situated across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. This page explains how to search cases online using Judici, how to request certified copies from the Belleville courthouse, and when the IDPH verification service is a faster alternative for basic confirmation of a dissolution.

St. Clair County Circuit Clerk Office

Kinnis Williams is the St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk. His office in Belleville maintains all civil and domestic court filings, including dissolution of marriage records going back many decades. St. Clair County is one of the most populous counties in Illinois, and the clerk's office handles a significant volume of divorce and family law cases for the Metro East region. Certified copies of divorce decrees can only be obtained from this office.

The courthouse is at 10 Public Square in Belleville. Parking is available in the area. Bring valid photo ID for in-person requests. Given the size of the county's court docket, calling ahead at (618) 277-6832 to confirm the case is on file and to ask about the current fee schedule before visiting or mailing a request is recommended.

How to Search Divorce Records in St. Clair County

St. Clair County is part of the Judici free online case search system. Judici covers 82 Illinois counties and requires no account or fee to use.

Go to judici.com and select St. Clair County. Enter either spouse's name. Results list case numbers, filing dates, and case status. Judici does not show the full decree text but confirms whether a case is on file and gives you the case number for a copy request. St. Clair County has a large population, so entering both a first and last name along with an approximate year helps narrow results considerably.

Re:SearchIL at researchil.tylerhost.net may offer document-level access for some St. Clair County civil filings. This platform is a useful secondary option after searching Judici, especially for cases filed in recent years where documents may be available electronically through the eFileIL system.

For older records or cases not found online, call the clerk at (618) 277-6832. Staff can search paper and microfilm indexes for filings that predate the digital system. The Belleville courthouse has records stretching back well into the 19th century for the county's older cases.

Getting Certified Copies of Divorce Decrees

Certified copies of St. Clair County divorce decrees carry the court's official seal and the clerk's certification stamp. They are required for legal proceedings, real estate matters, and many government and financial transactions. Only the St. Clair County Circuit Court Clerk can issue them.

In-person requests are handled at the courthouse on Public Square during regular business hours. Bring government-issued photo ID. For simple name-search cases, staff can often produce a copy the same day if the file is readily available. For a mail request, write a letter with the full names of both parties, the year of the divorce, the case number if you have it, your return mailing address, and payment. Call (618) 277-6832 to confirm the current fee before mailing. Make checks or money orders payable to the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk. Fax requests to (618) 277-1562. Do not mail cash.

Under 735 ILCS 5/, Illinois court records are generally public. Standard dissolution of marriage decrees are available to any requestor who can identify the case. Portions sealed by court order require authorization to access.

IDPH Divorce Verification

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 occurred and lists the names of both parties and the date of the decree.

IDPH records cover 1962 to the present. Processing takes four to six weeks. 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 happened and do not need the actual court document. For anything requiring the court's seal or the specific terms of the decree, go to the St. Clair County clerk in Belleville.

Illinois Divorce Law and the 20th Judicial Circuit

St. Clair County is part of the 20th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Monroe and Randolph counties. St. Clair is by far the largest county in the circuit by population. All divorce cases in the circuit are governed by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5/.

To file in St. Clair County, at least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before filing. Illinois uses a single no-fault ground for divorce: irreconcilable differences. A six-month continuous separation between the parties is conclusive proof of irreconcilable differences under 750 ILCS 5/401. No showing of fault is required.

Venue rules allow either spouse to file in the county where they reside. St. Clair County handles a large volume of divorce cases because of its population size and its location adjacent to the St. Louis metropolitan area. Residents of communities such as Belleville, O'Fallon, Fairview Heights, and the surrounding Metro East area file their cases in St. Clair County court.

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

E-Filing and Legal Resources in St. Clair County

Illinois mandated electronic filing for most civil cases as of July 1, 2018. Divorce petitions in St. Clair County must go through eFileIL. Attorneys and qualifying self-represented filers use this state platform to submit documents to the 20th Circuit clerk electronically. Given the volume of cases in a county of this size, e-filing is the standard approach for most filers.

Free standardized divorce forms are at illinoiscourts.gov. Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org provides free step-by-step guidance through the divorce process. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid has offices in the Metro East area and may offer free legal help to income-eligible St. Clair County residents. Check the Illinois Legal Aid Online site for current contact information.

Nearby Counties

St. Clair County borders five other Illinois counties in the Metro East and southern Illinois regions. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk for divorce record requests.