St Clair County IL Arrest Records Search | Jail & Court 2026

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St. Clair County, Illinois · Hourly jail status + 20th Circuit court guide

Find the Arrest, Confirm Custody and Follow the St. Clair County Court Case

St. Clair County arrest records are spread across several systems. The Sheriff’s current-inmate database answers the immediate custody question, the arresting agency controls its police report, and the Circuit Clerk maintains the official criminal court record.

This guide brings the important rules into one place: hourly jail updates, inmate-information phone options, Illinois arrest-record disclosure rules, pretrial release, case codes, court-copy fees, digital mail, commissary deposits, FOIA requests, statewide criminal-history checks and record clearing.

Run current inmate search Check court outcome Fix a failed search
An arrest record is not a conviction record. A booking or arrest report describes an allegation and custody event. Verify the identity, then check the Circuit Clerk record for the filed charge and later court disposition.
Jail updates

Current inmate records are updated hourly.

Inmate system

618-456-7606

Sheriff

700 N. 5th St., Belleville.

Court records

Maintained by the Circuit Clerk.

Source review

August 14, 2026.

Start here

Which St. Clair County record answers your question?

1
Is the person in jail now?

Use the Sheriff’s current-inmate search. The county states that records are refreshed hourly, making this the best starting point for current custody.

2
What happened during the arrest?

Obtain the arrest or incident report from the law-enforcement agency that created it. For Sheriff’s records, use the Sheriff’s records/FOIA process.

3
What happened after arrest?

Use the Circuit Clerk record for case type, court dates, filings, orders and disposition. This is more reliable than treating the original booking allegation as the final result.

Best evidence chain: current inmate record → arresting-agency report → Circuit Clerk criminal case → certified court document when formal proof is required.

Choose the problem you need to solve

The important rules are explained here; outside portals are reserved mainly for live searches and submissions.

Official inmate lookup

How to search the St. Clair County Jail record

Open the Sheriff’s current inmate search Use the official St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department system rather than a commercial people-search or mugshot website.
Start with a broad name search Enter the legal surname first when the search form permits it. Add the first name only when several results appear.
Try name variations Test a maiden name, hyphenated surname, suffix, common shortened first name or alternate spelling when the expected person does not appear.
Open every plausible match Do not assume a matching name belongs to the person you are researching. Compare all identifying and arrest information presented.
Record the inmate identifier Save the inmate number or other identifier before calling the jail, sending mail, making a deposit or setting up a communications account.
Separate every charge One custody event may contain multiple allegations, warrants or cases. Each can have a different court status.
Use the hourly-update rule When an arrest is very recent, retry after an hourly refresh rather than assuming the person was not booked.
Continue to the Circuit Clerk Jail information answers custody. Court information answers what was actually filed, what dates are scheduled and how the case develops.
Run live St. Clair County inmate search Call inmate information
Record decoder

How to interpret a St. Clair County jail result

Custody information and what to do next
Information What it tells you What it does not prove Next action
Name The identity recorded in the jail system. A matching name alone does not establish identity. Compare another identifier before acting.
Inmate number The jail identifier associated with the detainee. It does not describe the final court result. Use it for jail calls, mail, money and communications.
Booking / custody information When the person entered county custody. It may not be the exact time of the alleged offense. Compare it with the known arrest date.
Charge An allegation associated with the arrest or custody event. It does not establish guilt or guarantee the same charge is later prosecuted. Search the criminal court file.
Agency The law-enforcement agency connected with the arrest. That agency does not maintain the later Circuit Court docket. Request the police narrative from that agency.
Release information Whether the detainee has left or may be leaving county custody. Release does not mean charges were dismissed. Check the court case even after release.
Pretrial status Whether the person is being released, held or subject to conditions under Illinois pretrial procedures. Old references to cash bond should not be treated as the current legal release procedure. Read the judge’s current pretrial order or docket.
Same-name warning: Do not send money, publish an accusation, contact an employer or treat the record as belonging to a particular person from a name match alone.
Troubleshooting

No St. Clair County inmate record found? Check these causes

The arrest happened less than an hour ago Booking, medical screening and data entry may not yet be complete. The county says its current-inmate records update hourly.
The name was entered differently Try the surname alone, then a maiden name, alternate spelling, suffix or hyphen variation.
The person was released The Sheriff’s tool is specifically described as a search for current jail inmates. A prior custody record may require an agency record request or court search.
A city police department made the arrest The detailed police report remains with the arresting agency even if St. Clair County Jail handled detention.
The person was not taken to county jail A citation, release after processing, another jurisdiction or federal custody can produce a court or police record without a current county-jail result.
The person was transferred to state custody Search Illinois Department of Corrections after transfer from the county jail.
The record was sealed or expunged Public access may be restricted after qualifying Illinois record-clearing relief.
The record involves a juvenile Illinois juvenile arrest records receive separate confidentiality protections and are not treated like ordinary adult public arrest records.
Call script for a missing custody record “I am trying to confirm whether [full legal name] is currently in St. Clair County custody. The arrest may have occurred on [date] through [agency]. I have [inmate number, report number or court case number if known]. Can you tell me whether the person is currently held, released or transferred?”
Identity check

Confirm the correct person before using the record

First and last name are consistent
Middle name or suffix is consistent
Known age or birth information is consistent
Arrest date matches the event
Arresting agency matches the location
Inmate or court identifier matches another official source
Use two independent identifiers. Mugshots and names can be misleading. The safest match combines the name with an inmate number, birth information, arrest date, report number or court case number.
Illinois arrest-record law

What Illinois law says should be available after an arrest

Illinois FOIA contains a specific arrest-record rule rather than leaving all basic arrest information to the ordinary FOIA timetable.

Information covered by Illinois FOIA Section 2.15
Information What Illinois law addresses Practical use
Identity Name, age, address and photograph when and if available. Helps distinguish the arrested person from a same-name individual.
Charges Information detailing charges relating to the arrest. Identifies the initial allegations; check court records for later changes.
Arrest time and location The time and location of arrest are included. Useful for verifying the event and locating the correct agency report.
Agency The investigating or arresting law-enforcement agency is included. Tells you where to request the police report.
Custody movement When incarcerated, receipt, discharge or transfer information is addressed. Helps reconstruct what happened after arrest.
72-hour rule: The specified arrest information is to be furnished as soon as practical and, under the statute, no later than 72 hours after arrest, subject to the law’s exceptions and confidentiality provisions.

When some information can still be restricted

  • Disclosure could interfere with pending or reasonably contemplated law-enforcement proceedings.
  • Disclosure could endanger law-enforcement, correctional personnel or another person.
  • Disclosure could compromise correctional-facility security.
  • Juvenile confidentiality provisions apply.
  • Another statute or lawful court order protects the information.
  • A portion of a record may need redaction even when another portion is releasable.

Mugshot limitation that is often misunderstood

Illinois law restricts law-enforcement agencies from publishing booking photographs on their social-networking websites for civil offenses, petty offenses, business offenses, Class C misdemeanors and Class B misdemeanors except for specified public-safety purposes.

This is not the same as saying every mugshot is confidential. Whether a particular photograph is available depends on the applicable arrest-record law, exemptions, juvenile rules, sealing or expungement, and the manner in which the agency maintains or publishes it.
Police report request

How to request a St. Clair County Sheriff arrest report

The Sheriff’s Department publishes a FOIA request form within its documents and forms section. A narrow, identifiable request is more useful than asking for “everything about this person.”

Ask for the specific record you actually need

Arrest report

The agency record describing the arrest and basic circumstances.

Incident report

The report connected with the event that led to police response.

Supplemental reports

Later reports may contain additional investigative details, subject to exemptions.

Photograph

Request the booking or arrest photograph when it exists and is legally releasable.

Custody information

Request receipt, discharge or transfer details when needed for a past arrest.

Specific audio/video

Identify the date, approximate time, location and officer or event as precisely as possible.

Information to put in the request

Full legal name
Arrest or incident date
Approximate time
Location
Arresting agency
Report or incident number
Exact document types requested
Electronic delivery preference
Copy-ready Sheriff’s records request
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, I request electronic copies of the releasable arrest report, incident report, booking information and releasable supplemental reports concerning [full legal name] for the arrest or incident occurring on or about [date] at [location]. The known report or incident number is [number], if available. Please provide the records electronically when feasible and advise me before processing if any charge will exceed $[amount].
You do not have to ask the agency to perform research for you. Identify existing records. FOIA is a records-access process, not a requirement that government staff answer investigative questions or create a new narrative.
St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
700 N. 5th Street
Belleville, IL 62220

Non-emergency: 618-277-3505

Email: sheriff@co.st-clair.il.us

Records extension

The Sheriff’s Administrative Services page lists Records at extension 5739 through the Sheriff’s main telephone system.

Open Sheriff’s FOIA form
Illinois FOIA workflow

What to expect after submitting a public-record request

Agency receives the request A non-commercial FOIA request should identify records with enough specificity that staff can locate them.
Ordinary response period Illinois FOIA generally requires public bodies to respond to a non-commercial request within five business days, subject to lawful extensions and other specialized provisions.
The response can grant, partially grant or deny Redactions may be used when only part of a document is exempt.
Requester may challenge a denial Illinois provides review through the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor, in addition to remedies available under law.
Standard paper-copy rule under Illinois FOIA: For ordinary public-body FOIA requests, the first 50 pages of standard black-and-white letter/legal copies are generally free and additional pages may be charged at up to 15¢ each, although other statutes and special record types can establish different fees.
Do not confuse FOIA fees with Circuit Clerk court-copy fees. Court records and court copy fees are handled under the judicial/Circuit Clerk framework discussed below.
Illinois pretrial law

Why an old “cash bond” guide can mislead St. Clair County families

Illinois changed its pretrial system through the Pretrial Fairness Act. Money is no longer the mechanism that determines whether a newly arrested person remains jailed before trial.

Release

A defendant may be released before trial subject to court-ordered conditions.

Detention

For cases meeting statutory requirements, prosecutors can seek pretrial detention and the judge decides the request under Illinois law.

Conditions

Release can include court-ordered conditions designed to address appearance and public-safety concerns.

What family members should check instead of asking only “How much is bail?”

Has the first court appearance occurred?
Did the State request detention?
Did the judge order release or detention?
What conditions of release were imposed?
Is another warrant or jurisdiction involved?
Has physical release from the jail actually occurred?
Do not send money to someone promising to “pay the county bail” through Cash App, gift cards, cryptocurrency or a private transfer. Confirm the current court order and custody status directly.
Why the Sheriff’s phone menu may still say “bond information”: Jail systems and telephone labels can retain older terminology or use “bond” broadly. The controlling question for a current Illinois case is the court’s actual pretrial-release or detention order.
20th Judicial Circuit

How to check the criminal case after a St. Clair County arrest

The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk is the statutory judicial administrator responsible for maintaining the official court record for civil and criminal cases. The county states that its court-record search can be used to access criminal and civil court dates.

Search by case number whenever you have it A case number is more reliable than a common name and helps prevent same-name mistakes.
If searching by name, confirm the party Compare the name with the arrest event and any other identifiers available in the public court record.
Identify the case category Determine whether the case is CF, CM, DT, DV, MX, QC, TR or another category.
Check the next court date The Circuit Clerk warns that cases may be continued and the court may reset matters, so recheck the website rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Read the docket chronologically Identify charging documents, appearances, motions, pretrial orders, continuances and disposition entries.
Do not stop at the arrest charge Prosecuted charges and final dispositions can differ from the allegations initially shown at booking.
Order the actual document when necessary If a docket label is ambiguous, request the charging document, order, judgment or other underlying court record.
St. Clair County Circuit Clerk
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220

General county line: 618-277-6600

Circuit Clerk: 618-825-2323

Email: CircuitClerk@co.st-clair.il.us

Published office hours

Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

1st Floor Criminal Cashier’s Booth: 8:15 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Run Circuit Clerk court search
Court-code decoder

St. Clair County criminal case codes explained

Important criminal and related Circuit Clerk case categories
Code Category What it means
CF Criminal Felony A complaint, information or indictment contains at least one felony count.
CM Criminal Misdemeanor The most serious charge is generally a Class A, B or C misdemeanor not assigned to another specialized category.
DT Driving Under the Influence A case charging DUI under the applicable Illinois vehicle, snowmobile or boating statutes.
DV Domestic Violence A case categorized under the county’s domestic-battery case classification.
MX Miscellaneous Criminal Includes certain criminal-related proceedings such as search warrants, grand-jury matters, seized property, some sealing/expungement matters and related proceedings.
QC Quasi-Criminal Petty or business offenses classified within this court category.
OV Ordinance Violation A charge alleging violation of a local ordinance.
TR Minor Traffic Minor traffic matters as classified by Illinois Supreme Court rules and local ordinances.
CC Contempt of Court Certain direct-contempt proceedings involving a person who is not already a party to the action.
OP Order of Protection Includes orders of protection and other specified protective-order proceedings.
Why this matters: If a jail charge says “DUI,” searching only for a CM misdemeanor could miss a DT case. If the charge is felony-level, the case may appear under CF.
Copies and certification

St. Clair County Circuit Clerk copy fees and ordering rules

The fee book currently linked by the Circuit Clerk is marked revised August 21, 2023 and expressly states that fees are subject to change. Use the amounts below as the county’s currently published reference and confirm the total before a large order.

Currently linked Circuit Clerk fee-book amounts
Service Published amount Practical use
Record search $6 per year searched for each individual Potential staff search charge when the case cannot be identified directly.
First copied page $2 First page of a requested court document.
Pages 2–20 $0.50 each Additional pages through page 20.
Pages after 20 $0.25 each Additional pages beyond page 20.
Certification / authentication $6 When a certified or authenticated court document is required.
Expungement when no criminal case exists $62 listed in fee book A specialized filing category; current eligibility and total costs should be confirmed before filing.

What the current copy-request page says

  • You will be notified of the cost before the copy request is completed.
  • Business checks, money orders and cash are accepted for the copy-request process.
  • Personal checks are not accepted for those copy requests.
  • Copies can be emailed.
  • Copy costs are the same for online document orders, in-person orders and U.S.-mail orders.
  • The form asks whether a certified copy is needed.
  • The requester should identify the year, case type, case number, case style and the specific document names/file dates when possible.

Information to collect before ordering

Case year
Case type such as CF or CM
Case number
Defendant / participant name
Document name
Document filing date
Whether certification is required
Preferred email or paper delivery
Cost-saving method: Search the court record yourself first, identify the exact case number and document date, and request only the pages you actually need.
Submit court copy request
Court payments

St. Clair County Circuit Clerk payment rules worth knowing

In-person methods

The Circuit Clerk publishes cash, money order, business check and credit card as accepted in-person methods.

One payment type

The Clerk states that only one payment type can be used for a transaction.

Card fee

The county currently publishes a 2.25% credit/debit-card usage fee with a $1 minimum.

Mail payment address: The Circuit Clerk states that mail payments continue to be accepted at P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222.
Court payment and jail release are different tasks. Never assume paying an outstanding fine or fee automatically releases someone who is detained on another court order or case.
Commissary

How to send money to a St. Clair County Jail detainee

The Sheriff’s Corrections page directs inmate commissary deposits to Access Corrections and publishes 866-345-1884.

Search the inmate first Make sure the person is still in St. Clair County custody.
Copy the inmate identifier Avoid relying only on a common name.
Open Access Corrections Select the correct Illinois facility and detainee.
Review the transaction before paying Confirm the recipient, amount and any vendor fee.
Save the receipt Keep the transaction confirmation in case the deposit needs to be traced.
Do not send inmate funds through gift cards, cryptocurrency or an individual’s personal payment account. Use the provider identified by the Sheriff’s Office.
Make Access Corrections deposit Call 866-345-1884
Digital mail

St. Clair County Jail detainee mail address

The Sheriff’s Office uses a digital-mail processing address for detainee correspondence.

Address mail exactly like this
Inmate’s Full Name – Inmate’s ID Number
St. Clair County Sheriff Department
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Before sending the envelope

Use the detainee’s full booked name
Include the inmate ID number
Use the Phoenix, Maryland processing address
Confirm the detainee is still in county custody
Do not send money inside ordinary correspondence
Call the jail-policy menu for current prohibited-item rules
Why the address is outside Illinois: The county uses a digital-mail service, so personal correspondence is routed through the processing center rather than simply being addressed to the jail building.
Legal and privileged mail may follow different handling requirements. Attorneys and legal senders should confirm the facility’s current legal-mail procedure rather than using ordinary personal-mail instructions automatically.
Calls and messaging

How to contact a St. Clair County Jail detainee

The Sheriff’s Office identifies ICSolutions as the county-jail provider for detainee messaging.

Messaging provider

ICSolutions handles the communication service identified by the Sheriff’s Office.

Phone-account help

Call 618-456-7606 and select the published phone-account option.

Personal voicemail

The same automated inmate-information system includes an option to leave a personal voice message for a detainee.

Published automated inmate-information menu

618-456-7606 menu
Menu option Use it for
Press 1 Current inmate release/bond information shown by the Sheriff’s telephone system.
Press 2 Jail policy concerning visiting, money, mail and property.
Press 4 Phone-account information.
Press 5 Leave a personal voice mail for a detainee.
Create/manage ICSolutions account Call inmate information
Visiting and property

How to get current jail visit, money, mail and property rules

Unlike the current-inmate update frequency and digital-mail address, detailed visitation schedules can change with housing, security and facility operations. The Sheriff’s own telephone system provides a dedicated jail-policy path.

Visiting Desk

Call the Sheriff’s non-emergency number at 618-277-3505 and use the Visiting Desk option.

Jail policy menu

Call 618-456-7606 and choose the jail-policy option for current visiting, money, mail and property instructions.

Ask these questions before traveling

Is the detainee still housed at the jail?
Is advance registration required?
What government ID is accepted?
Are visits onsite, remote or both?
What time applies to the detainee’s housing unit?
What clothing or property restrictions apply?
Can children participate?
Has visitation been suspended because of a lockdown?
This prevents wasted travel: the county’s live phone menu is the better final source for a visit taking place today because operational restrictions can change faster than a static article.
Transfer troubleshooting

What if the person leaves St. Clair County Jail?

Released before trial The jail record may disappear from the current-inmate list while the Circuit Court case continues.
Sentenced to Illinois state custody Search the Illinois Department of Corrections individual-in-custody system after transfer.
Transferred to another county Search the receiving county’s correctional system and retain the St. Clair County case number.
Federal custody A federal prosecution or detainer can require checking federal court and Bureau of Prisons resources rather than county custody alone.
Do not interpret disappearance from the jail search as dismissal. Current custody and criminal-case status are separate questions.
Search Illinois state custody
Illinois criminal history

When a St. Clair County search is not broad enough

A county jail search tells you who is currently held in that county. It is not the same product as an Illinois statewide criminal-history record.

County inmate search

Best for present St. Clair County jail custody.

Circuit Clerk search

Best for public St. Clair County court cases and court dates.

Illinois State Police

Best when the requested purpose requires Illinois criminal-history information maintained by ISP.

Important ISP distinction

Illinois’ Uniform Conviction Information Act requires conviction information maintained by the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification to be available to the public. That public conviction-information framework is different from a request for every arrest ever associated with a person.

Reviewing your own Illinois record

ISP’s Access and Review process allows a person to review their own criminal-history record and challenge information believed to be inaccurate. ISP instructs individuals to use an approved Live Scan vendor for fingerprinting; results are mailed to the person, and the packet includes a Record Challenge form.

Name-based and fingerprint-based checks serve different purposes. When an employer, licensing body or government program specifies a particular background-check method, follow that required process rather than substituting a county jail search.
Open ISP criminal-history guidance
Correction, sealing and expungement

How to deal with an inaccurate or eligible old Illinois record

First decide whether the problem is an error or a valid record

The official record is factually wrong

Contact the agency that created the incorrect information and prepare documents proving the correct identity or case result.

The record is accurate but you want access restricted

Review Illinois eligibility for expungement or sealing and use the approved statewide court forms when appropriate.

Error-correction path

Save the disputed record Record the inmate number, report number, court case number, URL and exact field believed to be wrong.
Identify the record creator The Sheriff controls Sheriff records; a municipal police department controls its report; the Circuit Clerk controls the court record; ISP controls the statewide criminal-history record it maintains.
Collect authoritative proof Depending on the problem, use government identification, fingerprint comparison, a certified disposition or court order.
Correct the source first Third-party websites often copy government information. Correcting the authoritative government record makes later removal or correction requests stronger.
Use ISP Access and Review for statewide-history errors Complete the fingerprint-based review process and use the Record Challenge mechanism when appropriate.

Illinois expungement and sealing

Illinois Courts provides statewide adult expungement and sealing forms. The current suite was revised in June 2026 and Illinois courts must accept the approved statewide forms.

How to Clear Your Criminal Record instructions
Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records
Case List for the request
Additional Arrests for Expungement
Additional Arrests for Sealing
Proposed court order
Expungement and sealing are not interchangeable. Eligibility depends on the type of arrest or conviction, disposition, waiting periods and other Illinois statutory rules. Some records can be sealed but not expunged; other records may be ineligible.
Current St. Clair fee-book caution: The county-linked 2023 fee book contains expungement/sealing-related fees, but because filing fees and statutory requirements can change, confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before filing.
Get current Illinois record-clearing forms
Arrest-to-court timeline

How one St. Clair County arrest becomes several separate records

Law-enforcement record The arresting agency creates incident, arrest and related investigative records.
County jail booking When brought to the St. Clair County Jail, the person enters the county correctional system and becomes searchable after processing and update.
Initial court process The court addresses the criminal case and Illinois pretrial-release procedures.
Release or detention decision The judge applies Illinois pretrial law rather than using cash bail as the determining mechanism.
Circuit Clerk docket Filed criminal documents, hearings, dates and orders become part of the official court record subject to applicable access rules.
Charge may change The prosecutor’s filed charge can differ from the allegation originally associated with arrest.
Disposition The case eventually may result in dismissal, plea, trial, conviction, acquittal or another lawful resolution.
Later record relief An eligible person may seek expungement or sealing under Illinois law.
Safety reporting

St. Clair County Jail PREA reporting options

The Sheriff’s PREA page provides several ways to report sexual abuse or harassment involving a detainee.

Notify a correctional officer or other staff member
Submit a confidential written complaint to staff
Contact the jail and ask for appropriate supervisory assistance
Write to the Jail PREA Coordinator
Use the Sheriff’s online PREA incident-report form
Provide detainee name, inmate number, date, time, location and allegation details when known
Immediate safety threat: The Sheriff’s PREA page says not to wait when there is an immediate threat to a detainee’s safety. Contact the jail and ask to speak with a supervisor.
Problem-to-office directory

Who should you call in St. Clair County?

Use the office matched to the problem
Problem Office or line Contact / action
Current inmate status Inmate Information System 618-456-7606
General Sheriff’s question Sheriff non-emergency 618-277-3505
Visiting desk Sheriff main line 618-277-3505, use Visiting Desk option
Jail visit/mail/money/property policy Inmate Information System 618-456-7606, jail-policy option
Phone account Inmate Information System 618-456-7606, phone-account option
Commissary deposit Access Corrections 866-345-1884
Sheriff public record Sheriff Records / FOIA 618-277-3505; Records extension 5739
Criminal court record Circuit Clerk 618-825-2323
Court copy request Circuit Clerk Use case year/type/number and exact document information
Illinois statewide criminal history Illinois State Police BOI Use ISP criminal-history procedures
Location

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and Jail in Belleville

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
700 North 5th Street
Belleville, IL 62220

Non-emergency: 618-277-3505

Jail / inmate information: 618-456-7606

Before going to the jail: check current custody first and call the jail-policy or visiting line for the exact service you need. A court date, release or housing condition can change after an online record was viewed.
High-confidence workflow

Use this sequence for almost any St. Clair County arrest-record problem

Search current jail custody Use the Sheriff’s hourly-updated inmate database.
Verify identity Use at least two identifiers before treating the match as certain.
Record the arresting agency This determines which agency controls the incident or arrest report.
Request the police report only when needed Ask for named documents rather than a vague background-history search.
Search the Circuit Clerk Find the filed criminal case and case code.
Check the current pretrial order Do not apply an outdated cash-bail assumption to a 2026 Illinois case.
Follow the docket to disposition Determine how each charge was ultimately resolved.
Order certified proof when necessary Use the Circuit Clerk’s copy process for an official document.
Frequently asked questions

St. Clair County Illinois arrest-record questions answered

How current is the St. Clair County inmate search?

The Sheriff’s Corrections page states that current inmate records are updated hourly.

What number should I call if I cannot find someone?

Call the St. Clair County Inmate Information System at 618-456-7606. Have the person’s full name, arrest date, arresting agency and any inmate, report or court number available.

What does the 618-456-7606 jail menu provide?

The Sheriff publishes menu options for current inmate release/bond information, jail policies covering visiting, money, mail and property, phone-account information and leaving a personal voice message for a detainee.

Where can I see the actual criminal court case?

Use the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk’s Court Record Search. The Circuit Clerk maintains the official court record for county civil and criminal cases.

Why should I search the court after finding the jail record?

The jail record reflects custody and arrest allegations. The court docket shows what was filed with the court, later hearings and how the case develops or ends.

What does CF mean?

CF is the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk category for Criminal Felony cases.

What does CM mean?

CM is Criminal Misdemeanor. Other specialized categories include DT for DUI and DV for Domestic Violence.

Can I post cash bail at the jail?

Do not use an old cash-bail guide for a current Illinois pretrial case. Illinois abolished cash bail for pretrial release decisions. Verify whether the court ordered release, imposed conditions or entered a detention order.

What information must Illinois agencies disclose after an arrest?

Illinois FOIA section 2.15 addresses identifying information, photograph when available, charges, time and location of arrest, the arresting or investigating agency and certain custody receipt, discharge or transfer information, subject to statutory exceptions.

How quickly is basic Illinois arrest information supposed to be available?

The specified information under Illinois FOIA section 2.15 is to be furnished as soon as practical and no later than 72 hours after arrest, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

How do I request an old St. Clair County arrest report?

Identify the law-enforcement agency that made the arrest and submit a records request to that agency. For a Sheriff’s arrest, use the St. Clair County Sheriff’s FOIA process and include the date, location, name and report number when known.

How much are Circuit Clerk copies?

The fee book currently linked by the county lists the first page at $2, pages 2 through 20 at $0.50 each and additional pages after page 20 at $0.25 each. The fee book says fees are subject to change.

How much is certification?

The currently linked Circuit Clerk fee book lists certification or authentication with the office seal at $6.

Can court copies be emailed?

Yes. The Circuit Clerk states that copies can be emailed and that the copy cost is the same as ordering in person or through the U.S. mail.

What is the St. Clair County detainee mail address?

Use the detainee’s full name and inmate ID number, St. Clair County Sheriff Department, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131.

How do I send commissary money?

The Sheriff’s Corrections page directs commissary deposits to Access Corrections. The published telephone number is 866-345-1884.

How do I message or contact a detainee?

The Sheriff’s Office identifies ICSolutions as its detainee messaging provider. The automated inmate-information line also provides phone-account assistance and a personal voicemail option.

Where do I find someone transferred to Illinois state prison?

Use the Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search after confirming that the person was transferred from county custody.

Can I remove an old St. Clair County arrest record?

Some Illinois records may qualify for expungement or sealing. Eligibility depends on the arrests, charges, convictions and dispositions involved. Illinois Courts provides approved statewide forms for qualifying requests.

What if my Illinois criminal history is wrong?

Use Illinois State Police Access and Review to obtain your own fingerprint-based criminal-history record and use the included Record Challenge process for information you believe is inaccurate.

Accuracy, identity and legal-use notice

County Arrest Records is an independent informational guide and is not the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Corrections or Illinois Courts.

Current custody, release status, pretrial orders, court dates and public-record availability can change after publication. Always verify live status before traveling, sending money, arranging a visit or making a legal, employment, housing, financial or publication decision.

Arrest and booking information describes allegations and custody events. It does not establish guilt. Every person accused of a crime is entitled to the legal protections applicable to the case.

Official-source review: August 14, 2026. The Circuit Clerk fee book currently linked by St. Clair County is marked revised August 21, 2023 and states that fees are subject to change.

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