Will County Family Court Records
Will County family court records are managed by the Circuit Clerk at 100 West Jefferson Street in Joliet, Illinois. With a population of over 701,000, Will County is one of the largest counties in Illinois and processes a high volume of family law cases each year. Records cover divorce, custody, paternity, child support, domestic violence, protective orders, and name changes. You can search Will County family court records through the clerk's online case lookup tool, or visit the courthouse in Joliet during business hours to review files and request copies.
Will County Quick Facts
Will County Circuit Clerk Office
The Will County Circuit Clerk, Andrea Lynn Chasteen, runs the office at 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. The phone number is (815) 727-8592. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, except on court holidays. This is the central office for all Will County court records, including family law cases.
Staff handle new filings, maintain case files, and process record requests from the public. Walk in with a case number or the names of the parties and the clerk will search the system for you. Will County sees a very high volume of family cases, so having your case number ready will speed things up. Copies of most active case files can be made while you wait. Older cases that have been moved to storage may take longer.
You can also make requests by mail. Send a letter to the Will County Circuit Clerk at 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432. Include the case details, the specific documents you need, and a check for copy fees. The clerk will process the request and mail the copies to you.
The Will County Circuit Clerk's website is shown in the image below.
This site has links to case lookup, copy ordering, and general court information for Will County.
Search Will County Family Court Records Online
Will County offers its own case lookup tool on the Circuit Clerk's website. Search by case number, party name, or filing date. This tool shows basic case information, docket entries, hearing dates, and party names for family law cases including divorce, custody, and child support.
The screenshot below shows the Will County case lookup page.
Enter a case number or name to find family court records filed in Will County.
The Re:SearchIL portal is another online option. This statewide tool connects to documents filed through eFileIL. Create a free account to search. Documents cost $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. If you are a party to a Will County case, you can view your own records at no charge. Some case types have restricted remote access under the Illinois Supreme Court Remote Access Policy. Adoption, juvenile, and mental health filings do not appear online. Certain family law documents may also have limits on remote viewing.
All civil filings in Illinois go through the eFileIL system. Family law cases filed recently in Will County enter the digital system right away. Older paper-filed cases might not appear in online databases.
Order Copies of Will County Court Documents
Will County lets you order copies of case documents online through i2File, a state-approved vendor. Copies are usually uploaded within two business days of your request. This makes it easy to get records without going to the courthouse.
The image below shows the Will County document ordering page.
Follow the steps on this page to request copies of Will County family court filings online.
Copy fees follow 705 ILCS 105. The first page costs $2. Pages two through twenty are $0.50 each. Pages after twenty cost $0.25 each. Certification is $6 per document. These fees are set by state law. Will County also charges probate certified copy fees at $2 per page for estate and guardianship cases.
Search fees can run up to $6 per year when the clerk searches by name. Bringing the case number avoids this. Viewing records on a public terminal at the Will County courthouse is free.
Family Law Cases in Will County
Will County's family division handles a wide range of cases. These include divorce, paternity, child custody (called allocation of parental responsibilities since 2016), child support, domestic violence petitions, protective orders, and name changes. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5) governs divorce and family law proceedings across the state.
A typical Will County divorce file includes the petition, any response, financial disclosures, and a parenting plan if children are involved. Child support records track payment amounts, modifications, and enforcement actions. Paternity cases establish legal parentage and often lead to support and custody orders. Protective order cases involve domestic violence situations and create their own separate records.
The River Valley Justice Center in Will County handles juvenile cases separately. Those records are restricted and not available to the public.
Note: Court records in Will County do not include arrest information unless criminal charges were filed as part of a domestic case.
Public Access to Will County Records
Most family court records in Will County are open to the public under the State Records Act (5 ILCS 160). Final orders and judgments are public. Docket entries showing what happened on each court date are public. You do not need to be a party to the case, and you do not need to explain why you want the records.
Some records are restricted. Juvenile cases, adoption files, and sealed records are not available. Documents with Social Security numbers, bank account details, or medical information are either sealed or redacted. The Will County clerk's office notes that family court records are confidential in certain situations, but final orders and judgments are almost always accessible. You may need to show authorization or demonstrate a direct tangible interest for some restricted filings.
Legal Help for Will County Residents
Illinois Legal Aid Online provides free information on divorce, custody, child support, and court records. Their records guide covers how to get copies of documents from the Will County clerk. The Illinois Court Help portal offers chat support for people without attorneys.
The Illinois Courts website has self-help tools, court forms, and links to legal resources. Will County residents dealing with family court matters can use these tools to find the right forms and understand the process.
Cities in Will County
Joliet is the county seat and the largest city in Will County. Bolingbrook is another major city in the county. Residents of both cities, and all other towns in Will County, file family court cases through the Will County Circuit Court at 100 West Jefferson Street in Joliet. All family court records for the county are kept at this location.
Nearby Counties
Will County borders several other Illinois counties. Each has its own Circuit Clerk who manages family court records for that area.