Boone County Divorce Records
Boone County divorce records are filed and maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Belvidere, Illinois, covering all dissolution of marriage cases heard in the 17th Judicial Circuit. This page explains how to search those records, what they contain, how to get copies, and what state resources apply to filings made in Boone County.
County Overview
About the Circuit Court Clerk
The Circuit Court Clerk for Boone County handles all case filings within the 17th Judicial Circuit, which covers both Winnebago and Boone counties. Pamela Coduto's office is the official custodian of divorce records in Boone County. The clerk's office keeps the full paper trail for every dissolution of marriage case filed here, from the initial petition through the final decree and any post-decree motions that come after.
Divorce records in Illinois are court records, which means access to them is governed by the court system rather than a state vital records agency. The clerk's office maintains physical files and, in many cases, electronic dockets that can be searched. If you need certified copies, you must contact the Boone County Circuit Court Clerk directly. Fees for copies and certifications vary by document type and page count.
The office is located at 601 North Main, Suite 303, in downtown Belvidere. You can also call 815/544-0371 during regular business hours to ask about a specific case or to confirm what documents are available.
Note: The 17th Circuit Court serves both Winnebago and Boone counties, so some administrative resources are shared between the two counties.
How to Search Boone County Divorce Records
There are a few ways to look up divorce records in Boone County. The most direct option is to visit the clerk's office in person at 601 North Main in Belvidere. Staff can pull records by party name or case number. This is the fastest way to get copies if you know the approximate filing date.
You can also search online through the Illinois Courts system. The Illinois Courts circuit court clerk directory links to available online search tools by county. Not every county has a public case search portal, but the 17th Circuit does offer some level of online access. Check the Boone County clerk's website at boonecountyil.org for the most current options.
Mail requests are another option. If you write to the clerk's office, include the full names of both parties, the approximate year the case was filed, and a daytime phone number where staff can reach you. Include a check or money order for copy fees. Turnaround time for mail requests varies depending on office volume.
The Illinois Courts site also provides a directory of circuit court clerks across the state. The screenshot below shows the court clerk directory page, which lists contact information and links for every Illinois circuit.
The clerk directory on the Illinois Courts website lists every circuit court clerk in the state, including Boone County's 17th Circuit contact details.
What Divorce Records Contain
A divorce case file in Boone County typically includes the original petition for dissolution of marriage, any responses filed by the other party, financial disclosure forms, and all orders entered by the judge during the case. The final judgment for dissolution of marriage is a key document many people need later for legal and financial purposes.
Property settlement agreements are usually attached to or incorporated in the final decree. If the divorce involved minor children, parenting plans, child support orders, and custody agreements will also be in the file. Modifications made after the original decree, such as changes to support amounts or parenting time, are filed as separate post-decree cases and kept in the same court system.
Not every document in a divorce file is public. Illinois courts can seal certain records on request, particularly those involving minor children or sensitive financial information. If a record you are looking for does not appear in a search, it may have been sealed by court order.
Note: Court records and vital records are separate systems in Illinois, and divorce decrees obtained from the clerk's office are not the same as the verification letter issued by the state health department.
Illinois Divorce Law and Statutes
Illinois divorce law is governed primarily by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5. This is the statute that defines the grounds for divorce, the residency requirements, and the procedures courts must follow. Illinois is a no-fault divorce state, meaning the only ground recognized is irreconcilable differences.
One of the parties must have lived in Illinois for at least 90 days before filing. That residency requirement is spelled out in 750 ILCS 5. There is no mandatory waiting period built into the statute, but the practical timeline from filing to final decree depends on whether the case is contested and how busy the local docket is. Cases filed in Boone County go through the 17th Circuit, where a judge assigned to family law handles dissolution matters.
Vital records tied to divorce, including the state's record of the dissolution, fall under the Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535. This statute governs the IDPH's role in maintaining divorce records at the state level, separate from the court clerk's records.
The Illinois General Assembly website hosts the full text of 750 ILCS 5, the statute that governs all divorce proceedings filed in Boone County and across Illinois.
State Verification Through IDPH
The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide index of divorces granted in Illinois from 1962 to the present. If you need to confirm that a divorce took place but don't need the full court file, IDPH offers a verification letter for $5. This is not a certified copy of the court record; it's a letter confirming the state has a record of the dissolution.
To request a verification from IDPH, mail your request to 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702. You can also call the division at (217) 782-6553. Requests sent by mail typically take four to six weeks to process. You will need to provide the names of both parties and the approximate year the divorce was granted. IDPH also requires a valid government-issued photo ID with your request.
The IDPH dissolution of marriage records page has current instructions, the required request form, and information about what the verification letter does and does not include. The IDPH verification is useful for legal proceedings where you simply need to confirm a divorce occurred, rather than obtain the full case file from the county court.
Older records, particularly those from before 1962, may be held by the Illinois State Archives rather than IDPH. The archives can be reached at (217) 782-4682 or through the Illinois Archives website. The Illinois State Genealogical Society is another resource for locating older dissolution records.
Note: IDPH verification letters are separate from certified court copies and may not satisfy all legal requirements; confirm with the requesting party what format they need.
Cities in Boone County
No city in Boone County has a population over 50,000, so no city-level divorce records pages exist for this county. The largest community is Belvidere, which also serves as the county seat and the location of the Circuit Court Clerk's office. Other towns in the county include Capron, Caledonia, and Poplar Grove. Residents of all these communities file divorce cases at the clerk's office in Belvidere.
Nearby Counties
Boone County borders several other Illinois counties, each with its own circuit court handling divorce filings. You can find records information for those counties through their respective clerk offices.