Find Divorce Records in Clinton County
Clinton County divorce records are filed with the 20th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk's office in Carlyle, Illinois. Whether you need a certified copy of a dissolution decree, are looking up a past case, or want to confirm that a divorce occurred, this page covers how to access records at the county courthouse and through the Illinois state system.
County at a Glance
Getting Records From the Carlyle Courthouse
Rod Kloeckner serves as the Clinton County Circuit Court Clerk. His office at 850 Fairfax Street in Carlyle is where every dissolution of marriage case filed in the county is stored. The clerk keeps the full case file from start to finish: the original petition, responses, financial affidavits, parenting plans when children are involved, temporary orders issued during the case, and the final judgment of dissolution. This office is your primary source when you need a divorce decree or want to check on a past filing in Clinton County.
Call 618/594-6615 before you go. Staff can tell you what information they need to pull the case and explain the current copy fees. When you visit in person, bring a photo ID and have the names of both parties and a rough estimate of the filing year ready. That information makes it much easier for the clerk to locate the right record. Check the website at clintonco.illinois.gov for hours and any updates on procedures.
Certified copies include an official court seal and are required for legal uses. Plain copies cost less and work fine for personal research. Know which type you need before you request copies to avoid paying for the wrong format.
The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory provides current contact and location information for the 20th Judicial Circuit serving Clinton County in southwestern Illinois.
Note: The 20th Judicial Circuit covers several southwestern Illinois counties. If a divorce case was filed in one of those neighboring counties rather than Clinton, you will need to contact that county's circuit clerk. Records are not shared between counties.
What Is in a Clinton County Divorce File
A Clinton County divorce case file begins with the petition for dissolution of marriage. That document starts the case and explains what the filing party is asking the court to do. Following that, you will typically find the other party's written response, sworn financial affidavits from both sides, and copies of any temporary orders issued by the court while the case was ongoing. In divorces involving minor children, the file also contains an allocation of parental responsibilities document or a parenting plan, and any child support orders the court made.
The last major document in the file is the final judgment of dissolution, often called the divorce decree. It is what most people are looking for. The decree states the date the marriage was legally ended and contains the judge's orders on property division, debt, spousal maintenance, and child-related matters. Contested cases where parties disagreed on key issues can produce longer, more complex files with transcripts from hearings, exhibits, and multiple interim court orders. Uncontested cases are shorter. Either way, the clerk keeps the complete record and can provide copies of individual documents or the entire file.
Most Clinton County divorce records are open to the public. Records sealed by court order are not available. Some child-related materials may also be restricted. Call the clerk at 618/594-6615 if you want to know what is available in a specific case before you make a trip to Carlyle.
Illinois Divorce Law at a Glance
All Illinois divorces proceed under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5). Illinois is a no-fault divorce state. The only ground recognized by the courts is irreconcilable differences. Proving that one spouse caused the marriage to fail is not required. The law asks only that the parties show the marriage has broken down beyond repair.
At least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before a petition can be filed, as stated in 750 ILCS 5/413. Clinton County residents file with the 20th Judicial Circuit in Carlyle. Cases with no disputes over property, finances, or children typically move through the court faster. Contested cases with unresolved issues take longer and usually require multiple hearings before a judge. All cases end with a final decree signed by a circuit court judge and entered into the clerk's records in Carlyle.
The Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) requires courts to report every dissolution of marriage to the state. IDPH uses those reports to build and maintain a statewide divorce index covering cases from 1962 to the present.
State-Level Verification From IDPH
The Illinois Department of Public Health can confirm a divorce without providing the full court file. IDPH maintains a statewide index of Illinois dissolutions of marriage granted from 1962 forward. If you just need proof a divorce occurred, a verification letter from IDPH may be all you need. The letter confirms that a dissolution was recorded in the state database for a specific individual. It is not a certified copy of the court decree, but it works for many purposes.
Send your written request to IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. You can also call (217) 782-6553 for questions. The fee is $5 per search. Mail requests take about four to six weeks. The IDPH dissolution of marriage records page has the current request form and step-by-step instructions. Include a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID with your mailing.
IDPH's dissolution of marriage page explains the state verification process, including eligibility, fees, and what requesters should include when submitting by mail.
Note: A state verification letter is not a substitute for a certified court decree. For name changes, estate proceedings, or any formal legal matter requiring court documentation, you need the certified copy from the Clinton County Circuit Court Clerk in Carlyle.
Historical Records and Genealogy
Clinton County divorce records from earlier decades may still be held by the circuit clerk in Carlyle, or they may have been transferred to the Illinois State Archives in Springfield. The Archives collect historical court records that counties have sent over the years. Call (217) 782-4682 to find out whether Clinton County court records from a specific era are available there and how to request copies.
The Illinois State Genealogical Society publishes guides and indexes that can help locate older court records. Early Clinton County divorces were recorded in bound docket books that the clerk maintained by hand. Some of those volumes have been microfilmed. Local libraries and genealogy collections in the Carlyle area may have microfilm or other finding aids. Older records from the late 1800s and early 1900s were frequently indexed under the husband's name only, which can complicate searches when you only know the wife's name.
Legal Resources for Clinton County Residents
Residents who need help with a divorce case or with getting court records have several options nearby. Land of Lincoln Legal Aid serves southern Illinois counties including Clinton and can provide free civil legal assistance to income-qualifying individuals. They handle family law matters such as divorce filings and questions about court record access. The clerk's office at 618/594-6615 can walk you through procedures and fees but is not able to give legal advice.
Self-represented litigants can find divorce forms and instructions on the Illinois Courts website. The Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory lists current contact details for every Illinois county circuit clerk, which is helpful if you are trying to find a case that may have been filed in a neighboring county. The directory is updated and maintained by the Illinois Courts administrative office.
Cities in Clinton County
Carlyle is the county seat with a population of approximately 3,400. Breese is another community in the county with about 4,800 residents. Centralia, which straddles the border between Clinton and Marion counties, is the largest nearby city. None of the communities in Clinton County reach the qualifying population threshold for a dedicated city page. All divorce records for Clinton County residents are handled through the circuit court clerk's office at 850 Fairfax Street in Carlyle.
Nearby Counties
Clinton County is located in southwestern Illinois and is bordered by several counties, each of which maintains its own circuit court divorce records.