Access Madison County Divorce Records
Madison County divorce records are maintained by the 3rd Judicial Circuit Clerk in Edwardsville, Illinois, and include all dissolution of marriage cases filed in the county. From locating a case number to requesting a certified copy of a final decree, the Circuit Clerk's office is the primary source for Madison County divorce records. This page outlines your options for searching these records, what the files contain, and how state law shapes the process.
County at a Glance
Madison County Circuit Clerk Office
Patrick McRae is the Circuit Clerk for Madison County. His office at 155 North Main Street in Edwardsville holds all court records for the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which covers both Madison and Bond counties. The Circuit Clerk's office is where you go to search for Madison County divorce records, request copies, or get certified documents for legal use.
The 3rd Circuit handles all family law matters in Madison County, and divorce cases go through this same system. Staff can help you find case records by name or case number, print copies of documents, and issue certified copies when needed. Call before visiting to confirm office hours and any specific procedures the office currently uses for public records requests.
The image below shows the Madison County Circuit Clerk's official page, where you can find online case access links and additional contact information.
Madison County Circuit Clerk - Official Page
The Madison County Circuit Clerk site links to the public case search portal and explains the steps for requesting documents in person or by mail.
Note: The 3rd Circuit covers both Madison and Bond counties. If you are not sure which county a divorce was filed in, the Clerk can search the index for both.
Searching Madison County Divorce Records
Online access to Madison County divorce records is available through the Circuit Clerk's website. The public case portal lets you search by party name or case number and returns basic case data, including the filing date, the parties involved, and the current status. No fee applies to view case summaries online.
To get copies of actual documents, you need to make a request. In-person visits at 155 North Main Street are straightforward. Bring valid photo ID and any details you know about the case. Staff will retrieve the file and let you identify which documents you need. You pay a per-page fee for regular copies, and certified copies cost more per page. Certified copies carry the court seal and are needed for most official purposes, such as updating legal name records or handling an estate.
Mail requests are an option for those who cannot visit in person. Send a written request that includes the names of both parties, an approximate year of filing, your contact information, and payment for estimated copy costs. The Clerk's office can tell you the current fee schedule by phone at 618/692-6240.
Note: Some older Madison County divorce records exist only in paper form and may require extra processing time to retrieve.
What Madison County Divorce Records Contain
A Madison County dissolution of marriage case file typically includes all documents filed with the court from the time the petition was submitted through the entry of the final judgment. In simple, uncontested cases, the file may have just a handful of documents. Contested divorces can have much larger files.
Standard documents in a dissolution case include the petition for dissolution of marriage, the response or waiver of service, any temporary orders entered while the case was pending, financial disclosure affidavits, property settlement agreements, parenting plans or allocation judgments if children are involved, and the final judgment of dissolution. Cases with disputes over support or property will also have motions, hearings, and court orders entered along the way. All of these are public record in Madison County unless sealed by court order.
Illinois Divorce Law as It Applies in Madison County
Every dissolution of marriage case in Madison County is governed by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5). This statute sets out the rules for filing, the grounds for divorce, how courts divide property, and how judges make decisions about children.
Illinois has one recognized ground for divorce: irreconcilable differences. The law, specifically 750 ILCS 5/401, does not require either party to prove fault. The sole requirement is showing that the marriage has broken down to the point where it cannot be repaired and that further attempts at reconciliation would not help. This makes Illinois a clean no-fault state with no need to allege or prove wrongdoing by either spouse.
Before filing in Madison County, one spouse must have lived in Illinois for at least 90 days. This residency rule comes from 750 ILCS 5/413. Once that requirement is satisfied, the case can be filed. There is no separation period required in Illinois. Couples can file as soon as they decide to end the marriage.
Marital property is divided using equitable distribution principles. Courts look at factors including the length of the marriage, each person's economic circumstances, contributions to the household, and future needs. An equal split is not required, though many cases settle close to that. Madison County judges apply this standard in contested hearings.
IDPH Dissolution of Marriage Verification
Illinois keeps a statewide index of dissolution of marriage records through the Illinois Department of Public Health. This index covers divorces granted in Illinois since 1962. The IDPH does not provide full case records, but it can confirm that a divorce occurred, the county where it was filed, and the approximate date. This is useful when you need basic verification rather than the actual decree.
Verification requests cost $5 each and are processed by mail to the Division of Vital Records, 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing. Call (217) 782-6553 or visit dph.illinois.gov for full details on what to include with your request.
The image below shows the IDPH statutes page, which sets out the legal framework for dissolution records at the state level.
Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act - Full Text
The full text of 750 ILCS 5 is publicly available at ilga.gov and covers everything from residency requirements to property division standards. Madison County court clerks and judges work from this same statute in every case they handle.
Vital Records Act and Access to Records
The Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) governs how IDPH handles dissolution of marriage records at the state level. Court records themselves are governed separately by Illinois Supreme Court rules on public access to court files. Under those rules, court records are presumed to be open to the public. Restrictions apply only when a judge enters a specific order to seal a portion of the file.
When requesting Madison County divorce records, you are accessing court records under these public access rules. Anyone may request them. You do not need to be a party to the case or a lawyer. The main thing you need is enough identifying information to locate the case and payment for any copy fees.
Note: Even in public cases, documents containing Social Security numbers or financial account numbers are often redacted before release under Illinois court rules on privacy in filed documents.
Additional Resources for Madison County Records Research
If the Circuit Clerk's office does not have what you need, a few other sources may help. The Illinois State Archives at (217) 782-4682 holds historical court records that predate electronic filing in many Illinois counties. For old Madison County divorce records, especially those from the early to mid 20th century, the Archives is worth checking.
The Illinois State Genealogical Society is useful for family history research. They can point you toward archived records and help you navigate older sources that are not in county-level electronic systems. The Illinois Courts website at illinoiscourts.gov also maintains a full directory of all circuit court clerks in the state, organized by judicial district and circuit, which helps if you are researching cases across multiple counties.
For questions about what ID to bring when making a records request in person, the IDPH guide on valid government-issued photo ID lists the accepted forms. The same types of ID work at both state and county levels for records requests.
Cities in Madison County
Madison County includes Edwardsville, Alton, Granite City, and other communities. None of these cities currently meets the population threshold for a separate city records page. Dissolution of marriage cases for all communities in the county are filed with and maintained by the Madison County Circuit Clerk in Edwardsville.
Nearby Counties
Madison County borders several other Illinois counties, as well as the Missouri state line to the west. If you need to check whether a case was filed in a neighboring jurisdiction, the links below connect to those county records pages.