Search Perry County Divorce Records

Perry County divorce records are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk in Pinckneyville, a small city in southern Illinois that serves as the county seat. The county is in the southern Illinois judicial region, and all divorce cases for Perry County residents go through the Pinckneyville courthouse. The Illinois Department of Public Health also maintains a statewide divorce index back to 1962 for those needing only a basic confirmation of a divorce.

Circuit Court Clerk, Pinckneyville

The Perry County Circuit Court Clerk in Pinckneyville maintains the official record of every divorce case filed in the county. This is the right office to contact for copies of divorce decrees, case number lookups, and access to case files. Call 618/357-6726 and have both parties' names and an approximate year ready. The clerk can tell you what is on file, what documents are available, and what the current copy fees are.

For the clerk's mailing address and full contact details, use the Illinois Courts circuit court clerk directory. This directory covers every county in Illinois and is the most reliable source for current information. It is worth checking before you send a written request to make sure you have the right address.

Perry County has a population of around 21,000, making it somewhat larger than several other southern Illinois counties. The clerk's office handles a moderate volume of family law cases. In-person requests are typically processed quickly. Mail requests take more time, and you should plan for at least one to two weeks for a response depending on the clerk's current workload.

Note: Valid photo ID is required when picking up records in person. Include a copy of your ID with any mail request sent to the clerk's office.

Divorce Records: What They Include

Every Perry County divorce produces at least a petition and a final decree. The petition is the document filed to start the divorce case. The final decree is the court order that ends the marriage. The decree names both parties, gives the date the court granted the divorce, and spells out what the court ordered on property, debts, support, and, if children were involved, custody and visitation.

Many case files also include financial affidavits, temporary orders, and any agreements the parties reached before the final hearing. If the divorce was contested, the file may be substantial, with motions, responses, and court orders spanning multiple hearings. Uncontested divorces tend to produce shorter files with fewer documents.

Certified copies of the final decree are needed when you plan to use the document for legal purposes, such as changing a name, updating beneficiaries, or settling estate matters. Certified copies carry the court's official seal. Plain copies cost less and are fine for personal use or informal reference.

IDPH Statewide Verification

When you only need to confirm that a divorce occurred in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health offers a $5 mail-in verification. IDPH keeps a statewide index of divorces granted since 1962. Their verification letter confirms the parties' names, the year, and the county but does not include the terms of the divorce. For many purposes, this level of confirmation is sufficient.

To get a verification, mail the IDPH request form along with a copy of valid photo ID to Springfield. The IDPH valid ID page lists what qualifies. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for the response. Call IDPH at (217) 782-6553 if you have questions first.

The IDPH vital records section explains the $5 verification service and how to submit a mail request for a statewide divorce confirmation.

Illinois Law Governing Divorces

Perry County divorces fall under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5. This is the state's primary divorce statute. It sets residency requirements for filing in Illinois, outlines how courts handle property and debts, and governs custody and support decisions. Irreconcilable differences is the only recognized ground for divorce in Illinois since 2016. Before that year, courts could consider fault under some circumstances, so cases filed before 2016 may reflect older procedures.

The Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535, governs how courts maintain and provide access to vital records, including divorce records. Illinois law makes divorce records public by default. A court can restrict access in limited cases, but the standard assumption is that these records are open to anyone who asks.

Finding Older Perry County Records

Perry County dates from 1827, so there are divorce records going back nearly two centuries. Very old records, particularly anything from before the mid-20th century, may not be at the Pinckneyville courthouse. The Illinois State Archives at (217) 782-4682, online at illinois.gov/ihpa/Archives, holds older county court records from throughout the state. Contact the archives before traveling to Pinckneyville for any record you believe is more than 60 or 70 years old.

The Illinois State Genealogical Society can help with research in southern Illinois counties. Their indexes and member expertise can be useful when you know a divorce happened somewhere in the region but are uncertain about the exact year or county.

The Illinois General Assembly site hosts 750 ILCS 5, the statute governing every divorce proceeding in Perry County and across Illinois.

Requesting Copies: What to Do

Call 618/357-6726 and describe what you need. The clerk will tell you what is on file, what each document costs, and how to pay. In-person visits usually produce copies the same day for records actively stored at the Pinckneyville courthouse. Mail requests take longer and require you to send payment, your ID copy, and a written description of the record you need. For older records that may have been archived, ask the clerk whether the file is still on site or has been transferred before making the trip.

For an IDPH verification instead of a full court copy, mail that request to Springfield separately. The two agencies handle different types of requests, and the address and forms are not the same. Getting both at once requires two separate submissions to two separate offices.

Neighboring Counties

Perry County borders several southern Illinois counties. If a case you need is not in Perry County's records, it may have been filed in a neighboring court. Adjacent counties include Randolph County, Jackson County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, and Washington County.