Access Perry County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Perry County dissolution of marriage records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Clerk office in Pinckneyville, the county seat. The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Perry County and handles all dissolution of marriage cases filed here. Whether you need to look up a case, get a copy of a final decree, or start a new dissolution filing, the clerk office in Pinckneyville is where to go. Illinois law makes dissolution records public, and the clerk can help with requests made in person, by phone, or by mail.
Perry County Quick Facts
Perry County Circuit Clerk
Tricia Kelly Chandler serves as the Circuit Clerk for Perry County. Her office is the official keeper of all dissolution of marriage records filed in the county. The mailing address is P.O. Box 219, Pinckneyville, IL 62274. Call 618/357-6726 to reach the office by phone. The fax number for written requests is 618/357-8336. Staff can search dissolution of marriage records by party name or case number and can provide copies once the file is located.
For in-person visits to the Perry County clerk office, call ahead to confirm hours and the street address. For mail requests, include the full names of both spouses, the approximate year the dissolution was filed, and payment for copy fees. Make your check payable to the Perry County Circuit Clerk. Allow time for older records that may need to be pulled from off-site storage. Once the clerk locates the file, copies will be mailed to your return address.
| Circuit Clerk | Tricia Kelly Chandler |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 219 Pinckneyville, IL 62274 |
| Phone | 618/357-6726 |
| Fax | 618/357-8336 |
| Judicial Circuit | 2nd Judicial Circuit |
You can find updated Perry County clerk contact details on the Illinois Courts circuit clerk directory, which covers all 102 counties in the state.
Online Dissolution of Marriage Records in Perry County
Perry County dissolution of marriage case records are accessible through Judici. Visit judici.com and select Perry County to search by party name or case number. Basic case information is available at no cost. Document images may be available for a small per-document fee. Judici is a practical way to check on a dissolution of marriage case in Perry County without driving to Pinckneyville.
The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide dissolution of marriage index that includes Perry County records from 1962 onward. This index lets you verify that a dissolution occurred in Illinois when you are not sure of the county or case number. The IDPH does not provide certified court copies of dissolution decrees. For those, contact the Perry County Circuit Clerk directly. The IDPH charges $5 per name and processes requests by mail in 4 to 6 weeks.
The Illinois Courts clerk directory shown above lists Perry County and all other Illinois county clerks, with contact details useful for finding dissolution of marriage records.
Note: Some older Perry County dissolution records may not appear online through Judici. Cases from earlier decades may require a direct mail or in-person request to the clerk in Pinckneyville.
Perry County Dissolution Record Fees
Copy fees in Perry County are governed by 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act. Standard per-page copy fees apply for plain copies. Certified copies cost more than standard ones. Call 618/357-6726 before sending a mail request to confirm the current fee amounts. Fee schedules can change, so checking ahead saves time and avoids sending incorrect payment.
When you file a new dissolution of marriage petition in Perry County, a filing fee is due at the time of submission. The amount depends on the type of case and what issues are involved. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver application. Free standardized dissolution forms are available at illinoiscourts.gov and can be used in Perry County courts.
Note: The IDPH charges $5 per name for their statewide dissolution of marriage index search. This fee is paid directly to IDPH and is separate from any copy fees charged by the Perry County Circuit Clerk.
Illinois Dissolution of Marriage Law in Perry County
The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act at 750 ILCS 5 governs all dissolution cases in Perry County. Illinois uses the term dissolution of marriage rather than divorce. The state allows no-fault dissolution only. The accepted ground is irreconcilable differences. Under 750 ILCS 5/401, at least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before the court can hear the case. You file in the county where you or your spouse currently lives.
To start a dissolution case in Perry County, you bring the petition to the Circuit Clerk office in Pinckneyville. The clerk opens a case file and assigns a number. The other spouse must be served with the petition and summons. Once served, the parties work toward a settlement or a court hearing. Uncontested cases where both parties agree on all terms tend to move through the 2nd Judicial Circuit more quickly. Disputed cases require hearings before a judge in Pinckneyville.
Property division in Perry County cases follows equitable distribution under 750 ILCS 5/503. Child support is set using the income shares formula under 750 ILCS 5/505. Couples with no children and limited assets who meet the criteria may qualify for the Joint Simplified Dissolution under 750 ILCS 5/452. This is the fastest way to complete a dissolution in Illinois, including in Perry County.
Illinois standardized dissolution forms, available free from the Illinois Courts website, are accepted at the Perry County courthouse in Pinckneyville and work across all Illinois circuit courts.
What Perry County Dissolution of Marriage Files Include
The dissolution of marriage case file in Perry County holds all papers filed during the case. The file starts with the petition and the summons. It grows as the parties exchange information and the court issues orders. Financial statements, motions, agreed orders, and hearing transcripts may all be part of the file. Every paper filed at the Circuit Clerk office in Pinckneyville stays in the permanent case record.
The final dissolution decree is the key document most people need from Perry County. This is the judge's signed order that ends the marriage. It sets out property division terms under 750 ILCS 5/503, any maintenance award, the parenting plan if children are involved, and child support amounts under 750 ILCS 5/505. A certified copy of this decree is required for many legal tasks such as name changes, property transfers, and updating financial accounts.
Perry County dissolution records are public under Illinois law. Supreme Court Rule 138 requires that personal identifiers be removed from public copies. This includes Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and similar data. Information about minor children may also be restricted in public access versions of the file. The remaining portions of the dissolution file are open to the public at the clerk office in Pinckneyville.
IDPH Dissolution of Marriage Index for Perry County
The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps a statewide dissolution of marriage index that covers Perry County records dating back to 1962. You can use this index to confirm that a dissolution of marriage occurred in Illinois without having the exact case number or county. The IDPH search is useful as a first step when you have limited information about the case.
To submit an IDPH request, write to 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Include the names of both spouses, the approximate year of the dissolution, and $5 per name. Call (217) 782-6554 before sending to verify current procedures. The IDPH sends a summary record or no-record letter by mail and does not provide certified court copies. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. More information is available at the IDPH dissolution of marriage records page.
The IDPH page above explains how to request a statewide dissolution of marriage index search, which covers Perry County and all other Illinois counties from 1962 forward.
Legal Help for Perry County Dissolution of Marriage
Illinois Legal Aid Online at illinoislegalaid.org is a free resource for Perry County residents who want to handle their own dissolution case. The site provides plain-language guides on Illinois dissolution law, a library of court forms, and the Easy Form tool for building documents step by step. Many people in southern Illinois use this resource to prepare their own filings without an attorney.
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid serves southern Illinois and covers Perry County. They offer free civil legal help to residents who meet income guidelines. Dissolution of marriage is among the case types they handle. Call ahead to check availability and eligibility. The Illinois Courts forms page has all the standardized dissolution forms accepted in Perry County courts. Local bar associations in southern Illinois can also provide attorney referrals for dissolution cases in the 2nd Judicial Circuit.
The Easy Form tool shown above is free to use and helps Perry County residents prepare dissolution of marriage documents that meet the requirements of the 2nd Judicial Circuit court in Pinckneyville.
Cities in Perry County
Perry County includes Pinckneyville, Du Quoin, Tamaroa, and other small towns and villages. All dissolution of marriage cases from these communities are filed at the Circuit Clerk office in Pinckneyville. No city in Perry County exceeds the 50,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
All Perry County dissolution of marriage cases are filed at P.O. Box 219, Pinckneyville, IL 62274. Call 618/357-6726 for the street address and office hours before visiting in person.
Nearby Counties
Perry County shares borders with five other southern Illinois counties. Your dissolution of marriage case must be filed in the county where you or your spouse lives at the time of filing.