Sangamon County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Sangamon County dissolution of marriage records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Clerk office in Springfield. The 7th Judicial Circuit handles all dissolution and divorce cases in Sangamon County, which is home to more than 194,000 residents and serves as the seat of Illinois state government. If you need to search a dissolution case, get a certified copy of a final decree, or find out how to file in Springfield, this page covers the process, the law, and how to access Sangamon County dissolution of marriage records.

Sangamon County Circuit Clerk Office

Joseph B. Roesch is the Circuit Clerk for Sangamon County. The clerk's office at 200 South 9th Street, Room 405, Springfield, is the official custodian of all dissolution of marriage records for the county. The office stores every document from initial petition to final decree. Staff can search by name or case number and provide plain or certified copies. Because Sangamon County is among Illinois' larger and more active counties, the clerk's office handles a high volume of dissolution filings.

For in-person visits, go to Room 405 at the courthouse at 200 South 9th Street in Springfield. The office is open Monday through Friday. For mail requests, send a written request with the names of both spouses, the approximate year of the case, and a check or money order for the applicable fees. The clerk charges $4.00 per year searched for record searches. Regular copies are $2.00 per page, and certified copies are $5.00 per document plus copy fees. Call 217/753-6674 to confirm current rates and to ask about how to structure your request.

Important: The Springfield City Clerk maintains birth and death records for the city of Springfield, but does NOT maintain dissolution of marriage records. All dissolution filings in Sangamon County go to the Circuit Clerk at 200 South 9th Street, not to the Springfield City Clerk's office.

The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk website at sangamoncountycircuitclerk.org provides access to case information and record request details.

Online Dissolution of Marriage Records - Sangamon County

The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk operates a Judicial Case Inquiry System that allows online record searches. Access is available at the clerk's records lookup page at sangamoncountycircuitclerk.org. Registration is required to use the system. Once registered, you can search dissolution cases by name or case number, view case status, and check hearing dates. This is a useful tool for attorneys, parties to cases, and anyone who needs to confirm case information without going to the courthouse.

Sangamon County is also accessible through Judici, the Illinois statewide court portal. Judici provides name and case number searches. Basic case information is free. Document images are available for a small fee. For Sangamon County cases where you do not want to register for the Judicial Case Inquiry System, Judici may be a faster starting point to find the case number before you make contact with the clerk's office in Springfield.

The Illinois Courts website also maintains a full directory of all circuit court clerks at illinoiscourts.gov. Sangamon County is in the 7th Judicial Circuit.

Registration is required to use the Sangamon County online case inquiry system. Once registered, you can search by name or case number.

Fees for Sangamon County Dissolution Records

The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk charges specific fees for dissolution of marriage record searches and copies. The record search fee is $4.00 per year searched. If you are searching for a case and do not know the year, the clerk will charge for each year covered in the search. Regular copies are $2.00 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus the regular per-page copy fee. Call 217/753-6674 or check the clerk's website to confirm these rates before you submit a request.

Filing a new dissolution case in Sangamon County requires paying a filing fee to the Circuit Clerk at the time you submit the petition. Under 705 ILCS 105/, circuit clerks set their local fee schedules. Fees in Sangamon County vary depending on the type of case and whether children are involved. Ask the clerk for the current schedule when you go to file. If paying the fee is a financial hardship, you can request a waiver under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 298 by filing a financial affidavit with your petition. The judge reviews it and decides whether to grant the waiver.

Note: Fees are subject to change. Always call or check the clerk's website before submitting a request or filing to confirm the current amounts.

Dissolution of Marriage Process in Sangamon County

Sangamon County dissolution cases follow the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act at 750 ILCS 5/. Under 750 ILCS 5/401, at least one spouse must have lived in Illinois for 90 days before the court can enter a final dissolution order. You file in the county where either spouse lives. Springfield and Sangamon County residents file with Circuit Clerk Roesch at 200 South 9th Street, Room 405.

Illinois recognizes only one ground for dissolution: irreconcilable differences. You do not need to prove wrongdoing by either party. For simple cases where both spouses agree on all terms and meet the requirements, the Joint Simplified Dissolution under 750 ILCS 5/452 may be an option. This applies to short marriages with no children and assets below the statutory threshold. Most Sangamon County dissolution cases, given the county's size and the complexity of many cases, follow the standard path: file a petition, serve the other spouse, exchange required financial disclosures, and appear at a hearing before a 7th Judicial Circuit judge.

Property is divided under 750 ILCS 5/503 using equitable distribution. Marital assets and debts are split fairly but not always equally. Child support is set under 750 ILCS 5/505 using the income shares model, which considers the income of both parents and the time each spends with the children. Maintenance may be awarded based on factors including the length of the marriage and each spouse's financial situation. All signed orders from the 7th Judicial Circuit become public records at the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk's office in Springfield.

Approved Illinois dissolution forms are at illinoiscourts.gov. These are the official forms used in Sangamon County and all other Illinois circuit courts.

What Sangamon County Dissolution of Marriage Records Include

A dissolution of marriage file at the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk holds every document filed in the case. The petition starts the case. It names both spouses, states the date of marriage, and requests the dissolution. The other spouse's response, if filed, is also in the record. Any temporary orders entered while the case is open are part of the file, including orders on child custody, support amounts, and property use during the proceeding.

The marital settlement agreement is attached to the final decree for agreed cases. The final dissolution decree is the key document. It closes the case, ends the marriage, and sets all permanent terms. In Sangamon County cases, the decree covers property division, any maintenance ordered, the parenting plan and parenting time schedule, and the child support amount. People most often request certified copies of the decree for name changes, home sales, dividing retirement accounts, and updating life insurance beneficiaries.

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138 requires that Social Security numbers and financial account numbers be redacted from public copies of dissolution records. The rest of the Sangamon County dissolution file is public under 5 ILCS 140/. Any person can request a copy. You do not have to be a party to the case.

A typical Sangamon County dissolution file may include these types of documents:

• Petition for dissolution of marriage
• Response or answer from the other spouse
• Temporary orders for support, custody, or property
• Financial disclosure statements
• Parenting plan and parenting time schedule
• Marital settlement agreement
• Final judgment for dissolution of marriage

IDPH Dissolution Records for Sangamon County

The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps a statewide dissolution index separate from the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk records. The IDPH index covers Illinois dissolutions from 1962 to the present, including Sangamon County cases. The index can confirm that a dissolution occurred in Illinois. It does not provide the full decree or any financial or custody terms. Many people use it to do a quick check or to find the county where a dissolution was granted before contacting that county's clerk.

To search the IDPH index, write to 925 E. Ridgely Ave, Springfield, IL 62702-2737, or call (217) 782-6554. The fee is $5.00 per name searched. Processing by mail takes 4 to 6 weeks. IDPH does not issue certified copies of dissolution decrees. For a certified copy of a Sangamon County dissolution decree, go to the Circuit Clerk at 200 South 9th Street. The IDPH office and the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk are both in Springfield, which may be convenient if you need both. Full details about the IDPH service are at dph.illinois.gov.

The IDPH office at 925 E. Ridgely Ave, Springfield, is a short distance from the Sangamon County courthouse where dissolution decrees are kept.

Legal Help for Sangamon County Dissolution Cases

Illinois Legal Aid Online provides free dissolution guides at illinoislegalaid.org. The site covers the full process from filing the first petition through the final hearing and entry of the decree. Easy Form tools let you complete required Illinois court forms step by step. This is helpful for uncontested cases or cases where one party is handling the matter without a lawyer. Given that Springfield is the state capital, there are also many private family law attorneys in Sangamon County who handle dissolution cases.

For help getting copies of existing court records, the Illinois Legal Aid guide at illinoislegalaid.org walks you through the steps. Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation serves low-income residents in the central Illinois area, which includes Sangamon County. They can be reached in Springfield and handle dissolution cases for qualifying clients. Their services are based on income eligibility. Contact Illinois Legal Aid Online for a referral or to find the current contact information for Land of Lincoln services in Sangamon County.

Note: The 7th Judicial Circuit courthouse in Springfield has self-help resources at the clerk's office for people who represent themselves in dissolution cases.

Cities in Sangamon County

Springfield is the county seat of Sangamon County and the capital of Illinois. All dissolution of marriage cases in Sangamon County are filed at the Circuit Clerk office at 200 South 9th Street, Room 405, in Springfield. This applies to all residents of the county, regardless of which community they live in. Other communities in Sangamon County include Chatham, Sherman, Rochester, Riverton, and Auburn. None of these smaller communities have a dedicated page on this site. Springfield has its own page with additional resources.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sangamon County in central Illinois. Each has its own circuit clerk for dissolution filings. File your petition in the county where you or your spouse currently lives.