Find Franklin County Criminal History

Franklin County criminal history records are kept at the Circuit Clerk office in Benton, Illinois. The county sits in southern Illinois as part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in the region. Franklin County has a population of about 37,033 and handles criminal cases ranging from minor traffic offenses to serious felonies. You can search Franklin County criminal history records online through Judici.com or go to the clerk's office in Benton to request records in person. This page covers the steps to find and access criminal history data from Franklin County courts.

Franklin County Circuit Clerk

James Muir is the Franklin County Circuit Clerk. The office is in the Franklin County Courthouse in Benton. Call (618) 439-2011 for questions about criminal cases, court dates, or record copies. The clerk handles filings, keeps case files, and issues certified copies of criminal history records for Franklin County.

The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Franklin County along with Williamson, Jefferson, Hamilton, Perry, Saline, and other nearby counties in southern Illinois. This is a multi-county circuit, so judges rotate among the courthouses. Cases filed in Franklin County are heard in Benton. The 2nd Circuit has one of the heavier caseloads among rural circuits in southern Illinois because it covers several mid-size counties. Each county clerk in the circuit maintains its own set of criminal history records. A Franklin County case stays in the Franklin County clerk's files even though a judge from another county in the circuit may have heard it.

Walk-ins are welcome at the Franklin County clerk's office. Bring a photo ID and a case number if you have one.

Search Franklin County Criminal History Online

Judici.com provides online access to Franklin County criminal history records. You can search by name or case number for free. The site shows charges, hearing dates, dispositions, sentences, and fine balances. No account needed for a basic Franklin County criminal history search.

Judici results for Franklin County include a full timeline of each case. You see when the case was filed, what charges were brought, and how it moved through the court system. Case minutes show what took place at each hearing. The disposition tells you the final outcome. For criminal history searches, this is the fastest way to check if someone has a case on file in Franklin County without leaving home.

Sealed and expunged records do not show up in Judici. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) controls what can be removed from public view. If a judge in Franklin County ordered a record sealed, it will not appear in any online search.

The Judici portal is the main tool for online Franklin County criminal history searches.

Pick Franklin County from the court list to start your search.

Illinois State Criminal History Resources

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification has statewide criminal history records that cover Franklin County. A name-based UCIA check costs $16.00 by paper or $10.00 through Live Scan under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635). This gives you conviction records from the whole state, not just Franklin County.

Fingerprint checks are more thorough. State-only costs $20.00 by paper or $15.00 by Live Scan. State plus FBI is $32.00 by paper or $27.00 by Live Scan. Use the ISP Live Scan vendor lookup to find a fingerprint location near Franklin County. The free Access and Review process lets you view your own criminal history record. Get fingerprinted at any law enforcement office, and the ISP mails you a transcript at no charge.

Note: Name-based UCIA checks may return multiple matches since they search by name, sex, race, and date of birth rather than fingerprints.

Clearing Criminal History in Franklin County

The Office of the State Appellate Defender has free information on expungement and sealing for Franklin County records. Expungement removes the record permanently. Sealing hides it from the public while letting law enforcement still see it. Both require a petition filed at the Franklin County Circuit Clerk office.

Arrests that did not end in conviction are the most common candidates for expungement in Franklin County. Dismissed cases and acquittals usually qualify. Some older misdemeanor and drug convictions may be sealed after a waiting period. The ISP charges $60.00 to process a court order for either expungement or sealing. Not all records qualify. Violent crimes and sex offenses cannot be expunged or sealed under current Illinois law. Check with a lawyer or the OSAD website to find out if your Franklin County criminal history record can be cleared.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Franklin County in southern Illinois. If the criminal case was filed outside Franklin County, search in the county where it was originally filed.