Lee County Divorce Records
How To Find a Divorce Record In Lee County in 2026
LeeILRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to divorce records in Lee County, Illinois. Members of the public may find case summaries, final decrees, dissolution filings, property division orders, and related court documents. Record availability depends on the case type, filing date, and whether any portion of the file has been sealed by court order.
Records may be searched through official resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools. The primary custodian of divorce records in Lee County is the Circuit Court Clerk, who maintains complete case files for all dissolution of marriage proceedings filed in the county.
Online Searches
1. Clerk of Court Case Search
The Illinois Courts Case Search portal allows members of the public to search civil and family law cases by party name or case number. Basic case information is available at no charge; fees apply for certified copies or document retrieval.
2. State Court System Portal
The Illinois e-filing system provides access to electronically filed documents across jurisdictions. Users may search consolidated case data and, where permitted, view filed documents directly through the portal.
3. State Vital Records
The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide index of dissolution of marriage records. As the Department notes, "The Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records does not issue certified copies of dissolution of marriage records. Certified copies are available from the circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted." The state index may be used to confirm that a dissolution occurred and to identify the county of filing.
In-Person Searches
Clerk of Court — Lee County Circuit Court:
Lee County Circuit Court Clerk
112 E. Second Street
Dixon, IL 61021
Phone: (815) 288-4414
Lee County Courthouse — Illinois Courts
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Services available in person:
- Search case files by party name or case number
- View documents at public access terminals
- Request certified copies of final decrees
- Obtain plain copies of filed documents
- Receive staff assistance with record location
Records Department:
The Circuit Court Clerk's office maintains both active and archived case files. Older dissolution records that predate electronic filing may be stored in physical archives and require additional retrieval time. Staff can assist with locating historical records upon request.
By Mail
Written Request:
- Mail to: Lee County Circuit Court Clerk, 112 E. Second Street, Dixon, IL 61021
- Include the following with each request:
- Full legal names of both parties
- Maiden names, if applicable
- Approximate date of the divorce
- Case number, if known
- Requestor's full name and contact information
- Purpose of the request, if required
- Payment for applicable copy fees
- Self-addressed stamped envelope for return correspondence
- Processing time: Requests are processed within approximately one to two weeks, depending on record age and volume.
By Phone
Limited Information:
- Clerk of Court: (815) 288-4414
- Staff may confirm:
- Whether a case exists in the system
- The assigned case number
- Current case status
- The original filing date
- Staff cannot provide:
- Detailed document contents by phone
- Copies of filed documents
- Confidential or sealed information
Through Attorneys
An attorney licensed in Illinois may access case files on behalf of a client, request sealed documents through proper motion practice, and obtain certified copies with professional authorization. The Illinois State Bar Association provides a lawyer referral service for members of the public seeking legal representation in family law matters.
Information Needed for Search
Essential Information:
- Full legal names of both spouses
- Maiden names, if applicable
- Approximate date of the dissolution
- Case number, if known
Helpful Information:
- Date and location of the marriage
- Prior addresses in Lee County
- Names of children, if applicable
- Names of attorneys of record, if known
Search in Correct County
Under 750 ILCS 5/401, a petition for dissolution of marriage must be filed in the county where either spouse resides at the time of filing. Members of the public who are uncertain of the filing county may need to search multiple counties. The county where the marriage ceremony occurred is not necessarily the county where the dissolution was filed.
Residency Requirement:
Illinois law requires that at least one spouse have resided in the state for a minimum of 90 days before a dissolution petition may be filed, pursuant to 750 ILCS 5/401. The petition is filed in the county of that spouse's residence.
Time Considerations
Recent Divorces:
- Newly finalized cases may not appear in online systems immediately
- Allow several business days to weeks after the final hearing for the record to be indexed
- Electronic filing systems update more rapidly than paper-based archives
Older Divorces:
- Records predating electronic filing may be archived in physical storage
- Digitization of older records varies by year and case volume
- Additional retrieval time should be anticipated for pre-2000 cases
What If You Cannot Find a Record
Common Issues:
- The dissolution was filed in a different county
- Name variations between married and maiden names
- Spelling differences in party names
- The case remains pending and has not been finalized
- Very old records are stored off-site or in physical archives
- The case has been sealed by court order
Next Steps:
- Contact the Clerk's office at (815) 288-4414
- Attempt alternate name spellings
- Search under both spouses' names
- Check the Illinois Department of Public Health dissolution index
- Engage a professional record search service
- Consult a licensed Illinois attorney
What Are Lee County Divorce Records?
Lee County divorce records are official court documents generated during dissolution of marriage proceedings filed in the Lee County Circuit Court. These records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk as part of the permanent family law case file and constitute public records subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
Types of Divorce Records:
Court Case Files
- Petition for dissolution of marriage
- Response or answer to the petition
- Financial affidavits submitted by both parties
- Parenting plans and custody agreements
- Marital settlement agreements
- Motions, responses, and court orders
- Transcripts of court hearings
- Final judgment of dissolution of marriage
Final Decree
The final judgment of dissolution is the official court order terminating the marriage. It constitutes legal proof of divorce and establishes:
- The date the marriage was legally dissolved
- Division of marital property and debts
- Alimony or maintenance provisions, if any
- Child custody and parenting time arrangements, if applicable
- Child support orders, if applicable
- Restoration of a former name, if requested
Certified copies of the final decree are available through the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Supporting Documents
- Original marriage certificate (submitted as exhibit)
- Financial disclosure statements
- Real and personal property inventories
- Parenting plan details and modifications
- Post-judgment modification orders
Purpose of Divorce Records:
Legal Purposes
- Proof of marital status for remarriage
- Documentation for name change proceedings
- Property transfer and title documentation
- Estate planning and beneficiary designations
- Immigration and naturalization proceedings
- Social Security benefit determinations
Personal Purposes
- Genealogical and family history research
- Personal record verification
- Confirmation of divorce terms and obligations
Legal Framework:
Dissolution of marriage proceedings in Illinois are governed by the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5. Public access to court records is governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rules and the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Privacy protections for sensitive family law information are established through court rule and statute, with specific provisions addressing the confidentiality of financial data, children's information, and domestic violence disclosures.
Are Lee County Divorce Records Public?
Divorce records filed in Lee County Circuit Court are public court records, accessible to any member of the public under Illinois law. The presumption of public access applies to most documents in a dissolution case file; however, specific categories of information are subject to restriction, redaction, or sealing by court order.
What Is Public:
- Case number and original filing date
- Names of both parties to the dissolution
- Names of attorneys of record
- Scheduled court hearing dates
- Court orders and judgments, including the final decree
- Property division orders
- General case status and docket entries
What May Be Restricted:
Financial Information:
- Social Security numbers are redacted from all public filings
- Bank account and credit card numbers are redacted
- Detailed tax returns may be subject to limited access
- Certain income and asset disclosures may be restricted by court order
Children's Information:
- Names and addresses of minor children may be redacted
- Schools attended by children are not disclosed publicly
- Medical and psychological evaluations of children may be sealed
- Guardian ad litem reports are subject to restricted access
- Child custody evaluations ordered by the court may be sealed
Sensitive Personal Information:
- Domestic violence allegations and supporting evidence
- Mental health and substance abuse treatment records
- Medical records submitted as exhibits
- Personal addresses in cases involving protective orders
Sealed Records:
A court may seal all or part of a case file upon a showing of good cause. Cases involving allegations of abuse, high-profile parties, or confidential settlement terms may be subject to sealing orders. Mediation communications are confidential by statute and are not part of the public record.
Who Can Access Records:
- General public: May access most case information, view docket summaries, and obtain copies of public documents upon payment of applicable fees
- Parties to the case: Have full access to their own case file, including documents subject to restricted public access
- Attorneys of record: Have professional access to case files and may seek sealed documents through proper motion practice
- Researchers and media: May access public portions of case files; sealed records require court authorization
Restrictions on Use:
Access to public divorce records does not authorize use of that information for stalking, harassment, identity theft, or any purpose that violates a protective order. Permitted uses include legal proceedings, background research, genealogical inquiry, news reporting protected by the First Amendment, and academic research.
Obtaining Confidential Records:
A party seeking access to sealed or restricted records must file a motion with the court demonstrating a legitimate legal need. The court applies a balancing test weighing the public interest in transparency against the privacy interests of the parties and any minor children. Certain governmental entities, including child protection investigators and law enforcement agencies, may be entitled to access by statute without a separate court order.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Divorce Records in Lee County?
The Lee County Circuit Court Clerk charges standard fees for copies and certified documents in accordance with Illinois statutory authority. Current fees are established under 705 ILCS 105/27.1, which governs clerk fees in circuit courts statewide.
| Service | Current Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy (per page) | $0.50 per page |
| Certified copy of final decree | $6.00 (first page) + $0.50 per additional page |
| Certification fee | Included in certified copy fee |
| Electronic document access | Free for basic case information via online portal |
| Search fee | No separate search fee for standard requests |
Accepted Payment Methods:
- Cash (in-person only)
- Check or money order payable to Lee County Circuit Court Clerk
- Credit and debit cards (availability subject to clerk's office policy; confirm by phone prior to visit)
Fee Waivers:
Members of the public who qualify as indigent may petition the court for a waiver of copy fees. A completed fee waiver application must be submitted to the clerk's office and approved by the court prior to record issuance. Parties who are already litigants in the case may be entitled to one copy of the final decree at no charge at the time of entry, subject to clerk's office practice.
What Is Available at No Cost:
- Basic case information through the Illinois Courts online case search portal
- In-person review of public documents at the courthouse (no copy fee for inspection only)
- Docket entries and case status information
What's Included in Divorce Records in Lee County
A complete dissolution of marriage case file maintained by the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk contains the following categories of documents.
Basic Case Information
Case Caption:
- Assigned case number
- Court name and judicial circuit
- Petitioner and respondent names
- Judge assigned to the case
- Attorneys of record for both parties
Filing Information:
- Date the petition was filed
- Filing fees paid
- Case type designation (dissolution of marriage)
- Basis for jurisdiction
Initial Pleadings
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage:
- Petitioner's identifying information
- Respondent's identifying information
- Date and location of the marriage
- Date of separation, if applicable
- Grounds for dissolution (irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, as required under Illinois law)
- Information regarding minor children, including names and dates of birth
- Claims regarding marital property
- Requests for spousal maintenance and child support
- All relief requested by the petitioner
Response/Answer:
- Respondent's admissions or denials
- Counterpetition, if filed
- Respondent's independent requests for relief
Financial Affidavits:
- Both parties' income from all sources
- Monthly living expenses
- Marital and non-marital assets
- Liabilities and outstanding debts
- Standard of living during the marriage
Discovery Documents
- Tax returns for recent years
- Pay stubs and employer verification
- Bank and investment account statements
- Retirement account statements
- Credit card and loan statements
- Business financial records, if applicable
- Written interrogatories and answers under oath
- Requests for production of documents and responses
Property-Related Documents
- Inventory of marital real property with descriptions and valuations
- Vehicle titles and values
- Bank and investment account balances
- Retirement and pension account information
- Business interests and valuations
- Personal property inventories
- Appraisal reports for real estate and personal property
- Expert valuation reports
Children-Related Documents (if applicable)
Parenting Plan:
- Allocation of parental responsibilities (legal custody)
- Primary residential parent designation
- Detailed parenting time schedule, including regular, holiday, and summer provisions
- Transportation and exchange arrangements
- Decision-making authority for education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities
- Relocation restrictions
Child Support:
- Child support calculation worksheet
- Income information for both parents
- Number of overnight parenting days
- Health insurance and childcare cost allocations
- Amount and payment schedule ordered by the court
- Income deduction order, if applicable
Custody Evaluations (if ordered):
- Reports from court-appointed psychologists or evaluators
- Home study findings
- Parenting assessments and recommendations
- Child interview summaries (may be sealed)
Guardian ad Litem Reports (if appointed):
- Attorney for the children's findings
- Best interests recommendations
Support Documents
Alimony/Maintenance:
- Type of maintenance ordered (temporary, rehabilitative, or fixed-term)
- Monthly amount and duration
- Payment schedule and method
- Conditions for modification or termination
- Tax treatment provisions
Settlement Documents
Marital Settlement Agreement:
- Comprehensive resolution of all contested issues
- Real and personal property division
- Debt allocation between the parties
- Spousal maintenance terms
- Child-related provisions, if applicable
- Attorney fee allocation
- Signatures of both parties and notarization
Mediation Agreement (if applicable):
- Terms reached through mediation
- Incorporation into the marital settlement agreement
Court Orders and Judgments
Temporary Orders:
- Temporary custody and parenting time
- Temporary support obligations
- Temporary use and possession of marital property
- Temporary restraining orders or injunctions
Final Judgment of Dissolution:
- Court's findings of fact and conclusions of law
- Date the marriage is legally dissolved
- Complete property division awards
- Debt allocation orders
- Spousal maintenance orders
- Child custody and parenting time orders
- Child support orders
- Name restoration, if requested
- Judge's signature and court seal
Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO):
- Separate order dividing retirement plan benefits
- Instructions to the plan administrator
- Alternate payee designation
Post-Judgment Documents (if applicable)
- Petitions to modify custody or support
- Court orders on modification requests
- Contempt motions and orders
- Income deduction orders
- Enforcement actions and liens
Miscellaneous Documents
- Proof of service of the initial petition
- Summons and return of service
- Notices of hearings and depositions
- Certificates of service for all filings
What Is Typically Confidential or Sealed:
- Social Security numbers (redacted from all public filings)
- Bank account and financial account numbers (redacted)
- Children's residential addresses and school information
- Domestic violence details (may be sealed by court order)
- Mental health and substance abuse evaluation records
- Trade secrets contained in business valuations
- Mediation communications (confidential by statute)
- Settlement negotiations not incorporated into filed documents
How Information Is Organized:
Case files are organized in chronological order by filing date, with each document assigned a filing date stamp. The docket sheet serves as an index of all documents in the file, listing document type, filing date, and document number. Recent cases are maintained in electronic format through the Illinois e-filing system; older cases exist in paper form, with some converted to digital images.
How to Get Proof of Divorce in Lee County?
Proof of divorce in Lee County is obtained through a certified copy of the final judgment of dissolution of marriage, issued by the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk. A certified copy bears the clerk's official seal and signature and is accepted as legal proof of dissolution for remarriage, name change, immigration, and other official purposes.
Steps to Obtain a Certified Copy:
- Identify the case number by searching the Illinois Courts case search portal or by contacting the clerk's office directly.
- Submit a written request to the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk, either in person, by mail, or through the clerk's office request process.
- Provide the full names of both parties, the approximate date of the dissolution, and the case number if known.
- Pay the applicable certification fee as established under current clerk fee schedules.
- Receive the certified copy in person at the courthouse or by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Lee County Circuit Court Clerk
112 E. Second Street
Dixon, IL 61021
Phone: (815) 288-4414
Lee County Courthouse — Illinois Courts
Members of the public who need to verify that a dissolution occurred but do not require a certified copy may also consult the Illinois Department of Public Health dissolution of marriage records index, which provides a statewide index of dissolutions registered with the state. As the Department states, "The Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records does not issue certified copies of dissolution of marriage records." The index may be used to confirm the county of filing, after which a certified copy must be obtained from the appropriate circuit court clerk.
Can a Divorce Be Confidential in Lee County?
Divorce proceedings in Lee County are presumptively public, but Illinois law and court rules permit the sealing of specific records or entire case files under defined circumstances. Confidentiality is not automatic; a party must seek a court order to restrict public access.
Circumstances Under Which Records May Be Sealed or Restricted:
- Domestic violence cases: Courts may restrict access to addresses, contact information, and evidence related to abuse to protect the safety of victims and minor children.
- Mental health and medical records: Records submitted as exhibits that contain protected health information may be sealed or redacted pursuant to applicable privacy statutes.
- Children's information: Names, addresses, schools, and psychological evaluations of minor children are subject to redaction and restricted access under Illinois Supreme Court rules.
- Confidential settlements: Terms of settlement that the parties agree to keep confidential may be incorporated by reference without full disclosure in the public record.
- Mediation communications: All communications made during court-ordered mediation are confidential by statute and are not filed with the court or accessible to the public.
- Sealed by court order: Any party may file a motion requesting that the court seal all or part of the case file upon a showing of good cause. The court balances the public interest in transparency against the privacy interests at stake.
Members of the public seeking to understand the scope of confidentiality protections in Illinois family law cases may refer to the Illinois Supreme Court Rules governing access to court records.
How Long Does Lee County Keep Divorce Records?
Lee County Circuit Court divorce records are retained for extended periods in accordance with Illinois court record retention schedules established by the Illinois Supreme Court. Retention periods vary by document type and case classification.
Retention Periods for Dissolution of Marriage Records:
- Final judgments of dissolution: Retained permanently as part of the official court record. These documents are never destroyed and remain accessible indefinitely.
- Complete case files (contested dissolutions): Retained for a minimum of 20 years from the date of the final judgment, with permanent retention of the judgment itself.
- Uncontested dissolution files: Retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of the final judgment, subject to applicable Supreme Court retention schedules.
- Post-judgment modification orders: Retained as part of the original case file for the duration of the case file's retention period.
- Financial affidavits and discovery documents: Retained as part of the case file; subject to the same retention schedule as the underlying case.
- Archived paper records: Physical files that have reached the end of their active retention period may be transferred to off-site storage or converted to microfilm or digital format before destruction of the paper originals.
Members of the public seeking records from older cases should contact the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk directly to confirm availability and retrieval procedures. The Illinois Supreme Court establishes uniform retention schedules applicable to all circuit courts in the state.