Who Is the Madison County Circuit Clerk
Honorable Patrick T. McRae is the elected Madison County Circuit Clerk. The Circuit Clerk position is an elected office in Illinois under the Clerk of Courts Act. The clerk attends court sessions, preserves court files and documents, maintains records of all cases, maintains records of money received and disbursed, and supports the public-facing services that connect users to the court.
The image below links to the Circuit Clerk's landing page, which lists every public service the office provides.
The page links to court records search, copy request, court schedules, eFileIL, probate forms, traffic and criminal payments, marriage license judge ceremonies, passport services, orders of protection, small claims, divorce, eviction, and legal aid.
Circuit Clerk Offices in Madison County
The Circuit Clerk operates three locations to serve the eastern and western ends of the county.
Madison County Courthouse
155 N. Main Street, Suite 120
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-692-6240
Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Criminal Justice Center
509 Ramey Street
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-692-6240
Court-required appearances
Alton Satellite Office
1700 E. Broadway
Alton, IL 62002
618-692-6240
Tue and Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
How to Search Cases at the Circuit Clerk
The Circuit Clerk's online case search is the front door for most users. The county warns that the search screen can be slow during high-volume use. Help with the search system is at (800) 250-9884. Case docket subscriptions and text reminders are listed alongside the case search on the menu.
- Open the Circuit Clerk's Court Records Search page.
- Click through to the case search at clericusmagnus.com:8443.
- Enter a participant name or a case number in YYYY-CaseType-###### format.
- Click the case to open the Case Overview screen with the Next/Last Court Date.
- Subscribe to text or email reminders if you have a pending appearance.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies of court documents come from the Circuit Clerk's Archives, Document Storage, and Record Search team. Requests are not accepted over the phone.
- Gather the case number, party names, and any felony charge if applicable.
- Choose a request method: online form, email, fillable form by email or mail, in person, or fax.
- Email the request to courtcopy@madisoncountyil.gov.
- Or fax the request to 618-692-0676 or 618-655-2017.
- Or visit Suite 11 on the lower level of the Madison County Courthouse for in-person requests.
- Wait for the office to notify you of the cost by mail or email.
- Pay in advance through CourtMoney, phone payment line 1-877-222-4668 with Form ID 138506, mailed check to Madison County Circuit Clerk, or in-person at the courthouse.
The image below links to the Circuit Clerk's copy request page, which lists all of these methods and the fee schedule.
Madison County Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule
Copy fees are set under 705 ILCS 105/27.1a. The Circuit Clerk publishes them on the copy request page.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Court document, page 1 | $2.00 |
| Court document, pages 2–20 | $0.50 per page |
| Court document, page 21 and above | $0.25 per page |
| Certification seal | $6.00 per certification |
| Docket sheet | $6.00 per page |
| Child support payment history | $6.00 per page |
| Criminal history | $6.00 |
| Record search per year | $6.00 per year searched |
Copy Request Form Fields
The Circuit Clerk's online copy request collects a specific set of information from each requester. Filling each field correctly speeds up the response.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Text | Yes | Person requesting the record. |
| Mailing Address | Text | Yes | Street, city, state, ZIP. |
| Phone Number | Text | Yes | For follow-up. |
| Text | Yes | For follow-up and notice of cost. | |
| Case Information | Multiline | Yes | YYYY-CaseType-###### format; example 2019-CM-001234. |
| Case Party Names | Multiline | Yes | Plaintiff vs. defendant or all parties. |
| Charge | Text | If felony | Felony charge name. |
| Need Certified? | Radio | Yes | Yes or No. |
| Delivery Method | Checkbox | Unspecified | Email, mail, pickup, or both. |
| File Upload | File | Optional | Attach a supporting document. |
E-Filing and Traffic Payments
Madison County requires civil and family cases to be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court order M.R. 18368, effective January 1, 2018. Attorneys are not exempt. The Circuit Clerk points users to Odyssey eFileIL for instructions, including how to prepare documents, register, sign in, create a password, add a payment account, add case information, enter party information, upload filings, pay fees, review the summary, and submit. Odyssey support is 800-297-5377.
Traffic ticket payments run through the Circuit Clerk's no-court-appearance system for tickets marked "No Court Required." The Circuit Clerk says to allow two weeks from the arrest date for a ticket to appear in the payment system. Tickets marked "Court required" must be appeared on in person at the designated time to speak with the prosecuting attorney. For the deeper walkthrough see traffic court records.
Probate, Family, and Other Forms
The Circuit Clerk page links to several specialized service areas. Family cases must be e-filed. Probate uses local forms listed on the Circuit Clerk probate page, including the small estate affidavit, the guardian of minor form, the annual report, the estate claim form, and the status report for decedent's estates. Orders of protection use Illinois Courts approved forms.
The image below links to the Circuit Clerk FAQ, which is the source for case-number formats, continuance rules, eFile rejection guidance, and address-change instructions.
Circuit Clerk vs. County Clerk
The Circuit Clerk is not the same as the County Clerk. The Circuit Clerk under Patrick T. McRae handles court files. The County Clerk under Linda A. Andreas handles vital records, elections, public filings, tax and real estate services, and county board proceedings. The County Clerk is also Recorder, with land records dating back to 1812.
If you need a court file, a docket entry, a certified court order, or a traffic payment, go to the Circuit Clerk. If you need a birth certificate, marriage license, death certificate, voter registration, or land record, go to the County Clerk or Recorder. The County Clerk page covers that side in detail.
Court Schedules and Reminders
The Circuit Clerk publishes daily court schedules and updates them on Tuesdays and Fridays. Asbestos dockets update only on Tuesdays. The court schedule lists every case set for hearing on a given day in a given courtroom. The case-level docket on the Case Overview screen is a different document; it shows the chronological event list for a single case rather than the daily call.
Alert Text Reminder Court Dates and Case Docket Subscriptions are listed in the Circuit Clerk's menu. Users who already know a case can subscribe to text or email reminders with the date and time of an appearance. The reminders do not waive a duty to appear and are not a substitute for filing a notice of appearance.
Passports and Other Public Services
The Circuit Clerk's menu includes passport acceptance services for U.S. passport applications. The clerk's staff verifies identity, accepts the application, and sends it to the State Department. Passport fees are set by federal rule and are separate from court copy fees. Walk-in availability varies, so calling ahead is a good idea.
The clerk also publishes information on small claims, divorce, eviction, and protective order filings. Forms and instructions for many filings come from the Illinois Courts approved forms set linked from the Circuit Clerk menu, and the Illinois Legal Aid Online site is referenced for self-help users who need step-by-step guidance.
Orders of Protection and Emergency Filings
The Circuit Clerk handles orders of protection filings for Madison County. Emergency orders can be filed during business hours through the Circuit Clerk's office, and after-hours orders go through the on-call procedure with law enforcement and the Circuit Court. The standard Illinois Courts approved forms apply to most orders of protection filings.
Court schedules update the order of protection call days alongside the other dockets. The Circuit Clerk's Court Schedules page lists the current call days. Emergency orders can be entered the same day; plenary orders follow after a hearing on notice to the respondent.
Self-represented petitioners can ask the Legal Self Help Center inside the courthouse Law Library for help with forms and the public-access computers. The center staff cannot give legal advice or appear in court, but they can help locate the right Illinois Courts approved form and explain where to file it.