Adams County Court Docket Lookup
The Adams County court docket contains records for civil, criminal, traffic, and family cases managed by the 8th Judicial Circuit in Quincy, Illinois. Circuit Clerk Lori Geschwandner maintains these records, and the county is covered by Judici, which provides free online docket searches going back to 1987 for both criminal and civil files.
Adams County Quick Facts
Adams County Circuit Clerk Office
Lori Geschwandner serves as Circuit Clerk for Adams County. Her office maintains the official court docket for all cases filed in the 8th Judicial Circuit within Adams County. The courthouse is in Quincy, the county seat. Office staff can search the docket by name or case number. They provide certified copies of court documents for a fee. It is a good idea to call before visiting to confirm current hours and procedures.
The clerk's office is at 521 Vermont Street, Quincy, IL 62301-2934. The main phone is 217-277-2100. The fax line is 217-277-2116. There is no standalone Adams County clerk website confirmed at this time. For the official clerk listing, use the statewide directory at the Illinois Circuit Court Clerks directory. That page lists contact details for every county in Illinois and is maintained by the state courts.
| Circuit Clerk | Lori Geschwandner |
|---|---|
| Address | 521 Vermont Street, Quincy, IL 62301-2934 |
| Phone | 217-277-2100 |
| Fax | 217-277-2116 |
| Judicial Circuit | 8th Judicial Circuit |
| Clerk Directory | Illinois Courts Clerk Listing |
Search the Adams County Court Docket Online
Judici.com is the primary free tool for searching Adams County court docket records. Adams County is among the 82 Illinois counties covered by Judici, with criminal and civil case files available back to 1987. That is one of the deeper historical records sets you will find through Judici. Search by party name, attorney, case number, or judge. Go to judici.com and select Adams County from the list. Results show case type, filing date, hearing schedule, and recent court activity. No login or payment is needed for basic searches.
The Illinois Courts website offers broader statewide information that applies to Adams County cases. From that site you can find court rules, e-filing guidance, and links to the circuit court clerk directory. The 8th Judicial Circuit covers Adams County and several surrounding counties in west-central Illinois. The Illinois Courts site explains which counties belong to each circuit and who the presiding judges are.
The Illinois Courts homepage is a key statewide resource for finding court tools and contacts relevant to Adams County cases.
Links on the Illinois Courts site point to e-filing tools, clerk contact details, and public docket search portals that cover Adams County.
The re:SearchIL portal provides free access to Illinois appellate and Supreme Court documents since May 1, 2025. If an Adams County case was appealed, look for those documents through re:SearchIL. For trial court cases still in Quincy, Judici is your first stop.
What the Adams County Court Docket Covers
The Adams County docket holds records across several case types. Civil cases cover disputes between individuals, businesses, and organizations. Criminal cases run from Class A misdemeanors through Class X felonies. Traffic filings are among the most common. Family cases include divorce, child custody, child support, and orders of protection. Probate handles estates and guardianship. Small claims resolve lower-dollar disputes, typically under the state threshold.
Not all case types are open to the public. Juvenile records are confidential under Illinois law. Adoption files are sealed. Expunged or sealed criminal records do not appear in public searches. Beyond these, remote online access is limited by state rule for specific categories. Eviction cases, foreclosure actions, orders of protection, guardianship files, and some family and probate matters cannot be accessed remotely. If you search the Adams County court docket online and do not find a case, it could fall into one of these restricted categories. Contacting the clerk at 217-277-2100 or visiting the courthouse at 521 Vermont Street in Quincy will give you more options to find what you need.
Illinois Legal Aid Online provides clear guidance on this. Their site explains what records are public, which cases require in-person access, and how to get copies without using a paid service. See illinoislegalaid.org for Adams County court records guidance in plain language.
E-Filing in Adams County
Illinois requires electronic filing for civil cases across all 102 counties. Adams County follows this statewide mandate. Filers use the eFileIL system at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. There are 17 approved Electronic Filing Service Providers in Illinois. You can choose any of them, as they all connect to the same court system. Once the Adams County clerk accepts a filing, it enters the docket and becomes visible through Judici and other public search tools.
If you are filing without a lawyer in Adams County, start with the Illinois Courts self-help page at illinoiscourts.gov/eservices/information-for-filers-without-lawyers. That page explains e-filing for self-represented filers and links to the approved service providers. It also covers what documents you need to prepare before you file. The Quincy courthouse staff can answer general procedural questions but cannot give legal advice.
The Judici portal covers Adams County court docket records going back to 1987, one of the longest digital records archives among Illinois counties on the platform.
Select Adams County on the Judici homepage to search criminal and civil cases by name, attorney, case number, or judge at no cost.
Getting Copies of Adams County Court Records
To get certified copies of documents from the Adams County court docket, contact the Circuit Clerk's office at 521 Vermont Street in Quincy. In-person requests can be handled at the counter. Mail requests are also accepted. Include the case number, names of the parties, the type of document you want, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Bring a photo ID for any in-person request.
Copy fees are charged per page, with an additional fee for certification. Because Adams County has digital records going back to 1987, electronic retrieval may be faster for cases filed in that period. For cases filed before 1987, paper retrieval from storage may take longer. Call 217-277-2100 before submitting a request to ask about current fees and expected processing times.
Illinois courts do not fall under the Freedom of Information Act, which is codified at 5 ILCS 140. Court records in Adams County remain open to the public under other provisions of Illinois law. You do not need a FOIA request. You simply contact the clerk's office or use the public search tools described on this page.
Legal Help for Adams County Court Cases
Illinois Legal Aid Online offers free resources for people handling court cases in Adams County. Their guides explain how to search for records, how to request copies, and what to expect in civil and family matters in the 8th Judicial Circuit. Visit illinoislegalaid.org for help specific to Illinois courts, including Adams County.
Self-represented filers can also use the Illinois Courts self-help page at illinoiscourts.gov/eservices/information-for-filers-without-lawyers. It covers the e-filing process step by step. Legal aid organizations in the Quincy area and the broader west-central Illinois region may be able to provide low-cost or free civil legal help for qualifying Adams County residents.
Cities in Adams County
Quincy is the county seat of Adams County, with a population of about 39,000. It is the largest city in the county and sits along the Mississippi River in west-central Illinois. Quincy does not meet the 50,000-population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Other communities in Adams County include Camp Point, Clayton, Payson, and Mendon. All cases from these communities are filed at the 8th Judicial Circuit courthouse in Quincy.
Nearby Counties
Adams County is in western Illinois along the Missouri border. If you need to check whether a case was filed in a neighboring county, look at where the parties live or where the underlying events took place. Cases are filed in the county with jurisdiction over the dispute or incident.