Fulton County Court Docket
Fulton County court docket records are filed with the 9th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk in Lewistown, Illinois, covering civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters for this west-central Illinois county of about 32,500 residents along the Illinois River. The clerk's office at 100 N. Main Street in Lewistown maintains the official record for all court cases in Fulton County, with online access available through free statewide tools for many case types.
Fulton County Quick Facts
Fulton County Circuit Court Clerk
Charlene Markley is the Fulton County Circuit Court Clerk. The mailing address is P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542. The courthouse is at 100 N. Main St, Lewistown, IL 61542. Phone: 309-547-3041. Fax: 309-547-3674. The clerk's office handles all court filings, case records, and public record requests for Fulton County.
The circuit court clerk is the person you contact when you need a copy of a court order, want to check the status of a case, or need a certified judgment for legal purposes. The clerk's staff can pull case files for in-person review and process copy requests. For older cases that may have been archived, ask the clerk how long retrieval takes before making the trip to Lewistown.
| Clerk | Charlene Markley |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542 |
| Courthouse | 100 N. Main St, Lewistown, IL 61542 |
| Phone | 309-547-3041 |
| Fax | 309-547-3674 |
| Judicial Circuit | 9th Judicial Circuit |
Fulton County is in the 9th Judicial Circuit, which covers multiple counties in west-central Illinois including McDonough County. The 9th Circuit has a chief judge and local rules that apply to all cases filed within the circuit. Anyone filing in Fulton County should review 9th Circuit local rules before submitting documents. Those rules cover formatting, deadlines, and specific procedures for each case type.
Fulton County Court Docket Online Access
Fulton County participates in the Judici.com platform, giving the public free access to court case information for 82 Illinois counties. On Judici, you can search Fulton County cases by party name or case number. Results show the type of case, filing date, events, and any future court dates. No account or payment is required.
The Illinois Courts website provides court access guides, the e-filing portal link, and the clerk directory for all 102 counties. The re:SearchIL portal opened free document access for appellate and supreme court filings in May 2025. Cases from Fulton County that were appealed may have documents accessible through that system. For trial court records, Judici and the Lewistown clerk's office are the right places to look.
Remote access is limited by Illinois court rules. Case types excluded from online dockets include eviction, family law, foreclosure, guardianship, probate, small claims, traffic, and orders of protection. These may be public in person at the courthouse but will not appear through any online search tool. Records that are always restricted include juvenile cases, adoptions, sealed and expunged files, and documents with confidential identifiers.
The Illinois Legal Aid court records guide is shown below, captured from illinoislegalaid.org. The guide explains how to access Fulton County court records and those from any other Illinois county in plain, clear terms.
The guide covers what is public, how to request records, and what you should know before contacting the circuit court clerk's office in Lewistown.
Case Types in the Fulton County Court Docket
The Fulton County circuit court handles civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Civil cases include contract claims, personal injury, property disputes, and collections. Chancery cases cover equity issues like foreclosure proceedings. Family court handles divorce, custody, support, and domestic protection matters. Probate handles wills, estates, and guardianship for adults who cannot care for themselves.
Criminal filings include felony charges at the circuit court level. Misdemeanor cases and traffic offenses are also part of the court's docket. Different divisions or judges may handle specific case types on their own court call. The clerk's office at 309-547-3041 can tell you which judge handles what type of case and when the next scheduled call is.
Illinois mandates electronic filing for civil cases. The system is eFileIL, accessible at efile.illinoiscourts.gov. All 102 counties, including Fulton, use this system. Filers choose from 17 state-approved service providers. For self-represented parties, the Illinois Courts self-help page explains how to set up an account and file documents without a lawyer.
How to Request Fulton County Court Records
In person is the most direct path. Visit 100 N. Main St. in Lewistown. Staff can pull a case by number or party name, let you review it, and make copies. Certified copies require the court seal and cost more than plain copies. Call 309-547-3041 first to confirm current fees and hours. If a case is archived, ask how long retrieval takes before making the trip.
Mail requests are accepted. Write to P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542. Include the case number or party names, what you are requesting, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment. Contact the clerk first if you are unsure of the fee or preferred payment method. For archived records, allow extra time. The clerk can estimate turnaround when you call.
Illinois courts are not subject to the state's FOIA law (5 ILCS 140). You cannot get court records through a public records request to the court. Contact the circuit court clerk directly. Most civil case records are fully public under Illinois court rules. The narrow exceptions are defined by statute or court order. The Illinois Legal Aid guide breaks this down and is worth reading before you request records. Court records also do not reflect arrests that did not result in criminal charges.
Fulton County Court Docket and the Illinois Circuit System
Illinois has 24 judicial circuits outside Cook County. Fulton County is in the 9th Circuit, which shares a chief judge and local rules with McDonough County and other nearby counties. The circuit system means that a judge from a neighboring county might sit in Fulton County if needed, and vice versa. Most cases, though, are handled by judges based in Lewistown.
The Illinois circuit clerk directory lists all county clerks by district and circuit. Fulton County appears under the 9th Circuit. The directory is maintained by the Illinois Supreme Court and reflects current clerk contact information across the state.
The screenshot below shows the Illinois Courts homepage, captured from illinoiscourts.gov. The site is the official entry point for all court information in Illinois including Fulton County through the 9th Judicial Circuit.
The homepage links to the clerk directory, e-filing system, self-help guides, and information about all 24 Illinois judicial circuits.
Cities in Fulton County
Lewistown is the county seat of Fulton County. Larger communities in the county include Canton, the most populous city in Fulton County with around 13,000 residents, and Havana near the Illinois River. None of these cities meets the population threshold for individual pages on this site. All court docket records for Fulton County residents and businesses are filed through the circuit court clerk in Lewistown.
Nearby Counties
Fulton County borders four Illinois counties in the west-central part of the state.