PEORIA COUNTY INFO

PEORIA COUNTY COURTHOUSE:  The Courthouse is open to the public.  However, phone and video conferencing for court matters will continue to be used by numerous judges for court business into the future.  Click here for information about remote hearings using Zoom.

ORDERS OF PROTECTION: All parties wanting to file an emergency order of protection now have the option to complete Guide & File's Petition for Order of Protection interview.  This is a guided interview that automatically eFiles the petition and all necessary forms.  The Order of Protection office will then review all forms and contact the petitioner for next steps.  You may contact the Order of Protection office at 309-672-6074 for assistance.  If no one answers, please leave a voicemail.  Safety - If you are in need of shelter, please contact the Center for Prevention of Abuse at 309-691-0551.

COURT HEARINGS:  Continue to use Online Court Records (portal) to check the status of your case and upcoming court dates. If your court date has been scheduled as a phone or video conference, you will see a "Order - Remote Hearing"  and should have received a copy of the instructions in the mail.  If you have a juvenile case or other confidential case type not visible on the portal, please contact either your caseworker or your attorney.  If you still have questions, contact the circuit clerk’s office at 309-672-6984. 

JUVENILE HEARINGS FOR COURTROOM 423 : For the following hearings scheduled in front of the judge presiding in Courtroom 423, out of custody matters will be held in person in the courthouse. Detention hearings for in custody juveniles will be conducted via Zoom and parents can either go to the Juvenile Detention Center or use Zoom if they want to attend these. Parties wanting to attend juvenile abuse and neglect shelter care hearings, can continue going to the Juvenile Detention Center.

DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTROOMS 322 and 323:  Evidentiary Hearings and Plenary Hearings will be held in person.  All other matters, such as, CMC’s, reviews, and pre-trials will be held via Zoom. Please see the Family Law Standing COVID Order.

EVICTIONS:  The Illinois Eviction Moratorium expired on October 3, 2021.  All eviction cases may be filed and all eviction orders and judgments may be enforced.  If you are filing an eviction, please click here to read the IL Supreme Court's special rules regarding eviction cases.  Please go to evictionhelpillinois.org for free legal help for either landlords or tenants.  Rental assistance programs are also available.

LAW LIBRARY/SELF-HELP CENTER:  In Peoria, the Law Library/Self-Help Center is open. For those that wish to use the computer to complete forms and/or e-filing documents and needing assistance, please contact Court Administration (Rm. 215) at (309) 672-6084 or by email at legalselfhelpcenter@peoriacounty.org. In addition, we are available to assist patrons over the phone during the dates and times below. 

Hours:

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

You can also visit Illinois Legal Aid Online or Forms for Self-Represented Litigants to prepare forms and get assistance with e-filing, go to Illinois Free Legal Answers for legal advice, or call Prairie State Legal Services new Victims Legal Advice Line.  

VISITATION CENTER @ CRITTENTON CENTER:  The Visitation Center is open.  Go to our website for more information.

FORECLOSURE MEDIATION: Mediations will be handled remotely until further notice.  Remote hearing notices have been mailed out with the instructions for using Zoom to participate.  If you have further questions, please call 309-672-6036.

GRAND JURY:  Grand Jury proceedings will continue in Peoria, Tazewell, Marshall, Putnam, and Stark Counties.

JURORS:  Per A.O. 2021-07, weekly jury trials in Peoria County will resume in Traffic, Misdemeanor, Felony and Civil Courtrooms, provided jurors are available.  For Peoria petit jury service, call the phone number on your summons after 5pm on the Friday before your assigned week of jury duty.  Please refer to our Reporting Instructions for more information.

MARRIAGES: Marriages in Peoria County will continue by video conference with instructions provided at time of license application, unless otherwise determined by the respective judge.  Marriages in the other courthouses may be scheduled as permitted by the respective judge and County/Circuit Clerk.  Unless otherwise Ordered, only the couple to be married will be allowed in the courthouse.  The County Clerk is allowing parties to obtain a marriage license using an online process.  Parties wanting to get married should call the Circuit Clerk’s Civil Division at 309-672-6984 to schedule the wedding.  

HOW TO PAY FINES: To reduce public in the courthouse, the Peoria County Circuit Clerk has several options for making payments of court fines and fees.   

WEEKEND JAIL SENTENCES:  All parties must now report to the Peoria County Jail for all sentencing obligations.  These are no longer being suspended due to COVID-19.

CASA: Abuse and neglect increase during times of crisis. CASA has converted the training of CASA volunteers to a Virtual and On-Line Classroom curriculum.  Click here to see how to become a CASA volunteer from the comfort of your home.

ICC CHILDREN FIRST PROGRAM:  ICC now has in-person classes for the Children First Program. Please contact ICC at 309-690-6900, to register for these classes.  This is the only approved class for all cases pending in the 10th Circuit.  

PEORIA COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE: The Peoria County Public Defender’s office looks forward to continuing its work on behalf of clients while complying with all relevant Administrative Orders and guidelines to ensure the safety of both clients and attorneys, including wearing masks and exercising proper social distancing. Clients are encouraged to check the courthouse website to ensure they are in compliance with necessary protocols prior to arriving in person for court hearings and should ensure their contact information is accurate and up-to-date with their attorney and the Circuit Clerk. Future court dates can be found on the portal or by calling the Circuit Clerk’s office at 309-677-6243. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Thank you. 

Peoria County Information (PDF)