Kankakee County DUI Records
Kankakee County DUI records are held at the Circuit Clerk office in Kankakee and cover all DUI cases heard before the 21st Judicial Circuit. The county sits about 60 miles south of Chicago along I-57, and its courts handle DUI cases from the city of Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, and other communities across the county. This page covers where to find DUI records in Kankakee County, what the case files contain, and how state systems tie into local court records.
Kankakee County Quick Facts
Kankakee County Circuit Clerk
Sandra Cianci is the Circuit Clerk for Kankakee County. Her office at 450 East Court Street in Kankakee holds all DUI case files for the 21st Judicial Circuit. The clerk manages case filings, maintains court documents, and processes public records requests. If you need a certified copy of a DUI disposition, a sentencing order, or the full case docket, this office handles those requests for Kankakee County cases.
The Kankakee County Circuit Clerk website at kankakeecountycircuitclerk.com provides information on accessing court records and online case search options. Recent DUI cases can often be found by name through the public case portal. For older records or documents beyond the case index, a visit to the clerk's office in Kankakee is typically needed. The clerk also accepts written records requests by mail.
| Circuit Clerk | Sandra Cianci |
|---|---|
| Address | 450 East Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901-3917 |
| Phone | 815-936-5700 |
| Fax | 815-939-8830 |
| Website | kankakeecountycircuitclerk.com |
Kankakee County Sheriff and DUI Arrests
The Kankakee County Sheriff at k3sheriff.com handles DUI enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county and on county roads. The sheriff's office at 3050 S. Justice Way in Kankakee can be reached at 815-802-7100. DUI arrests by the sheriff result in cases filed at the Kankakee County Circuit Court.
The Kankakee County clerk's office at kankakeecountycircuitclerk.com is the official repository for all DUI case records, including those stemming from sheriff arrests and city police arrests throughout Kankakee County.
Under Illinois FOIA law at 5 ILCS 140, the Kankakee County Sheriff must release arrest reports within 72 hours of a written records request. Once a DUI case is filed in Circuit Court, the full public case file is held by the Circuit Clerk. Illinois State Police patrol I-57 through Kankakee County and contribute a share of DUI arrests to the county court docket. State police arrests in the county follow the same filing process as local agency arrests and end up at the Kankakee County courthouse.
The city of Kankakee, Bourbonnais Police, Bradley Police, and other municipal agencies in the county all file DUI cases through the same 21st Judicial Circuit. All of those records are accessible at the Circuit Clerk office at 450 East Court Street.
DUI Law and Court Cases in Kankakee County
Illinois law at 625 ILCS 5/11-501 defines DUI and applies uniformly in Kankakee County. A first DUI is a Class A misdemeanor. The statute covers operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or above, under the influence of drugs, or under any combination of substances that impairs driving ability. Each DUI case filed in Kankakee County creates a public court record at the Circuit Clerk's office.
Repeat DUI offenses are more serious under Illinois law. A second DUI requires either 5 days in jail or 240 hours of community service as a mandatory minimum, with no way to waive these requirements. A third DUI in Kankakee County becomes a Class 2 felony and is handled in the felony division of the 21st Judicial Circuit. A sixth or later DUI is a Class X felony. These higher-level cases generate more paperwork and longer case histories, all of which are public records at the clerk's office in Kankakee.
DUI convictions in Illinois cannot be expunged or sealed under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. This applies to every Kankakee County conviction. Once a DUI conviction is entered by the court, it stays in the public court record permanently. It is also reported to the Illinois State Police and appears in background checks done through the CHIRP system. Under 20 ILCS 2635/1, only conviction data is accessible through state systems, not arrests that were dismissed or that did not result in a conviction.
State Record Systems for Kankakee County DUI Cases
Several Illinois state systems hold DUI records tied to Kankakee County cases. These are useful when you want information beyond what the Circuit Clerk holds or when you need a statewide criminal history check.
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification receives DUI conviction data from the Kankakee County Circuit Court after each case is resolved. This is the state's central criminal history repository. To look up your own record, including any Kankakee County DUI convictions, use the ISP My Record portal at no cost. Third-party requests from authorized agencies go through the CHIRP system. The ISP Criminal History page explains the full request process for Kankakee County and other Illinois counties.
Driving records for Kankakee County drivers are held by the Illinois Secretary of State. When a driver is arrested for DUI in Kankakee County, the Statutory Summary Suspension under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 takes effect automatically. A first offender who fails the breath test faces a 6-month suspension. First offenders who refuse the test get 12 months. For repeat DUI offenders, the suspension lengths are 12 or 36 months depending on whether they failed or refused. You can purchase a driving record abstract through the Secretary of State's website to review the license action history for a Kankakee County DUI case.
License Revocation for Kankakee County DUI Convictions
A DUI conviction in Kankakee County results in mandatory license revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. This revocation is in addition to any Statutory Summary Suspension from the arrest and takes effect upon conviction. The revocation does not expire automatically. Getting a license back requires a formal hearing with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Information on the reinstatement hearing process is available at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html. Kankakee County drivers can attend hearings at Secretary of State facilities in the area. The hearing officer reviews the driver's complete DUI history, treatment completion, current risk level, and any other relevant factors. First-time revocations may be eligible for an informal hearing. Drivers with multiple DUI convictions in Kankakee County or elsewhere in Illinois must go through a formal hearing. An ignition interlock device is typically required as a condition of any Restricted Driving Permit issued during the revocation period.
Note: Kankakee County's location along I-57 south of Chicago means that some DUI arrests in the county involve out-of-state drivers. Illinois DUI law applies to any driver operating a vehicle on Illinois roads, regardless of where the driver is licensed.
DUI Evaluation Process in Kankakee County
After a DUI arrest in Kankakee County, the court orders a drug and alcohol evaluation as part of the case process. This evaluation is done by an SUPR-licensed provider and covers the driver's substance use history, the circumstances of the DUI arrest, and any prior DUI history. The evaluator's report goes to both the Kankakee County court and the Secretary of State.
The evaluation outcome drives what the court orders in terms of treatment or education. Low-risk first-time DUI defendants in Kankakee County may only need a DUI risk education class. Higher-risk evaluations lead to treatment requirements. Completion of the court-ordered program is required to move toward license reinstatement with the Secretary of State. The evaluation and any required treatment are in addition to, not instead of, the criminal penalties imposed by the Kankakee County court.
Illinois State Police also patrol I-57 through Kankakee County and are an active source of DUI arrests in the county. Those arrests follow the same evaluation and court process as local agency arrests. Court information is available through the Illinois Courts website, which has general information on how circuit courts operate across the state.
Cities in Kankakee County
Kankakee County includes the city of Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Manteno, and several other communities. None of these cities currently exceeds the 50,000 population threshold for a qualifying city page. All DUI cases from across Kankakee County are filed at the 21st Judicial Circuit courthouse at 450 East Court Street in Kankakee.
Residents of Bourbonnais, Bradley, Aroma Park, Momence, and other Kankakee County communities can access DUI case records through the Circuit Clerk in Kankakee. The clerk holds records for all communities in the county regardless of which police agency made the arrest.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Kankakee County. If you are searching for a DUI case and are not sure which county handled it, check the citation or court documents for the county name listed on the filing.