Champaign County Circuit Clerk Katie Blakeman Encourages Court Patrons to Utilize Online Services

Out of concern for the health of our court partners, staff and the public, the Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office is encouraging court patrons to use our many online services for as much court business as possible. Using these services can reduce the number of people visiting the courthouse in person, and help slow community transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Along with other Champaign County court officials and County leadership, we are working diligently to balance public safety with public health.

Our online services include:

• Electronic Payments: Electronic payments are currently accepted for traffic tickets that do not require a mandatory court appearance and criminal cases that have court-ordered fines and fees. Visit our ePay site to enter your case information and make a payment.
• Electronic Pleas of Guilty: Electronic pleas of guilty (for traffic cases that do not require a court appearance) may be made online through our eGuilty program. This program also allows for traffic defendants to sign up for Traffic Safety School electronically. You may also visit the traffic page of our website to learn more about your options in a traffic case.
• eFiling: eFiling is mandated by the Illinois Supreme Court for all civil cases, and subsequent filings are authorized in all criminal cases, with the exception of traffic and ordinance violation cases. eFile Illinois provides 24/7 access to electronic filing, and the Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice division provides excellent resources for self-represented litigants who may require assistance in filing their documents.  We encourage you to file electronically in lieu of visiting the courthouse whenever possible.
• Electronic Court Records: As always, all public court case information is available on our website 24/7. The records are updated in real-time, so that any changes to case information are reflected on the website within minutes of being entered.
• Online Court Calendar: Did you know that you can search the daily court calendar online? From our website, you can search for individual court dates, the list of hearings for the day, or sort by courtroom, attorney, or judge. When changes are made to court dates, the information is also updated on our website in real-time.
• Copies and Record Searches: If you need copies of documents, or need a record search, you can request either of these services online through our Request a Document page.
• Frequently Used Forms: Our website provides resources for every case type, including the most commonly used court forms. For example, our divorce page answers frequently asked questions, and has several fillable forms available for download. The Illinois Supreme Court provides standardized forms that can be used in any Illinois court.
• Legal Self Help: Have you heard of Illinois Legal Aid Online? We direct our customers daily to this incredible free resource. They provide a wealth of free legal information, step by step instructions, and referrals to pro-bono attorneys.

Our office is also working on video tutorials to help patrons navigate these resources, and we will be sharing additional information through our social media sites.

Facebook: Champaign County Circuit Clerk

Twitter: @CUCircuitClerk

Instagram: @champaigncountycircuitclerk