SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Union County record-source URLs verified against the official local and Illinois state publishers on the review date. 6 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Union County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Union County, Illinois — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
16,886
Population
Census estimate
6,763
Households
Census estimate
$54,090
Median income
Annual household
$129,300
Median home value
Census ACS
Jonesboro
County seat
In Illinois
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
2 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
see state portal
Vital records
see state portal
Voter records
1 source
Professional licenses
2 sources
Recorded documents
1 source
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Union County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Union County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Judici | FAQ State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts |
| Criminal records | No verified source — see Union County state portal below |
| Wants & warrants | No verified source — see Union County state portal below |
| Property records | No verified source — see Union County state portal below |
| Vital records | No verified source — see Union County state portal below |
| Voter records | Voter Registration - IDES - Illinois.gov |
| Professional licenses | Professional License Look-up License Lookup |
| Recorded documents | Recorder |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Union County. Data verified June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Union County Records
2026
Union County official government portal active
The official Union County government website at www.unioncountyil.gov continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Union County court records portal verified
State court system links for Union County verified against the Illinois judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside Illinois, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.
The 4-Step Union County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Union County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Union County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the Illinois statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the Illinois state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Union County Records
❌ Myth: "Union County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Union County are held by the Illinois state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Union County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Union County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official Illinois state repository has verified, current Union County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Union County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Union County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources (All Verified)
- www.unioncountyil.gov — Official Union County government website
- www.illinoiscourts.gov — Court records — official source
- ides.illinois.gov — Voter records — official source
- www.illinois.gov — Licenses — official source
- www.ilsos.gov — Recorded documents — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Union County & Illinois Records
For records not specific to Union County, use Illinois's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 Illinois statewide record systems:
- Illinois Court Records →
- Illinois Criminal Records →
- Illinois Property Records →
- Illinois Vital Records →
- Illinois Voter Records →
- Illinois Wants & Warrants →
- Illinois Licenses →
- Illinois Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Illinois statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
About Union County, Illinois
Union County is located in southwestern Illinois. The county seat is Jonesboro (official site: https://www.unioncountyil.gov/).
- Population: 16,886
- Households: 6,763
- Median household income: $54,090
- Median home value: $129,300
- Below poverty line: 20.1%
- Land area: 413.4 sq mi
- Population density: 40.8 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 6
- NCES schools indexed: 15
Judici | FAQ
Official Free
You can find a copy of the policy https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/. I. If I subscribe, can I get access to information that says "Secured" on the free case search pages? - (return to top) Judici provides the Circuit Clerks in our participating counties options to secure some of the personal information provided in the court records, and it is
State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts
Official Free
The Office of the Illinois Courts provides information about the Illinois court system, including Circuit Courts, Appellate Courts, and the Supreme Court.
Professional License Look-up
Official Free
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation provide online public access through its 'License Lookup' to search and verify all Illinois professional license holders
License Lookup
Official Free
Use the search field below to locate licensee records. Please note that the results are based upon a match found in ANY of the searchable fields, such as address, city, county, license number, licensee name, and/or business name. Search results will
IDFPR Online Services Portal
Official Free
Welcome to the IDFPR Online Services Portal ! Please allow 2-4 business days for your application to post in our systems and your license status to update. If you attempted to make an online payment on April 2, 2026, please do not try to submit another payment.
Voter Registration - IDES - Illinois.gov
Official Free
Skip to main content · Agencies · Services · Sign Into My Account · Voter Registration · Voter Registration Application (PDF) · Voter Registration Application (PDF) - Spanish · Voter Registration Application (Online) · Illinois State Board of Elections · Footer
Illinois Online Voter Registration Application: Registration Lookup
Official Free
Home | State Board of Elections Vote In Illinois? Select a Language： 中文 English हिंदी Español · Home | SBE Home | App. Status | Contact Polling Place Locator Am I Registered to Vote? Select a language: 中文 English हिंदी Español · The registration period for the online voter registration
Recorder
Official Free
The duties of the county recorder were codified by the Illinois Revised Statutes of 1874. Recorders were required to keep deed records, indexes to their books of record, files of maps and plats, and, at the discretion of the county board, abstracts of title of each tract in the county.5 In 1903, recorders and circuit clerks were authorized, if they had up-to-date abstracts of title, to sell them to the public.6 In 1919, recorders were required to keep records of all honorable discharges of veterans then living in the county.7
www.elections.il.gov - /precinctmaps/
Official Free
Clair 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Stark 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Stephenson 1/25/2022 11:16 AM <dir> Tazewell 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Union 1/25/2022 11:36 AM <dir> Vermilion 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Wabash 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Warren 1/25/2022 11:40 AM <dir> Washington 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Wayne 2/16/2022 3:29 PM <dir> White 9/9/2020 11:03 AM <dir> Whiteside 2/7/2022 12:59 PM <dir> Will 11/9/2021 1:22 PM <dir> Williamson 1/25/2022 11:41 AM <dir> Winnebago 1/25/2022 11:42 AM <dir> Woodford
Union County Home Page
Official Free
Field notes are the narrative record of the cadastral survey . They are written in tabular format and contain the detailed descriptions of entire survey process including the instrumentation and procedures utilized, calling all physical evidence evaluated in the survey process, and listing all ...
COUNTY OF UNION, ILLINOIS NUISANCE ORDINANCE Ordinance No. 2010- _l_!!_
Official Free
Nuisance Ordinance are hereby repealed . SECTION 2: The Union County Code is hereby amended by the addition of the County Board, Sheriff and State's Attomey. (c) County Board means the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Union, Sheriff means the Sheriff of the County of Union,
Union County Precinct Maps Final
Official Free
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois . According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 17,244. Its county seat is Jonesboro. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as “Little Egypt”. Union County was formed out of Johnson County on ...
Inmates — VineLink
Official Free
Close PACER Case Locator PACER Log in Manage PACER Account · An official website of the United States government Log in to Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Type the name of a federal court to find links to login to CM/ECF – or – search by other information unique to that court, like their contact information, RSS feed, county codes, and…
Birth, Death, Other Records - Illinois Department of Public Health
Official Free
Certified copies are available from the circuit court clerk in the county where the dissolution of civil union was granted . To learn more, see RESOURCES in the right-hand column and click on List of Circuit Court Clerks. The Division of Vital Records can · Archivos De Nacimientos, Defunciones, ...
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Union County?
Union County court cases are filed with the Circuit Clerk. Search the State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts portal: https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/. For federal matters, see PACER.
What's the difference between sealing and expunging a record in Illinois?
In Illinois, a sealed record is hidden from public view but still exists and remains visible to law enforcement, licensing boards, and some employers. An expunged record is treated by Illinois law as if it never happened — though FBI and federal records may persist regardless of state action. The relief process runs through the sentencing court.
Can my employer see a sealed record in Illinois?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed Illinois record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
Does a county sheriff have to honor ICE detainers?
No federal law forces a county to honor an ICE detainer. Multiple federal courts have ruled that detainers are non-binding requests. Some counties honor every detainer, others honor none, and many honor them only when ICE provides a judicial warrant. Policy is set at the county or sheriff level.