Courts that hear local criminal cases:

• Calhoun County Circuit Clerk, the courthouse
  Address: 101 N. County Road, Hardin, IL 62047. Phone 618-576-2451. Hears: all criminal, traffic, juvenile (single courthouse).

Illinois abolished separate city and justice-of-the-peace courts in 1964, so city courts are gone. Under 65 ILCS 5/1-2.1-1, towns may hear ordinance tickets themselves.

1. Go to re:SearchIL and make a free account.
2. Pick Calhoun County and search the name or case number.
3. Some counties also post on Judici.
4. Or call the county clerk at 618-576-2451.

The Fourth District Appellate Court, 201 West Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62704, hears local appeals. Appellate clerk: 217-782-2586.

1. First, a motion in the court within 30 days.
2. Notice of appeal: within 30 days, to the county clerk (Rule 606).
3. Ask for the Office of the State Appellate Defender if the person cannot pay.
4. The clerk sends the record to Springfield; both sides file briefs.
5. A loss can go to the Illinois Supreme Court by petition for leave to appeal.

For a detention order, Rule 604(h) sets a fast track. 725 ILCS 5/122-1 allows a post-conviction petition locally.

1. ICE may send a Form I-247A detainer to the Jersey County Jail.
2. Under the Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15), Calhoun County won't add the 48 hours.
3. The Illinois Courthouse Civil Rights Act (705 ILCS 90) bars civil arrests of people attending court.
4. Detainees often leave Illinois; check the ICE Online Detainee Locator System.
5. Before any plea, the defendant should ask about immigration effects.

In the county, juvenile court hears youth cases under 705 ILCS 405. Detained local youth go to a juvenile detention center chosen by the court. Hearings are closed, and youth records are confidential.

Local federal cases go to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois: Melvin Price U.S. Courthouse, 750 Missouri Avenue, East St. Louis, IL 62201, 618-482-9371. For someone held by the U.S. Marshals, a magistrate sets detention (East St. Louis, 18 U.S.C. 3142). The U.S. Marshals Service often uses county jails in this county; check VINELink. For federal prisoners, see the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

Warrants signed by the local judge go to the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office to serve; call 618-576-9041 to check. The same line takes warrant questions from anywhere in the county. Warrant checks belong to the jail staff and the circuit clerk, and a case on the statewide re:SearchIL records search is where a warrant entry would show. Your attorney sees it, or you once you e-file. Calhoun adults are held at the Jersey County Jail in Jerseyville (618-498-6881), so a lawyer-arranged surrender usually happens across the river there. If you missed court, the circuit clerk's office at 101 N. County Road, Hardin, IL 62047 (618-576-2451) can set a new one.

The circuit court hears both (618-576-2451). Felonies (a year or more) go to Eighth Judicial Circuit judges (618-576-2451). Associate judges take misdemeanors and traffic cases (625 ILCS 5). Federal charges leave Calhoun County for the Southern District of Illinois.

For someone leaving the county jail for prison, classification comes first. Use the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search and our Illinois state prisons guide.

1. Charge, lawyer and release are set within 48 hours. See our release guide.
2. Preliminary hearing or grand jury, within 30 days if held (725 ILCS 5/109-3.1).
3. Arraignment: the plea is entered here.
4. Discovery, motions and possible plea deals here.
5. Trial within 120 days if held in jail (725 ILCS 5/103-5), unless delayed by the defense.
6. A judge sets the sentence.

The courthouse is open. Detainees stay at the Jersey County Jail, 114 North Washington Street, Jerseyville, IL 62052, phone 618-498-6881.

• Find the person: Local inmate search.
• Plan a visit with our visitation page.
• Money for local accounts: money guide.
• Letters and calls to the jail at 114 North Washington Street, Jerseyville, IL 62052: our mail and phone guides.