Courts that hear local criminal cases:

• Shelby County Courthouse
  Address: 301 E. Main Street, Shelbyville, IL 62565. Phone 217-774-4212. Hears: all criminal, traffic, juvenile.

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.

Shelby County's sheriff serves warrants from the circuit court; call 217-774-3941. Deputies check warrant status for anyone who calls the office. Shelby files on re:SearchIL, a statewide court-records portal, show a judge's warrant order and when it was entered. A lawyer reads those orders for a client; a party filing alone reads them after an accepted e-filing, and the clerk answers by phone too. Any criminal lawyer in the county can coordinate a jail surrender for you, and the East Main clerk can get a missed case reset on the calendar. The clerk works out of the county courthouse at 301 E. Main Street, Shelbyville, IL 62565, phone 217-774-4212.

Locally, juvenile court hears youth cases under 705 ILCS 405. Detained local youth go to a juvenile detention center chosen by the court. For anyone under 18, hearings are private.

Local federal cases go to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois: U.S. Courthouse, 600 E. Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701, 217-492-4020. For someone held by the U.S. Marshals, a magistrate sets detention (Springfield, 18 U.S.C. 3142). The U.S. Marshals Service often uses county jails nearby; check VINELink. For federal prisoners, see the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

1. Visit re:SearchIL (free sign-up).
2. Choose Shelby County, then enter the name.
3. Older county cases may be on Judici.
4. Or call the county clerk at 217-774-4212.

1. ICE may send a Form I-247A detainer to the Shelby County Jail.
2. Under the Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15), this 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. Immigration consequences matter; tell the public defender or your lawyer before any plea.

1. Charge, lawyer and release are set within 48 hours. Details: Local bail and release.
2. Preliminary hearing or grand jury, within 30 days if held (725 ILCS 5/109-3.1).
3. Arraignment in the courtroom.
4. Motions and plea offers.
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.

Appeals from Shelby County go to the Fifth District Appellate Court at 14th and Main Street, Mount Vernon, IL 62864. Clerk: 618-242-3120.

1. Within 30 days, file a post-trial motion in Shelbyville (new trial, plea withdrawal, or sentence review).
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. Transcripts travel to Mount Vernon (618-242-3120), then briefs are filed.
5. The Illinois Supreme Court may take the case on petition.

Detention orders have a faster appeal under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 604(h). After appeals, a post-conviction petition (725 ILCS 5/122-1) can raise constitutional claims.

The circuit court hears both (217-774-4212). Felonies (a year or more) go to Fourth Judicial Circuit judges (217-774-4212). Associate judges take misdemeanors and traffic cases (625 ILCS 5). Federal crimes from Shelby County go to the U.S. District Court for the Central 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.

• Locate them with our inmate guide.
• Visits: Local visiting guide.
• Money for local accounts: money guide.
• Letters and calls to the jail at 151 N. Morgan Street, Shelbyville, IL 62565: our mail and phone guides.