Criminal Division

It is the defendant’s responsibility to keep the Circuit Clerk’s Office informed of their current address. We will mail court notices, bond refunds, driver’s licenses, etc. to the address on the ticket/complaint. If this is not your current address, it is your responsibility and in your best interest to keep the Circuit Clerk’s Office up to date with your new address. Your change of address has to be filed in writing. You may change your address by mail or in person. (In person you may be required to show proof of address with an ID)

If you are required to appear for a CC, CM, CV, J, JA, JD, or OV case, check in with room 104. If you are appearing for a Felony case (CF), check in with room 101. If you have any questions about your appearance please contact our department, (309)477-2775. The Circuit Clerk’s Office does NOT change court dates or times, contact your attorney or the appropriate prosecutors office.

If you wish to file a motion to vacate, the motion needs to be in writing and a non-refundable $40 filing fee must be submitted at the time of filing.

If you were charged with an ordinance violation, an ex-parte judgment could be entered against you. You will automatically be found guilty in your absence, a conviction will enter, fines and costs will be assessed, and the case will automatically referred to a collection agency.

If you were charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense, a warrant may be issued.

Please contact the Criminal Division for information on your case (309)478-5829.

The Circuit Clerk’s office accepts the following forms of payment:

Paying in person:

• Cash
• Credit/debit cards (service fee to apply)
• Money orders/certified checks
• Personal/company checks

By mail:

• Money orders/certified checks
• Personal/company checks

Online:

• For Traffic cases only, if you are pleading guilty and wish to pay in full please use:
  • Tazewell Portal – Select “Make Payments”
    (Service Fee May Apply)
    ** Temporarily Unavailable **
• For all other payments please use:
  • www.courtmoney.com – Select “Make a Payment”
    (Service Fee May Apply)
  • Child Support Form #: 129204
  • Civil Fee Form #: 129203
  • Criminal Form #: 129206
  • Traffic Form #: 129202

If you have posted bond for a defendant in a traffic case please take time to read the notice located above your signature line. It states:

NOTICE TO PERSON PROVIDING BAIL MONEY OTHER THAN DEFENDANT

I hereby acknowledge that I have posted bail for the defendant named above. I further understand that if the defendant fails to comply with the conditions of this bail bond or any other case pending in this court, that the court shall enter an order declaring the bail to be forfeited, and if the defendant is in compliance, said bail bond may nevertheless be used to pay costs, attorney fees, legal service reimbursement, fines or other purposes authorized by the court. If the defendant is sentenced, the bond you have posted will go to any fines and fees assessed to that case. If the case is dismissed the Clerk will keep 10% of the bond before a refund is issued.

Please note that Tazewell County Administrative Order 2009-3 authorizes the Circuit Clerk’s Office to apply bond money posted in a case to any outstanding fines or fees owed on other Tazewell County cases. If you owe fines and fees on other Tazewell County cases the posted bond will be applied to those cases before a refund will be issued.