Rule 8.Case and Document Accessibility

Article I. General Rules · Last amended 2022 · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceRule 8 defines who can access court cases and documents, from fully public records to sealed and expunged ones, and puts clerks in charge of enforcing those access levels.

Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 8

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(a) All cases and documents are presumed to be accessible by the court and the clerk. Clerks shall limit access to case information and documents that are not identified as public to the clerk and/or limited supervisory staff through the use of access codes restricting access. Access to court records and documents remotely over the Internet shall be as authorized by the Illinois Supreme Court Remote Access Policy.

(b) Unless otherwise specified by Rule, statute or order of court, access to case information and documents maintained by the clerk are defined as follows:

(1) “Public” means a document or case that is accessible by any person upon request.

(2) “Impounded” means a document or case that is accessible only to the parties of record on a case; otherwise, the document or case is only accessible upon order of court.

(3) “Confidential” means a document or case that is accessible only to the party submitting the document or filing the case; otherwise, the document or case is only accessible upon order of court.

(4) “Sealed” means a document or case that is accessible only upon order of court.

(5) “Expunged” means a document or case that is accessible only upon order of court as provided in section 5.2(E) of the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/5.2(E)).

(c) Notwithstanding the above, the court may enter an order restricting access to any case or document per order of court.

End

Plain-English Summary

Rule 8 assumes openness as the default: cases and documents are presumed accessible to the court and the clerk, and clerks must use access codes to restrict anything that is not supposed to be public. Remote access over the internet follows the Illinois Supreme Court's Remote Access Policy.

The rule then defines five access categories. Public records are available to anyone who asks. Impounded records are limited to the parties unless a court orders otherwise. Confidential records are limited to the party who filed them. Sealed and expunged records require a court order before anyone can see them, with expunged records also governed by the Criminal Identification Act.

A court retains the authority to restrict access to any case or document beyond these default categories whenever it enters an order doing so.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Illinois court records public by default?

Yes. Rule 8 presumes documents and cases are accessible unless they fall into a restricted category like impounded, confidential, sealed, or expunged.

What is the difference between impounded and confidential under Rule 8?

Impounded records are accessible to the parties of record; confidential records are accessible only to the party who filed or submitted them. Both otherwise require a court order to unlock.

Can I view a sealed court record?

Only with a court order. Rule 8 defines sealed to mean accessible only upon order of court.

Who decides how a clerk restricts access to a record?

The clerk implements the access levels the rule defines, using access codes, but a court order can restrict access to any case or document beyond those categories.

Does Rule 8 cover remote access to court records over the internet?

Yes, subject to the Illinois Supreme Court's Remote Access Policy referenced in the rule.

Amendment History

Adopted Sept. 29, 2021, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.

Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: sealed court records illinoishow to access court documentsimpounded case meaningconfidential court filingexpunged record access