Location

1001 Walnut Street
Murpshyboro, IL

Office Hours

Mon – Fri 8:00 – 4:00
Closed Sat & Sun

Call Us

618-687-7200

Freedom of Information Act

5 ILCS 140/1 et. seq.

The State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to open and transparent government.  Persons wishing to view or obtain copies of State’s Attorney’s records must submit a written request to the office.

Certain records are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. If the records are exempt, the requestor will be provided with the specific provision(s) in the Freedom of Information Act which makes them exempt. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Must my request for information be in writing?

Answer:  Yes.  A fillable form is available for your use.  You can also make a request for information by sending your own letter to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Must my request for information be in writing?

Answer:  Yes.  A fillable form is available for your use.  You can also make a request for information by sending your own letter to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

What must be included in my letter?

Answer:  It is best to download, complete and mail or fax to our office the fillable form above.  If you wish to use your own letter, you should provide to our office the same information as the fillable form. You should tell us in your request for information whether or not your request is for a commercial reason or purpose.

Where shall I send the request?

Answer:

Please mail:

Public Information Officer
Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office
Jackson County Courthouse, 3rd Floor
1001 Walnut Street
Murphysboro, Illinois 62966

How many days does your office have to respond to my request?

Answer:  Generally it is five (5) business days after we receive your request.  The time limit can be extended for good cause as provided in the Freedom of Information Act or by mutual agreement.  In some cases (where the request is for commercial purposes) the time to respond is extended to twenty-one (21) business days after receipt of the request for information.

Is there a charge for the information?

Answer:

a. The first fifty (50) black-and-white, letter size pages and/or legal size pages will be copied and provided free of charge;

b. All letter size and/or legal size black-and-white copies exceeding the first fifty (50) copies will be provided at a cost of fifteen cents ($.15) per page;

c. All color copies, oversized copies, plats, maps, discs, diskettes, tapes, CDs or DVDs will be provided at the State’s Attorney’s Office’s actual cost for reproducing the record.

d. Fees applicable to copies of public records when furnished in a paper format shall not be applicable to those records when furnished in an electronic format.

e. In some instances, there may be a charge assessed for search for and/or review of records or other personnel costs associated with copying the records. All required fees shall be prepaid.

Our office will waive the associated fees if the request is from news media or non-profit, scientific, academic organizations or other units of government and if the purpose of the request is for a non-commercial and non-personal reason. A request by news media organizations shall not be deemed a commercial request.

Will I get all the information that I request?

Answer: Generally, we will release records to the fullest extent legally and practically possible and at the soonest opportunity to do so.  There are exceptions, however, to full and speedy disclosure of information. Personal information is generally restricted, as are names and information of confidential sources and juveniles.  We may be restricted from revealing information that involves an ongoing case in our office or a case that is under investigation. We must protect the investigative process and ensure all persons who are involved in any matter receive a fair and impartial hearing. Once the investigation or proceeding has concluded it may be possible to get the records or information you seek.

If I am denied any of the information I have requested, what can I do?

Answer: If we deny your request for information, we are required to tell you the legal basis. You have the right to appeal that denial to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office at:

Public Access Counselor
Office of the Attorney General
500 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Phone: 312-814-5526
1-877-299-FOIA (1-877-299-3642)
Fax: 217-782-1396
E-mail: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us

You may also file a complaint in Jackson County Circuit Court seeking to review our determination to deny, or partially deny, your request for information.

Additional information can be found here: http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/pdf/FOIA_Guide_for_Law_Enforcement.pdf

http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/pdf/FAQ_FOIA_Public.pdf