Title
Ordinance establishing fees for copy costs to be charged by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Staff Summary
• In 2020, the Lake County Board amended Chapter 35 of its Code of Ordinances to establish copy and certification fees charged by the Circuit Court Clerk, including fees for certified judgments, document reproduction, and hard copy printouts from digital records.
• Since then, the Clerk of the Circuit Court implemented upgraded case management technology that enables attorneys and parties of record to access documents electronically at no cost, while improving access efficiency for the general public.
• Due to restrictions under the Illinois Remote Access Policy, the Clerk cannot offer full electronic access to the general public, though the improved system significantly lowers the cost of reproducing documents.
• The Circuit Court Clerk is requesting a revision to the fee structure to reflect the reduced administrative burden and promote access to justice by lowering the cost of certified copies and document reproduction.
• The ordinance reduces the fee for certified judgment copies, following the first copy from $10 to $6; reduces the per-page document reproduction fee to $0.25; and reduces the automated hard copy print output per-page fee from $6 to $0.25, making access to court documents more affordable for the public.
Body
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, on September 8, 2020, the County Board adopted a resolution modifying Chapter 35 of the Lake County Code of Ordinances, effective October 1, 2020, which set forth the current fees authorized to be charged by the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk, including but not limited to fees for copying; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of the Circuit Courts Act set forth the fees permitted to be assessed by the Clerk of the Circuit Court related to the copying of documents for the public; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of the Circuit Court has improved the technology within its office to include new case management software that contains a document management system. The document management component allows the attorneys and parties of record to obtain documents electronically at no cost; public to obtain documents more efficiently; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, in conformance with the Remote Access Policy prepared by the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts, is unable to provide the electronic access of the documents to the general public. Therefore, the Circuit Court Clerk has determined that the efficiencies created by the new case management system allows for a more economical reproduction of documents; and
WHEREAS, said September 8, 2020, amended ordinance, paragraph 4, in part, states:
(i) For each certified copy of a judgment, following the first copy: $10.
(j) Certification, authentication, and reproduction:
1. Each certification or authentication for taking acknowledgement of a deed or other instrument in writing with the seal of office: $6.
2. Reproduction of any document contained in the Clerk's files:
A. $2 for the first page.
B. $0.50 per page for the next 19 pages.
C. $0.25 per page for all additional pages.
(l) For each page of hard copy print output, when case records are maintained on an automated medium: $6; and
WHEREAS, the September 8, 2020, amended ordinance, paragraphs (i), (j) and (l) should be amended to provide better access to justice by reducing the costs of copies to the general public.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the copy fees charged by the Circuit Court Clerk, paragraph 4 (i), (j) and (l) of the September 8, 2020, amended ordinance shall be amended as follows:
(i) For each certified copy of a judgment, following the first copy: $6.
(j) Certification, authentication, and reproduction:
1. Each certification or authentication for taking acknowledgement of a deed or other instrument in writing with the seal of office: $6.
2. Reproduction of any document contained in the Clerk's files:
A. $0.25 per page.
(l) For each page of hard copy print output, when case records are maintained on an automated medium: $0.25.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on July 8, 2025.