DeKalb County, Illinois Court Records (Chicago Metropolitan Area)

Found almost due west of Chicago, DeKalb County is a suburban region with a population of about 100,000. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Nearby counties include Boone, McHenry, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle, and Winnebago. Major employers include Northern Illinois University, Target, and KishHealth System.

A major agricultural center, DeKalb County is separate from the bustle of Chicago but still a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The area has remained relatively stable in population over time and continues to attract job seekers looking for a quieter alternative to big city life. These circumstances make it more likely that you may encounter individuals with potentially worrisome criminal records.

Background checks are powerful tools, but that power means they're also subject to regulation at the state and federal levels. Alongside federal non-discrimination law, you must also be aware of Illinois's laws regarding when and how you may conduct background checks. 

All businesses with 15 employees or more must obey the state's fair chance law in Illinois. This law contains several important provisions you must abide by, or your business could face civil fines. These provisions include:

• You cannot ask about criminal records on job applications or otherwise until you choose to select a candidate for an interview. Providing a job offer conditional on background check results is also acceptable.
• You cannot deny a job based solely on a history of convictions if no "substantial relationship" exists between the applicant's charges and the job involved. Serious safety risks are also acceptable for adverse action.
• You must individually evaluate each candidate's record using the EEOC factors, e.g., the nature and age of the crime, how old the individual was, and whether they have worked to complete rehabilitative efforts.

Alongside these rules, you must also follow the federal FCRA’s guidelines on providing notice of rights, gathering an applicant’s written consent, and following all adverse action guidelines. Neither Illinois nor DeKalb county currently restrict employers from using pre-employment drug tests or making decisions based on their results. This includes cannabis—although legislators in the area have tried for several years to bar any employment decisions based on off-duty marijuana usage.

When you reach the appropriate stage in the hiring process to feel assured that you’ve met your legal requirements, you can begin placing orders for background checks. Looking in as many places as possible for matching records is a good place to start, and the best way to do that is with our US OneSEARCH. Providing reports in minutes, you can quickly review any results matching your candidate from inside our professionally compiled database of records. See all our nationwide sources on our online coverage map for more information.

In some places, counties such as DeKalb may not make their records available to third-party consumer reporting agencies. Illinois allows searches of misdemeanor, felony, and traffic records online via local court websites and also supports ordering by phone. For the most up-to-date information available in a given county court, we suggest ordering one of our traditional courthouse searches for more data.

Background reports sourced from county court records may include the subject's:

• Name
• Offense/Charge
• Sentence
• Disposition

With opportunities for diverse hiring and talent acquisition, DeKalb provides many benefits for employers. With better background checks, you can tap into this resource with greater confidence.