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For illinois public records search, begin with Illinois Attorney General — FOIA. In Illinois, use that source for Illinois FOIA guidance and request framework. Illinois public-record access is a custodian problem before it is a search-box problem: FOIA supplies the statewide access framework, while the requested agency, court, county, municipality, or other public body still owns the underlying record. Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act handles Illinois Illinois FOIA statutory text. Illinois results carry this limit: Illinois records are generally open under FOIA unless a statutory exemption or another legal restriction applies; a statewide guide should not imply that one database searches every Illinois public body.
Illinois FOIA sets the access rule, not a universal index
Illinois uses Illinois Attorney General — FOIA and Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act for different record products.
Illinois Attorney General — FOIA is the Illinois route for Illinois FOIA guidance and request framework. The Illinois Attorney General explains FOIA requests, the public-record presumption, and the role of exemptions in disclosure. Illinois: keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois Attorney General — FOIA.
Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act answers a different Illinois question: Illinois FOIA statutory text. The Illinois General Assembly publishes the Freedom of Information Act provisions governing public records, requests, duties, and exemptions. Illinois: compare Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act with Illinois Attorney General — FOIA only when the requested Illinois record family changes.
Choose the Illinois public body before drafting a request
Illinois source roles differ: Illinois Attorney General — FOIA is not a substitute for Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act.
Illinois lane 1
Illinois Attorney General — FOIA
The Illinois Attorney General explains FOIA requests, the public-record presumption, and the role of exemptions in disclosure. Illinois: keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois Attorney General — FOIA.
Illinois lane 2
Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act
The Illinois General Assembly publishes the Freedom of Information Act provisions governing public records, requests, duties, and exemptions. Illinois: keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act.
Illinois limit
Exemptions change what can be released, not who keeps the file
Illinois records are generally open under FOIA unless a statutory exemption or another legal restriction applies; a statewide guide should not imply that one database searches every Illinois public body. This limit changes how an empty or partial Illinois search should be read.
Exemptions change what can be released, not who keeps the file
Illinois verification should name Illinois Attorney General — FOIA or Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act beside each saved identifier.
1
Frame the Illinois questionIllinois: open Illinois Attorney General — FOIA for Illinois FOIA guidance and request framework. Use Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act for Illinois FOIA statutory text.2
Work inside Illinois Attorney General — FOIAIllinois: keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois Attorney General — FOIA. Mark the Illinois result as Illinois FOIA guidance and request framework from Illinois Attorney General — FOIA.3
Change to Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act when the record family changesIllinois: Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act is for Illinois FOIA statutory text. keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act. A missing Illinois Attorney General — FOIA match does not search Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act.4
Apply the Illinois limitationIllinois: Illinois records are generally open under FOIA unless a statutory exemption or another legal restriction applies; a statewide guide should not imply that one database searches every Illinois public body. For an official Illinois copy, return to Illinois Attorney General — FOIA, Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act, or the named producing office.Build an Illinois verification trail from the producing office
Illinois: read Illinois Attorney General — FOIA and Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act as separate official record lanes.
| Illinois source | Illinois record lane | Illinois reading note |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Attorney General — FOIA | Illinois FOIA guidance and request framework | Illinois: The Illinois Attorney General explains FOIA requests, the public-record presumption, and the role of exemptions in disclosure. keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois Attorney General — FOIA. |
| Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act | Illinois FOIA statutory text | Illinois: The Illinois General Assembly publishes the Freedom of Information Act provisions governing public records, requests, duties, and exemptions. keep the Illinois office reference from Illinois General Assembly — Freedom of Information Act. |
| Illinois disclosure boundary | interpretation / access limit | Illinois records are generally open under FOIA unless a statutory exemption or another legal restriction applies; a statewide guide should not imply that one database searches every Illinois public body. The limitation belongs with the Illinois result even when the search itself is simple. |