Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Purpose

The Freedom of Information Act "FOIA" (Illinois General Assembly – 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.) allows the public to request copies or the inspection of public records. 

The records being sought may already be accessible on this website or on the individual department’s webpage. 

If the property or matter for which records are being sought is located within a municipality, please contact the municipality directly to obtain records. Visit the Lake County Municipality Directory

The Freedom of Information Act typically requires public bodies to respond or deny to FOIA requests within five business days. The time for a response can be extended an additional five business days, as allowed under the law: 5 ILCS 140/3(e)

For information regarding court-related public records, please visit the 19th Judicial Circuit’s website


How to Submit a Request 

Each department responds to their own FOIA requests. Please directly contact the department that maintains the records you are interested in. 

1. Review the FOIA Records List to determine the department that maintains the records being sought.

2. Complete a FOIA Request Form. (Note: Illinois law does not require you to submit your request on a standard form, but the request should be in writing.)

3. Please be as specific as possible when describing the records being sought. If you choose to not use the above form, include your contact information, whether the request is for commercial purposes, and whether the request is for electronic records, copies of the records, or for inspection of the records. See Copy Fees below. 

4. Email, fax, mail, or hand deliver the written request to the department that maintains the records being sought. See the Department FOIA Officer Directory below

5. Please be advised that the Freedom of Information Act is designed to allow you to inspect or receive copies of records. It is not designed to require a public body to answer questions. To the extent that you wish to ask questions of Lake County, please contact the appropriate department directly. 


Copy Fees

  • First 50 pages are free (black & white)
  • $0.15 per page thereafter (black & white) unless a different fee is otherwise fixed by statute. 
  • Actual costs of copying for color copies 

Electronic records can be requested and will be provided, as allowed under the law.

You are permitted to request a waiver of copying fees. To do so you must attach a statement explaining why your request for information is in the public’s – and not simply the requester’s – interest and merits a fee waiver. FOIA requests are considered in the public interest “if the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of personal or commercial benefit.” 5 ILCS 140/6(c).


FOIA Officer Directory

DepartmentFOIA Officer Contact InformationRequest Form
Chief County Assessment OfficeLaura Dickens

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2198
Mail: Chief County Assessment Office, 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
CoronerKarina Casillas

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2200
Mail: 26 North Martin Luther King Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
County AdministratorElizabeth Brandon

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2250
Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
County Board OfficeElizabeth Brandon

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2300
Mail: 18 North County Street, 10th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
County ClerkKaren Brush

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2317
Mail: 18 North County Street, Room 101, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
County Clerk Recording Division
Michelle McPherson

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2575
Mail: 18 North County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Emergency Management AgencyDaniel Eder

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-8358
Mail: 1303 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Emergency Telephone System BoardSteven Winnecke

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-487-8163
Mail: 1300 South Gilmer Road, Volo, IL 60073
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Facilities and Construction ServicesJeremiah Varco

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2321
Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Finance DepartmentYvette Albarran

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2929
Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Health DepartmentJerry Nordstrom

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-8000
Mail: 3010 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085
Health Department FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Human ResourcesJohn Light

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2700
Mail: 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Information TechnologyCharles Lester

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2204
Mail: 18 North County Street, 8th Floor,
Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Planning, Building and DevelopmentDebra Geder

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2145
Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Community Development DivisionMichele Slav

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2475
Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Public WorksJoel Sensenig

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-7124
Mail: 650 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Purchasing DivisionYvette Albarran

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2929
Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Regional Office of EducationMeg Weekley

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-665-0590
Mail: 300 Center Drive, Suite 100, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Sheriff's OfficeChristy Berkquist

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-4000
Fax: 847-984-5974
Mail: 25 South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Jail

Adalicia Lopez

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-4000
Fax: 847-360-5763
Mail: 20 S. County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)Merleanne Rampale

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-336-9340x4
Mail: 1311 North Estes Street, Gurnee, IL 60031
SWALCO FOIA Request Form (PDF)
State's Attorney's OfficeNicole Farrow

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-3000
Mail:18 North County Street, 3rd Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Stormwater Management CommissionDarcy McNeill

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-7700
Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Division of TransportationAlex Carr

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-7400
Mail: 600 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Treasurer's OfficeMarina Zdravkovic

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-2326
Mail: 18 North County Street, Room 102, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Veteran's AssistanceAndrew Tangen

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-3344
Mail: 501 North IL Route 21, Gurnee, IL 60031
FOIA Request Form (PDF)
Workforce DevelopmentEva Locke

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-3456
Mail: 1 North Genesee Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
FOIA Request Form (PDF)