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 its 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 sought records.
2. Submit a FOIA Request using this online portal.
3. Please be as specific as possible when describing the records being sought. If you choose to not use the online portal (see the department addresses below), 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. 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
| Department | FOIA Information |
| Chief County Assessment Office | Laura Dickens Address: Chief County Assessment Office, 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Coroner | Karina Casillas Address: 26 North Martin Luther King Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| County Administrator | Elizabeth Brandon Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| County Board Office | Elizabeth Brandon Address: 18 North County Street, 10th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| County Clerk | Karen Brush Address: 18 North County Street, Room 101, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| County Clerk Recording Division | Michelle McPherson Address: 18 North County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Emergency Management Agency | Daniel Eder Address: 1303 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Emergency Telephone System Board | Steven Winnecke Address: 1300 South Gilmer Road, Volo, IL 60073 |
| Enterprise Information Technology | Charles Lester Address: 18 North County Street, 8th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Facilities and Construction Services | Jeremiah Varco Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Finance Department | Yvette Albarran Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Health Department | Jerry Nordstrom Address: 3010 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085 |
| Human Resources | John Light Address: 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Planning, Building and Development | Debra Geder Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Community Development Division | Michele Slav Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Public Works | Joel Sensenig Address: 650 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Purchasing Division | Yvette Albarran Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Regional Office of Education | Meg Weekley Address: 300 Center Drive, Suite 100, Vernon Hills, IL 60061 |
| Sheriff's Office | Christy Berkquist Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-4000 Fax: 847-984-5974 Mail: 25 South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Jail | Adalicia Lopez Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-4000 Fax: 847-360-5763 Mail: 20 S. County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) | Merleanne Rampale Address: 1311 North Estes Street, Gurnee, IL 60031 |
| State's Attorney's Office | Nicole Farrow Address: 18 North County Street, 3rd Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Stormwater Management Commission | Darcy McNeill Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Division of Transportation | Alex Carr Address: 600 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 |
| Treasurer's Office | Marina Zdravkovic Address: 18 North County Street, Room 102, Waukegan, IL 60085 |
| Veteran's Assistance | Andrew Tangen Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-3344 Mail: 501 North IL Route 21, Gurnee, IL 60031 |
| Workforce Development | Eva Locke Address: 1 North Genesee Street, Waukegan, IL 60085 |