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
| Department | FOIA Officer Contact Information | Request Form |
| Chief County Assessment Office | Laura 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) |
| Coroner | Karina Casillas Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2200 Mail: 26 North Martin Luther King Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| County Administrator | Elizabeth Brandon Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2250 Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| County Board Office | Elizabeth Brandon Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2300 Mail: 18 North County Street, 10th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| County Clerk | Karen 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 Agency | Daniel Eder Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-8358 Mail: 1303 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Emergency Telephone System Board | Steven Winnecke Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-487-8163 Mail: 1300 South Gilmer Road, Volo, IL 60073 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Facilities and Construction Services | Jeremiah Varco Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2321 Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Finance Department | Yvette Albarran Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2929 Mail: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Health Department | Jerry Nordstrom Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-8000 Mail: 3010 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085 | Health Department FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Human Resources | John Light Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2700 Mail: 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Information Technology | Charles 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 Development | Debra Geder Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2145 Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Community Development Division | Michele Slav Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2475 Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Public Works | Joel Sensenig Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-7124 Mail: 650 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Purchasing Division | Yvette 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 Education | Meg Weekley Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-665-0590 Mail: 300 Center Drive, Suite 100, Vernon Hills, IL 60061 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| 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 | 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 Office | Nicole Farrow Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-3000 Mail:18 North County Street, 3rd Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Stormwater Management Commission | Darcy McNeill Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-7700 Mail: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Division of Transportation | Alex Carr Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-7400 Mail: 600 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Treasurer's Office | Marina Zdravkovic Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-2326 Mail: 18 North County Street, Room 102, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Veteran's Assistance | Andrew Tangen Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-3344 Mail: 501 North IL Route 21, Gurnee, IL 60031 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |
| Workforce Development | Eva Locke Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-377-3456 Mail: 1 North Genesee Street, Waukegan, IL 60085 | FOIA Request Form (PDF) |