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FAQs

The Effingham County State’s Attorney’s Office is located on the second floor of the Effingham County Government Center.

Office of the Effingham County State’s Attorney
120 W. Jefferson Ave., Suite 201
Effingham, IL 62401
Phone: (217)347-7741
Fax: (217)342-6308

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays)

As a general rule, law enforcement agencies investigate crime and the State’s Attorney’s Office prosecutes cases presented to us by law enforcement. All crimes should be reported to the law enforcement agency for the area where the crime occurred. If there is reason to believe that the law enforcement agency has conducted an improper investigation or acted in bad faith, then it may be brought to the attention of the State’s Attorney’s Office to follow up on those matters.

You should call the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 243-0618 or visit their website to file a complaint:

https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/filecomplaint.html

The State’s Attorney’s Office has no jurisdiction over police agencies. You should contact employer of the officer immediately so that they can start an internal investigation. If you believe that a crime has been committed by an officer, you should contact the law enforcement agency for the area where the crime occurred. If it is the same agency that employs the officer, then contact the Illinois State Police or Effingham County Sheriff’s Department as well as the officer’s agency so that an investigation can be conducted.

If you or your company has received a bad check, please contact the State’s Attorney’s Office at 217-437-7741 and ask about our Bad Check Restitution Program to determine if the bad check meets all eligibility guidelines.

No, you need to consult with a private attorney. The State’s Attorney’s Office represents Effingham County in civil cases, but we cannot represent private citizens in their own civil cases.

Our attorneys cannot talk to individuals who are represented by counsel based upon the ethical rules for attorneys in Illinois. IF YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY, you can call during open office hours and speak with one of our attorneys. Open office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. BY PHONE ONLY.

Please be aware that open office hours are subject to availability of our attorneys, and there may be times in which there are no attorneys available to discuss your case due to scheduling conflicts.

The State’s Attorney’s Office receives a high volume of calls during open office hours, so please be patient when you call.

When a charge is brought in a criminal court, it is brought by the State’s Attorney’s Office on behalf of all of the People of Illinois, not just the victim in a given case. The decision to dismiss a case is not taken lightly and cases will not be dismissed solely on the basis that it is the wish of the victim that we do so. While we appreciate the wishes of victims and will consider their wishes, the State’s Attorney’s Office may elect to proceed even in the absence of cooperative victims where justice so requires.