Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
When you type a name or location into one of the search tools on this site, that input goes straight to the third-party provider that runs the search. They process it and return results. We do not store or log the search terms you enter on our end.
Messages and Contact Submissions
If you send us an email or fill out a contact form, we keep that message so we can reply. Your message stays within our team. We will not share it with anyone outside our organization unless a legal obligation, such as a valid Illinois court order or a lawful records request, requires it.
Data We Gather Automatically
Every time a page on this site loads, our servers pick up some technical details about the visit:
- The IP address assigned to your device
- Which browser you are using and its version
- Your device type and operating system
- The pages you visited and how long you stayed on each
- The site that sent you here, if any
- Timestamps for each page view
Cookies
We use cookies on this site. These are small files stored on your device that let us see how visitors use the site: which pages get the most traffic and where people tend to drop off. Your browser settings let you block cookies whenever you want. Some parts of the site may behave differently if you do.
What We Do With This Data
- Keeping the site up, running, and loading quickly
- Sending your search requests to the right partner service
- Figuring out which McHenry County pages people find useful and which need work
- Tracking down and fixing technical issues
- Showing ads that may line up with your interests
Links to Other Websites
Throughout the site we link to McHenry County court portals, Illinois government agency pages, the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit, the Circuit Clerk, the County Clerk and Recorder, the Sheriff's Office, legal aid groups, and third-party search tools. Clicking any of those links takes you off our site. At that point, their privacy policy governs your visit. Read it before sharing any personal details.
Certain advertising partners may track your activity across sites to show targeted ads. That tracking runs on their systems, not ours.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal data. Some information may end up with:
- Search partners that handle queries you run on our site
- Analytics services we use to track traffic and performance
- Ad networks that place ads on our pages
- Law enforcement or government bodies, including Illinois state agencies, when a valid legal order requires it
How We Protect Your Data
We follow standard security practices to safeguard the data we collect, consistent with Illinois data-protection expectations under the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (815 ILCS 530). That state law sets breach-notification duties and data-handling expectations for personal information held about Illinois residents. Nothing connected to the internet is bulletproof. We do what we can to keep your information secure, though we cannot promise a breach will never happen. If a breach affecting personal information of Illinois residents does occur, we will follow the notification rules set by 815 ILCS 530.
Users Under 18
This site is meant for adults. We do not knowingly gather personal information from anyone under 18. If you think a minor has shared data with us, reach out and we'll delete it right away.
Your Data Rights
- Ask for a copy of what we have on file about you
- Have us fix information that is wrong
- Request that we erase your data
- Opt out of certain kinds of data processing
Separate from the site's own data handling, McHenry County public bodies and Illinois state agencies are subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Information they hold about you in their official capacity is governed by that statute and by case-specific confidentiality rules, not by this site's privacy policy.
Updates to This Policy
We may change this privacy policy down the road. When we do, the updated version goes up on this page with a new effective date. Check back if you want to keep tabs on how we handle your information.