Find an Indiana Court Case by Name and Verify the Correct Person
Indiana’s official MyCase service is the main starting point for public trial-court and appellate case information stored in Odyssey or converted from earlier court systems. It can show case events, hearing information and some public documents, but coverage dates and document availability vary by court.
This guide shows exactly how to search a person or business, use Indiana’s wildcard rules, decode a cause number, read the Chronological Case Summary, find a missing document and request an official copy from the correct county clerk.
John*.
Choose the Fastest Route for Your Task
Start with what you already know. A complete case number, party name, citation number or exact document title can lead to a different search method.
Enter the surname first, then narrow with the first name, wildcard, case status or filing dates.
Follow the name-search stepsIndiana numbers identify the county, court, filing month, case type and sequence.
Decode the numberCreate an Indiana Courts account and connect the case when additional party documents are available.
Compare public and party accessA MyCase page is informational. Certified copies come from the office maintaining the record.
Prepare a copy requestUse the Correct Indiana Record System
Indiana MyCase is the main search for public case information from courts using Odyssey and data converted from earlier electronic systems. Some records, document types and older cases are not available online.
Search public family, civil, criminal, probate, infraction and appellate case information.
Protection-order cases cannot be found through the ordinary public MyCase name search.
Use PACER for federal district, bankruptcy and federal appellate court records.
Use the state police system when the goal is a criminal-history service rather than one court docket.
How to Search Indiana Court Records by Name
Indiana’s official search guidance recommends beginning with either a last name or a business name. Add extra fields only after the broad search returns too many results.
- Open MyCase and select Party. Use Party when you have an individual or business name. Use Case when you already know a case, citation or cross-reference number.
- Enter only the last name. Do not begin with every available field. A broad surname search helps reveal how the name was entered in the court system.
- Add the first name. Use the legal or most likely first name. Repeat with a shortened form, middle name or middle initial when appropriate.
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Use a trailing wildcard.
Replace the end of a name with an asterisk. For example,
John*can find names beginning with John. A wildcard cannot search only for a word ending. - Avoid date of birth during the first search. Birth dates do not display publicly and may not be recorded in civil and some criminal cases. An incorrect date can exclude the correct result.
- Narrow by status. Choose open or closed when you know whether the case is pending or completed.
- Add a filing-date range. Use a start date, end date or both when the approximate filing period is known.
- Open the case and inspect the CCS. Verify the court, party role, case type, filing date and latest disposition.
Use this three-pass search pattern
Search the last name without adding a court, birth date or filing range.
Try the full first name, middle initial, former surname, hyphenated form and wildcard.
Add case status, filing dates or court information one filter at a time.
How to Read an Indiana Court Cause Number
Indiana uses a uniform case-number system. The number identifies the county, court type, court division, filing year and month, case category and filing sequence.
County: the first two characters identify the county. In this example, 49 represents Marion County.
Court: the letter identifies the court type and the numbers identify the specific court or division.
Filing date: the next four characters indicate the two-digit year and two-digit filing month.
Case type: the two-letter code identifies the category of proceeding.
Sequence: the final characters identify the case’s annual filing sequence.
000123 may also be entered as 123.
Where to find the cause number
- Summons or complaint
- Traffic citation
- Notice of hearing
- Court order or judgment
- Probation or payment paperwork
- Divorce decree or family-court order
- Attorney correspondence
Confirm That the Result Belongs to the Correct Person
A matching name is only a starting point. Different people may share the same name, and a person can appear in a case as a plaintiff, witness, creditor, defendant, petitioner or another party.
Does the filing location match where the dispute, charge, divorce or probate matter occurred?
Check whether the person is a plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or another party.
Confirm that the case category matches the record you intended to locate.
Compare the filing month and year with the event or notice being researched.
Attorney names can help distinguish two cases involving similar party names.
Read the newest orders and disposition rather than relying only on the original filing.
How to Read the Indiana Chronological Case Summary
Indiana calls the docket timeline the Chronological Case Summary, or CCS. It lists court activity in sequence, but it does not guarantee that every referenced filing can be downloaded online.
| CCS area | What it may show | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Case header | Cause number, court, case type, filing date and current status. | Confirm the correct county, court and case category. |
| Parties | Plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents and other roles. | A name appearing in a case does not automatically identify a defendant. |
| Attorneys | Attorneys associated with individual parties. | Representation can change, so review later appearances and withdrawals. |
| Events | Filings, notices, hearings, orders, service, payments and other activity. | Read the events in date order and look for later amendments or corrections. |
| Document link | A public PDF when remote document access is permitted. | No document link means it is not online, not necessarily that it is confidential. |
| Order or judgment | Dismissal, sentence, decree, judgment or another court decision. | Look for later orders modifying, correcting or vacating the result. |
| Financial activity | Fees, costs, fines, payments or balances recorded in the case. | Confirm the current amount and payment method with the clerk before paying. |
Use the site’s court records glossary when a term such as docket, CCS, disposition, judgment, motion or expungement is unclear.
Understand Public, Party and Attorney Access
| Access level | Who uses it | What it can provide |
|---|---|---|
| Public access | Anyone using MyCase without signing in. | Public case information and public documents made available online at no charge. |
| Party access | A person connected to a case who creates an Indiana Courts account and links the case. | Additional case documents available to a verified party, depending on the case and access rules. |
| Attorney access | Licensed Indiana attorneys signing in with a Courts Portal account. | Public documents and additional permitted access for cases in which the attorney appears. |
| Clerk-office access | Members of the public requesting records in person, by mail or by another accepted method. | Public documents that are not available remotely, plus certified copies. |
What to Do When MyCase Finds No Record
The name is entered too narrowly
Remove the middle name, birth date, status and filing dates. Search only the surname, then add details gradually.
The spelling is different
Use a trailing wildcard, former surname, shortened first name or another known spelling.
The court is not fully represented
MyCase does not include every historical record from every Indiana court, and coverage dates vary by county.
The record is confidential
Adoption, sealed, confidential, expunged and other excluded records may not be publicly searchable.
It is a protection-order case
Use Indiana’s separate Protection Order Search because these cases cannot be found through ordinary MyCase public access.
It is a federal or agency matter
Use PACER for federal cases and the responsible government agency for administrative or police records.
Use this recovery sequence
- Search the surname only.
- Repeat with the first name and middle initial.
- Use a trailing wildcard for uncertain spelling.
- Remove date of birth and filing-date filters.
- Search open and closed cases separately.
- Try the complete case, citation or cross-reference number.
- Check the separate Protection Order Search when relevant.
- Use the court directory to identify the county clerk.
- Ask the clerk about older paper, microfilm or converted records.
- Use PACER when the matter is federal.
Which Indiana Court Documents Can Be Viewed Online?
A public case may appear in MyCase while individual filings remain unavailable online. Indiana publishes different document types based on the case category, document classification and user’s access level.
| Record or document | Typical public access | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| Public case information | Usually searchable | Review the case header, parties and CCS in MyCase. |
| Orders in many civil cases | Often online | Look for a document link beside the CCS entry. |
| Final criminal orders and judgments | May be online | Review the final CCS entries and linked sentencing or judgment document. |
| Public appellate documents | Broad availability | Review opinions, orders, briefs, petitions and motions when linked. |
| Divorce decree | Not provided as certified copy online | Contact the clerk in the county where the divorce case was heard. |
| Adoption records | Confidential | Follow Indiana’s adoption-record or matching-registry procedures. |
| Granted expungement records | May be removed | Contact the local court when a specific expunged case requires correction or clarification. |
| Older filings | Coverage varies | Ask the county clerk about paper, microfilm or archived electronic records. |
How to Request Indiana Court Records and Certified Copies
MyCase helps you locate the correct case and document. The clerk’s office in the county maintaining the case provides official copies, certified records and documents not available online.
Prepare this information before contacting the clerk
- Complete Indiana cause number
- County and court where the case was heard
- Names of the parties
- Exact document title
- Approximate filing or order date
- Number of copies needed
- Whether the copy must be certified
- Your phone, email and mailing address
| Request type | Best route | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Public online document | Download the linked PDF from MyCase. | The download is not automatically a certified copy. |
| Plain paper or electronic copy | Contact the county clerk maintaining the case. | Ask whether the request can be handled by email, mail, online form or in person. |
| Certified court document | Request certification directly from the clerk. | Tell the clerk the exact document and how many certified copies are required. |
| Divorce decree | Contact the clerk in the county where the divorce case was heard. | Do not order a marriage certificate when the receiving organization needs a divorce decree. |
| Hearing or trial transcript | Contact the court reporter for the specific hearing. | Transcript pricing, deposits and preparation time are separate from ordinary clerk-copy charges. |
Use this request sequence
- Locate the case in MyCase. Copy the complete cause number, court name and exact title of the needed filing.
- Open the Indiana court directory. Select the county and find the clerk’s official contact information.
- Describe the document precisely. Avoid requesting “the entire case file” when one order, decree or judgment will satisfy the need.
- Ask for the final cost and payment method. Confirm copy, certification, postage and archived-retrieval charges.
- Confirm delivery. Ask whether the copy will be emailed, mailed, collected in person or provided through another county process.
Use a Different Office for These Indiana Records
| Record needed | Why MyCase is not enough | Better route |
|---|---|---|
| Protection-order information | Protection-order cases are excluded from the ordinary public MyCase search. | Use Indiana’s official Protection Order Search. |
| Certified divorce decree | Case information may appear, but the certified decree is not supplied through public MyCase. | Contact the county clerk where the divorce was heard. |
| Marriage certificate | Marriage certificates are county records rather than ordinary court-case PDFs. | Contact the clerk in the county where the marriage occurred. |
| Adoption record | Adoption records are confidential under Indiana law. | Use Indiana’s adoption-record and matching-registry procedures. |
| Criminal-history check | MyCase is a court-case search, not a complete criminal-history service. | Use Indiana State Police criminal-history services or the FBI when appropriate. |
| Arrest or police report | These records are maintained by law-enforcement agencies. | Contact the police department, sheriff or investigating agency. |
| Property lien or tax record | Property records are maintained by county property and tax offices. | Contact the county auditor, treasurer, assessor or recorder as appropriate. |
| Federal court case | Federal courts use a separate case-management system. | Search PACER and select the correct Indiana federal court. |
Use Indiana Court Information Carefully
MyCase can display allegations, pending matters, dismissed charges, duplicate names, converted events and filings that were later corrected or replaced.
- Do not treat a criminal charge as proof of conviction.
- Do not treat a civil complaint as proof that its allegations are true.
- Do not assume a same-name result belongs to the intended person.
- Do not assume the first order shown is still the controlling order.
- Do not treat a MyCase page as a certified court record.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or screening service.
Review the site’s FCRA and consumer-reporting notice before using court information in any decision-making context.
Frequently Asked Questions About Indiana Court Records
Is Indiana MyCase free to search?
Yes. Anyone may search public, non-confidential case information without creating an account. Many documents are also available online without a charge.
Should I enter the person’s full name immediately?
Begin with the last name. Add the first name, middle name, dates or case status only when the broad search returns too many results.
How does the MyCase wildcard work?
Replace the trailing part of the search term with an asterisk. For example, John* finds names beginning with John. It does not perform an ends-with search.
Why did adding a birth date remove the correct result?
Date of birth is not recorded in every civil or criminal case. It is also excluded from public display. Use it only when confident the court record contains the same date.
Can I find Indiana appellate cases in MyCase?
Yes. MyCase searches Indiana appellate cases as well as participating trial-court records. Public appellate opinions, orders, briefs, petitions and motions may be available online.
Why does an old case number show a different current number?
A cause number can change when a case moves to another court. MyCase searches the case-number history, so an earlier number can lead to the current record.
Why is a case visible but the document is missing?
The case information may be public while the individual filing is not remotely available. Contact the clerk’s office if the document is public but has no online link.
Can I find a protection-order case in MyCase?
No. Indiana excludes protection-order cases from ordinary MyCase public searching. Use the separate official Protection Order Search.
How do I obtain a certified Indiana divorce decree?
Find the divorce case in MyCase, copy the complete cause number and contact the clerk in the county where the case was heard. The certified decree is not supplied through the ordinary public case page.
Does MyCase show every Indiana court record?
No. Coverage depends on whether the court uses Odyssey, whether older data was converted, the filing date, document type and public-access rules. Contact the local clerk for records that are missing online.
How This Indiana Guide Was Verified
- Indiana MyCase — Public Case Search
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Searching MyCase
- Indiana Judicial Branch — MyCase Search Tips
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Public Access to Court Documents
- Indiana Judicial Branch — How to Request Public Records
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Courts and Clerks Directory
- Indiana Office of Court Services — Excluded Records
- Indiana Protection Order Search
- PACER — Federal Court Records
Read the site’s source verification and manual checking policy. Report a changed link or factual issue through the site’s corrections process.
MyCase party-search behavior, wildcard rules, cause-number format, public document availability, party access, confidential-record routing and clerk-copy procedures were reviewed against current Indiana Judicial Branch sources.
Court participation, historical coverage, fees and public-access rules can change. The court or clerk maintaining the official record controls when its current information differs from this guide.