Access Vanderburgh County Clerk Records

Vanderburgh County Clerk Office

The Vanderburgh County Clerk of the Courts is the county's unified court clerk. The official Clerk page lists Dottie Thomas as Clerk and explains that the Office of Clerk of the Circuit Court is established by the Indiana Constitution as record keeper for the constitutionally created court. The Clerk is elected by Vanderburgh County residents and is limited to two consecutive terms. The Clerk also serves as Secretary to the County Election Board, which conducts county elections and certifies election results.

For records work, the Clerk's most important role is maintaining court case records and collecting or disbursing court money. That includes filing fees, judgment money, court costs, fines, infraction payments, deferral fees, pretrial diversion fees, bail bond money, and child support collections. The Clerk also connects residents with marriage records, divorce decrees, traffic payments, public-records request forms, and MyCase links.

What the Clerk Does

The Clerk of the Courts is not just a front counter. In Vanderburgh County, the office is the main local court-record keeper and the point of contact when public online data is not enough. MyCase may show the public case summary, but an official or certified document must come from the office that maintains the record. For older material, archive requests, and documents not displayed online, the Clerk's written request process is the fallback channel.

• Maintains Circuit Court and Superior Court case records.
• Collects filing fees, court costs, fines, judgments, traffic payments, bail bond money, and child support collections.
• Processes public-records requests by mail, fax, and in person.
• Supports marriage records, divorce decree copy requests, and Official Records Online copy orders.
• Serves election functions as Secretary to the County Election Board.
• Receipts Traffic Violations Bureau payments through the traffic and misdemeanor counters.

For case research, start with Indiana MyCase. If a document is unavailable online, the Indiana Judicial Branch county page tells users to contact the local court. In Vanderburgh County, that usually means the Clerk for copies, payment questions, and file requests, or the specific court office for hearing and docket scheduling questions.

Vanderburgh Clerk Access Channels

Vanderburgh County Clerk records can be reached several ways. Each channel serves a different purpose, so the right first step depends on whether the user needs a public case summary, a certified document, a marriage or divorce copy, a traffic payment, or an older file that staff must locate.

The Clerk public-records request page states that the office will notify the requester within seven days under Indiana APRA. That response may be a status update saying more time is needed, not immediate production of the record. Requesters should include the court, party names, specific dates, case number, and document type whenever possible.

Request Certified Clerk Copies

Certified copies are used when a plain printout is not enough. Examples include divorce decrees, marriage records, orders needed for another agency, and court documents that must carry an official seal. Vanderburgh County marriage licenses and divorce decrees may be requested through the Clerk's Official Records Online page. Other court documents may require a public-records request or direct contact with the Clerk.

1. Search MyCase or your paperwork for the case number, party names, court, filing date, and document name.
2. For marriage licenses or divorce decrees, use Official Records Online and choose regular or certified copies.
3. For other court documents, complete the Clerk public-records request form with enough detail to identify the file.
4. Submit the request by mail, fax, or in person to the Clerk of the Courts.
5. Wait for the Clerk's APRA response or copy instructions, then pay the quoted copy, certification, delivery, or transaction charges.

For marriage certified copies prepared for pickup, the research file notes that users may call 812-435-5188 during posted weekday hours to verify the signed license has been received and recorded before asking staff to prepare a certified copy.

Clerk Request Form Fields

The Clerk public-records request form is a printable PDF. The research file identifies the core information the Clerk needs. Sparse requests slow the search, especially when the file is older or the requester does not know whether the case was in Circuit, Superior, or Probate.

Vanderburgh County Clerk Fees

The Clerk collects many court-related fees, and not all are copy fees. The research file gives filing fees, sheriff-service add-ons, and online document copy costs for marriage and divorce records. Always confirm the final amount with the Clerk before mailing payment because a request may include copies, certification, postage, service, or transaction charges.

Bond handling is another Clerk-related function. The Sheriff's bond page explains that misdemeanor bonds are posted at the Misdemeanor Clerk's Office in Room S231 during posted Clerk hours, while all other bonds route to Room 216 of the Courts Building during posted hours. After-hours bonding follows separate sheriff procedures.

Common Clerk Forms

The most important Clerk form in the research file is the public-records request form. Other Clerk-linked services are not always traditional forms. Some are online copy order systems or payment pages. Use the official office page to confirm current links before filing or paying.

• Public records request form for written Clerk record requests.
• Official Records Online for marriage licenses and divorce decrees.
• Online traffic ticket payment when the exact full traffic amount is known.
• Indiana Judicial Branch Vanderburgh County page for MyCase and e-filing links.

Note: MyCase is useful for public lookup, but official court copies and certified records must come from the maintaining court or Clerk.

Clerk Locations and Counters

Vanderburgh County Clerk work is split across the Civic Center court area rather than one single counter for every task. The public-records request address is 825 Sycamore Street, with a mailing address at P.O. Box 3356, Evansville, IN 47732. Marriage records are handled at the Civic Center Administration Building, Room S240, where the research file lists weekday public hours and separate cashier or library hours. Traffic payments are taken at the Misdemeanor Clerk's Office cashier window in Room S241, and the misdemeanor or warrant add-on path may involve Room S231.

That room split is important when a person is trying to solve a records problem in one trip. A case lookup, certified copy, marriage record, traffic payment, bond posting, and small claims filing can all involve the Clerk, but they do not all use the same window. Small claims filing questions route to 812-435-5678, while existing small claims questions route to 812-435-5142. Domestic relations and juvenile paternity starts route to the Clerk at 812-435-5160, and existing domestic relations questions may route to the Family Court court reporter at 812-435-5729.

The Clerk's seven-day APRA response language should also be read carefully. A response confirms that the office received the request or needs more time; it does not guarantee that a copy will be produced within seven days. Specific names, dates, case numbers, document titles, and court names make the request easier to process.

Clerk Source Screens

The Clerk's public-records request form page is the source for the written request channel and form inventory.

That form is the fallback when a Clerk record is older, unavailable online, or requires staff search.

The Sheriff's bond posting page is assigned to the Clerk page because it explains which bond payments route through Clerk rooms during business hours.

The bond instructions help separate Clerk payment counters from after-hours sheriff bonding procedures.