Adams County
Adams County covers about 339 square miles of land in northeastern Indiana. It was created in 1836 and named in honor of John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States. As of 2022, Adams County is home to 35,827 residents. The City of Decatur serves as the county's largest city and government seat.
Adams County's judicial system comprises the Circuit and Superior Courts. The Circuit Court holds general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in Adams County. It typically hears civil actions involving mortgage foreclosures, contract breaches, medical malpractices, personal injuries, torts, worker's compensation claims, and domestic relations cases. The apex court also presides over criminal court proceedings like felonies and class A misdemeanors. On the other hand, minor misdemeanors, criminal pre-trials, and traffic crimes are handled by the Superior Court in Adams County. The Superior Court also exercises jurisdiction over probates, eviction disputes, juvenile, small claims, and mental health cases.
Adams County court records are archives of legal proceedings, judgments, and case information maintained by the County Clerk. These documents also contain hearing dates, case filings, names of parties involved, court transcripts, orders, exhibits, jury verdicts, pleadings, warrants, and court locations. According to Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, the following court documents created in Adams County should be publicly accessible:
- Traffic records
- Criminal court records
- Civil records
- Domestic relations records
- Probate records
- Land records
The state law prohibits public access to juvenile, mental health, and other confidential court records. To protect the privacy of vulnerable persons, confidential records are available only to record owners and their legal representatives. Certain persons may obtain court permissions to access confidential documents. To get Adams County court records, interested persons can complete and submit request forms by mail, email, or in person at:
Adams County Clerk's Office
112 South 2nd Street
Decatur, IN 46733
Phone: (260) 724-5309
Email: clerksoffice@adamscounty.in.gov
Members of the public can view Adams County public court records online via the Indiana Case Search. Online users are usually required to provide the names of the people involved, case numbers, or attorney names in the relevant spaces.
