St. Joseph County
Created from Cass County in 1830, St. Joseph County is situated in northern Indiana. It is named for the St. Joseph River, and its county seat, which is also its largest city, is South Bend. St. Joseph County has an estimated population of 272,848 residents, making it the state's fifth-most populous county.
A circuit court, a superior court, a town court, and a probate court constitute the St. Joseph County trial court system. The St. Joseph Circuit Court exercises exclusive jurisdiction over civil cases relating to personal injury, divorce, contract, child support, collection, estate, administrative appeals, injunctions, and protective orders. Typical criminal cases under the Circuit Court's jurisdiction include felonies and lesser-included offenses.
The Superior Court comprises several divisions, including a Civil Division, a Criminal Division, a Family Division, a Traffic and Misdemeanor Division, and a Small Claims Division. The Civil Division hears general civil claims, the Criminal Division, felony and misdemeanor cases, while the Family Division handles cases related to family and minors. The Superior Court shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court over mental health matters, probate proceedings, and most juvenile cases. St. Joseph Town Court is a limited jurisdiction court that oversees municipal ordinance violations, infractions, and certain types of criminal misdemeanors.
The Probate Court in St. Joseph County is authorized to hear probate-related suits, including wills, estate administrations, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. Through its family court division, it also handles domestic relations cases, including divorce, visitation rights, and child support. Adoptions, paternity cases, and all other juvenile-related matters fall under the Probate Court's exclusive jurisdiction.
St. Joseph County court records contain legal details of various court case trials in the county courts. These case records, which document every activity associated with court cases and other judicial proceedings, typically contain:
- Indexes
- Calendars
- Notices
- Pleadings
- Decrees
- Judgments
St. Joseph County courts maintain a variety of court records arising from various adjudications, and they typically include:
- Family Court records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Civil records
- Juvenile records
St. Joseph County Clerk of the Circuit Court is in charge of court records management, including Circuit, Superior, and Probate Court records. Court records in St. Joseph County are accessible to the public upon request according to the Indiana State's Access to Public Records Act (APRA). Interested persons can view case information online using the state's MyCase portal or visit the Circuit Clerk's Office to examine/request hardcopy copies of their court records. Requesters can further visit the courthouses where their trials were held to access court records.
