Sullivan County Public Records /Sullivan County Court Records

Sullivan County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Sullivan County in 2026

SullivanCountyRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to court records maintained by government agencies in Sullivan County, Indiana. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-level data including docket entries, party names, hearing dates, filed documents, and case dispositions, subject to applicable access rules and judicial confidentiality requirements. The categories of records that may be available through official channels include:

Criminal case records (misdemeanors and felonies)
Civil court filings and judgments
Family law matters, including dissolution of marriage and custody orders
Probate filings and estate records
Traffic and infraction case records
Small claims court filings
Juvenile court records (subject to significant access restrictions)

Court records in Sullivan County may be searched through five primary methods:

Clerk of Court or Court Records Office — The Sullivan County Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains the official case files for matters heard in the Circuit and Superior Courts. Members of the public may present themselves at the clerk's office during business hours, provide a case number or party name, and request access to non-restricted files. Staff may assist in locating records, though the clerk's office does not conduct legal research on behalf of requesters.
Courthouse Public Access Terminals — Public computer terminals are available at the Sullivan County Courthouse for in-person case lookups. These terminals provide access to docket information and, in some instances, scanned document images for cases filed within the court's electronic records system.
Online Court Search — The Indiana Judicial Branch operates MyCase, a statewide public access portal that allows users to search case information by party name, case number, or attorney. MyCase reflects data from participating courts and is updated regularly, though it does not display all document images or confidential case information.
State-Level Judicial Search Tools — The Indiana Judicial Branch public records portal provides guidance on locating court records statewide, including links to clerk offices, appellate records, and specialized record types such as marriage certificates and divorce decrees.
Written or Mail Requests — Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the clerk's office. Requests should include the full case number or party name, the type of record sought, and a return mailing address. Fees for copies apply and must be submitted with the request or upon receipt of an invoice from the clerk.

Are Court Records Public in Sullivan County

Court records in Sullivan County are subject to the public access framework established under Indiana law and the Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records. Under current law, the default presumption is that court records are open to public inspection. Indiana Code § 5-14-3-3, the Access to Public Records Act, affirms the right of the public to inspect and copy public records of government agencies, including judicial records not otherwise excluded by rule or statute.

The Indiana Supreme Court has further codified access standards through the Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records. As stated in those rules, "court records are presumed open to the public unless a specific provision of these rules, a statute, or other law provides otherwise."

Records that are public under current rules include:

Case docket entries and hearing schedules
Party names (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent)
Filed pleadings, motions, and orders in civil and criminal matters
Final judgments, sentencing entries, and decrees
Case type, status, and disposition information

Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:

Juvenile delinquency and child in need of services (CHINS) records
Adoption proceedings and related filings
Mental health commitment records
Records sealed by court order or expunged under Indiana Code § 35-38-9
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth
Certain domestic violence protective order details

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While a record may be available for in-person review at the clerk's office, the same record may not appear in full on the MyCase portal or other online systems. Rule 5 of the Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records enumerates the specific categories of records excluded from public access, and those exclusions apply regardless of the medium through which access is sought.

What Are Court Records in Sullivan County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and data generated in connection with judicial proceedings before a court of law. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything submitted to or created by the court from the moment a case is initiated through its final disposition and any subsequent appellate review.

A distinction exists between a docket entry and a full case file. A docket entry is a chronological log of events in a case — filings received, hearings scheduled, orders entered — while the full case file contains the actual documents underlying those entries. Both are part of the official court record, but access to document images may differ from access to docket data.

Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, covering matters such as contract claims, personal injury actions, property disputes, and family law proceedings. Criminal court records document the prosecution of individuals charged with violations of state law, from initial charging instruments through sentencing or acquittal.

Filed pleadings are the documents parties submit to initiate or respond to litigation, while final judgments represent the court's authoritative resolution of the matter. Public filings are accessible to any member of the public, whereas sealed or restricted filings are withheld from general access by court order or operation of law.

Trial court records are maintained by the clerk of the court in which the case was heard. Appellate records — including briefs, appendices, and opinions — are maintained by the Indiana Court of Appeals or the Indiana Supreme Court, depending on the level of review. The Sullivan County Circuit Court serves as the primary repository for trial-level records originating in Sullivan County.

Court records are created when a party files an initiating document, such as a complaint, petition, or charging information. The clerk assigns a case number, opens a file, and records each subsequent filing or court action as a docket entry. Records are updated continuously as the case progresses and are finalized upon entry of a judgment or dismissal. Cases subject to appeal generate additional records at the appellate level.

What's Included in a Sullivan County Court Record?

A court record in Sullivan County may contain a range of documents and data elements depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case identification data: case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type
Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and in some cases, attorneys of record
Case status: open, closed, pending appeal, or transferred
Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, orders, and other case events
Hearing dates and continuances: scheduled and rescheduled court appearances
Filed documents: complaints, petitions, answers, motions, briefs, notices, stipulations, and similar pleadings
Court orders and judgments: interlocutory orders, final judgments, decrees of dissolution, custody orders, sentencing entries, and probate orders
Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, acquittals, and appellate decisions
Administrative and financial data: filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed

Certain categories of information are excluded from public court records or are subject to redaction. These include sealed filings, expunged criminal records, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and some exhibits containing sensitive third-party information. The Indiana Judicial Branch public records guidance provides additional detail on what may be withheld from public inspection.

Types of Courts in Sullivan County

Sullivan County is served by two trial courts operating under the Indiana unified court system: the Sullivan County Circuit Court and the Sullivan County Superior Court. Both courts are courts of general jurisdiction, meaning they have authority to hear a broad range of civil and criminal matters. The Sullivan County Courts page on the Indiana Judicial Branch website provides current contact information and jurisdictional details for both courts.

The Sullivan County Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters, family law proceedings, probate matters, and juvenile cases. The Sullivan County Superior Court exercises concurrent jurisdiction over many of the same case types and also handles misdemeanor criminal matters, small claims, and traffic infractions. The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains the official records for both courts.

Sullivan County Clerk of the Circuit Court
100 Courthouse Square
Sullivan, IN 47882
Phone: (812) 268-4657
Sullivan County Circuit Court

What Types of Cases Do Sullivan County Courts Hear

Sullivan County's Circuit and Superior Courts collectively hear the following categories of cases:

Criminal: felony and misdemeanor prosecutions under Indiana law
Civil: contract disputes, tort claims, property actions, and civil collections
Family law: dissolution of marriage, legal separation, paternity, custody, and support matters
Probate: estate administration, guardianship, and trust matters
Juvenile: delinquency proceedings and child in need of services (CHINS) cases
Traffic and infractions: moving violations, license suspensions, and related matters
Small claims: civil disputes involving amounts within the statutory small claims limit
Appeals: limited appellate review of certain administrative and lower-court decisions before transfer to the Indiana Court of Appeals

The Circuit Court functions as the court of general jurisdiction for matters requiring a full evidentiary record, while the Superior Court handles a significant volume of the county's misdemeanor, traffic, and small claims docket.

How to Search Sullivan County Court Records for Free

Members of the public may access Sullivan County court records at no cost through several channels, while certain services require payment of established fees.

Free access methods include:

In-person inspection at the clerk's office: Members of the public may inspect non-restricted case files during regular business hours without charge. No fee is assessed for viewing records at the courthouse.
MyCase online portal: The MyCase Indiana Courts Case Search tool is available at no cost and provides docket-level information for cases in participating courts statewide.
Courthouse public terminals: Public access terminals at the Sullivan County Courthouse allow free in-person case lookups.

Services that require payment include:

Service	Typical Fee
Standard paper copies	$1.00 per page (Indiana standard)
Certified copies of court documents	$1.00 per page + $5.00 certification fee
Certified copy of judgment	Varies by document length
Mail request processing	Postage and copy fees apply

Fee authority is established under Indiana Code § 33-37-5-1, which governs clerk fees for copies of court records. Members of the public requesting records by mail should contact the clerk's office in advance to confirm current fee schedules before submitting payment.

How Long Does Sullivan County Keep Court Records

The retention of court records in Sullivan County is governed by the Indiana Commission on Public Records and the retention schedules applicable to Indiana trial courts. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.

Under Indiana judicial records retention schedules, the following retention periods apply:

Felony criminal case files: retained permanently or for a minimum of 50 years following case closure
Misdemeanor and infraction case files: retained for a minimum of 10 years following disposition
Civil case files: retained for a minimum of 10 years following final judgment, with some categories retained longer
Probate records: retained permanently, as they establish legal title to property and family relationships
Juvenile records: subject to separate retention rules and confidentiality requirements; some records are sealed upon the subject reaching adulthood
Docket books and minute records: retained permanently as the official chronological record of court proceedings
Judgment dockets: retained permanently

Paper case files may be destroyed following the applicable retention period if the records have been imaged, microfilmed, or transferred to archival storage. Destruction of a record is distinct from sealing or expungement: a sealed record still exists but is withheld from public access, while an expunged record is treated as though it does not exist for most purposes under Indiana Code § 35-38-9. Older records predating electronic filing may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives and may require an in-person request to access.

As noted by the Indiana Judicial Branch, "if you need assistance finding records, consider seeking help from your local library, the Indiana State Library, or the Indiana Supreme Court Law Library."

How To Find a Court Docket in Sullivan County

A court docket is the official chronological record of all events, filings, and actions in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it functions as an index or log rather than a repository of the underlying documents. A docket entry records that a motion was filed or an order was entered; the docket itself does not reproduce the text of those documents unless document imaging is linked to the entry.

Members of the public may locate Sullivan County court dockets through the following methods:

Online via MyCase: The MyCase Indiana Courts Case Search portal is the primary statewide tool for locating docket information. Users may search by party name, case number, or attorney name. Search results display the case docket, including filing dates, hearing entries, and order notations. As stated by the Indiana Supreme Court, "official records of court proceedings may only be obtained directly from the court maintaining a particular record," meaning MyCase docket data should be verified against clerk records for official purposes.

In person at the clerk's office: The Sullivan County Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains docket books and electronic docket records for all cases filed in the Circuit and Superior Courts. Members of the public may request docket information at the counter during business hours.

Courthouse public terminals: Public terminals at the Sullivan County Courthouse provide direct access to the court's case management system, allowing docket searches by case number or party name.

A court docket entry may contain:

Filing date and document type for each submission
Scheduled and completed hearing dates
Continuances and the reasons noted in the record
Orders entered by the court, including interlocutory and final orders
Status updates such as case transfers, consolidations, or closures
Minute entries summarizing in-court proceedings

A docket does not include the full text of sealed filings, confidential attachments, exhibits admitted under seal, or records excluded from public access under Rule 5 of the Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be available separately through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse, and these are distinct from the case docket maintained in the court's official records system. Sullivan County's participation in statewide electronic filing across Indiana courts has expanded the availability of docket data through online systems for cases filed after the county's e-filing implementation.