Grant County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Grant County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Grant County, Indiana, may access publicly available case information through several official channels. GrantINRecords.us provides a directory of resources and publicly available information related to court records maintained by Grant County courts and the Indiana judicial system. The information available through these sources may include, depending on case type and applicable access rules:
- Civil court filings and judgments
- Criminal case dockets and dispositions
- Family law matters, including divorce and custody proceedings
- Probate filings and estate records
- Traffic and infraction case records
- Small claims court filings
- Juvenile court records, where not restricted by law
Court records in Grant County may be searched through five primary methods:
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Grant County Clerk of Courts maintains official case files for all courts operating within the county. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request access to case files, obtain copies of documents, or review docket entries. Requesters should provide the full name of a party, a case number, or the approximate filing date to assist staff in locating records.
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the Grant County Courthouse for in-person case searches. These terminals allow members of the public to search case information at no charge during regular business hours.
3. Online Court Search The Indiana Judicial Branch operates MyCase, a statewide online case search system that provides public access to case information for courts across Indiana, including Grant County. Users may search by party name, case number, or attorney name. Not all document images are available online; access to full filings may require an in-person visit.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Indiana Judicial Branch public records portal provides guidance on locating court records statewide, including information on which records are available online and how to contact individual clerk offices when documents are not accessible through electronic systems.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the Grant County Clerk of Courts. Requests should include the 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.
Grant County Clerk of Courts
401 S. Adams St., Room 009
Marion, IN 46952
Phone: (765) 668-8121
Clerk – Grant County Courts
Are Court Records Public In Grant County
Court records in Grant County are subject to public access under Indiana law. Under Indiana Code § 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act (APRA) establishes that public records maintained by government agencies, including courts, are presumptively open to inspection and copying by any member of the public. The Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records further govern what court-specific records are available and under what conditions.
As stated by the Indiana Judicial Branch, "the public has a right to access court records," subject to specific exclusions established by statute and court rule.
Records that are at present open to public inspection include:
- Case docket entries and hearing schedules
- Party names and attorney information
- Filed complaints, petitions, and answers
- Court orders and final judgments
- Sentencing entries and probate decrees
- Civil and criminal case dispositions
Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and child in need of services (CHINS) records
- Adoption records and related filings
- Mental health commitment proceedings
- Records sealed by court order
- Expunged criminal records under Indiana Code § 35-38-9
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
- Certain exhibits and attachments restricted by court order
Under Rule 5 of the Indiana Rules for Access to Court Records, specific categories of court records are excluded from public access by operation of law, regardless of whether a party requests sealing. A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access: some records that are available for in-person review at the clerk's office may not be accessible through electronic systems such as MyCase.
What Are Court Records in Grant County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In Grant County, court records are created when a case is initiated by the filing of a complaint, petition, indictment, or other initiating document, and are updated throughout the life of the case through each subsequent filing, hearing, and judicial action.
A distinction exists between docket entries and full case files. A docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a case, listing filing dates, motion titles, hearing dates, and orders entered. A full case file includes the actual documents underlying those docket entries, such as pleadings, motions, exhibits, and transcripts.
Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, including contract claims, property disputes, and tort actions. Criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the State of Indiana against an individual charged with a criminal offense, from initial charging through sentencing or acquittal.
Filed pleadings are the documents submitted by parties to initiate or respond to a case. Final judgments are the court's official resolution of the matter. Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable access rules, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection by court order or statute.
Trial court records are maintained by the Grant County Clerk of Courts. Appellate records, arising from appeals of trial court decisions, are maintained by the Indiana Court of Appeals or the Indiana Supreme Court, as applicable. The Grant County Indiana Judicial Branch page provides current information on the courts operating within the county and the electronic filing requirements applicable to attorneys practicing in those courts.
What's Included in a Grant County Court Record?
A court record in Grant County may include a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following categories of information may appear within a court record:
- Case identification information: case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type designation
- Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and their respective attorneys of record
- Case status: open, closed, on appeal, or transferred
- Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, and judicial actions taken in the case
- Hearing information: scheduled and completed hearing dates, continuances, and minute entries
- Filed documents: complaints, petitions, answers, motions, briefs, notices, stipulations, and proposed orders
- Judicial orders and judgments: interlocutory orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, and probate orders
- Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, acquittals, and appellate decisions
- Administrative and financial information: filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
The following categories are commonly excluded or restricted from public court records:
- Sealed filings and documents subject to protective orders
- Expunged criminal records
- Juvenile case files
- Adoption records
- Records containing protected personal identifiers
- Certain exhibits, particularly those containing sensitive personal or financial data
- Mental health and civil commitment records restricted by statute
Types of Courts in Grant County
Grant County is served by a court structure established under the Indiana state judiciary system. The courts currently operating in Grant County include:
- Grant Superior Court 1 – hears civil, criminal, and family law matters
- Grant Superior Court 2 – hears civil, criminal, and family law matters
- Grant Superior Court 3 – hears civil, criminal, and family law matters
- Grant Circuit Court – the court of general jurisdiction for the county, hearing felony criminal cases, civil matters, probate, and appeals from lower courts
The Grant County Clerk of Courts serves as the official custodian of records for all trial courts operating within the county. The Indiana Judicial Branch provides current information on court assignments and case management for Grant County.
What Types of Cases Do Grant County Courts Hear
Grant County courts exercise jurisdiction over a broad range of case types:
- Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases are heard in the Superior and Circuit Courts
- Civil cases, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, and property matters, are heard in the Superior Courts
- Family law matters, including divorce, legal separation, paternity, and child custody, are assigned to the Superior Courts
- Probate matters, including estate administration, guardianship, and trust proceedings, are handled by the Circuit Court
- Juvenile matters, including delinquency and CHINS proceedings, are heard in a designated Superior Court division
- Small claims cases involving disputes up to $10,000 are filed in the Small Claims division of the Superior Courts
- Traffic and infraction cases are processed through the Superior Courts
- Appeals from Grant County trial courts proceed to the Indiana Court of Appeals
The Circuit Court functions as a court of general jurisdiction, while the Superior Courts exercise both general and limited jurisdiction depending on case assignment.
How to Search Grant County Court Records for Free?
Several methods for searching Grant County court records are available at no cost to members of the public.
Free search methods include:
- In-person inspection at the clerk's office: Members of the public may inspect court records at the Grant County Clerk of Courts during regular business hours at no charge. No fee is assessed for viewing records; fees apply only when copies are requested.
- Courthouse public access terminals: Computer terminals located at the Grant County Courthouse allow free case searches during business hours.
- MyCase online search: The Indiana Courts Case Search (MyCase) system provides free online access to case information for Grant County courts. Users may search by party name, case number, or attorney without creating an account or paying a fee.
Services that typically require payment include:
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard paper copies | $1.00 per page (Indiana standard) |
| Certified copies of court documents | Variable; set by clerk fee schedule |
| Exemplified copies | Variable |
| Research services performed by clerk staff | May apply for extensive requests |
As noted by the Indiana Judicial Branch, "official records of court proceedings may only be obtained directly from the court maintaining a particular record." Fee schedules are established pursuant to Indiana statute and are subject to change; members of the public should confirm current fees with the Grant County Clerk of Courts prior to submitting copy requests.
How Long Does Grant County Keep Court Records?
The retention of court records in Grant 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 to common record types:
- Felony criminal case files: Retained permanently or for extended periods following case closure
- Misdemeanor and infraction case files: Retained for a minimum period following disposition, which varies by offense classification
- Civil case files: Retention periods vary based on the nature of the judgment and whether appeals are pending
- Probate records: Many probate records, particularly those involving real property, are retained permanently
- Juvenile records: Subject to separate retention rules and confidentiality requirements; some are sealed upon the subject reaching adulthood
- Docket books and minute records: Retained permanently as the official record of court proceedings
Paper case files may be destroyed following imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the record has been preserved in an approved format. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives rather than in electronic systems.
A distinction exists among destruction, archival retention, sealing, redaction, and expungement. Destruction removes a record from existence following the expiration of its retention period. Archival retention preserves a record in a non-active repository. Sealing restricts public access while preserving the record. Redaction removes specific information from an otherwise accessible document. Expungement, available under Indiana Code § 35-38-9, restricts access to certain criminal records upon court order and may result in the record being treated as if it does not exist for most purposes.
How To Find a Court Docket in Grant County
A court docket is the official chronological index of all actions taken in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it lists the titles and dates of filings and judicial actions without necessarily including the full text of the underlying documents. The docket serves as the authoritative record of what has occurred in a case from initiation through final disposition.
Dockets for Grant County cases are accessible through the following methods:
Online via MyCase: The Indiana Courts Case Search system provides docket-level access to Grant County cases. Users may search by party name or case number to retrieve a list of docket entries, including filing dates, motion titles, hearing dates, and order entries. Full document images are available for some filings but not all; sealed entries and restricted documents do not appear in the public docket view.
In-person at the Clerk's Office: Members of the public may request docket sheets directly from the Grant County Clerk of Courts. Staff can print or display the docket for a specific case upon request. This method may provide access to docket entries not visible through online systems.
Courthouse public terminals: Public access terminals at the courthouse allow docket searches during business hours without staff assistance.
A court docket at present contains the following types of information:
- Case number and party names
- Filing date and case type
- Chronological list of all filings with dates and document titles
- Hearing dates, continuances, and minute entries
- Orders entered by the court, including interlocutory and final orders
- Status updates and case disposition
A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits restricted by court order. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. The Indiana Judicial Branch public records page provides additional guidance on accessing docket information when records are not available through electronic systems.