Search Allen County Criminal History

Allen County criminal history records can be searched through the Clerk's Office, the Sheriff's Office, or online databases. With about 385,000 residents, Allen County is the largest county by population in Indiana. Fort Wayne serves as the county seat. The Allen County Sheriff runs a dedicated criminal records check service, and the Clerk maintains all official court case files. You can also use the state MyCase portal to look up Allen County criminal cases for free from any location with internet access.

Allen County Sheriff Criminal Records Check

The Allen County Sheriff's Office runs a dedicated criminal records check service out of the courthouse in Fort Wayne. The fee is $15.00 per request. You must pay by certified check only. No cash. No personal checks. If you have questions about what the records check will include, call the records line at (260) 449-7630 before you submit your request.

You can submit your request in person at the Sheriff's Office or send it by mail. The Sheriff is at 715 South Calhoun Street, Room 101, Fort Wayne. The records check covers arrests and charges handled by Allen County law enforcement agencies. For criminal history data from other counties in Indiana, you would use the state search through the Indiana State Police instead. Under IC 10-13-3, the Allen County Sheriff reports all arrest data to the state central repository, so most local arrests will also appear on a statewide search. The Sheriff's Office processes a high volume of these requests given that Allen County is the most populous county in the state.

Visit the Allen County Sheriff criminal records check page for full details on payments and the request process.

That page shows the fee structure and payment rules for criminal records checks at the Allen County Sheriff's Office.

Allen County Clerk Criminal History

The Allen County Clerk administers official court records for all trial court cases in the county. This includes criminal cases, civil cases, and everything filed through the local courts. The Clerk's Office is at 715 S. Calhoun St, Room 201, Fort Wayne. Call (260) 449-7245 for general questions about records or the office.

Criminal case files at the Allen County Clerk contain charging documents, plea records, sentencing orders, and motions filed during the case. These are the official records of what happened in court. When you need a certified copy of a conviction or case disposition from Allen County, the Clerk is the office that provides it. Under IC 5-14-3, most court records are public. You have the right to ask for them. Some files may be sealed if a judge has granted an expungement petition under IC 35-38-9, but the majority of criminal case records remain open to the public in Allen County.

The Allen County Clerk website has details on office hours and services. You can also look through the Allen County Court records page to search for cases by name, case number, or date filed.

That search portal lets you find criminal cases from Allen County courts directly through the local website.

How to Search Allen County Records Online

The fastest way to look up Allen County criminal history from home is through MyCase. This free portal at public.courts.in.gov/mycase shows court case data from the Odyssey Case Management System. Search by name or case number. Results show charges, case status, and hearing dates. The data is not an official court record, but it gives you a strong starting point. Allen County has a large case volume, and most of it shows up on MyCase.

For a formal statewide search, the Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History check at in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch costs $15.70 by credit card. It covers felonies and Class A misdemeanor arrests from all Indiana counties. The result comes as a PDF. A "No Records Found" response still counts as a completed search and you will be charged. Print or save the PDF right away because it expires after 14 days. The state will not mail you a copy.

You can also find contact details for the Allen County Sheriff to arrange an in-person records check or ask about mugshots that may be available through their office.

The contact page above shows how to reach the Allen County Sheriff's Office for criminal records questions.

The Allen County Sheriff's main site provides links to their records division and other law enforcement resources.

Note: Mugshots from Allen County may be available through the Sheriff's Office, though they are separate from court records.

Allen County Criminal History Laws

Indiana law controls how criminal history records are handled in Allen County. Under IC 5-14-3, the public has broad access to government records. The Access to Public Records Act means you can request most criminal justice records from county offices. There are exceptions for some investigatory files, but court records and arrest data are generally open in Allen County.

IC 10-13-3 is the main statute for criminal history information across the state. It defines what counts as criminal history record information and sets rules for how agencies like the Allen County Sheriff and Clerk collect, store, and share that data. Under IC 10-13-3-27, access to criminal histories is limited to specific instances, and misusing this information is a Class A misdemeanor. The law requires that a person's criminal history stays in the state database until they die or reach age 99 without a criminal act in the prior 15 years.

If you have a criminal record in Allen County and want to clear it, look at IC 35-38-9. That statute covers sealing and expungement. You file a petition with the court that handled your case. The judge decides whether to grant the request based on the type of crime, how much time has passed, and your conduct since then. If the court seals the record, it will not appear on most public searches going forward. IC 24-4-18-6 also sets rules about what criminal background information can be shared in certain situations.

State Resources for Allen County

Several state agencies can help with Allen County criminal history searches beyond local offices. The Indiana State Police criminal history services page explains all search options. Call 317-232-8262 or email CriminalHistory@isp.IN.gov for help. The ISP office is at 100 N. Senate Avenue, Suite N340, Indianapolis, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern.

The Odyssey system connects Allen County courts with every other trial court in Indiana. The state handles more than 2 million court cases each year, and Allen County accounts for a large share of that caseload given its population. The Odyssey platform also powers the free MyCase search tool, making Allen County criminal history data accessible from anywhere.

Cities in Allen County

Allen County is home to Fort Wayne, the second largest city in Indiana. All criminal cases in the county go through the Allen County court system in Fort Wayne.

Other communities in Allen County include New Haven, Huntertown, Grabill, Monroeville, and Woodburn. All of them use the Allen County courts for criminal matters.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Allen County. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the offense happened, so check the right one for your search.