Vanderburgh County Criminal History Records
Vanderburgh County criminal history records are held at the Clerk's Office and Sheriff's Office in Evansville, Indiana. With a population near 181,000, Vanderburgh County is one of the largest counties in the state and processes a high volume of criminal cases each year. The Clerk's Office files and stores court records while the Sheriff tracks arrest data. You can search Vanderburgh County criminal history through the statewide MyCase portal, the Indiana State Police database, or by visiting the courthouse in person. Local law enforcement in Evansville also keeps its own records for city-level cases filed in Vanderburgh County.
Vanderburgh County Quick Facts
Vanderburgh County Clerk's Office
The Vanderburgh County Clerk's Office at 825 Sycamore St in Evansville handles all criminal case filings and court records for the county. This is where cases get their official case number. The Clerk stores all papers tied to a criminal case, from the initial charge through sentencing and any appeals. Staff can pull files and make copies for you if you visit in person. The office also collects fines, fees, and restitution payments in criminal cases filed in Vanderburgh County.
Walk-in requests work best when you have a name and case number ready. If you only have a name, staff can still search but it may take more time. Under IC 5-14-3, most criminal court records in Vanderburgh County are open to the public. Some sealed or expunged records will not show up. Call the Clerk at (812) 435-5160 before your visit so staff can start pulling what you need.
Vanderburgh County handles a large volume of cases because of its size. Evansville is the third largest city in Indiana. That means the Clerk's Office stays busy. Plan your visit for mid-week mornings when the office tends to be less crowded.
| Address | 825 Sycamore St, Evansville, IN 47708 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (812) 435-5160 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
Vanderburgh County Sheriff Criminal Records
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office is at 3500 N Harlan Ave in Evansville. This office runs the county jail and keeps arrest records for people booked in Vanderburgh County. When someone is arrested, the Sheriff creates a booking record that shows charges, date, and personal details. That arrest data gets sent to the Indiana State Police under IC 10-13-3 and becomes part of the statewide criminal history database.
An arrest record is not the same as a court record. The arrest record shows that someone was taken into custody in Vanderburgh County. The court record shows what happened next. For a full criminal history picture in Vanderburgh County, you may need to check both. The Evansville Police Department at 15 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd also keeps its own arrest records for cases within city limits. Call the Sheriff at (812) 421-6200 for county-level records.
| Address | 3500 N Harlan Ave, Evansville, IN 47711 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (812) 421-6200 |
Note: Arrest records from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff may not include case outcomes, so check with the Clerk's Office for dispositions.
Search Vanderburgh County Criminal Records Online
Two main tools let you search Vanderburgh County criminal history from home. MyCase is free. The Indiana State Police search costs $15.70.
MyCase at public.courts.in.gov/mycase is a free court records portal that covers Vanderburgh County and every other county in Indiana. Search by name or case number to find charges, court dates, and case status. The site runs on the Odyssey Case Management System, which connects all Indiana trial courts. Keep in mind that MyCase is not an official court record. It may have errors or lag behind what the actual case file shows. For certified copies, go to the Vanderburgh County Clerk's Office in Evansville. Indiana's courts handle more than 2 million cases a year through this system, and Vanderburgh County makes up a significant share of that total.
The Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History search at in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch covers felonies and Class A misdemeanor arrests statewide. The cost is $15.70 by credit card. Results come as a PDF that expires in 14 days. A "No Records Found" result still counts as a completed search and you get charged. Print or save your record right away. The ISP will not mail it to you. Data completeness depends on how well Vanderburgh County has reported to the state database.
The screenshot above shows the ISP Limited Criminal History portal where you can search for Vanderburgh County felony and Class A misdemeanor arrest records.
Criminal History Laws for Vanderburgh County
Indiana statutes set the rules for criminal history records in Vanderburgh County. The Access to Public Records Act under IC 5-14-3 gives anyone the right to ask for government records. The law says all persons are entitled to full and complete information about government affairs. Most criminal case files in Vanderburgh County are public. Some investigatory records are excluded, but court filings and final judgments are open.
IC 10-13-3 controls criminal history information across the state. This law defines what counts as a criminal history record and limits who can access certain data. Under IC 10-13-3-27, access to detailed criminal histories is allowed only in specific situations. Misusing limited criminal history information is a Class A misdemeanor. You can search Vanderburgh County records, but you must follow the rules about how you use what you find.
For people looking to clear old records in Vanderburgh County, IC 35-38-9 allows sealing and expungement of certain criminal records. Not every crime qualifies. The process starts with filing a petition in the court that handled the original case in Vanderburgh County. If the judge grants it, the record gets sealed and will not show up on most public searches. Criminal history data stays in the ISP database until a person dies or turns 99 without any criminal activity for the previous 15 years.
State Resources for Vanderburgh County
The Indiana State Police serves as the central repository for criminal history data from all 92 Indiana counties. Their CJIS Section handles records from Vanderburgh County. Contact them at 317-232-8262 or email CriminalHistory@isp.IN.gov. The main office is at 100 N. Senate Avenue, Suite N340 in Indianapolis. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time.
The Indiana State Police criminal history services page explains how to request records by mail or online. The ISP runs both limited name-based searches and full fingerprint-based searches. For Vanderburgh County cases, the database should show any felony or Class A misdemeanor arrest that local law enforcement has reported. The Odyssey system ties Vanderburgh County courts to the statewide network so case data flows into MyCase automatically.
- ISP Criminal History: in.gov/isp/criminal-history-services
- MyCase Court Search: public.courts.in.gov/mycase
- Limited Criminal History FAQ: in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch2/faq.html
Cities in Vanderburgh County
Evansville is the main city in Vanderburgh County and the third largest city in Indiana. All criminal cases in the county go through the Vanderburgh County court system in Evansville. The Evansville Police Department handles city-level law enforcement while the Sheriff covers the rest of the county.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Vanderburgh County. If a crime happened outside Vanderburgh County, the case gets filed in whatever county it took place in. Make sure you are searching the right county for the criminal history records you need.