Randolph County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Randolph County in 2026
RandolphCountyRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to court records in Randolph County, Indiana. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-level data including docket entries, party names, hearing dates, case types, and disposition information, subject to applicable access restrictions under Indiana law. The availability and completeness of any record depends on the court of origin, the case type, and whether the record has been sealed, expunged, or otherwise restricted.
Records that may be accessible through official channels include:
- Civil court filings and judgments
- Criminal case dockets and sentencing entries
- Family law matters, including divorce and custody proceedings
- Probate filings and estate records
- Small claims court decisions
- Traffic and infraction case records
- Juvenile court records, where not restricted by statute
Court records in Randolph County may be searched through five primary methods. First, the Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains official case files and accepts in-person records requests at the courthouse. Second, courthouse public access terminals allow on-site review of case information at no charge. Third, official court websites provide limited online access to case summaries and docket entries. Fourth, the Indiana Courts statewide judicial search tool, MyCase, enables name-based and case-number-based searches across participating courts. Fifth, written or mail requests submitted to the Clerk's office allow requestors to obtain copies of specific documents, subject to applicable fees.
For each method, the requestor's ability to locate a case is improved by providing the full legal name of a party, a case number, the approximate filing date, or the case type. Certain records, including sealed filings, expunged matters, and juvenile files, are not accessible through public search tools regardless of the method used.
Are Court Records Public in Randolph County
Court records in Randolph County are public under current Indiana law, subject to specific statutory and judicial exceptions. The Indiana Access to Public Records Act, codified at Ind. Code § 5-14-3, establishes the general right of the public to inspect and copy records maintained by government agencies, including court records held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Records that are public under current law include:
- Case dockets and docket entries
- Party names and case captions
- Scheduled hearing dates and continuances
- Filed pleadings, motions, and responses in civil and criminal matters
- Court orders, judgments, and decrees
- Sentencing entries and probation orders
- Probate inventories and estate filings
Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and child in need of services (CHINS) records
- Adoption records and related proceedings
- Mental health commitment records
- Expunged criminal records under Ind. Code § 35-38-9
- Records sealed by court order
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
- Certain domestic violence protective order records
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. Physical inspection of a case file at the Clerk's office may provide access to documents not yet digitized or not available through online portals. As the Indiana Judicial Branch notes, "If the document you're looking for isn't available online, you'll need to contact the clerk's office in the county where the case is being heard."
What Are Court Records in Randolph County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court and its clerk in connection with judicial proceedings. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything filed with or generated by the court from the initiation of a case through its final disposition and any subsequent appeal.
A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file includes the underlying documents associated with those entries, such as complaints, motions, exhibits, and orders. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document the prosecution of offenses charged by the state. Filed pleadings are the initial and responsive documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.
Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection by court order or statute. Trial court records are maintained at the county level by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, while appellate records are maintained by the Indiana Court of Appeals or the Indiana Supreme Court, depending on the level of review.
In Randolph County, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is the official custodian of trial court records. Records are created when a party files an initiating document, updated as the case progresses through hearings and rulings, and finalized upon entry of judgment or dismissal. Post-judgment activity, including appeals, enforcement proceedings, and expungement petitions, generates additional entries within the same case file.
Randolph County Clerk of the Circuit Court
100 S Main St
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone: (765) 584-7070
Randolph County Courts – Indiana Judicial Branch
What's Included in a Randolph County Court Record?
A court record in Randolph County may include a range of documents and data fields depending on the case type and applicable public-access rules. The following categories of information are present in many court records:
- Case identification: Case number, court name and division, and filing date
- Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and other named parties
- Case classification: Case type, such as civil, criminal, family, probate, or small claims, and current case status
- Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, rulings, and administrative actions
- Hearing information: Scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and courtroom assignments
- Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, responses, notices, affidavits, and supporting exhibits where not restricted
- Court orders and judgments: Interlocutory orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
- Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and post-judgment entries
- Financial and administrative data: Filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
Records that are excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged criminal matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits containing sensitive information. The presence of a docket entry does not guarantee that the underlying document is available for public inspection.
Types of Courts in Randolph County
Randolph County is served by the Indiana state court system, which currently includes a Circuit Court and a Superior Court operating under the jurisdiction of the Indiana Judicial Branch. The Indiana Judicial Branch provides official information on the courts serving each county.
The Randolph Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction that hears felony criminal cases, civil matters, family law proceedings, probate matters, and appeals from lower tribunals. The Randolph 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 serves as the official record custodian for both courts.
What Types of Cases Do Randolph County Courts Hear
Randolph County courts hear a broad range of case types across their combined jurisdiction:
- Criminal cases: Felonies and misdemeanors prosecuted by the State of Indiana
- Civil cases: Contract disputes, personal injury claims, and other civil litigation
- Family law: Divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, and paternity
- Probate: Estate administration, wills, guardianships, and conservatorships
- Juvenile matters: Delinquency proceedings and child in need of services cases
- Small claims: Civil disputes involving amounts within the statutory limit for small claims jurisdiction
- Traffic and infractions: Moving violations, license suspensions, and related matters
- Appeals: Review of decisions from administrative agencies and lower courts
Randolph County Circuit Court and Superior Court
100 S Main St
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone: (765) 584-7070
Randolph County Courts – Indiana Judicial Branch
How to Search Randolph County Court Records for Free?
Several methods for searching Randolph County court records are available at no cost. In-person inspection of case files at the Clerk of the Circuit Court is free of charge; members of the public may review publicly accessible records during regular business hours without paying a fee. Courthouse public access terminals, where available, allow on-site electronic searches of case information at no cost.
The MyCase Indiana Courts Case Search portal is a free statewide tool maintained by the Indiana Supreme Court that allows name-based and case-number-based searches of participating court records. As the Indiana Supreme Court states, "Official records of court proceedings may only be obtained directly from the court maintaining a particular record," meaning that MyCase provides summary-level data rather than full document images.
What typically requires payment:
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard paper copies | Per-page fee set by clerk |
| Certified copies of court documents | Fee per document |
| Electronic copies or printouts from terminals | Per-page fee where applicable |
| Research services performed by clerk staff | Variable |
Under Indiana law, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is authorized to charge fees for copies and certified copies pursuant to the Indiana clerk fee schedule. Members of the public who require only case status information, docket entries, or party names may access that data through MyCase or in-person inspection without incurring copy fees.
How Long Does Randolph County Keep Court Records?
Retention periods for court records in Randolph County are governed by the Indiana Commission on Public Records and the judicial records retention schedules established under Indiana administrative authority. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Under current retention rules, the following general periods apply:
- Felony criminal records: Retained permanently or for extended periods given the severity of the offense
- Civil judgment records: Retained for the duration of enforceability plus applicable archival periods
- Probate records: Many probate filings are retained permanently due to their legal significance to property and inheritance
- Misdemeanor and infraction records: Subject to shorter retention schedules, though docket books may be retained longer
- Small claims records: Retained for defined periods following final disposition
- Minute books and docket books: Retained permanently as official court records in many jurisdictions
Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention schedule permits destruction and the record has been preserved in an approved format. 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 Ind. Code § 35-38-9. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the Indiana State Archives depending on the age of the case and the preservation practices in effect at the time of filing.
How To Find a Court Docket in Randolph County
A court docket is the official chronological record of all actions taken in a case, distinct from the full case file. While a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court, a docket provides a sequential log of entries, including filing dates, hearing dates, motions filed, orders entered, and case status updates. The docket serves as the index to the case file and is the primary tool for tracking the procedural history of a matter.
Dockets for Randolph County cases are accessible through the following channels:
- MyCase portal: The Indiana Courts Case Search tool provides docket-level information for cases in participating courts, searchable by party name or case number. Users may view docket entries, case status, and scheduled hearing dates through this free public tool.
- Clerk's office in person: The Randolph County Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains docket books and electronic case management records accessible at the courthouse during business hours.
- Courthouse public access terminals: On-site terminals at the courthouse allow members of the public to search docket information without charge.
- Written request: Requestors may submit written requests to the Clerk's office for docket sheets in specific cases, subject to applicable copy fees.
To locate a docket through MyCase, a user may enter the party's full legal name or the case number assigned at filing. The system returns a list of matching cases with docket entries displayed in chronological order. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the Randolph County Courts page on the Indiana Judicial Branch website.
A docket entry identifies the action taken and the date it occurred but does not include the full text of the underlying document. Sealed entries, confidential attachments, and restricted filings do not appear in public docket views. Exhibits admitted at trial and certain financial records may also be excluded from the publicly visible docket. Members of the public who require the full text of a filed document must request it directly from the Clerk's office, where it will be provided subject to applicable access rules and fees.