Are Divorce Records Public in Indiana? Complete 2026 Guide

Indiana divorce records are public by default. Court filings in a dissolution of marriage are open to public viewing under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3), but certified copies are restricted to the named parties, their attorneys, and close family. Records can only be sealed by court order under a demanding clear-and-convincing standard.

This guide explains what makes Indiana divorce records public, who may obtain copies, how to search them online and in person, what copies cost, and the narrow legal path to seal a record. It reflects the Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records, restructured effective January 1, 2020 and updated February 2, 2026, plus current filing fees verified for 2026.

Key Facts: Indiana Divorce Records

Are Divorce Records Public in Indiana?

Divorce records in Indiana are public by default. Under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3, any member of the public may view dissolution-of-marriage filings in the county where the case was heard, unless a judge has excluded specific portions from public access. The presumption is openness, and the answer to "are divorce records public Indiana" is yes for viewing.

Indiana courts operate under a strong presumption that court records are accessible. The Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records, restructured effective January 1, 2020 and updated effective February 2, 2026, restate the foundational premise that all case records are publicly accessible unless a rule explicitly excludes them. A dissolution case file typically includes the petition, the summons, financial declarations, any settlement agreement, and the final decree. Most of these documents are open. This openness reflects a public policy choice: an accessible court system lets citizens verify that judges apply the law consistently. Because divorce filings are court records rather than vital records, there is no privacy exemption simply because the subject matter is personal. A public divorce filings search therefore starts at the county clerk or the statewide MyCase portal, not at a vital-records agency.

Who Can Obtain Copies of Indiana Divorce Records?

Viewing and copying are treated differently under Indiana law. While the general public may view divorce records at the courthouse, only authorized persons may obtain certified copies of a divorce decree. Authorized persons include the two named parties, their attorneys, and close relatives — parents, spouses, children, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews — plus anyone who can prove a legal interest in the record.

This distinction matters for anyone conducting a divorce records search in Indiana. A stranger can walk into a county clerk's office and read a publicly filed decree, but that same stranger generally cannot leave with a certified copy that carries the court's seal. Certified copies are the documents accepted by financial institutions, the Social Security Administration, and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for a name change. Indiana treats three record types differently: divorce certificates (containing only names, location, and finalization date), divorce decrees (containing custody, support, alimony, and property terms), and the full court record. Certificates are the most limited; decrees contain the most detail and are restricted for certified copies. A member of the public who needs a certified decree must present a court order authorizing release. This layered access balances the open-courts principle against the reality that dissolution files often contain financial account numbers, minor children's information, and sensitive allegations.

How to Search Indiana Divorce Records Online

Indiana offers a free statewide online search at mycase.in.gov, the Odyssey Case Search portal operated by the Indiana Judicial Branch. You can search family, civil, criminal, and appellate cases that are not confidential by party name or case number. The portal shows the docket (chronological case summary) for most counties, though document images and case coverage vary by county and by how far back each court's records go.

MyCase is the fastest way to run a public divorce filings search without visiting a courthouse. Type a party's name, and the portal returns matching cases with a case number, filing date, court, and case status. For a dissolution, the case number typically carries a "DR" (domestic relations) or "DC" designation. Important limitations apply: if a document is not visible on mycase.in.gov, it simply is not available online — you must contact the clerk for the paper file. Confidential documents, sealed records, and items excluded under the Access to Court Records Rules never appear on the portal. MyCase also does not include every county, and historical coverage differs court to court. Marriage certificates and final divorce decrees themselves are generally not downloadable through MyCase; the portal shows that a decree was entered, but obtaining the certified document still requires a request to the county clerk. For genealogical or pre-digital records, county clerks and the Indiana State Archives hold older files.

How to Request Divorce Records In Person or by Mail

To obtain divorce records not available online, contact the Clerk of the Circuit or Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. Indiana has no centralized statewide index of divorces, so you must identify the correct county first. Clerks provide uncertified copies for roughly $0.50 to $1.00 per page and add an $11 statutory certification fee per certified document.

Because Indiana maintains no single statewide divorce registry, locating a record depends on knowing where the case was heard. The Indiana Court Directory lists contact information for every county clerk's office. When you contact the clerk, provide the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if you have it — this speeds retrieval and reduces search fees. Requests can usually be made in person, by mail, or in some counties by phone or email. Payment is by cash, check, or money order in most offices, with card payment available in larger counties. For a certified divorce decree used to complete a name change, refinance a mortgage, or update beneficiaries, request the copy in person if possible, since mailed certification requests can take one to three weeks. Remember the copy-access rule: the clerk will provide uncertified copies to the public but reserves certified copies for authorized persons. If you are not a party, bring documentation proving your legal interest or a court order authorizing release.

Cost Comparison: Certificates, Decrees, and Certified Copies

Indiana divorce record costs are modest and set largely by statute. Uncertified page copies run $0.50 to $1.00 each, and each certified document adds an $11 certification fee. The initial dissolution filing fee — the cost to open the case, not to obtain records — is $157 in most counties and $177 in Marion and Clark counties as of June 2026.

The table below breaks down the common costs associated with Indiana divorce records and the underlying case. Note the difference between the fee to file a divorce and the fee to obtain records of a completed divorce; these are separate transactions.

As of June 2026. Verify with your local clerk. Indiana civil filing fees are set under the statutory schedule referenced in Ind. Code § 33-37-4-4 and are typically revised each July 1, so confirm the current amount before filing. Low-income filers may request a fee waiver under Ind. Code § 33-37-3-2, which eliminates the filing fee for households at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and also covers service of process.

How to Seal Divorce Records in Indiana

Sealing an Indiana divorce record is difficult and rare. A party must file a verified written motion and prove one of four elements by clear and convincing evidence under the Access to Court Records Rules (formerly Administrative Rule 9(G)). Courts will not seal records merely because a party feels embarrassment, inconvenience, or regret — the presumption favors open access, and only extraordinary circumstances justify sealing.

Indiana law provides only two lawful ways to remove otherwise-public divorce records from public access: sealing under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, or an Order Excluding Court Records from Public Access under Rule 6 of the Access to Court Records Rules. Private agreements are not enough. Indiana courts have repeatedly held that parties cannot simply agree to seal a case, and a Trial Rule 26(C) protective order does not qualify. To succeed under the rules, the movant must prove by clear and convincing evidence that: the public interest is substantially served by prohibiting access; access would create a significant risk of substantial harm; failure to seal would cause an unavoidable, substantial prejudicial effect to ongoing proceedings; or the information should have been excluded from public access in the first place. Any person affected by disclosure — not just a party — has standing to request sealing. If a judge grants relief, the order must be the least restrictive and most temporary means available, and sealing operates prospectively only, so it does not erase records already accessed. A separate statutory path under Ind. Code § 5-14-3-5.5 requires a publicly noticed hearing and a preponderance-of-evidence showing tied to public interests.

What Information Is Automatically Confidential?

Indiana excludes certain sensitive information from public access automatically, even in an otherwise-public divorce file. Under Rule 5 of the Access to Court Records Rules, categories such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, minor children's information in specified contexts, and protected-address details are confidential without any motion to seal. Filers must submit these on a separate confidential document.

This automatic-exclusion system protects divorce records privacy without requiring parties to litigate a sealing motion. Indiana uses a redaction mechanism: when a filing contains confidential information, the filer submits the full document as a confidential (green-paper or e-filed confidential) version and a redacted public version, accompanied by an Access to Court Records (ACR) form identifying what was excluded and citing the Rule 5 ground. A person reviewing the case will see that a document exists and that portions are excluded, along with the ACR form explaining why, but will not see the protected data itself. This is different from sealing an entire case. Confidential-by-rule exclusion happens automatically for enumerated categories; sealing an entire divorce file requires the demanding clear-and-convincing showing described above. For a dissolution involving domestic violence, a party may also seek address confidentiality so a protected spouse's location is not disclosed in the public file. Understanding this distinction helps parties protect sensitive data without overreaching to seal a whole case, which courts rarely permit.

Indiana Divorce Basics That Shape the Record

The content of an Indiana divorce record is defined by the state's dissolution laws. Indiana is a no-fault state under Ind. Code § 31-15-2-3, where the sole common ground is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. At least one spouse must have lived in Indiana for 6 months and in the filing county for 3 months, and no final hearing may occur earlier than 60 days after filing.

These procedural rules determine what a completed divorce file contains and how long it takes to generate. Indiana's residency requirement under Ind. Code § 31-15-2-6 means the court must have jurisdiction before a record can exist; a petition filed without meeting residency may be dismissed. The mandatory 60-day waiting period under Ind. Code § 31-15-2-10 cannot be waived or shortened, even in fully agreed cases, so the earliest a decree can appear in the public record is roughly 61 days after filing. In uncontested matters, the court may enter a summary dissolution decree without a hearing if both spouses file a written waiver of final hearing plus either a statement of no contested issues or a full settlement agreement. Indiana divides marital property by equitable distribution, starting from a presumption that an equal division is just and reasonable, which the court may rebut based on statutory factors. Because settlement agreements and property terms are filed with the court, they generally become part of the public divorce record unless a specific confidentiality provision applies.