Indiana Court Records
Indiana Court Records
Many Indiana residents’ names are listed in civil court records, where there is information about divorce, estate settlements, property disputes, and other matters. These courts also handled criminal cases. Court Order Books and case files may contain a person’s age, residence, occupation, and family relationships. Sometimes relatives or neighbors gave depositions.
Major Indiana courts that kept records of genealogical value were as follows:1790-1805 General Quarter Session of the Peace had jurisdiction over criminal and county administrative matters.
1790-1813 Circuit Court of the General Court had criminal jurisdiction.
1790-1805 Court of Common Pleas had civil jurisdiction and from 1805-1813, they heard civil, criminal, and probate cases, and handled administrative matters.
1814-present Circuit Court was and still is the basic county level court of general jurisdiction, with jurisdiction over civil, divorce, naturalization, criminal, estates, guardianship, mental health, and, after 1903, juvenile matters.
1853-1873 Court of Common Pleas, primarily a probate court, but handled naturalization, divorces, and limited civil and criminal matters. (Marion and Tippecanoe counties had Courts of Common Pleas, 1849–1852).
1871 Superior Courts had concurrent civil jurisdiction with the Circuit Court in the county until after World War II. Some Superior Courts were established in cities away from the county seat and, beginning in 1899, also had probate jurisdiction. These courts were established as Circuit Courts’ case loads became too heavy for one judge. If a county has had both a Circuit and Superior Court, consult Order Books, case files, and related records for both courts.
Check out the following website to read about and share experiences from courthouse research.
http://www.bcpl.net/%7Edmg/courthouse.htm#Indiana
"The Goodman Clearinghouse:
Experiences In Researching in Court Houses"
BACK to Main Page - Resource Center
The Genealogy Forum - Main Page
Beginners' Center | File Libraries | Internet Center
Message Boards | Resource Center | Reunion Center
Genealogy Forum News
Shop With Us
© 1999 - 2003 Some Graphics By Carol, All Rights Reserved.
Genealogy Forum.com is a production of Golden Gate Services, Inc. of Franklin, Massachusetts.
© 1998 - 2003 All Rights Reserved. George Ferguson, President.
The Genealogy Forum is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Genealogical Society.
Tree logo provided by MeadPond Designs and is the trademark of GenealogyForum.com.
If you have any questions or comments,
please contact GenealogyForum@aol.com
