Search Montgomery County Court Records
Public non-confidential Montgomery County court records are searched through Indiana MyCase, the statewide case portal used by courts on Odyssey. MyCase is free and works for many local case types, including civil cases, criminal cases, traffic citations, family cases, probate matters, and small claims when the case is public. It is the best first stop for a Montgomery County court records lookup, but it is not the official record. The official court file remains with the court and Clerk of the Circuit Court.
The search works best when the user has a case number, citation number, or full party name. Montgomery cause numbers help confirm the court: 54C points to Circuit Court, 54D01 points to Superior Court I, and 54D02 points to Superior Court II. If a document link is missing, that does not prove the filing is sealed. It may mean the document is public only at the Clerk counter.
- Open MyCase and choose case, party, or attorney search.
- Enter the case number, citation number, cross-reference number, or party name.
- Use court, case type, status, and file-date filters if the first search returns too many matches.
- Open the matching Montgomery County case and review the court, status, parties, events, charges, documents, and financial summary.
- Contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court when a certified copy, current balance, older file, transcript, or missing document is needed.
| MyCase field | How it helps a Montgomery County court records search |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Finds a known case, with or without hyphens or leading zeroes. |
| Citation Number | Finds a traffic ticket or UTT when the number matches the court entry. |
| Party Name | Searches people or businesses by last name, business name, and added details. |
| Attorney | Filters cases by attorney name or attorney number. |
| Court and Case Type | Limits results to Montgomery Circuit Court, Superior Court I, Superior Court II, or a case class. |
| Status and File Date | Narrows open, closed, recent, or older records. |
Montgomery County Court System
Indiana does not use a county-level district court label for Montgomery County. The local trial courts are Montgomery Circuit Court, Montgomery Superior Court I, and Montgomery Superior Court II. All three sit in the Montgomery County Courthouse in downtown Crawfordsville. The Indiana Judicial Branch places Montgomery County in Judicial District 11 with Fountain, Parke, Vermillion, and Warren counties, and the state appellate path usually runs to the Indiana Court of Appeals, then to the Indiana Supreme Court when review is available.
The Indiana Judicial Branch Montgomery County page links local rules, court contacts, MyCase, e-filing, and court statistics. Local court rules cover topics such as case assignment, special judge selection, court reporter services, and problem-solving court fees. Trial court judgments are separate from federal matters, which are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
The state court listing for Montgomery County identifies the county's official court path and online tools.
That state listing is useful when a local page moves, because it keeps Montgomery County court contacts, rules, and MyCase access in one official court source.
| Court or office | Room and phone | Main record role |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Circuit Court, Judge Darren Chadd | Room 201, 765-364-6450 | Juvenile, civil, felony and higher criminal matters, with 54C cause numbers. |
| Montgomery Superior Court I, Judge Heather Barajas | Room 301, 765-364-6447 | Superior court matters and Adult Drug Court connection, with 54D01 cause numbers. |
| Montgomery Superior Court II, Judge Daniel Petrie | Room 303, 765-364-6455 | Criminal, civil, domestic relations, small claims, traffic, ordinance, and local probate assignment, with 54D02 cause numbers. |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court, Sondra Sixberry | Room 102, 765-364-6430 | Record keeping, payments, marriage licenses, divorce processing, passports, elections, and public-record requests. |
Case path: Montgomery trial court filing > Circuit or Superior Court decision > Indiana Court of Appeals > Indiana Supreme Court review when allowed.
Montgomery County Courthouse Records
The working court building is the Montgomery County Courthouse at 100 E Main St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933. The Clerk is on the first floor in Room 102. Circuit Court is in Room 201. Superior Court I is in Room 301, and Superior Court II is in Room 303. The Prosecutor is also in the courthouse in Room 205. County pages list general courthouse and Clerk hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, while the Prosecutor page lists 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The official Montgomery County homepage is the county navigation point for local offices and public services.
The county homepage helps route users from general county services to the Clerk, courts, sheriff, forms, and payment pages tied to court records.
Montgomery County Sheriff and Jail
600 Memorial Drive
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
765-362-3740
Non-emergency: 765-362-0885
Thomas K. Milligan Justice Center
307 Binford St.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
765-364-6460
Probation and program support
Montgomery County Court Record Types
Montgomery County court records are not one single file type. Civil cases may include complaints, appearances, service events, motions, orders, judgments, settlements, garnishments, and financial entries. Criminal case files can show charging information, bond orders, no-contact orders, pleas, settings, sentencing orders, probation terms, violations, and assessments. Traffic and ordinance matters are handled locally through Superior Court II and MyCase payment tools when a payment button is available.
Family and divorce records may show case dates and activity online, but certified divorce decrees must be requested from the Clerk in the county where the divorce occurred. Probate records include estates, wills filed with the court, guardianships, inventories, creditor notices, accountings, and orders. Juvenile matters are handled by Circuit Court and are often confidential. Protective-order cases are not found through MyCase because protected-party information is excluded from online public access.
- Civil records show claims, service, hearings, judgments, collections, and small claims activity.
- Criminal records show filed charges, hearings, pleas, dispositions, sentencing, and probation events.
- Traffic records show citation data, court date, disposition, fines, costs, and payment status.
- Marriage and divorce records route through the Clerk, with divorce decrees requested from the county of divorce.
- Probate records are assigned locally to Superior Court II, with wills and certified copies handled through the Clerk.
Montgomery County Court Record Contents
A Montgomery County court record usually starts with the cause number and court name. The cause number identifies county, court, filing year, case type, and sequence. A person searching MyCase can use the record fields to confirm whether a result belongs to the right case, but details such as date of birth may help search without appearing in the public case display.
The chronological case summary is often the most useful public section. It is the event log for filings, orders, notices, hearings, continuances, judgments, and dispositions. Criminal and traffic cases may also show charges, count numbers, offense levels, pleas, dispositions, and sentence details. Financial summaries can show amounts owed, credits, and payments, but MyCase warns that balances may not reflect the newest charges, interest, or payments.
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Case number | Indiana cause number, including Montgomery court prefixes such as 54C, 54D01, or 54D02. |
| Case type and status | Civil, criminal, infraction, domestic, probate, small claims, juvenile, or other class, plus open or closed status. |
| Parties and attorneys | Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, the State, and listed counsel. |
| Chronological case summary | Filing and event history, including hearings, orders, notices, and disposition entries. |
| Charges or claims | Offense, statute, level, count, civil claim, or legal issue when public. |
| Documents and financials | Linked public documents when online, plus costs, fines, credits, and payment status where available. |
Montgomery County Court Records Access
Indiana public access law has two layers for Montgomery County court records. The Access to Public Records Act covers public agency records in general. Court records also follow Indiana's Access to Court Records rules and Administrative Rule 9. The practical rule is simple: public case data can be searched online when it is non-confidential and available in the portal, while official copies and restricted files require the Clerk, court, or an authorized request process.
Indiana's public-records court page collects official links for case records, traffic, marriage, guardianship, and related court access topics.
That statewide access page is important for Montgomery County users because some records are local Clerk records while others, such as driver records or state correction records, belong to a different agency.
Public access authorities:
Indiana APRA, IC 5-14-3 treats public agency records as inspectable and copyable unless an exception applies.
Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records make court records public unless excluded by rule, law, sealing, or redaction.
Indiana Administrative Rule 9 governs remote access, daily calendars, courthouse access, bulk court data, and court-record fees.
Restricted Montgomery County Court Records
Some Montgomery County court records are public at the courthouse but not remote. Others are not public at all. Juvenile records are generally confidential, with special rules for some paternity records. Adoption records are confidential. Mental health and commitment records are restricted. Sealed and expunged cases may be removed from public display or limited to authorized users. Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, minor information, and some protected-party data are redacted or excluded.
Protection-order cases are a good example of a public access boundary. The Clerk has a protective-orders division, but MyCase help says protection-order cases cannot be found there because protected-person information is excluded from online public access. If a case seems missing, check whether the case type is restricted, whether the document is simply not online, or whether the Clerk must provide the next step.
Note: A missing MyCase document link means the document is not online; it does not always mean the record is confidential.
Montgomery County Court Record Fees
The Clerk's Office is the local counter for many court-copy and payment questions. Montgomery County publishes specific local fees for marriage licenses, marriage-license copies, and traffic fines, while court filing and copy fees may need confirmation through the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual or the Clerk. For online traffic payments, MyCase shows a payment option only when payment is available for that case.
| Item | Amount or channel |
|---|---|
| Montgomery marriage-license application | $25 |
| Copy of marriage license | $4 |
| Indiana out-of-state marriage-license fee | $65 |
| Traffic fine examples | $25 to $504, depending on violation |
| Trial court filing and copy fees | Confirm with Clerk or the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual |
| Public-record request fee | Not located in the official county source |
Montgomery County Specialty Courts
Montgomery County has active problem-solving court programs listed in the Indiana directory. The Montgomery Adult Drug Court is tied to Superior Court I and Judge Heather Barajas, with program support at the Thomas K. Milligan Justice Center. The Family Recovery Court is tied to Superior Court II and Judge Daniel Petrie. The Veterans Treatment Court is also tied to Superior Court II, and the Superior Court II page states that it is a certified Veterans Treatment Court.
Specialty court records can appear in the regular case file, but eligibility rules, treatment plans, sanctions, incentives, and health information may not be fully public. Local rules list problem-solving court fee provisions, including administration and monthly user fees for Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court. Public eligibility details and participant handbooks were not located in official sources, so program questions should go to the court or probation contact.
Montgomery County Sheriff Records
Sheriff Ryan Needham leads the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at 600 Memorial Drive in Crawfordsville. The sheriff and jail line is 765-362-3740, and the non-emergency number is 765-362-0885. The jail opened in June 2006 and has 224 beds, including male, female, temporary, detox, and work-release beds. Jail history in Crawfordsville is also notable because the sheriff site discusses the Rotary Jail, built in 1882 and described as the only functional rotary jail in the country.
The sheriff website has a Find an Inmate page, but the accessible research source did not expose public search fields or sample inmate profile fields. The official Montgomery County Sheriff IN mobile app exists in both app stores and is described as a public safety app for reports, tips, interactive features, and safety news. The official store text does not verify a warrant search or inmate roster feature, so those features should not be assumed.
Warrant access is limited. No comprehensive county active-warrant portal was located. The sheriff maintains a Most Wanted page, but it is not a full warrant database. Bench warrants, probation violation warrants, and failure-to-appear events may be reflected in public court case activity when the underlying case is public. For active sightings, the sheriff page directs people to call the Montgomery County Communications Center non-emergency number, 765-362-3300.
Montgomery County Marriage Divorce Probate
Marriage licenses begin with Indiana's online pre-application and finish in person at the Montgomery County Clerk's Office. Both parties must appear with valid ID, and the local page says one party must be a Montgomery County resident for the local process. The license must be used within 60 days. Divorce cases are court cases, so dates and case activity may appear in MyCase, but certified divorce decrees are requested from the Clerk in the county where the divorce occurred.
Probate matters do not go to a separate Montgomery probate court. Local rules assign probate actions and proceedings to Montgomery Superior Court II. Probate files may include estate petitions, filed wills, letters, inventories, guardianship petitions, accountings, creditor notices, objections, and closing orders. Indiana guidance says wills are not usually online and may need to be requested from the Clerk if filed.
- Cause number
- The Indiana case number that identifies the county, court, filing date, case type, and sequence.
- Chronological Case Summary
- The docket-style event history for filings, hearings, orders, notices, and dispositions.
- Disposition
- The outcome of a case, claim, or criminal charge.
- Expungement
- A statutory process that can remove or restrict public access to eligible arrest, charge, or conviction records.
- Certified copy
- An official copy issued by the Clerk or court for legal use.
Montgomery County Federal Records
Federal court records are separate from Montgomery County court records. Montgomery County is in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division. The federal courthouse is the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 46 E. Ohio St., Indianapolis. Federal district court handles federal crimes, federal civil cases, federal-question cases, civil-rights cases, constitutional claims, diversity cases that meet federal rules, and other federal matters.
Federal dockets and filings are searched through PACER and the federal CM/ECF system, not the Montgomery County Clerk. Bankruptcy records are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Appeals from the Southern District of Indiana go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Federal inmates are searched through the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, not the county jail roster.
Montgomery County Court History
Montgomery County was organized in 1823 and named for Revolutionary War hero Major General Richard Montgomery. Crawfordsville is the county seat and largest city. The courthouse is a major local records landmark. The county's history page says the Montgomery County Courthouse was architect George Bunting's first Indiana courthouse, and the 1875 cornerstone ceremony featured Gen. Lew Wallace, a Union officer, Crawfordsville lawyer, and author of Ben-Hur.
The county courthouse history page gives local context for the building that still houses the Clerk and trial courts.
That history matters for records users because the same courthouse square remains the center for courtrooms, Clerk services, prosecutor work, and in-person record requests.
The National Register material for the Crawfordsville Commercial Historic District identifies the courthouse as a Second Empire building completed in 1876 and a downtown focal point. A modern renovation packet describes the building as three stories and 37,163 square feet, with work on the roof, stone, lighting, restrooms, Clerk reception space, prosecutor space, offices, floors, walls, and other public building systems.
Montgomery County Court Context
State-level court structure helps explain local records. Indiana trial courts include circuit courts, superior courts, and city or town courts where created. Montgomery County's searchable court records center on the Circuit and Superior courts at the Crawfordsville courthouse. The appellate level includes the Indiana Court of Appeals and Indiana Supreme Court, while the Indiana Tax Court handles tax cases.
The Indiana courts overview explains how trial and appellate courts fit together statewide.
That hierarchy is the reason a Montgomery County court case may begin locally, move to an Indiana appellate court, or stay completely separate from federal court records.
STATS Indiana's Montgomery County profile gives county context for Crawfordsville and the surrounding towns served by the courts.
The profile helps place court services in a countywide setting, since residents from Crawfordsville, Darlington, Ladoga, Linden, New Market, New Richmond, Waveland, Waynetown, Wingate, and nearby areas use the same local court system.
Montgomery County Court Records FAQ
Where do I search Montgomery County Court records?
Use MyCase for public, non-confidential case data. Search by case number, citation number, party name, attorney, court, case type, status, or file date. If the file is older, not online, or missing a document link, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Which Clerk keeps Montgomery County Court records?
Sondra Sixberry, Clerk of the Circuit Court, is the unified local clerk. The office is in Room 102 of the courthouse and handles court record keeping, payments, marriage licenses, divorce processing, passports, elections, traffic fines, and public-record request routing.
Are MyCase records official?
No. MyCase is a public lookup tool. The official record is maintained by the court that heard the case. Certified copies, current balances, transcripts, wills, older files, and some documents must be requested from the Clerk, court, or court reporter.
Can I search Montgomery County warrants online?
No complete official active-warrant search portal was located. The sheriff posts a Most Wanted list, but it is selective. Court-related warrants may leave clues in public MyCase events when the underlying case is public.
Where are probate records filed?
Local rules assign Montgomery County probate actions to Superior Court II. MyCase may show public probate case data, but wills and certified estate documents are usually requested from the Clerk.
Where are traffic ticket records paid?
Montgomery County's traffic page directs users to MyCase to find the amount owed or to contact the Clerk. If an infraction is payable and the person does not contest it, payment may be made before the hearing date when the payment option is available.