| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Porter County Clerk of the Courts (Valparaiso Courthouse) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Porter County Courthouse, 16 Lincolnway, Suite 211, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (Clerk's Office); North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage, IN 46368 |
| Phone | (219) 465-3450 (Valparaiso); (219) 759-8212 (Portage) |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at both locations. Protective orders and marriage-license applications processed until 4:00 p.m.; new in-person filings accepted until 4:15 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page (IC 33-37-5-1) |
| Certified copy fee | $1.00 per page plus a $3.00 certification fee per document (IC 33-37-5-1 and IC 33-37-5-3) |
Porter County, between Lake County and the Indiana Dunes in the state's northwest corner, keeps its court records with the Clerk of the Courts, who operates from two locations. The main office is Suite 211 of the Porter County Courthouse at 16 Lincolnway in Valparaiso, where the Circuit Court and Superior Courts 1, 2, and 4 sit. A second clerk's office at the North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road in Portage, serves Superior Court 3, which hears cases in the more populous northern half of the county.
Which office you need depends on which court heard the case, but both are part of the same county clerk's system and both keep regular hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk's Marriage & Records Division handles record copies from the Valparaiso courthouse, with a dedicated records deputy clerk listed in the county's staff directory.
Porter County's courts are on the state's Odyssey system, so case information is free on the statewide MyCase portal, which the clerk's page links to as "Find Your Case Online." The clerk's page also links to the Indiana courts' judgment search. Porter County is in Judicial District 2 with Benton, Jasper, and Newton counties, a grouping that affects judge assignments and local rules rather than where records are kept.
Search Porter County court records online
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Porter County Clerk of the Courts (Valparaiso Courthouse)
- Cost
- Free to search on MyCase; per-page fee for copies from the clerk
- Coverage
- Circuit Court and Superior Courts 1, 2, and 4 case records — civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, and traffic — at the Porter County Courthouse in Valparaiso, plus marriage records
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The clerk's page says protective orders and marriage-license applications are processed only until 4:00 p.m. and new in-person filings stop at 4:15 p.m. All attorney pleadings must be e-filed; self-represented parties may file on paper with the clerk. The page links to MyCase and to the state's judgment search.
Other courts
Porter County Clerk's Office — Portage North County Annex (Superior Court 3)
- Cost
- Free to search on MyCase; per-page fee for copies from the clerk
- Coverage
- Clerk's counter for Superior Court 3, which sits at the North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage, IN 46368; (219) 759-8212
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
Open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Superior Court 3's own office number is (219) 759-8231. Cases from this court are searchable on MyCase like the rest of the county.
Other courts
Porter County Courts (staff directory)
- Coverage
- Contact details and locations for Superior Courts 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the Circuit Court, including suite numbers in the Valparaiso courthouse
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Useful for finding which courtroom and suite a case is assigned to; records themselves are requested from the clerk.
What is available online
MyCase covers Porter County Circuit and Superior Court case information for free, and the clerk's page links to it as "Find Your Case Online." Judgments can be checked through the Indiana courts' judgment search, also linked from the clerk's page. Documents filed on paper before the county's courts went electronic are not online and must be requested from the clerk; the county's staff directory lists dedicated records deputy clerks at the Valparaiso courthouse for those requests. Protection-order, juvenile, sealed, and expunged cases are excluded from public view statewide.
Which clerk has your record
In Indiana, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Indiana page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Tax Court | Appeals of state and local tax assessments and determinations | Clerk of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court |
| Circuit Courts | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Superior Courts | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil suits; Family and juvenile matters | Clerk of the Circuit Court (the same office keeps Superior Court files in most counties) |
| City and Town Courts | Ordinance violations; Traffic infractions and misdemeanors within city or town limits; Minor criminal offenses | Clerk of the city or town court (a separate office from the county clerk) |
Request records in person or by mail
Porter County clerk offices
Porter County Courthouse, 16 Lincolnway, Suite 211, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (Clerk's Office); North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage, IN 46368
Phone: (219) 465-3450 (Valparaiso); (219) 759-8212 (Portage)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at both locations. Protective orders and marriage-license applications processed until 4:00 p.m.; new in-person filings accepted until 4:15 p.m.
In person. For Circuit Court or Superior Court 1, 2, or 4 cases, go to the Clerk's Office in Suite 211 of the Porter County Courthouse, 16 Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For Superior Court 3 cases, use the clerk's office at the North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage, during the same hours. Bring the case number or the party names and an approximate filing year, and say whether you need plain or certified copies. Arrive well before 4:15 p.m. if you also need to file anything, since new in-person filings stop then.
By mail. Write to the Porter County Clerk, 16 Lincolnway, Suite 211, Valparaiso, IN 46383, with the case number (or names and year), the documents you need, and whether you want certification. Call (219) 465-3450 first to confirm the fee and accepted payment types; Indiana caps plain copies at $1.00 per page and adds $3.00 for each certificate under seal.
Online. Search MyCase first to confirm the case number and see what documents are already viewable for free, and use the judgment search linked from the clerk's page to check for judgments. Certified copies must come from the clerk.
Marriage licenses and protective orders. Both are handled by the clerk's Marriage & Records Division in Valparaiso, but only until 4:00 p.m. Protective-order petitions can also be started online through the state's e-filing system, which the clerk recommends.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Indiana |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page (IC 33-37-5-1) |
| Certified copy | $1.00 per page plus a $3.00 certification fee per document (IC 33-37-5-1 and IC 33-37-5-3) |
These are the statewide caps set by Title 33, Article 37 of the Indiana Code. A county's legislative body may adopt its own document-fee ordinance, but it cannot exceed the statutory per-page rate. Confirm the current fee with the specific clerk's office before sending payment, since local ordinances and add-on fees (such as record-perpetuation fees) vary. Amounts confirmed against the current Indiana Code text of IC 33-37-5-1 ($1 per legal- or letter-size page, including partially covered pages) and IC 33-37-5-3 ($3 for each certificate under seal). Both sections exempt records copied through electronic "enhanced access" and documents sent by fax or electronically.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Indiana's Rules on Access to Court Records (which replaced Administrative Rule 9 on January 1, 2020) presume court records are public unless a rule or statute excludes them. Categories that will not appear in MyCase or a public in-person search include:
The Indiana guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Which Porter County clerk's office has my case file?
Cases from the Circuit Court and Superior Courts 1, 2, and 4 are at the Valparaiso courthouse, 16 Lincolnway, Suite 211. Superior Court 3 cases are handled at the clerk's office in the North County Annex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage. Both are part of the same county clerk's office.
How do I search Porter County, Indiana court records online?
Use the free statewide MyCase portal, which the clerk's page links to as "Find Your Case Online." Search by party name or case number. The clerk's page also links to the Indiana courts' judgment search.
What are the Porter County Clerk's hours?
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at both the Valparaiso courthouse and the Portage annex. Protective orders and marriage-license applications are processed only until 4:00 p.m., and new in-person filings stop at 4:15 p.m.
Do I have to e-file in Porter County?
Attorneys must e-file all pleadings. If you are filing without a lawyer, the clerk's page says your documents may be filed with the Clerk's Office on paper, though e-filing is available to you as well.
Sources
- Porter County Clerk's Office — https://www.portercountyin.gov/142/Clerks-Office
- Porter County Staff Directory — Clerk's Office, Valparaiso Courthouse — https://www.portercountyin.gov/Directory.aspx?did=18
- Porter County Staff Directory — County Courts — https://www.portercountyin.gov/Directory.aspx?did=22
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Porter County — https://www.in.gov/courts/local/porter-county
- Indiana Code 33-37-5 — Collection of Additional Fees (document and certification fees) — https://iga.in.gov/ic/2026/Title_33/Article_37/Chapter_5.pdf
- Indiana Judicial Branch — About the Courts — https://www.in.gov/courts/about/
- MyCase (Indiana Courts Case Search) — https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Searching MyCase (Help) — https://www.in.gov/courts/help/mycase/
- Indiana State Police — Get a Limited Criminal History — https://www.in.gov/isp/criminal-history-services/get-limited-criminal-history/
- Appellate Docket Search Tool — https://publicaccess.courts.in.gov/docket
- Indiana Judicial Branch — Appellate Decisions — https://www.in.gov/courts/public-records/appellate-decisions
- Indiana Code 35-38-9 — Sealing and Expunging Conviction Records — https://iga.in.gov/ic/2026/Title_35/Article_38/Chapter_9.pdf
- Indiana Code Title 33, Article 37 — Court Fees — https://iga.in.gov/laws/2025/ic/titles/33/articles/37
- Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records, Rule 5 (Records Excluded from Public Access) — https://rules.incourts.gov/Content/records/rule5/current.htm
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Indiana counties.