| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Clerk of the St. Joseph Circuit and Superior Courts |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | St. Joseph County Courthouse, 101 South Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601 (Clerk's Office); Mishawaka office: 219 Lincolnway West, Mishawaka, IN 46544 |
| Phone | (574) 235-9635 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (both South Bend and Mishawaka offices) |
| 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) |
St. Joseph County, anchored by South Bend and Mishawaka, is served by the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts, whose office sits on the lower level of the county's main courthouse in South Bend. The Clerk keeps records for Circuit, Superior, and Probate Court cases, including civil, criminal, family, and small-claims matters, and the office follows Indiana's statewide records-retention schedule for clerks under Administrative Rule 7.
The clerk runs a second full-service office at 219 Lincolnway West in Mishawaka, and the county's staff directory lists separate small-claims, probate, felony, and Superior civil clerks, so which counter you need can depend on the case type and where it was filed. Case information statewide is searchable for free on MyCase, and older records beyond the standard retention period are handled by the St. Joseph County Archives rather than the clerk's active files.
Search St. Joseph County court records online
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Clerk of the St. Joseph Circuit and Superior Courts
- Cost
- Free to search on MyCase; per-page fee for copies from the clerk
- Coverage
- Circuit, Superior, and Probate Court criminal, civil, family, and small-claims cases countywide
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The clerk's page links to MyCase for case search and to e-filing, legal forms, small-claims, traffic, and marriage/divorce information. Official records requests can be submitted online through the county's records-request portal (linked from the clerk's FAQ), and marriage licenses and divorce decrees can be ordered through the Official Records Online vendor. Address, phone, and hours confirmed against the county staff directory.
What is available online
MyCase covers St. Joseph County Circuit, Superior, and Probate Court case information for free. The clerk's FAQ points requesters to an online official-records request portal for documents not posted on MyCase, and marriage licenses and divorce decrees can be ordered in person or through the Official Records Online vendor. The clerk staffs offices in both South Bend (101 South Main Street) and Mishawaka (219 Lincolnway West), with the probate division at the Juvenile Justice Center, 1000 S. Michigan Street, South Bend. As statewide, protection-order, confidential, sealed, and expunged cases will not appear in the public search. Historical records beyond the standard retention period are held by the St. Joseph County Archives rather than the clerk's active case files.
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
St. Joseph County clerk offices
St. Joseph County Courthouse, 101 South Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601 (Clerk's Office); Mishawaka office: 219 Lincolnway West, Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: (574) 235-9635
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (both South Bend and Mishawaka offices)
In person. Visit the Clerk's Office on the lower level of the courthouse at 101 South Main Street, South Bend. Bring the case number or party names and an approximate year; staff can search the index and quote the copy fee.
By mail. Write to the Clerk of the St. Joseph Circuit and Superior Courts at 101 South Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601, with the case number, the documents needed, whether certified copies are required, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Online request. The clerk's FAQ links to an online official-records request portal for documents that are not viewable on MyCase; marriage licenses and divorce decrees can also be ordered through the Official Records Online vendor linked from the same FAQ.
Mishawaka office. The clerk's Mishawaka office at 219 Lincolnway West, Mishawaka, IN 46544 keeps the same hours and the same phone number, (574) 235-9635, and handles Superior civil, small-claims, and traffic-violations-bureau matters filed on that side of the county. Small-claims cases at either location have their own clerks, listed in the county staff directory.
Older records. For files beyond the standard retention schedule, contact the St. Joseph County Archives, also at 101 S. Main Street, basement level, South Bend.
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
How do I search St. Joseph County, Indiana court records online?
Use the statewide MyCase portal to search by party name or case number for Circuit, Superior, and Probate Court cases filed in St. Joseph County.
Where is the St. Joseph County Clerk's Office?
On the lower level of the county courthouse at 101 South Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601.
Does the St. Joseph County Clerk have an office in Mishawaka?
Yes. The clerk's Mishawaka office is at 219 Lincolnway West, Mishawaka, IN 46544, open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., reachable at the same general number, (574) 235-9635. The probate division is at the Juvenile Justice Center, 1000 S. Michigan Street, South Bend.
What if I need a record older than what the clerk has on file?
Contact the St. Joseph County Archives, located in the basement level of the same courthouse building, which holds records beyond the standard clerk retention schedule.
Sources
- St. Joseph County Clerk — https://www.sjcindiana.gov/2394/Clerk
- St. Joseph County Staff Directory — Clerk, South Bend — https://www.sjcindiana.gov/Directory.aspx?did=17
- St. Joseph County Staff Directory — Clerk, Mishawaka — https://www.sjcindiana.gov/Directory.aspx?did=166
- St. Joseph County Clerk FAQ (records requests, marriage and divorce copies) — https://www.sjcindiana.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=423
- St. Joseph County Courts — https://www.sjcindiana.gov/259/Courts
- Indiana Judicial Branch — St. Joseph County — https://www.in.gov/courts/local/st-joseph-county
- 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 Code 33-37-5 — Collection of Additional Fees (document fee $1/page; certificate under seal $3) — https://iga.in.gov/ic/2026/Title_33/Article_37/Chapter_5.pdf
- 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.