Randolph County Divorce Records Search
Randolph County divorce records are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk in Winchester and are available to the public under Indiana's open records statutes. This page covers how to request copies, search online through MyCase, and understand the filing requirements in Randolph County.
Randolph County Quick Facts
Randolph County Circuit Court Clerk
Clerk Melinda Peed manages divorce case records for Randolph County. The clerk's office in Winchester is the official place to file a divorce petition and to request copies of divorce documents. You can visit in person, call, or send a written request by mail.
Office Address: 100 S. Main St, Room 201, Winchester, IN 47394
Phone: 765-584-4214
Clerk: Melinda Peed
For in-person visits, bring a photo ID. If you have the case number, it speeds up the search. If not, staff can look up the case using names and an approximate year. Copy fees are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost an additional $3.00 to $5.00 per document.
Mail requests should include the full names of both parties, the year the divorce was filed, and a check or money order for copy costs. The office will follow up if additional payment is needed before sending documents.
The Indiana Courts website has a Randolph County page with the clerk's official contact details and links to court-related resources.
This official state page is a reliable starting point for finding current clerk information and local court contacts in Randolph County.
Online Search Through MyCase
The MyCase portal at mycase.in.gov provides free online access to Randolph County divorce case information. You can search by name or case number and see filing dates, case status, and court events without visiting the courthouse.
MyCase covers most cases filed after the county adopted the Odyssey system. Older cases may be available only through in-person requests at the clerk's office, as paper-based records are not always digitized.
The portal shows the case record and docket entries, but not actual document images in most counties. If you need a copy of the divorce decree or other case documents, you'll need to contact the clerk's office and pay the applicable copy fee.
For court contact details, the Indiana Courts directory at in.gov/courts/directory lists Randolph County's clerk office and other local court offices with current phone numbers and addresses.
Divorce Filing Requirements
To file for divorce in Randolph County, at least one spouse must have lived in Indiana for six months and in Randolph County for three months before filing. This is spelled out in Indiana Code 31-15-2-6.
The petition is filed at Room 201 of the Randolph County Courthouse. Filing fees run from $157 to $177 depending on the case type. The clerk's office can give you the current fee schedule. Additional charges may apply if children are involved or if motions are filed throughout the case.
Indiana law sets a 60-day waiting period from the date the divorce petition is filed. The court cannot finalize the divorce until those 60 days are up. This rule is in Indiana Code 31-15-2-10. Both spouses can use this period to work out the terms of the settlement.
Randolph County, like all Indiana counties, handles divorce under a no-fault system. You do not need to prove that one spouse did something wrong. Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage is the standard grounds. If both spouses agree on all terms, the case is typically resolved in a short hearing after the waiting period ends.
What Divorce Records Include
A divorce file in Randolph County contains several documents depending on how the case went. The petition and response are always included. Financial disclosures, property settlement agreements, child custody orders, and parenting plans are added as the case moves forward.
The final divorce decree is the most important document in the file. It's the court's official order ending the marriage and laying out the terms both parties must follow. A certified copy of the decree is needed as proof of divorce for many legal and administrative purposes.
Not every document in a divorce file is public. Judges can seal certain records, particularly financial exhibits or materials related to children. Even if the case file is otherwise open, sealed items require a court order to view or copy.
Name changes granted as part of the divorce are noted in the final decree. A certified copy of the relevant portion of the decree can be used with government agencies to update identification records. The clerk's office provides certified copies for a fee.
Older Records and Historical Files
Randolph County has maintained divorce records since the county's early days. Older records are on paper or microfilm and are held at the courthouse. Staff can manually search older indexes if you provide the names and an approximate date range.
For divorces from the early 20th century or before, the Indiana State Library and Indiana State Archives may hold additional records or microfilm copies. These institutions are useful for genealogy research and for cases where the local clerk's records are incomplete or damaged.
If you're researching family history and need to find a divorce in Randolph County from decades past, start with the clerk's office. If they can't locate it, check the state library next. Both sources together cover most of the county's legal history.
Legal Help and Free Resources
Staff at the clerk's office can process filings and requests but cannot give legal advice. For free help with the divorce process, Indiana Legal Help at indianalegalhelp.org is a good starting point.
The site covers Indiana divorce law in plain language, including residency rules, the waiting period, how to file, and what happens at hearings. It also addresses custody, property division, and spousal support. Self-represented parties use it to understand what to expect before they go to court.
The Indiana Courts public records page at in.gov/courts/public-records/how-to-request explains how to formally request court records in Indiana, including what to include and how fees are set.
Local legal aid organizations may also be able to help lower-income residents with divorce cases. The clerk's office can provide a list of local legal resources, and Indiana Legal Services takes cases statewide for those who qualify based on income.
Related Records
Divorce proceedings in Randolph County can generate records in other county offices. Property transfers resulting from a divorce are filed at the recorder's office. Liens, mortgages, and deed changes tied to a property settlement all appear in those records.
Child support orders are tracked through the Indiana Child Support Bureau. Post-divorce modifications to custody or support are filed in the clerk's office under the original case number and become part of the public record.
The Indiana State Department of Health keeps a divorce registry that can confirm whether a divorce occurred in Indiana but does not issue copies of decrees. For actual document copies, the clerk's office in Winchester is the right source.
Nearby Counties
Divorce cases are filed in the county where one of the spouses lives. If the filing county is unclear, check with the clerks in neighboring counties.