Vanderburgh County is located in Indiana and has Evansville as its county seat. With a 2020 census-designated population of over 180,000, it ranks as both Indiana’s eighth-largest county and its eighth-smallest county by area.

Courts in Vanderburgh County

The First Judicial Circuit, or Vanderburgh County Circuit Court, is the chief court in the county.  It exclusively presides over all criminal and civil proceedings including all felony types and general civil claims. It shares jurisdiction with the Superior Court in hearing family/domestic suits along with juvenile cases.

The Vanderburgh County Superior Court is the second court serving county residents and with general jurisdiction over significant criminal and civil issues. It also comprises various divisions for handling small claims, family, juvenile, and mental health cases. In addition, the Vanderburgh County Superior Court manages the Adult Felony Probation Department and the Abuse Probation Services for alcohol and drugs.  

Where to Find Public Court Records in Vanderburgh County

The Vanderburgh County Clerk of the Circuit Court is charged with maintaining court case records and overseeing how record requests are processed. Generally, specific court case records can be accessed at the county clerk’s offices of the actual courts where the proceedings were held. Requestors may also opt to submit their records request online, in person, by fax, or via mail. Online court records access is available through the statewide case search portal, Doxpop, which may be subject to applicable subscription fees depending on the user. In addition, official public records request forms are also available for making record requests in the county.

Types of Public Court Records in Vanderburgh County

Typically, a wide variety of court records are classified by Indiana’s public record law, the Access to Public Records Act (APRA), as publicly accessible or non-confidential, and they include:

• Criminal case records
• Bankruptcy records
• Sex-offender records
• Records containing sensitive financial/personal information

Confidential Court Records in Vanderburgh County

Confidential court records in Vanderburgh County are barred from public access and can only be viewed or inspected by individuals who are legally eligible to do so. Court case records can usually be declared confidential by federal or state legislation, court order, or common law. Individuals can also opt to have their information or records excluded from the public subject to satisfying certain criteria, such as protecting the public interest.

Confidential court case records in Vanderburgh County include:

• Trade secret records
• Personnel medical records
• Attorney-client privileged records
• Inter-agency records containing decision-based opinions/speculations.

Juvenile Delinquency in Vanderburgh, IN

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Vanderburgh County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Indiana often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 460 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Vanderburgh County. Of that total, 80% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 370 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 1 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Vanderburgh County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Vanderburgh County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Vanderburgh County, IN

https://www.in.gov/

County Seat:	Evansville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1818
Total Square Miles:	236
2019 Population:	181,616
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	825 Sycamore St County Courthouse Evansville , IN 47708-1810 http://www.vanderburghgov.org/

Vanderburgh County, IN Courts