Find Civil Court Records in Perry County

Civil court records in Perry County are held by the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse in Tell City. Perry County has a population of about 19,320 and sits in southern Indiana along the Ohio River. The county Circuit Court is the main trial court for all civil case filings. You can search Perry County civil court records for free on the state MyCase portal or go to the clerk office in Tell City for copies and file access. Contract disputes, small claims, property matters, debt collection, and other civil actions all create public records that the Perry County clerk maintains. This page explains how to find, request, and access civil court records in Perry County.

Perry County Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts keeps all civil court records in Perry County. This office files new cases, stores court papers, and gives copies to the public. The clerk office is at 2219 Payne Street in Tell City. Staff can help you look up a case by name or by case number.

Call the Perry County clerk at (812) 547-3741 before you visit if you want to check on a case. Staff can look up the status and tell you what documents are in the file. For copies, go in person or send a request by mail. Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies add $3 per document on top of the page fee. The clerk takes cash, check, and money order for fees. The fax number is (812) 547-6685, but call first to confirm the office can process your request that way. Under Indiana Code 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act, the clerk must respond to records requests within 7 days. Most walk-in requests at the Perry County clerk office get handled the same day.

The Perry County government website has more details about local services and departments in the county.

Search Perry County Civil Records Online

The MyCase portal is the fastest way to search civil court records in Perry County from home. This free tool from the Indiana courts holds case data from all 92 counties. Perry County is in the system. You do not need an account. Just go to the site and search by name or case number.

To find a Perry County civil case on MyCase, type the last name first, then the first name. Use the county filter to narrow your results to Perry County only. The system shows case summaries, hearing dates, and party names. Some cases have document links you can view or save. Civil court records from Perry County going back to the mid-2000s are on MyCase. Older records may not be loaded yet, so you would need to contact the clerk in Tell City for those files.

The Perry County court page on the state website lists the local court staff, judges, and contact info. This page from the Indiana Judicial Branch shows how Perry County courts are set up.

This screenshot from the Indiana Judicial Branch website shows the Perry County court structure and the staff who handle civil cases in the county.

A Perry County case number starts with county code 62. The format includes the county code, court type, year, case type, and sequence number. Having the full case number makes it much faster to pull up a specific civil court record on MyCase. The MyCase help page has step-by-step guides for each search type on the system.

How to Get Perry County Court Records

There are a few ways to get copies of civil court records from Perry County. You can go in person, send a mail request, or look things up on MyCase first. Pick the approach that fits your situation.

In person is the quickest option. Head to the clerk office at 2219 Payne Street in Tell City. Bring a valid photo ID and the case number or names on the case. Staff will pull the file and let you look through it right there. Copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies add $3 per document on top of the page fee. Under Indiana Code 5-14-3, the clerk must respond within 7 days, but most in-person requests for Perry County civil court records get taken care of while you wait. The clerk takes cash, check, and money order.

For a mail request, send a letter to the Perry County Clerk of Courts at 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. Include the case number, party names, and what papers you need. Put in a check or money order made out to the Perry County Clerk for the estimated fees. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope. Most mail requests take 5 to 10 business days. The state records request page has details on all methods for getting court records from any Indiana county.

Note: Call the Perry County clerk at (812) 547-3741 to check current fees before you send payment by mail.

Perry County Court Record Fees

Copy fees for civil court records in Perry County follow standard Indiana rates. Regular copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies add $3 per document on top of the page fee. The clerk takes cash, check, and money order for all payments.

When you need several documents from a single case, the cost can add up. A 10-page filing runs $10 for regular copies. Add $3 if you need the certified stamp. For mail requests, include enough to cover the full amount or call the clerk first for an estimate. Some people only request the key papers from a file instead of everything. That keeps costs lower while still getting the important records from the Perry County case.

Public Access to Perry County Civil Records

Administrative Rule 9 sets the rules for who can see court records in Indiana. These rules apply to all civil court records in Perry County. Court records are open to the public unless they fall into a specific excluded group under the rule.

Excluded records include adoption files, mental health records, and certain juvenile cases. Personal details like Social Security numbers and financial account numbers get removed from public copies of Perry County civil court records. If you need a sealed or excluded record, you can file a petition with the court. A judge may grant access after a hearing if you show good cause for needing the file. For the vast majority of civil cases in Perry County, the full case file is available to anyone who asks. You do not need to be a party in the case to see it. The court records rules page has the full text of the access rules that apply across Indiana.

Indiana Code 5-14-3 also provides a basis for public access. This law requires government agencies, including court clerks, to make records available when someone asks. The clerk has 7 days to respond after getting a formal request. Administrative Rule 9 and IC 5-14-3 work together to keep Perry County civil court records open to the public.

Civil Cases Filed in Perry County

Perry County courts hear many types of civil cases. The Circuit Court handles the full range of civil filings in the county. Small claims cases under $10,000 go through a simpler process but still create public records the clerk keeps on file.

Common civil case types in Perry County include contract disputes, property matters, debt collection, personal injury claims, and eviction actions. Family law cases like divorce, custody, and child support also go through the civil courts here. Each case type builds its own file with every paper both sides turn in during the process. Even a brief small claims filing becomes part of the public record that anyone can request from the Perry County clerk. Under Administrative Rule 9, most civil court records in Perry County are open to the public. The Indiana courts public records page has info on the types of records you can get from any county in Indiana.

Legal Help for Perry County Residents

Indiana Legal Help is a free resource with tools and forms for people who need guidance on civil court cases. It covers common case types and can point you to legal aid groups that serve Perry County and the rest of southern Indiana.

The Indiana State Bar has a lawyer referral service for anyone who needs an attorney near Perry County. Legal aid offices in southern Indiana may take civil cases at low or no cost for people who qualify based on income. Standard court forms for Indiana civil cases are on the state courts website. These forms work in Perry County and every other county in the state. The clerk office can tell you which forms you need for your specific case type.

Indiana Legal Help connects people to free legal resources across the state, including programs that serve Perry County residents who need help with civil court matters.

Cities in Perry County

Perry County has several small communities. Tell City is the county seat and the largest town. Cannelton and Troy are also in the county. All civil cases from these areas go through the Perry County Circuit Court in Tell City. The clerk office at 2219 Payne Street keeps all civil court records for the entire county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Perry County. Check the address tied to your case to make sure you file in the right county. Jurisdiction depends on where the events in the dispute took place or where the parties live.