When you need to pull an arrest record for a specific name in Vanderburgh County, the records live across two separate systems: the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office holds booking-side records, while court-side case files run through Indiana’s statewide MyCase portal at Indiana MyCase docket search. The Vanderburgh County Courthouse sits at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708-1833, and the main court line is (812) 435-5000. The Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court handles in-person records requests from that address during weekday business hours — confirm hours before driving, as the Clerk’s phone lines can be slow to answer. Records-request fees are not posted online; ask the Clerk when you call.
If someone you know was just booked tonight, our Vanderburgh County inmate-search page has phone-first contact info.
Searching for records beyond Indiana
A Vanderburgh County search covers local filings, but arrests in other states or federal cases won’t appear in any Indiana portal. A nationwide preliminary scan may help surface records from prior addresses, name variants, or jurisdictions outside Indiana’s online window — useful when you need to verify what’s on your own record across every state you’ve lived in. The preliminary scan is free; a full report requires creating an account.
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How to look up arrest records in Vanderburgh County
“Records not found” in a standard search doesn’t always mean no record exists — it may mean the record was sealed or expunged and removed from public view. If you believe a record should appear but doesn’t, see the expungement section below for context on what gets removed and when. For records that are publicly available, Vanderburgh County gives you four concrete pathways.
MyCase — Indiana’s statewide court portal. MyCase at Indiana MyCase case records search is the fastest starting point for court-side records. Search by name or case number. The portal covers Vanderburgh County Circuit and Superior Court filings and shows case status, charges, and dispositions for cases that have progressed through the court system. MyCase does not show booking records — only what was filed with the court.
Vanderburgh County court records page. The Indiana Courts system maintains a Vanderburgh County court records page through the state judiciary’s local-court directory. This is the county-official entry point for verifying which courts handle which case types in Evansville and confirming contact details for specific divisions.
Sheriff’s Office inmate lookup and booking records. The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office inmate lookup shows current and recent bookings at the Vanderburgh County Jail, located at 3500 N. Harlan Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47711 — a separate facility from the courthouse. For booking records beyond what the online portal shows, call the jail directly at (812) 421-6200. Note that after a bond is posted, the system may take time to update — plan accordingly if you’re checking release status.
Clerk of Court — in-person records request. For certified copies of court records or records that predate the online window, visit the Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court at the courthouse, 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708-1833. The Clerk’s phone lines can go unanswered during business hours — try calling at different times or plan to visit in person. Bring a government-issued ID. Records-request fees are not published online; confirm the current fee when you contact the office. Room assignments inside the building may differ from older communications, so check the digital boards in the lobby or ask at the main entrance.
IDOC — Indiana Department of Correction lookup. If the person you’re researching may have served time in a state facility, the Indiana Department of Correction offender search covers state prison records. This is separate from the county jail system and won’t show Vanderburgh County Jail bookings.
Are Vanderburgh County arrest records public?
“The public may inspect and copy the public records of any public agency,” reads the core access guarantee in Ind. Code § 5-14-3 — Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA). Booking records, including booking photographs, are generally open to the public under that statute. Journalists, paralegals, and researchers requesting Vanderburgh County arrest records operate under the same framework as any individual: submit a written request to the relevant agency, identify the records sought, and the agency must respond within a defined timeframe.
For press and research requests, the practical path is the same as for personal records checks — the Vanderburgh County Clerk for court-side records, the Sheriff’s Office for booking-side records. Neither agency requires you to state a reason for a public-records request under APRA. If a request is denied, the statute provides an appeal path through the Indiana Public Access Counselor.
Default-public status has narrow exceptions. Sealed or expunged records are removed from public access entirely — a search that returns nothing may reflect a successful expungement petition rather than an absence of history. Juvenile records are confidential under Indiana law and do not appear in public searches. Victim-identifying information in certain offense categories is redacted before records are released. Ongoing investigations may also carry temporary restrictions on specific documents within a case file.
One practical note for researchers: MyCase and the Sheriff’s booking portal are updated on different schedules. A case that has moved through the court system may show a disposition on MyCase before the Sheriff’s booking record reflects it. Cross-referencing both systems gives the most complete picture of a given arrest’s trajectory.
What’s in a Vanderburgh County arrest record?
A single arrest in Vanderburgh County can generate records in more than one system simultaneously — and those records don’t always contain the same fields. Understanding which system holds which data saves time when you’re trying to build a complete picture.
The booking record, held by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, captures what happened at the jail: the booking date and time, the arresting agency, the charges as listed at intake, the bail or bond amount set, and the arrestee’s physical descriptors. The Sheriff’s inmate lookup at Inmate Lookup surfaces a subset of these fields for current and recent bookings. For older booking records, a direct request to the jail at (812) 421-6200 or a written records request to the Sheriff is the path forward.
The court docket, accessible through MyCase and at the Vanderburgh County Courthouse, contains the formal case record: the case number assigned by the court, the charges as filed by the prosecutor (which may differ from intake charges), all hearing dates, attorney of record on both sides, and the disposition — guilty plea, conviction after trial, dismissal, or acquittal. The Vanderburgh County Courthouse at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard is where the Clerk maintains the official paper record for cases that predate full digitization.
Mugshot release policy for the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office is not posted on the agency’s public-facing pages — call the Sheriff’s Office to confirm the current policy before assuming a booking photo is or isn’t publicly available.
A few distinctions matter when reading either record type. Charges listed at booking reflect what the arresting officer documented; the prosecutor may later file different or fewer charges. A disposition of “dismissed” on the court docket means the case did not result in a conviction — but the booking record may still appear in searches unless the arrest has been expunged. The two records live in different systems and are maintained by different agencies, so a gap between them is normal rather than an error.
How to expunge an arrest record in Vanderburgh County
Who qualifies to petition for expungement in Vanderburgh County, and what does the process actually require? The answer depends on the outcome of the underlying case and how much time has passed — but the framework is the same for everyone: Ind. Code § 35-38-9 (Indiana “Second Chance Law”) governs the entire process, and Vanderburgh County petitions are filed at the Vanderburgh County Courthouse, 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708-1833.
Indiana’s expungement law is tiered by offense type and outcome. The waiting periods and eligibility rules below come directly from the statute:
Arrest with no conviction. If you were arrested but never charged, or if the case was dismissed or resulted in an acquittal, you can petition to expunge the arrest record one year after the arrest date. Dismissals and acquittals are also eligible for automatic expungement — the order takes effect no sooner than 60 days after it is entered. This is often the most straightforward path, and it applies to a significant share of arrest records.
Misdemeanor conviction. A misdemeanor conviction can be expunged five years after the conviction date, provided you meet the eligibility criteria. The court must grant the petition if the statutory requirements are satisfied.
Class D or Level 6 felony conviction. The waiting period is eight years from the conviction date. As with misdemeanors, the court must grant a qualifying petition.
More serious felony convictions. The court may grant expungement after the later of eight years from conviction or three years from completing the sentence. The most serious felonies — including those requiring the prosecutor’s written consent — carry a waiting period of the later of ten years from conviction or five years from completing the sentence. Sex offenses, violent offenses, and official-misconduct offenses are excluded from the Second Chance Law entirely.
Indiana gives each person effectively one expungement petition per lifetime. All petitions in a given county must be filed together in a single filing — you cannot file for one conviction now and return later for another. Getting the timing right before you file is essential. Confirm the current statute text or ask the Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court before submitting your petition.
Filing fees apply; an indigency waiver path exists for those who cannot afford the fee — ask the Clerk about the waiver process when you inquire about fees. You may file the petition yourself (pro se) or with an attorney. The Indiana public defender locator can help identify representation options, and the Indiana Roll of Attorneys search at Indiana Roll of Attorneys attorney directory lets you verify any attorney’s license status.
After a successful expungement, the record is removed from public access — it will not appear in MyCase searches or Sheriff’s booking lookups. Law enforcement agencies retain access to expunged records for their own purposes. The practical effect for most people is that the record no longer surfaces in standard public searches.
Quick contacts for Vanderburgh County arrest records
| Resource | What it confirms | What it cannot confirm | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana MyCase | Court-filed charges, case number, disposition, attorney of record, hearing dates | Booking details, mugshots, pre-charge arrests, sealed/expunged cases | Search by name or case number; free public access |
| Vanderburgh County court records | Which courts handle which case types; division contact details | Individual case data — use MyCase for that | Use to identify the correct court division before visiting |
| Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office inmate lookup | Current and recent bookings at the county jail; intake charges; bond amount | Court dispositions, older booking records not in the online window | Call (812) 421-6200 for records beyond the portal |
| Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court | Certified copies of court records; records predating online access | Booking records — those live with the Sheriff | Visit 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN 47708 during weekday business hours; confirm hours before driving |
| Indiana Department of Correction offender search | State prison records for individuals who served time in IDOC custody | County jail bookings, court case details | Search by name at the IDOC offender lookup; free public access |
| Nationwide preliminary scan | May help surface records from other states, federal cases, or prior addresses not covered by Indiana portals | Cannot guarantee completeness; not a substitute for official county records | Use the form above; preliminary scan is free, full report requires account creation |
Sources verified 2026-07-21:
- Vanderburgh County court records — Indiana Courts local directory — county-official entry point for court division contacts and case access
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office — booking records, jail operations, and public safety information
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office inmate lookup — current and recent booking records at the county jail
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office — constable precincts warrants — tax warrant information by precinct
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office — commissary and trust fund deposits — inmate account deposit information
- Remote Public Records Search — Evansville/Vanderburgh County government — online records search access
- Indiana MyCase court records search — case filings, dispositions, and docket entries for all Indiana counties
- Indiana Department of Correction offender search — state prison custody records
Errors or outdated information? Submit a correction — we review and update within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions about Vanderburgh County arrest records
How do I find out what arrest records exist under a specific name in Vanderburgh County?
Run the name through Indiana MyCase for court-filed cases, and check the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office inmate lookup for booking records. MyCase shows charges, case numbers, and dispositions; the Sheriff’s portal shows intake-level booking data. If the name returns nothing in either system, the record may have been expunged — sealed records are removed from public searches entirely. For certified copies or records outside the online window, visit the Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708-1833, or call the jail at (812) 421-6200.
Can a Vanderburgh County arrest record be expunged, and how long does it take to qualify?
Yes — Indiana’s Second Chance Law (Ind. Code § 35-38-9) provides an expungement path for most arrest records. If the arrest resulted in no conviction, you can petition one year after the arrest date; dismissals and acquittals may also qualify for automatic expungement. A misdemeanor conviction requires a five-year wait from the conviction date; a Class D or Level 6 felony requires eight years. More serious felonies carry longer waiting periods, and some offense categories are excluded entirely. Indiana allows effectively one petition per lifetime, and all petitions in Vanderburgh County must be filed together at the courthouse. Confirm current requirements with the Vanderburgh County Clerk of Court before filing.
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