If you have a name and need the arrest record behind it, Clinton County keeps those records in two distinct systems: court-side case files accessible through the Indiana Judicial Branch’s Clinton County court records portal, and booking records held by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office at Clintoncosheriff. The Clerk of Court’s office at the Clinton County Courthouse operates Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and Thursday 8:30 a.m.–noon. Records requests accept cash, money order, or credit card; a drop box on the right side of the courthouse handles after-hours payments.
If someone you know was just booked tonight, our Clinton County inmate-search page has phone-first contact info.
If your person has a history in other states
The Indiana court portal covers Clinton County cases well, but it won’t surface records from other states, federal cases, or arrests that pre-date the portal’s online window. A nationwide search may help fill those gaps when you need a more complete picture across multiple jurisdictions.
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How to look up arrest records in Clinton County
Weekday mornings are the most reliable window for reaching the Clinton County Clerk’s office — the Thursday half-day closes at noon, so plan accordingly if you need in-person assistance. The records-request fee is not published online; call the Clerk to confirm the current amount before visiting. Processing time for written requests varies; ask the Clerk when you call.
MyCase public-access search (court-side records). Indiana’s statewide portal at MyCase is the fastest online path. Search by name or case number. The Indiana Judicial Branch Clinton County page links directly to the search tool and lists the Circuit and Superior Courts serving Frankfort. MyCase shows case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions for cases filed in Clinton County courts. Note that MyCase reflects court filings — it does not display raw booking data from the jail.
Sheriff’s Office records request (booking-side records). Booking records — the arrest itself, the charges at intake, and any booking photo — are held by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s main office hours are 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. weekdays; the Communications Center operates around the clock. Visit the Sheriff’s Office website for current contact details, or call to confirm the records-request process before driving to Frankfort. Bring a photo ID with your current address.
Clerk of Court records request (in-person or written). The Clerk of Court at the Clinton County Courthouse maintains the official court file for every criminal case. For in-person requests, arrive during Clerk hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Thursday 8:30 a.m.–noon. The courthouse kiosk in the front lobby accepts cash and credit cards around the clock for fee payments. The drop box on the right side of the building accepts exact cash or money orders after hours. Call to confirm the current per-page fee before your visit.
Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) lookup. If the person you’re researching served time in a state facility rather than the county jail, the Indiana Department of Correction offender search covers state prison records. This is separate from the Clinton County Jail roster and covers sentences served at IDOC facilities statewide.
Frankfort Police Department records. Arrests made by Frankfort city officers are booked through the county jail but the originating report stays with the Frankfort Police Department. Their hours vary by source — confirm current hours before visiting, as parking is in the rear of the facility. The Indiana Judicial Branch Public Records page provides additional guidance on statewide records access if you need a broader search framework.
Are Clinton County arrest records public?
Under Indiana law, arrest records became public the moment the booking was completed — that default has been in place for decades. The controlling statute is Ind. Code § 5-14-3, Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act, which classifies booking records, including booking photos, as open to inspection by any member of the public. You do not need to state a reason to request them.
Sealed records are the narrow exception, not the rule. When a Clinton County court grants an expungement petition under Indiana’s Second Chance Law, the sealed case is removed from public view — MyCase will no longer display it, and the Clerk cannot confirm it to the public. Law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records, but the general public does not. A record that has been expunged is not the same as a record that was never created; the underlying arrest occurred, but the public file is closed.
Juvenile records carry their own separate restrictions. Arrests and adjudications involving minors are not open to the public under Indiana law. If a search returns no result for a juvenile-era arrest, that absence is expected and lawful.
Victim-protection redactions apply in certain cases. Addresses, contact information, and identifying details for protected witnesses or victims may be withheld from the copy you receive, even when the rest of the record is released. The charge and case number remain visible; only the protected fields are redacted.
Practically speaking: if a name search on MyCase or a Sheriff’s Office records request returns nothing, the record may have been expunged, may involve a juvenile, or may simply not exist in Clinton County. The Clerk can confirm whether a case file exists without disclosing sealed contents.
What’s in a Clinton County arrest record?
Arrest records in Clinton County exist in two parallel forms that don’t always match each other exactly — the booking entry created by the Sheriff’s Office at intake, and the court docket entry created when charges are formally filed.
The booking entry, held by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, typically contains: the arrestee’s full name and date of birth, the booking date and time, the arresting agency (Sheriff, Frankfort PD, Indiana State Police, or another department), the charges as written at intake, the bail or bond amount set at first appearance, and the booking photo. The Clinton County Courthouse is the physical location where these records are maintained and where in-person requests are processed.
The court docket entry, accessible through MyCase and the Indiana Judicial Branch Clinton County portal, contains: the case number assigned by the Circuit or Superior Court, the formal charges as filed by the prosecutor (which may differ from the booking charges), all hearing dates and continuances, the attorney of record for both sides, and the disposition — guilty plea, conviction at trial, dismissal, or acquittal.
Those two systems don’t always align. A booking charge of “battery” might become “domestic battery” in the formal filing, or might be dismissed entirely before a case number is ever assigned. MyCase will show no record if charges were never filed; the Sheriff’s booking log will still show the arrest. Checking both sources gives you the complete picture.
Arrest records in Indiana do not automatically expire or disappear from public view with the passage of time. A 1995 arrest that was never expunged is still retrievable today through the Clerk’s office or the Sheriff. Older records that pre-date the MyCase online window may not appear in the portal but remain in the physical court file at the Clinton County Courthouse — the Clerk can pull those on request. For mugshot release policy specific to Clinton County, contact the Sheriff’s Office directly to confirm current practice.
How to expunge an arrest record in Clinton County
The Clerk of Court at the Clinton County Courthouse is the filing authority for expungement petitions — every petition goes through that office, and Indiana law requires that all petitions in a given county be filed together in a single submission. The Clerk’s hours are Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Thursday 8:30 a.m.–noon. Plan your filing visit accordingly, and confirm the current filing fee before you go — the courthouse kiosk accepts cash and credit cards if you need to pay on arrival.
The governing statute is Ind. Code § 35-38-9 (Indiana “Second Chance Law”). It covers every tier of criminal record relief in Indiana through a single framework rather than separate sealing and expungement tracks.
Arrests without a conviction. If you were arrested in Clinton County but the case was dismissed or you were acquitted, the record qualifies for expungement one year after the arrest date. Dismissals and acquittals are expunged automatically by court order — the order takes effect no sooner than 60 days after it is entered. You do not need to wait for a conviction to pursue relief on a non-conviction record.
Misdemeanor convictions. A misdemeanor conviction can be expunged five years after the conviction date, provided you meet the eligibility criteria under Ind. Code § 35-38-9. The court must grant the petition if you qualify — it is not discretionary at this tier.
Class D / Level 6 felony convictions. The waiting period is eight years from the conviction date. As with misdemeanors, the court must grant a qualifying petition.
More serious felonies. The court may grant expungement after the later of eight years from conviction or three years from completing the sentence. The most serious felonies — and those involving official misconduct — require the prosecutor’s written consent and the later of ten years from conviction or five years from finishing the sentence. Sex offenses and violent offenses are excluded from the Second Chance Law entirely.
Indiana gives each person effectively one expungement petition per lifetime. Filing too early — before the applicable waiting period has run — can forfeit that opportunity. Confirm the current statute text or ask the Clinton County Clerk of Court before filing to make sure your timing is right.
You can file the petition yourself without an attorney. The Indiana Judicial Branch provides self-help resources, and the Indiana Public Defender Council can help identify whether you qualify for appointed counsel. If your record spans multiple counties, you must file a separate petition in each county where the conviction occurred. For attorney referrals, the Indiana Roll of Attorneys search lists licensed Indiana lawyers by county and practice area.
After expungement is granted, the public record disappears from MyCase and the Clerk’s public index. Law enforcement agencies retain access. Background checks run through official channels will not surface the sealed record for the general public — but the timing of database updates varies, so allow time after the order takes effect before assuming all third-party databases have updated.
| Resource | What it confirms | What it cannot confirm | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyCase statewide portal | Case numbers, formal charges, hearing dates, dispositions for Clinton County court filings | Raw booking data; records pre-dating the online window; sealed cases | Search by name or case number; no account required |
| Clinton County Sheriff’s Office | Booking records, intake charges, booking photos, bond amounts | Court dispositions; cases handled solely by municipal courts | Submit a records request in person or by mail; main office hours 8 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays |
| Clinton County Clerk of Court (Clinton County Courthouse) | Official court file, case history, expungement status confirmation | Sealed record contents; booking-side data | Visit during Clerk hours or call to confirm fee and request process |
| Indiana Department of Correction offender search | State prison sentences served at IDOC facilities | County jail bookings; cases that did not result in state incarceration | Search by name on the IDOC offender search tool |
| Indiana Judicial Branch Clinton County portal | Links to court records, local court contact information, e-filing access | Sheriff booking records; sealed cases | Use as the county-specific entry point to the statewide court system |
| Nationwide background search | May surface records from other states or records pre-dating the MyCase online window | Cannot guarantee completeness; not a substitute for official certified records | Use to identify gaps; verify any result against official county sources |
Sources verified 2026-07-26:
- Indiana Judicial Branch: Clinton County — county court portal, case search links, and local court contact information
- MyCase statewide portal — Indiana’s public case search covering Clinton County Circuit and Superior Court filings
- Clinton County Sheriff’s Office — booking records, jail information, and records-request process
- Indiana Judicial Branch: Public Records — statewide guidance on court records access and APRA framework
- Indiana Department of Correction offender search — state prison sentences and IDOC facility records
- Indiana State Police — statewide law enforcement records and background check services
- Ind. Code § 5-14-3 — Indiana Access to Public Records Act, governing default-public status of arrest and booking records
- Ind. Code § 35-38-9 — Indiana Second Chance Law, governing expungement eligibility, waiting periods, and petition procedures
- Indiana Roll of Attorneys — licensed Indiana attorney search by county and practice area
- Indiana Public Defender Council — public defender locator for expungement and criminal defense assistance
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Frequently asked questions about Clinton County arrest records
How do I find out what’s on my own Clinton County arrest record?
Search your name on MyCase to see what the court system shows — case numbers, charges, and dispositions for any Clinton County criminal case. For the booking record itself (the arrest entry, intake charges, and booking photo), contact the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office directly; their main office is open weekdays 8 a.m.–4 p.m. For a certified copy of the court file, visit the Clerk of Court at the Clinton County Courthouse during Clerk hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday 8:30 a.m.–noon. Call ahead to confirm the current records-request fee.
How do I get a Clinton County arrest record expunged under Indiana law?
File a verified petition with the Clerk of Court at the Clinton County Courthouse under Ind. Code § 35-38-9, Indiana’s Second Chance Law. If you were arrested but never convicted, you may petition one year after the arrest date. A misdemeanor conviction becomes eligible five years after conviction; a Class D or Level 6 felony after eight years. More serious felonies have longer waiting periods and may require the prosecutor’s written consent. Indiana allows effectively one expungement petition per lifetime, so confirm your eligibility and timing with the Clerk or a licensed attorney before filing. The Indiana Public Defender Council can help identify whether you qualify for assistance.
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