What are Ripley County Public Records?
Under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act or APRA, everyone has the right to inspect or copy official records created, collated, retained, filed, or stored by or with public employees and officials in Ripley County, Indiana. As well, the Act obliges government entities to provide such records to the public upon request. These public records include documents, papers, reports, sound recordings, photographs, reports, maps, studies, and so on, irrespective of their physical form or characteristics (I.C. § 5-14-3-2(o)).
However, despite Indiana's expansive public records law, not every government record is disclosable to the public. Indeed, there are a number of exemptions to the state's Public Records Act - and automatically, records held by government entities in Ripley County.
Non-disclosable records fall under two major categories in Ripley County: records that are confidential because of a statute or court rule/order and records that may be disclosed in whole or part at an agency's discretion. The former includes the following:
- Trade secrets
- Records deemed confidential by state law, such as patient treatment records, confidential motor vehicle records, juvenile court records, victim addresses, hotline calls, and school records.
- Records deemed confidential by a federal statute
- Confidential financial information about a company or person
- Social security numbers contained in a public agency's records
- Any photograph, video recording, or audio recording of an autopsy
- Records made confidential by an Indiana Supreme Court rule
- Grade transcripts and license exam scores
Meanwhile, the records with discretionary exemptions include:
- Law enforcement investigatory records
- The work product of a lawyer appointed or hired by a public body
- Certain information in a public employee's record or application
- Inter or intra-agency deliberative or advisory materials that express opinions or are used for decision-making
- Diaries, journals, or other personal notes
- A public employee's job performance evaluation kept in their personnel file
- Certain technical or administrative information that would jeopardize a record-keeping or security system
The complete list of non-disclosable or confidential records is available in the Handbook on Indiana's Public Access Laws published by Indiana's Office of the Public Access Counselor.
In addition to government agencies, some public records may also be accessible from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search, such as:
- The name of the subject involved in the record (subject must be older than 18 or not juvenile)
- The address of the requestor
- A case number or file number (if known)
- The location of the document or person involved
- The last known or current address of the registrant
Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Ripley County Crime Statistics
According to the Uniform Crime Report released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Ripley County recorded 38 crimes (14 violent crimes and 24 property crimes) in 2019. Of the 14 violent crimes, there were 12 aggravated assault cases and 2 rape cases, with no reported incidents of robbery or murder and nonnegligent manslaughter. On the other hand, the property crimes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson had 7, 12, 5, and 1 reported cases, respectively. Data pulled from the 2018 Uniform Crime Report indicates a 36.7% decrease in crime occurrences in Ripley County.
Are Ripley County Criminal Records Public?
Yes. Members of the public can obtain Ripley County criminal records (sometimes called criminal history reports) under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. Criminal records detail a person's arrests and convictions, including their full name, charge, plea, and arrest or conviction date.
Individuals interested in a Ripley County criminal record can contact the records custodian at the county level (the Ripley County Sheriff's Office) or state level (the Indiana State Police).
How to Obtain Ripley County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
Anyone who wants to obtain a Ripley County police report or arrest record should contact the Ripley County Sheriff's Office. Below is the sheriff's contact information and address:
210 North Monroe Street
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-5558
24-Hour Phone: (812) 689-5555
Fax: (812) 689-5418
24-Hour Fax: (812) 689-1307
Email: sheriff@ripleycounty.com
However, individuals requiring recent arrestees in Ripley County can check the Sheriff's Daily Arrest List. Information that can be obtained about an arrestee includes the arrestee's name (first, last, middle initial), age, address, arrest type, arrest number, arresting agency, booking number, and details about the offense (time/date, offense, statute, court, crime class).
Furthermore, if the request pertains only to arrest records, a person can retrieve felony and misdemeanor arrest information by searching the Indiana State Police's Criminal History Services website (FAQs). However, these records detail all arrests occurring to a person in the State of Indiana, not just Ripley County. Alternatively, an interested party can mail a request form to the Indiana State Police to obtain the arrest information:
Indiana State Police
Criminal History Limited Check
P.O. Box 6188
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6188
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Ripley County
The Ripley County Sheriff's Office maintains a publicly accessible sex offender registry to enable residents to determine the identities, appearances, and locations of sex offenders who reside or work within the county. The registry also serves to promote community safety.
Interested residents can search the registry to find registered sex offenders living within a one-mile radius of their addresses. One can obtain the following about a sex offender:
- Full name and aliases
- Photograph
- Offender status
- Offender level (e.g., sexually violent predator, sex offender, awaiting registration)
- Current address and other known addresses
- City and Zip Code
- Physical description (e.g., age, sex, race, hair, height/weight, eye color, hair color, and scars/tattoos)
- Registration number, including the registration start and end date
- Offense information, such as the conviction date and state, case number, and offense description
Residents can also subscribe to community notifications on the registry to receive email alerts each time a registered sex offender relocates nearby.
How to Find Ripley County Inmate Records
One way to retrieve Ripley County inmate records is to search the county sheriff's jail information website. On this site, a person can obtain a current list of inmates housed in the Ripley County jail. This list includes:
- The inmate's first name, last name, and middle initials
- The offense and its statute
- Booking number
- Name number
- Offense classification
Alternatively, an individual can visit or contact the sheriff's office to obtain Ripley County inmate records:
210 North Monroe Street
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-5558
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Ripley County Jail?
Any person who wishes to visit an inmate in the Ripley County jail must have their name signed up by the particular inmate. The Ripley County Sheriff's Office does not accept walk-in visitors or allow prospective visitors (e.g., friends and family) to set up visitations. Essentially, visitation to the Ripley County jail is by appointment alone.
Approved visitors must abide by the jail's visitation rules (which can be found on the sheriff's website) and comply with the visiting hours, which are as follows:
- Tuesday: 3: 00 p.m. to 9:55 p.m.
- Thursday: 3:00 p.m. to 9:55 p.m.
- Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 9:55 p.m.
Individuals can call the jail at (812) 689-3437 for more information.
Court Records
Ripley County's court system comprises the circuit and superior courts. The Ripley County Circuit Court and Ripley County Superior Court have original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases that may arise in the county. Below are the courts' locations and contact numbers:
Ripley County Circuit Court
Ripley County Courthouse
115 North Main Street
P.O. Box 445
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-6226
Ripley County Superior Court
Ripley County Courthouse
115 North Main Street
P.O. Box 801
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-5117
Fax: (812) 689-5043
Notably, the Ripley County circuit and superior courts also have appellate jurisdiction over the city and town courts within the county. City and town courts are limited jurisdiction courts that handle ordinance violations, misdemeanors, and infractions occuring within a city or town. An example is the Batesville City Court:
Memorial Building
132 South Main Street
Batesville, IN 47006
Phone: (812) 933-6102
Fax: (812) 933-6115
Are Ripley County Court Records Public?
Yes. Ripley County court records constitute public records under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. Hence, members of the public can request inspection or duplication from the records custodian, the court clerk. However, the custodian is not mandated to honor all court record requests because some records are confidential by law. One case in point is a juvenile court record.
How to Obtain Ripley County Civil Court Case Records
There are two ways to obtain Ripley County civil court case records - records generated during a civil proceeding or trial held in Ripley County. The first is to request the record from the Ripley County Clerk, the records custodian of civil case records generated in the county's superior and circuit courts.
The clerk does not charge a fee to inspect court records, but a nominal fee ($1 per page) is calculated to make copies. Each requester must have pertinent details about the record they seek - for example, a plaintiff's/defendant's name, case or citation number, etc.
The other option to obtain non-confidential Ripley County civil court case records is to search the Indiana Courts' case management system. Remarkably, there is a wealth of case information that a person can obtain just by inputting a name, an attorney's name or bar number, or a case/citation number into the system.
How to Obtain Ripley County Criminal Court Records
The procedure for obtaining Ripley County criminal court records - i.e., case records created during criminal court proceedings or trials - is similar to the one used to obtain civil court records (see above).
Thus, individuals wishing to obtain Ripley County criminal court records can search mycase.in.gov, the statewide repository for all criminal, civil, traffic, probate, appellate, and commercial court cases filed or heard within Indiana. An interested person can also submit a public records request for criminal court records to the Ripley County Clerk.
What are Ripley County Vital Records?
Ripley County vital records contain information about significant events in a county resident's life, such as divorce, marriage, birth, and death. The Ripley County Health Department and County Clerk maintain vital records in the county. Any interested individual can request copies of Ripley County vital records from these agencies.
Where and How to Obtain Ripley County Divorce Records
The Ripley County Clerk is the custodian for divorce records in Ripley County. Hence, anyone who wants to obtain a Ripley County divorce record (specifically a divorce decree) must contact or visit the clerk's office. The clerk charges $1 per page for copies of divorce decrees and $3 to certify each copy.
Besides obtaining divorce decrees from the Ripley County Clerk, requesters can also search the Indiana courts' mycase platform with a name or case number to retrieve information from divorce cases. For example, the date of a divorce.
Where and How to Get Public Ripley County Marriage Records
A marriage record proves that two individuals got married. In Ripley County, members of the public can obtain marriage records from the Ripley County Clerk at the following address:
Ripley County Courthouse
115 North Main Street
P.O. Box 177
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-6115
Fax: (812) 689-6000
The clerk assesses a $1 per page fee to make copies of a marriage record. Requesters can also obtain a certified copy of a marriage record for $3.
Interestingly, individuals can also search the Indiana State Library's Legacy Index to obtain marriage dates and spouse names. The tool retrieves information about marriage licenses obtained from 1993 to date as well as marriage records created before 1850 and from 1958 to the present day.
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Ripley County
Marriage records in Ripley County are considered public records. For this reason, any interested member of the public can request a marriage record from the official custodian, the county clerk. However, it is worth noting not all contents of a marriage record may be disseminated to the public, as a record can contain sensitive financial or personal information.
Where and How to Find Ripley County Birth Records
Ripley County birth certificates can be obtained through the Ripley County Health Department. However, a requester must have a documented and verifiable financial and legal interest (known as a direct interest) or an immediate direct kinship to the subject of the record.
According to the Indiana Department of Health, parties who can access Ripley County birth records include:
- The subject of the record, provided the party is 18 years or older
- A social agency
- State and federal agencies
- Relatives or family of the subject of the record, including
- Grandparents
- Parents
- Step-parent
- Child or grandchild aged 18 years or older
- Sibling aged 18 years or older
- Current spouse
- Aunt or uncle
- Court-appointed legal guardian
- Attorney of the subject of the record
Individuals can also request Ripley County birth records for genealogy purposes.
An eligible entity can download and fill out the Birth Certificate Application Form. Subsequently, the party should submit this form along with the items listed below to the Ripley County Health Department:
- A $25 fee payable by cash or money order
- A photocopy of the requester's driver's license or other acceptable ID
Where and How to Find Ripley County Death Records
People who can obtain death certificates in Ripley County include all those mentioned in the previous section for Ripley County birth records, plus:
- A niece or nephew of the certificate holder, so long as the individual is 18 years or older
- An assigned funeral home/director
- Any person with a legal interest
(A list of authorized persons and the additional documentation they may need to provide to acquire a Ripley County death certificate is available on the county health department's website.)
Generally, someone interested in obtaining a Ripley County death record must download and submit a completed Death Certificate Application form. Along with the form, the requester must also provide:
- A photocopy of their driver's license
- $20 for a certified copy or $5 for a computer printout
Requests for Ripley County death records can be submitted in person or via mail to the Ripley County Health Department at the following address:
102 West 1st North Street
P.O. Box 745
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: (812) 689-0508
Fax: (812) 689-0500
