St. Joseph County Arrest, Court, and Public Records

Criminal Records

The St. Joseph County Police Department serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It processes requests for different types of records, including accident/police reports, inmate information, and criminal background checks.

How do I Get a Police/Accident Report

Incident reports are unavailable online. However, authorized persons can obtain records by submitting a request in person at the Records Division located at:

St. Joseph County Jail
401 W. Sample St, South Bend
Phone: (574) 245-6535
A $5.00 fee is charged for this service

How Do I Get a Background Check

Interested parties can request criminal background checks by visiting the county’s Records Division at:

St. Joseph County Jail
401 W. Sample St, South Bend
Phone: (574) 245-6535

The office opens to the public between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday. The department charges a $5.00 fee for requests. Applications must also include a valid government-issued photo ID.

How to Find Inmate Information

The St. Joseph County Police Department provides an online search tool that members of the public can use to search for person’s currently held in county jail. It provides general information, such as the inmate’s name, booking date, and release date. Similarly, the Indiana Department of Correction maintains a searchable online database that interested parties can use to find inmates in St. Joseph or the rest of the state. Searches made be done using first and last names or any known offender number. Residents may also be able to obtain information by contacting the department at:

Indiana Department of Correction
302 West Washington Street
IGCS, Room E334
Indianapolis, IN 46204

How to Find Sex Offender Information

The Indiana Department of Correction maintains a public registry that provides detailed information on individuals who have been convicted of a sexual or violent offense. Residents can conduct state-wide searches by name or zip code. Members of the public can also contact the department via mail at:

Indiana Department of Correction
Attn: Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry
302 W. Washington St.
Indiana Government Center South, E329
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2038

Who Can Request a Police Report

Not all arrest records and court records are open to the public. Access to some records may be restricted to only authorized applicants. Requests can be made by witnesses or victims of a crime, insurance carriers, or legal representatives of victims. Requests for juvenile information will typically require the permission of the juvenile court

Court Records

St. Joseph’s court system consists of circuit courts, superior courts, and city and town records. Residents can search online for court records using the Indiana Court Case Search platform. The public access site manages criminal, civil, family and case records for the different counties in the state. Similarly, the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court serves as the record keeper for circuit court records. Members of the public can request or vide public records in person at:

St. Joseph County Courthouse
101 S Main St
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9635
Fax: (574) 235-9838

County Services Building
219 Lincolnway W
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: (574) 256-6201
Fax: (574) 256-6225

Copies of court records for cases filed in the superior court can be obtained by visiting the courthouse location where the case was tried.

St. Joseph County Superior Court - Civil Division
Courthouse 1 101 S Main St
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9648
Fax: (574) 235-1863

St. Joseph County Superior Court - Criminal Division
Courthouse 3
129 S Main St
South Bend, IN 46601 Phone: (574) 235-5485 (Superior 1)
Phone: (574) 235-5484 (Superior 2 and 8)
Phone: (574) 235-9881 (Superior 3)
Fax: (574) 235-1816

St. Joseph County Superior Court - Mishawaka
County Services Building
219 Lincoln Way W
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: (574) 256-6202 (Civil)
Phone: (574) 256-6215 (Small Claims)
Phone: (574) 256-6330 (Traffic Violations Bureau)

St. Joseph County Superior Court - Traffic, Misdemeanor, and Small Claims Divisions
Courthouse 2
112 S Lafayette Blvd
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9794 (Small Claims)
Phone: (574) 235-9100 (Misdemeanor)
Fax: (574) 235-6603 (Misdemeanor)
Phone: (574) 256-6330 (Traffic Violations Bureau)

How to Obtain Probate Court Records

Public records of cases filed at the Probate Court can be obtained at the St. Joseph Probate Court Clerk office situated at:

1000 South Michigan Street
Juvenile Justice Center
South Bend, IN 46601

The office opens from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Vital Records

St. Joseph County provides access to vital records at the county and state level. Applicants may be required to present a valid government-issued photo I.D, such as a driver’s license or passport.

How to Find Divorce Records

Residents of the county can obtain copies of a divorce decree by contacting the Office of the Circuit Clerk at:

County Services Building
219 Lincolnway W
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: (574) 256-6201
Fax: (574) 256-6225

Applications must include the name of the spouses, the reason for the request, the county where the divorce occurred and the number of copies required. Older divorce records can be requested through the Department of Archives and Records located at:

St. Joseph County and City of South Bend Archives & Records
1140 S Lafayette Boulevard
South Bend, IN 46601

How to Find Birth/Death Records

County residents can obtain birth/death records directly at the local health department situated at:

St. Joseph County Health Department
County-City Building, 8th Floor
227 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 722
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 253-9638

Vital records can also be obtained at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). It serves as the central repository for birth and death records, with records of births from 1907 till date and deaths from 1900 till date.

Are Property Records Open to the Public in St. Joseph County?

In compliance with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, anyone can request property records in St. Joseph County. Under the act, the county's record keeper must entertain applications for property records and issue copies as requested. Interested persons may contact the Assessor's or Recorder's offices. Requestors must note that not all information is considered public. Under IC 36-1-8.5, record custodians cannot provide the names and addresses of "covered persons" in the county. The law describes covered persons as domestic violence victims, judges, and law enforcement officers.

Where and How to Find Property Records in St. Joseph County

The St. Joseph County Assessor's Office maintains records of all properties in the county. The Assessor's Office reviews all assessments done in the county and also advises township assessors accordingly. To obtain St. Joseph County property records, interested persons must contact the County Assessor's Office and provide a detailed description of the property. All requests should be submitted to the:

St. Joseph County Assessor's Office
227 W Jefferson Boulevard
3rd Floor
County-City Building
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9523
Fax: (574) 235-5554
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Mondays through Fridays

The St. Joseph County Recorder maintains permanent public real estate records, deeds, liens, mortgages, leases, plats, and other related documents. Persons seeking the aforementioned records, or other documents recorded with the Recorder's Office, should submit requests to the:

St. Joseph County Recorder's Office
227 W Jefferson Boulevard
Room 321
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9525
Fax: (574) 235-5170

Residents can also obtain property ownership information from the St. Joseph County Auditor's Office. Interested persons may reach out to the Auditor's Office for these records and related documents in its possession.

St. Joseph County Auditor's Office
227 W Jefferson Boulevard
County-City Building
2nd Floor
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9668
Fax: (574) 235-5024
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Mondays through Fridays

How to Look Up St. Joseph County Property Records

The St. Joseph County Recorder's Office has a Land Records Search page with options for finding property records. Interested persons may use the limited data search, which restricts the amount of information available to the users.

The Recorder's Office also collaborates with third-party vendors for more access. The Land Records Search page offers the Laredo search for companies or individuals that require frequent access to online records. The Laredo search provides digital images and a full index inquiry for all documents recorded since 1992. Users can also access a temporary index for same-day recording information. Available details on the temporary index include instrument number, grantor, grantee, document type, and date recorded. The Laredo search costs between $50 to $500 per month, depending on the number of minutes purchased. There is a $1 per-page copy fee.

The Land Records Search also features a Tapestry search for occasional users. This has a $6.95 search fee with no image-viewing or subscription fees. There also is a $1.50 image printing fee for the first page and $1.25 for each additional page. Using the Tapestry search requires a full name, document number, beginning and ending date, parcel number, subdivision, or document type.

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS