Bartholomew County Court Records
Bartholomew County court records are kept by the Clerk of Courts in Columbus, Indiana. Shari Lentz serves as the elected clerk, with Julie Robertson as chief deputy. The clerk has a wide range of duties covering court payments, record keeping, voter registration, and child support payments. You can search Bartholomew County court records online through the statewide MyCase portal or request documents from the clerk office in person. Both methods give you access to public filings and case information.
Bartholomew County Quick Facts
Bartholomew County Clerk Office
The Bartholomew County Clerk's Office handles all court filings and record keeping for the county courts in Columbus. Shari Lentz was elected to this post, and her staff manages a wide range of duties. The clerk collects court payments, processes filings, and maintains case records. They also handle voter registration and child support payments through a statewide tracking system.
Visit the Bartholomew County Clerk page for details on services and how to reach the office. You can reach the clerk by phone at 812-379-1600. The office accepts payments for criminal cases and traffic tickets through different channels. Criminal payments can be made online through mycase.in.gov, and traffic ticket payments go through public.courts.in.gov. Child support payments are cash only at the drop box.
| Clerk | Shari Lentz |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | Julie Robertson |
| Phone | 812-379-1600 |
| Website | bartholomew.in.gov |
Note: The Bartholomew County Clerk's Office no longer does genealogy searches.
Search Court Records in Bartholomew County
The main way to search Bartholomew County court records online is through the MyCase search portal. This statewide system covers all 92 Indiana counties. You can look up cases by name, case number, or other details. The system shows case summaries, filing dates, parties, and some documents. It is free to use and open to anyone.
Some types of court documents are available as links in the case summary for the public without signing in. Under IC 5-14-3-3, any person may inspect and copy public records during regular business hours. The Bartholomew County courts use the Odyssey Case Management System, which feeds into MyCase. Electronic access to court information is restricted by federal and state law in addition to court rules and orders, so not everything will show up online.
The Indiana court system page for Bartholomew County has more details on the local courts, including judges, contact info, and filing requirements.
Bartholomew County Historical Records
In August 2017, the Bartholomew County Clerk's office transferred many old probate, civil, criminal order, and other miscellaneous books to the Indiana State Archives building at 6440 E. 30th St, Indianapolis, IN 46219. If you are looking for older court records from Bartholomew County, they may be at the state archives instead of the local clerk office. The Research Indiana portal can help you find archived records.
More recent Bartholomew County court records are still at the clerk office in Columbus. The cutoff between what is local and what went to the archives depends on the record type. Call the clerk at 812-379-1600 to ask about a specific case. If your records have been transferred, the state archives staff can help you find them and get copies.
Public Access to Bartholomew County Cases
Court records in Bartholomew County are public under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (IC 5-14-3). The court does not need your consent to make your court cases or records available online. Rule 4 of the Indiana Rules on Access to Court Records states that records are accessible to the public except as provided in the rules. Rule 5 lists records excluded from public access, such as juvenile records, mental health records, and adoption records.
If the document you need is not available online, contact the Bartholomew County clerk office. Staff can pull files and make copies for you. There is usually a per-page fee for copies and a higher fee for certified copies. Agencies must respond to records requests within a reasonable time under IC 5-14-3-8. For Bartholomew County, this is typically within seven business days.
The Indiana Legal Help website has free forms and guides on topics like family law, estates, and other court matters that produce records in Bartholomew County.
Note: Financial information shown on MyCase may not reflect the most recent payments to the Bartholomew County clerk.
Cities in Bartholomew County
Bartholomew County is home to Columbus, the county seat and the largest city. All court cases in the county are filed through the Bartholomew County Clerk's Office in Columbus. Other communities include Hope, Edinburgh (partly), and Hartsville.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Bartholomew County. Court records must be searched in the county where the case was filed. Make sure you have the right county before starting your search.