Find Divorce Decrees in Monroe County

Monroe County divorce decree records are maintained by Clerk Nicole Browne at the Monroe County Courthouse in Bloomington. You can search for divorce cases online using the statewide MyCase system or request certified copies directly from the clerk. The Monroe County courts handle all divorce filings from Bloomington and the surrounding area, and the clerk keeps records going back many years. Whether you need a copy for legal purposes or to look up a past case, this guide covers how to search Monroe County divorce decree records.

Monroe County Clerk of Courts

Clerk Nicole Browne runs the Monroe County Clerk of Courts office at the courthouse in Bloomington. Her office keeps divorce decrees and all civil court records for the county. You can reach her staff by phone at (812) 349-2614 or by email at nbrowne@co.monroe.in.us. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Walk-in requests are welcome during those hours.

The Indiana Judicial Branch page for Monroe County lists current court information including the courts that handle divorce cases. Monroe County has both a Circuit Court and Superior Courts. All divorce filings go through this system, and the clerk maintains all those files. If you are searching for a divorce decree from Monroe County courts, the clerk office is your main contact point.

The county also has a dedicated records request page with instructions on how to submit requests by mail or in person. Read it before you send anything so you have the right information and avoid delays.

Search Monroe County Divorce Records Online

Monroe County participates in the statewide MyCase Indiana system. This free tool lets you search divorce cases by party name or case number. The Monroe County Clerk confirms on its own site: "Citizens have access to case filings not precluded by Rules on Access to Court Records Rule 5." MyCase uses the Odyssey judicial tracking system to display court records from Monroe County. You can see filing dates, case status, hearings, and basic party information without going to the courthouse.

Monroe County also runs a separate Find My Case tool through its circuit court page. This is another way to look up divorce cases filed in Monroe County courts. Both tools are free and do not require you to create an account. Juvenile and mental health records are not accessible online, per court access rules. Standard divorce cases are open to search.

One important thing to know: cases filed in Monroe County before July 1, 2014 may not appear in the online system. If you are searching for older records, you will need to contact the clerk directly. Staff can look up older cases manually and tell you whether a record exists.

Note: Do not send payment until you receive confirmation from the Monroe County Clerk's office that your records request has been processed and a fee has been confirmed.

Monroe County Divorce Decree Copies and Fees

Certified copies of divorce decrees from Monroe County cost $3 per document. This is the statewide standard rate set by Indiana law since July 1, 2021. Page copies run $1 per page on top of that. So a certified single-page decree from Monroe County costs $4. Multi-page decrees cost more depending on the page count. The clerk can tell you the exact total before you pay.

You can get copies in person at Room 201 of the Monroe County Courthouse. Bring a photo ID. Payment options at the clerk office in Bloomington typically include cash, check, and credit or debit card, but check with the office before you arrive to confirm. Mail requests go to PO Box 547, Bloomington, IN 47404. Include a written request with the names of both parties, the approximate divorce date, any case number you have, and a copy of your ID.

Indiana Code IC 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act, covers how Monroe County handles public records requests. Divorce decrees are public records under this law. Anyone can request them, not just the parties to the case.

Indiana Divorce Law and Monroe County Filings

Divorce cases in Monroe County follow Indiana state statutes. IC 31-15-2-6 requires that one spouse live in Indiana for six months and in Monroe County for at least three months before the case can be filed here. If the residency rule is not met, the court will not have proper jurisdiction. Most people filing in Monroe County live in Bloomington or the surrounding area and meet this requirement easily.

Indiana's 60-day waiting period under IC 31-15-2-10 applies to every divorce filed in Monroe County. The court cannot finalize the divorce until at least 60 days after the petition is filed. Even uncontested cases with full agreements must wait. After the wait, the court schedules a hearing and, if everything is in order, signs the final divorce decree. That decree is the legal record that ends the marriage and becomes part of the Monroe County court file.

Monroe County courts also handle contested divorces where the parties disagree on property, custody, or support. Those cases may take months or longer to resolve. All filings and orders in those cases are part of the public court record in Monroe County and can be searched through the clerk.

Monroe County History Center Divorce Records

The Monroe County History Center maintains a divorce index for historical cases that researchers can use to track down older records from Monroe County courts.

The Monroe County Clerk records page above explains how to submit requests by mail or in person for divorce decrees and other court documents filed in Monroe County.

For older divorce records from Monroe County, the Monroe County History Center maintains a divorce index that researchers and genealogists use. This index covers historical cases that may not appear in any digital system. If you are researching a family history question or need records from many decades ago, the History Center may have an index entry that can guide you to the right court file.

The History Center is separate from the clerk's office. It does not issue certified copies. Once you find the case reference in the index, you take that information to the Monroe County Clerk and request the actual court documents. The two resources work together to cover both older and more recent divorce records from Monroe County.

Legal Resources for Monroe County Divorce Cases

Monroe County residents can get free legal help through Indiana Legal Help, which covers divorce forms, procedures, and referrals to local legal aid. The site walks through the divorce process step by step and includes links to court forms used in Indiana divorces. For in-person help, legal aid organizations that serve south-central Indiana may offer free or low-cost assistance based on income.

The Indiana Self-Service Center has downloadable court forms and plain-language guides on how to file for divorce in Indiana. It covers what to expect at each stage of the process and what documents you need. This is a good place to start if you plan to file on your own in Monroe County.

Note: None of these resources replace an attorney. For advice on your specific Monroe County divorce case, consult a licensed Indiana family law attorney.

Cities in Monroe County

Bloomington is the county seat of Monroe County and by far its largest city. All divorce cases from Bloomington and the rest of Monroe County are filed at the courthouse on N. College Avenue in Bloomington. Ellettsville is another community in the county. Bloomington does not have a dedicated city page on this site, but residents there follow the same Monroe County process described above.

Nearby Counties

Monroe County is surrounded by these Indiana counties. Each has its own Circuit Clerk for divorce records. File in the county where you or your spouse lives under IC 31-15-2-6.