Clay County Public Records
Clay County public records are held by the clerk and recorder offices in Brazil, Indiana, and span court case files, property documents, marriage licenses, and other official government files. This guide explains how to search and obtain Clay County public records online and in person.
Clay County Quick Facts
Clerk of Courts
The Clay County Clerk is at 609 E National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834. Phone: (812) 448-9024. The clerk's office holds all court case files for the county, including criminal, civil, family, small claims, and probate matters. Staff can search records by name or case number and provide copies of filed documents. Copy fees are typically $1 per page, with an additional charge for certified copies.
Indiana's free MyCase portal at public.courts.in.gov/mycase lets you check Clay County cases at no cost. Search by party name or case number to see filing dates, case status, parties, and hearing information. This is a good first step before making a formal request or visiting the courthouse in Brazil.
Marriage licenses issued by the Clay County Clerk are searchable through the Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL for records from 1993 forward. The clerk's office has older records and can provide copies on request.
Property Records and the Recorder
The Clay County Recorder is at 609 E National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834. Phone: (812) 448-9036. All recorded land documents for Clay County are maintained here, including deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, and easements. These records establish a property's ownership history and any encumbrances attached to it.
Doxpop at doxpop.com covers Clay County recorder and court records as part of its 47-county Indiana database. More than 25 million documents are indexed in the system. Index searches may be free; document image access may carry a small per-page charge. The free Property Watch feature from Doxpop notifies you when a new document is filed against your property.
Vital Records
Birth and death certificates for Clay County are issued by the Indiana Department of Health Vital Records office, not the county. Go to in.gov/health/vital-records to order by mail or in person. Birth certificates cost $10 and death certificates cost $8. You will need to show a government-issued ID and may need proof of your relationship to the person on the record.
Divorce records and dissolution orders are held by the Clay County Clerk as court proceedings. Search through MyCase or request copies at the courthouse in Brazil. For older family records, local libraries and genealogical organizations may have supplemental historical material.
Public Records Requests Under APRA
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, IC 5-14-3-1 and IC 5-14-3-3, gives you the right to inspect or copy most Clay County public records. No reason is required. In-person and verbal requests must be answered within 24 hours; written requests within seven days. If a record is not immediately available, the agency should explain why and give a timeline.
The INBiz business search portal is one of several state-level tools available to Clay County residents researching Indiana public records.
INBiz is free to use and covers all business entities registered with the Indiana Secretary of State, including those with operations in Clay County.
If you have trouble getting records or a request is denied without a valid reason, contact the Indiana Public Access Counselor at in.gov/pac. Phone: 317-234-0906. Email: pac@opac.in.gov. The PAC provides free guidance and can issue advisory opinions on records access disputes.
Other Online Resources
Business entity records for Indiana companies are searchable for free at inbiz.in.gov. Find LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits by name or registered agent. For local DBA filings in Clay County, check with the recorder's office at (812) 448-9036.
Indiana State Police records are available through in.accessgov.com/isp-apra. For Clay County Sheriff records, contact that office directly in Brazil. The Indiana Courts guide at in.gov/courts/public-records explains access to appellate court records above the county level.
| Clay County Office Directory | |
|---|---|
| Clerk Address | 609 E National Ave, Brazil, IN 47834 |
| Clerk Phone | (812) 448-9024 |
| Recorder Address | 609 E National Ave, Brazil, IN 47834 |
| Recorder Phone | (812) 448-9036 |
| Online Records | Doxpop (court records, recorder documents) |
| Court Search | MyCase (free) |
| Vital Records | Indiana Dept of Health |
Cities in Clay County
Brazil is the county seat and largest city in Clay County. Other communities include Knightsville, Center Point, and Staunton. None of the cities in Clay County exceed the population threshold for a dedicated city page. Public records for all Clay County communities are filed through the county clerk and recorder offices in Brazil.
Nearby Counties
Clay County is in west-central Indiana, bordered by four other counties with their own public records systems.