Martin County Public Records

Martin County public records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts and the Recorder's office at 129 Main St in Shoals, Indiana, covering court case filings, property documents, and other records open to the public. This guide explains how to find and access public records from Martin County offices and Indiana's connected online tools.

Martin County Clerk of Courts

The Martin County Clerk of Courts is at 129 Main St, Shoals, IN 47581. Phone: (812) 247-3651. The Clerk maintains official records for all cases in Martin County Circuit Court and any Superior Court, including civil matters, criminal cases, small claims, and family law filings. The Clerk can provide certified and plain copies of court documents from those files.

Martin County is one of Indiana's smaller counties by population. The Clerk's office handles a lower volume of filings than larger counties, but the services provided are the same. You can search for cases in person at the Shoals courthouse, or use the free statewide MyCase system online for case status and docket information. The Clerk also issues marriage licenses and handles passport applications for county residents.

Most records at the Clerk's office are public under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act. Sealed cases and juvenile records have access restrictions.

Court Records via MyCase and Indiana Courts Portal

Indiana's MyCase portal covers Martin County court records and is free. Search by party name, case number, or attorney. Results show case type, status, docket history, and hearing dates. No account is required. Use it as a first step for most routine case lookups before contacting the Clerk in Shoals.

The Indiana courts portal shown below provides guidance on what court records are publicly available statewide and how to submit formal records requests. This is a useful reference if you are unfamiliar with how Indiana's court record system works or if you need to understand what fees apply to copies.

For records that require more than a basic online search, the Clerk's office in Shoals is the right contact for Martin County filings.

Martin County Recorder's Office

The Martin County Recorder is at 129 Main St, Shoals, IN 47581, with a phone number of (812) 247-2350. The Recorder maintains all land and property records for the county, including deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, easements, and subdivision plats. Each recorded document is indexed by party name and by the legal description of the property.

Martin County's property landscape includes a mix of wooded land, agricultural parcels, and residential properties near the East Fork White River. All land transactions in the county get recorded with the Recorder's office. If you are researching property ownership or looking for recorded liens on a parcel in Martin County, the Recorder holds those records. In-person searches are available at the Shoals courthouse.

For remote document access, check whether Martin County is included in the Doxpop platform, which covers 47 Indiana counties and over 25 million documents. If available, you can search and retrieve document images without traveling to Shoals. Doxpop also offers a free Property Watch notification service for parcel monitoring.

Vital Records in Martin County

Certified birth and death certificates for Martin County residents are issued by the Indiana Department of Health, not the county Clerk. Birth certificates cost $10 and death certificates cost $8 per copy. Orders can be placed online, by mail, or in person at the state office. See www.in.gov/health/vital-records for instructions and required documentation.

Marriage licenses for Martin County are filed with the Clerk of Courts. Indiana's free Marriage License Public Lookup covers licenses issued statewide since 1993. You can search by either party's name to confirm a record. For a certified copy, contact the Martin County Clerk in Shoals.

Property Tax and Assessor Records

The Martin County Assessor maintains property assessment records for all parcels in the county. These are public records showing assessed values, property descriptions, and owner information. The Treasurer holds tax payment and delinquency data. Both offices are at the Shoals courthouse. Contact them for specific parcel information or to confirm whether the county has an online property search tool.

Martin County also has significant land owned by the government, including portions of the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center. This affects land ownership patterns in parts of the county. The Assessor can clarify which parcels are privately owned and taxable versus government-held.

Indiana Access to Public Records Act

Under APRA (IC 5-14-3-1 and IC 5-14-3-3), Martin County government agencies must respond to public records requests within seven business days. You have the right to inspect records at no charge. Agencies can charge for copies. Exemptions apply to sealed court files, law enforcement investigations, and certain personnel records.

If a Martin County office denies your request and the denial seems improper, contact the Indiana Public Access Counselor at www.in.gov/pac or (317) 234-0906. The Counselor provides free advisory opinions and helps individuals resolve access disputes with government agencies across Indiana.

Other Records Resources

Indiana State Police records can be requested at in.accessgov.com/isp-apra. Business entity registrations are searchable free through INBiz. The Indiana courts portal at www.in.gov/courts/public-records provides guidance on court record access statewide.

Office Contact Information

Cities in Martin County

Shoals is the county seat and largest town in Martin County. Loogootee is also a notable community. Neither meets the population threshold for an individual city page. Martin County is one of Indiana's more rural counties with a small total population.

Nearby Counties