Sullivan, Indiana Public Records

The Sullivan Superior Court has general jurisdiction as well, handling misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims actions (disputes under $6,000), traffic violations, protective orders, and shares civil and family law case loads with the Circuit Court. Both courts maintain case files that are generally open to public inspection unless sealed by court order. Indiana provides a statewide online court records search through the Indiana Judicial Branch's Odyssey portal called mycase.in.gov, which allows users to search civil, criminal, family, and probate cases by party name, case number, or attorney across all participating Indiana counties, including Sullivan County. The system displays case summaries, docket entries, party information, and sometimes scanned documents. To obtain certified copies of court documents, requests must be made to the Sullivan County Clerk's Office at 100 South Court Street, Suite 304, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4657). As of recent schedules, certified copies typically cost $1.00 per page after the first page, plus a $1.00 certification fee. Fees for filing new cases vary: small claims filing is approximately $85, while civil case filings can range from $156 to over $200 depending on case type and requested services.

The Indiana Bureau of Investigation offers additional resources for background checks and criminal history inquiries, ensuring that Sullivan County residents have access to necessary information for employment, housing, and other purposes.

The Assessor's website and Indiana's statewide property data portal allow residents to search parcel information by address, parcel number, or owner name, displaying data such as assessed value, property characteristics (square footage, year built, lot size), tax district, recent sales, and assessment history. Indiana provides online access to property assessment data through the Indiana Gateway Portal and many counties integrate with statewide GIS mapping systems. The Sullivan County Recorder's Office, located at 100 South Court Street, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-6009), records and indexes all land documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, easements, and other instruments affecting real property titles. Indiana law requires these records to be publicly accessible. Many Indiana counties, including Sullivan County, have digitized land records accessible online, often through third-party vendors; users can typically search by grantor/grantee name, document type, or parcel number and view scanned images of recorded documents. There may be a subscription or per-document fee for online access, though searching indexes is often free. The Recorder's Office charges fees for recording new documents, typically based on the number of pages. For in-person property research, the Recorder's Office maintains indexed deed books and tract indexes dating back to the county's formation in 1817. Sullivan County also offers a GIS parcel viewer that overlays property boundaries, ownership data, and tax information on aerial photography and topographic maps, accessible through the county's website or the Indiana Geographic Information Office.

Section Street, provides healthcare services to Sullivan and surrounding rural areas and employs medical professionals, nurses, and support staff. Retail and service businesses along State Road 54 and around the courthouse square serve both city residents and the broader county population. Agriculture remains significant to the regional economy, with corn, soybeans, and livestock production dominating the surrounding rural landscape; farm-related businesses and services contribute to Sullivan's commercial activity. The median household income in Sullivan County is approximately $48,000, below the Indiana state median, reflecting the rural and economically modest character of the area. Recent economic development efforts have focused on attracting light manufacturing, expanding broadband infrastructure, and revitalizing the historic downtown. While Sullivan lacks major industrial employers today, the city's location along State Road 54 and proximity to U.S. Route 41 provides access to regional markets. The economic vitality of Sullivan is closely tied to the health of Sullivan County's overall economy, and local officials continue efforts to promote business growth, retain younger residents, and support quality of life improvements that can attract new investment.

The Sullivan Police Department, located at 100 South Court Street, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4308), serves the incorporated city limits of Sullivan and maintains records of arrests, incident reports, accident reports, and calls for service within the city. Residents can request police reports in person at the department or by submitting a written request; certain reports may be available by phone depending on the nature of the incident. The department does not currently offer online report requests. For unincorporated areas of Sullivan County and countywide law enforcement services, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, located at 100 South Court Street, Suite 201, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4308), provides patrol, investigations, and detention services. The Sheriff's Office operates the Sullivan County Jail at the same address. Arrest and jail booking records for Sullivan County can be searched through the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office directly; Indiana does not maintain a unified statewide inmate search portal, so inquiries must be directed to the county jail by phone or in person. Booking information typically includes inmate name, booking date, charges, bond amount, and booking photo when available. Under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (Indiana Code 5-14-3-3), law enforcement agencies must provide access to most records within a reasonable time, though certain investigative records, juvenile records, and confidential informant information are exempt. Requesters should provide specific details about the incident, including date, location, and parties involved, and may be charged a copying fee for records exceeding a minimal number of pages.

The current fee for a certified birth certificate is $28 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy ordered at the same time; online orders incur an additional service fee. Processing time is approximately 4-6 weeks for mail requests and 2-3 weeks for online orders. Death certificates cost $28 for the first certified copy and $10 for each additional. Indiana law restricts access to birth certificates to the registrant (if of legal age), parents named on the certificate, legal guardians, and certain legal representatives; valid government-issued photo ID is required. Birth records in Indiana are available from October 1907 forward, and death records from 1900 forward. Marriage licenses in Sullivan County are issued by the Sullivan County Clerk's Office at 100 South Court Street, Suite 304, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4657). The marriage license fee is approximately $18 for Indiana residents and $60 for out-of-state residents; the license is valid for 60 days from issuance. Certified copies of marriage records can be obtained from the County Clerk for a fee of approximately $2 per copy. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Sullivan Circuit or Superior Court, available through the Sullivan County Clerk's Office as part of the case file. Indiana divorce records dating back decades are accessible, though older records may require in-person research. Requesters must provide names of both parties and approximate date of marriage or divorce to facilitate searches.

Fictitious business name registrations (Assumed Business Names or DBAs) in Indiana are filed with the county where the business operates; Sullivan County DBA filings are submitted to the Sullivan County Clerk's Office at 100 South Court Street, Suite 304, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4657). The filing fee is approximately $30, and DBAs must be renewed periodically. Indiana does not maintain a centralized online DBA search, so inquiries must be made directly with the County Clerk. For formal business entities such as corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and nonprofits, registration and annual filings are handled by the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The Indiana Secretary of State provides a free, searchable online database at in.gov/sos/business, where users can look up entity names, status (active, dissolved, merged), registered agent information, formation date, and file documents of record. Business entity searches can be conducted by business name or registered agent. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien searches, which reveal secured interests in personal property and business assets, are also filed with and searchable through the Indiana Secretary of State's UCC Division. Commercial property owners in Sullivan can look up their assessed property tax values and payment history through the Sullivan County Assessor's Office at 812-268-4558 or online through the Indiana Gateway property portal. Property taxes in Indiana are based on assessed value and local tax rates, with bills typically issued twice annually.

Elections for Sullivan, Indiana residents are administered by the Sullivan County Clerk's Office, located at 100 South Court Street, Suite 304, Sullivan, IN 47882 (phone: 812-268-4657). The County Clerk serves as the chief election officer for Sullivan County, overseeing voter registration, election administration, absentee voting, and vote tabulation for all federal, state, county, and municipal elections. Indiana residents can register to vote online through the Indiana Voter Registration Portal at indianavoters.in.gov, which is managed by the Indiana Secretary of State. To register, applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old by the next election, have lived in Indiana for at least 30 days, and not currently be imprisoned for a criminal conviction. The voter registration deadline in Indiana is 29 days before any election. Sullivan is an incorporated city with its own municipal government, including a mayor and city council. Municipal elections in Sullivan are held in odd-numbered years; the next city elections will occur in November 2027, when voters will elect the mayor and city council members. Candidate filings and local ballot measures are publicized by the Sullivan County Clerk and posted at City Hall. Sullivan residents vote at assigned polling places based on their residential precinct; voters can look up their polling location, sample ballot, and registration status at indianavoters.in.gov by entering their name and date of birth. Indiana does not offer universal mail-in voting, but absentee voting is available for specific reasons including being age 65 or older, having a disability, being out of the county on election day, working as a precinct election officer, or being a member of the military. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Sullivan County Clerk by mail or in person; the deadline is typically 11 days before the election for mail-in absentee ballots. Early in-person voting is also available at the County Clerk's Office beginning 28 days before Election Day. In the November 2024 general election, Sullivan County reported a voter turnout of approximately 58 percent, with around 8,500 ballots cast out of roughly 14,700 registered voters countywide. On November 3, 2026, Sullivan voters will participate in the statewide midterm elections, which will include races for all nine Indiana U.S. House seats, all 100 Indiana House of Representatives seats, 25 of the 50 Indiana State Senate seats, and various county offices including Sullivan County Council, County Commissioners, Sheriff, Clerk, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, Surveyor, Coroner, and Assessor. Indiana does not have a U.S. Senate seat or Governor's race on the ballot in 2026, as the next U.S. Senate election is in 2028 and the next gubernatorial election is in 2024. Public election records in Indiana include voter registration lists, which are available to the public for a fee through the County Clerk's Office or the Indiana Statewide Voter Registration System for lawful purposes such as political campaigns and election-related research. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political action committees are filed with and searchable through the Indiana Election Division at in.gov/sos/elections. Precinct-level election results are posted by the Sullivan County Clerk after each election and are available at the Clerk's Office and online through the Indiana Secretary of State's election results portal.