Find Probate Records in Bloomington

Bloomington probate court records are maintained by Monroe County, not the City of Bloomington. Wills, estate administration cases, guardianships, conservatorship filings, and trust proceedings for Bloomington residents are all filed and stored with the Monroe County Clerk. Bloomington is the county seat, so the courthouse and clerk's office are located right in the city. You can search Bloomington probate court records for free using the Indiana MyCase portal, or visit the Monroe County Courthouse in person to look up a specific case and request copies of documents you need.

Which Court Handles Bloomington Probate

Bloomington is the county seat of Monroe County, and all probate matters for Bloomington residents go through the Monroe County Circuit and Superior Courts. Indiana does not have city-level probate courts. Under IC 29-1-7-1, probate must be filed in the county where the decedent lived at the time of death. Bloomington residents' estates therefore go to Monroe County.

The Bloomington City Clerk serves as the official record keeper for city council records, ordinances, resolutions, and other municipal documents. City Clerk Nicole Bolden's office is at 401 N Morton St, Suite 110, Bloomington, IN 47404, phone 812-349-3408. The city clerk does not maintain court records, probate files, or vital records. For election matters in Bloomington, contact the Monroe County Clerk's Office, not the City Clerk.

Monroe County handles a steady volume of probate cases each year given Bloomington's substantial population. Estates range from simple personal property situations to more complex cases involving real estate, business interests, or contested wills. All are filed at the county level through the Monroe County Circuit Court.

Monroe County Circuit Court Contact

The Monroe County Clerk's Office is located in the Monroe County Courthouse in Bloomington.

Address: 100 W Kirkwood Ave Suite 214, Bloomington, IN 47404
Phone: (812) 349-2614
Hours: Monday through Friday, standard county business hours

The Monroe County Clerk maintains court records for all case types in Monroe County. This includes probate cases (wills, estates, guardianships), civil and criminal cases, and marriage licenses. The county's main website is at co.monroe.in.us. The county judicial information page is at in.gov/courts/local/monroe-county.

If you plan to visit in person, call ahead to confirm current hours and ask which window handles probate case records. Staff can look up cases by name or case number in the Odyssey system and arrange copies during your visit. Bring identifying information and payment for any copies you need.

Search Bloomington Probate Records Online

Monroe County uses the Odyssey case management system, which means Bloomington probate cases are searchable through the free Indiana MyCase portal. You can search by name, case number, or date range. MyCase shows case summaries, party names, and hearing information for most active and recent cases.

To search: go to public.courts.in.gov/mycase, select Indiana, choose Monroe County, and enter the search term. Case types to look for include ES (estate), GU (guardianship), and TR (trust). If you find the case, note the number and contact the Monroe County Clerk to request document copies.

The Bloomington City Clerk's website, shown in the screenshot below, covers city functions. Probate matters are not city functions. For probate records, use MyCase or contact the Monroe County Clerk at (812) 349-2614.

Monroe County maintains all estate and guardianship records for Bloomington residents at the courthouse located at 100 W Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404.

Types of Probate Records in Bloomington

Monroe County Circuit Court maintains the full range of probate records for Bloomington residents. This includes wills filed for safekeeping before or after death, petitions to open an estate, supervised and unsupervised administration files, letters testamentary and letters of administration, inventory and appraisement documents, guardianship cases for minors and adults, conservatorship proceedings, and trust proceedings. Adoption records may also be filed here, though many are sealed.

Bloomington has a large university population, which creates some unique probate situations. Students and young adults who pass away unexpectedly, out-of-state residents who own property near Indiana University, and retirees who have moved to Bloomington all generate estate cases in Monroe County. The county processes these cases through the same court as all other Indiana counties, applying Indiana Code Title 29 throughout.

The Indiana State Archives at 6440 E. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN 46219 holds older Monroe County probate records that have been transferred from the courthouse. The online catalog at researchIndiana.iara.in.gov allows you to search for historical probate books and documents. This is the best resource for records predating the Odyssey system.

Probate Filing Fees

Filing fees for Indiana probate cases are uniform across the state. Opening a standard estate in Monroe County costs approximately $177. This is based on the $120 Probate Costs Fee under IC 33-37-4-7 plus additional court costs that are added to reach the total.

Record copies cost $1.00 per page under IC 33-37-5-1. Certified copies add $3.00 per document under IC 33-37-5-3. Court fines and fees can be paid online through publicaccess.courts.in.gov/pay.

How to Get Copies of Probate Records

Getting Bloomington probate records is a straightforward process once you know which office to contact.

In person: Visit the Monroe County Clerk at 100 W Kirkwood Ave Suite 214, Bloomington, IN 47404. Phone is (812) 349-2614. Regular hours are Monday through Friday. Staff can look up cases in Odyssey and produce copies on the spot. Bring a case number or the decedent's full name. Pay at the counter.

By phone or mail: Call (812) 349-2614 to ask about a specific case. Confirm the mail request process before sending anything. Some clerks' offices require a written request with identifying information and a payment method, either a check or money order, before processing mail orders.

Via MyCase: Search public.courts.in.gov/mycase to find the case first. Some document images are directly accessible. For anything not online, follow up with the clerk.

For full Monroe County probate court information, visit our Monroe County probate records page.

Nearby Cities