Brownsburg Probate Court Records Search

Brownsburg probate court records are held by Hendricks County, not the Town of Brownsburg. All wills, estate administrations, guardianship petitions, and trust filings for Brownsburg residents are maintained by the Hendricks County Clerk in Danville, the county seat. Danville is about 12 miles west of Brownsburg. You can search Brownsburg probate records online at no cost through Indiana's MyCase portal. For certified copies of wills, letters testamentary, or guardianship orders not available digitally, contact the Hendricks County Clerk in Danville or submit a written request by mail.

Which Court Handles Brownsburg Probate

Brownsburg is a town in Hendricks County. Probate jurisdiction in Indiana rests entirely at the county level. There are no town or city probate courts. When someone who lived in Brownsburg passes away, their estate is opened at the Hendricks County Circuit or Superior Court in Danville, the county seat. The Hendricks County Clerk is the official record keeper for all these cases.

Brownsburg does not have its own probate court or clerk that handles estate matters. Under IC 29-1-7-1, probate venue is fixed at the county where the decedent last resided. Brownsburg residents' estates are Hendricks County cases. The same is true for Plainfield and other Hendricks County communities. All Hendricks County probate cases go through the same clerk's office in Danville.

Hendricks County converted to the Odyssey Case Management System in October 2011. The county has a dedicated Appeal/Probate Clerk, Melanie Raleigh, who focuses specifically on probate matters. That is a useful contact for Brownsburg residents who have estate questions.

Hendricks County Clerk Contact Information

Marjorie Pike is the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts for Hendricks County. For probate matters related to Brownsburg residents, contact this office.

• Address: 51 W Main St, Suite 104, Danville, IN 46122
• Main Phone: (317) 745-9231
• Court Records Clerk: (317) 745-9705
• Appeal/Probate Clerk: Melanie Raleigh
• Chief Deputy Phone: (317) 745-9296
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A couple of practical notes for visitors: You can only enter the Hendricks County Courthouse through the West Security Entrance. Cell phones are prohibited in Superior Court 5. If you are picking up probate records rather than filing, you typically do not need to go into the courtroom. The clerk's office handles most requests in Suite 104. Ask for Melanie Raleigh or the Appeal/Probate section when you arrive for probate-specific requests.

Search Brownsburg Probate Records Online

The Indiana MyCase portal covers Hendricks County cases going back to October 2011 when the county joined the Odyssey system. The portal is free and searchable by party name, case number, or attorney. For Brownsburg estate cases, use the decedent's last name as a search term. Results show case summaries, docket entries, party names, and in some cases document links.

If you need documents not available through MyCase, contact the clerk at (317) 745-9231 or email the Court Records Clerk at bott@co.hendricks.in.us. The Hendricks County Clerk page provides current fee schedules, office rules, and links to county court information.

For probate records from before October 2011, an in-person visit to the courthouse is required. Paper indexes and older case files are maintained at the clerk's office but are not in the electronic system. Staff can assist with locating older records during office hours.

Types of Probate Records in Brownsburg

The Hendricks County Clerk's Office explicitly lists estates (probates) and guardianships among the case types it maintains. For Brownsburg residents, these are the records you can access:

• Estates (Probates): Wills admitted to probate, estate inventory, creditor claims, final accounting, and distribution records
• Guardianships: Court-appointed oversight for minors and adults who cannot manage personal or financial affairs
• Civil matters: Trust-related petitions and creditor claims filed as civil actions
• Marriage licenses: Issued by the clerk's office during regular hours (stops at 3:30 p.m.)
• Paternity cases: Filed alongside family law matters in the same court system

Estate records have permanent retention in Indiana. This means Brownsburg estate files from decades past are still accessible at the clerk's office. Guardianship records are also permanently retained. Other record types may have shorter schedules. When searching for an older relative's estate, the records should be available regardless of how long ago the case was filed.

Probate Filing Fees in Hendricks County

Filing a probate case for a Brownsburg resident costs $177 in Hendricks County. This statewide fee is set by IC 33-37-4-7. The breakdown: $120 Probate Costs Fee, $20 Automated Record Keeping, $20 Judicial Salaries, $5 Court Administration, $5 Document Storage, $5 Public Defense Administration, $1 Judicial Insurance Adjustment, and $1 Pro Bono Legal Services.

Copy fees run $1.00 per page under IC 33-37-5-1. Certification of documents costs $3.00 per document under IC 33-37-5-3. In Hendricks County, e-filing is required for attorneys. Self-represented parties may file in person during office hours. Court fees can be paid online at Indiana's payment portal.

How to Get Copies of Brownsburg Probate Records

To get probate records from Hendricks County for a Brownsburg estate or guardianship case, follow these steps:

In person: Drive to 51 W Main St, Suite 104, Danville. Danville is roughly a 15-minute drive from Brownsburg. Enter only through the West Security Entrance. Bring the decedent's full name and any case number or approximate date. The clerk can search even with just a name.

By phone or email: Call (317) 745-9231 or (317) 745-9705. Email bott@co.hendricks.in.us for the Court Records Clerk or mpike@co.hendricks.in.us for the Chief Deputy. Confirm a case exists before driving out.

Online: Search MyCase first. For documents not available digitally, contact the clerk. Pay fees through Indiana's court payment portal.

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

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