Hendricks County Estate Records

Hendricks County probate court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Danville, Indiana. All estate filings, will probations, guardianship cases, and trust matters for Hendricks County residents are handled by the Circuit Court and kept on file at the courthouse in Danville. You can search Hendricks County probate records for free through the Indiana MyCase portal, which covers cases entered in the Odyssey system. For older records not indexed online, reach out directly to the clerk's office in Danville or check with the Indiana State Archives for estate filings from earlier decades.

Hendricks County Clerk Contact and Access

The Hendricks County Clerk is the official custodian of all probate court records in the county. The office is at the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville, Indiana. The clerk handles all estate filings, will admissions, guardianship petitions, and records requests for probate court documents. You can reach the clerk through the county website at co.hendricks.in.us.

When you visit the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville, the clerk can search probate court records by name or case number. Bring a photo ID. If you need older case files, the clerk may need some time to retrieve them from storage. For a large records request, call ahead so staff can prepare. The clerk handles both plain copies and certified copies of Hendricks County probate court records. Fees depend on the number of pages and the type of certification requested.

The Indiana Courts page for Hendricks County lists the local court structure, judges, and contact details for the clerk's office in Danville. Use this resource if you are unsure which division of the court handled a specific probate matter in Hendricks County.

Search Hendricks County Probate Records Online

Indiana MyCase is the main online tool for finding Hendricks County probate court records. This free portal is run by the Indiana Office of Judicial Administration and covers cases filed across all Indiana counties using the Odyssey system. Hendricks County uses Odyssey, so most current and recent probate filings show up on MyCase. Go to public.courts.in.gov/mycase to start searching.

Search for Hendricks County probate court records by the name of the deceased, the name of the petitioner, or by case number. You can also filter results by case type. Probate case types in Indiana include supervised estates, unsupervised estates, guardianships of minors, guardianships of incapacitated adults, trusts, and mental health matters. The case type filter helps you narrow results quickly on MyCase.

Not all Hendricks County probate records appear on MyCase. Cases filed before the county's transition to Odyssey may only exist in paper form at the Danville courthouse. For pre-digital filings, contact the clerk's office directly. Staff can search their indexes and pull older records from storage. For very old cases, the Indiana State Archives may hold transferred records.

Note: MyCase gives you docket entries and links to some documents but does not always show every paper filed in a Hendricks County probate case.

Hendricks County Probate Court Records by Type

Estate administration cases make up the largest share of Hendricks County probate court records. When a person dies with real or personal property, a family member or other representative may open an estate. Under IC 29-1-7-1, the probate court oversees the entire process, from the appointment of a personal representative to the final distribution of assets. The case file includes all petitions, notices, inventories, account filings, and court orders.

Will probation is another major category. When someone dies with a signed will, the will is filed with the Hendricks County Clerk and brought before the court. The judge reviews it to confirm it meets the legal requirements for a valid Indiana will. Under IC 29-1-7-3.1, if the court admits the will to probate, it becomes a public record. Certified copies of admitted wills are available from the clerk in Danville. Many people need certified copies to handle real estate transfers or other asset-related matters after a death in Hendricks County.

Guardianship cases in Hendricks County cover both minors and adults who cannot care for themselves. The probate court appoints a guardian and supervises the relationship through annual reports and periodic court reviews. All of these documents are part of the Hendricks County probate court records. Other case types include trusts submitted to the court, civil commitment proceedings, and adoption records that go through the probate court.

Requesting Copies of Hendricks County Probate Documents

You can get copies of Hendricks County probate court records in person at the courthouse in Danville or by mail. In-person requests are usually processed the same day for routine documents. Mail requests take longer but are a good option if you cannot travel to Danville. Include a written request with the case name, approximate filing year, and case number if you have it. Send the request to the Hendricks County Clerk at the courthouse in Danville.

Copy fees for Hendricks County probate court records are set by state law. Under IC 33-37-5-1, standard copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry a higher charge. The clerk will calculate the cost and let you know before you pay. For mail requests, include a check or money order and a self-addressed envelope. Under IC 33-37-5-3, additional service fees apply for certain court filings in a probate case. Ask the clerk to explain all charges before you submit a large order.

Older Hendricks County Probate Records

For Hendricks County probate court records that predate the digital system, the Indiana State Archives is the main source. The Archives holds historical court documents transferred from county courts across the state. Many early estate files and will books from the 1800s have been transferred to the Archives. Search the online catalog at researchIndiana.iara.in.gov to find out what Hendricks County materials they have.

The Indiana State Library in Indianapolis holds microfilm copies of some early Hendricks County records. If you are researching a family member's estate from the late 1800s or early 1900s, start with an online search of both the Archives and the State Library before contacting the clerk. The Hendricks County Historical Society in Danville may also have local indexes and references to historical probate records. These resources can save you time and help you identify the exact case before you make a records request.

Note: Very old will books and early estate records are sometimes fragile. The Archives and State Library may have restricted access rules for original documents and may only allow viewing of microfilm copies.

Probate Laws That Apply in Hendricks County

Indiana probate law under Title 29 of the Indiana Code controls all estate and guardianship cases in Hendricks County. The Hendricks County Circuit Court handles these matters since there is no separate probate court in Indiana outside of a few major counties. The circuit court judge oversees estate cases, will contests, guardianships, and trust matters filed in Danville.

The base fee to open a supervised estate in Hendricks County is $177. This amount is the same across all Indiana counties because fees are set at the state level. Other actions during a probate case may carry additional charges. The clerk in Danville can provide a complete fee schedule. Indiana courts also have a process to request a waiver of fees for parties who cannot afford them based on financial hardship. Ask the clerk about the waiver process if you need it when filing a Hendricks County probate case.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Hendricks County in Indiana. Each has its own clerk and probate court records system.