Tippecanoe County People Search
Tippecanoe County people search records can be found through several public offices based in Lafayette. The county is home to roughly 189,000 people, including the Purdue University community in West Lafayette. Court records, property filings, and vital records are all maintained by separate county offices, and Indiana's Access to Public Records Act under IC 5-14-3 gives you the legal right to request most of them. Whether you need to look someone up by name in the court system or check property ownership through the recorder, Tippecanoe County has the tools to help.
Tippecanoe County Quick Facts
Tippecanoe County Clerk People Search
The clerk is where most people start a people search in Tippecanoe County. Julie Roush is the current clerk. Her office handles all court case records filed in Tippecanoe County courts. That includes civil cases, criminal matters, family law filings, and small claims. If a person has been part of a case here, the clerk has the file.
The office sits at 301 Main Street, 2nd Floor, in Lafayette. Regular hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. On the first Tuesday of each month, the office stays open until 6:30 PM. That extended hour is useful if you work during the day and need to visit in person. Call 765-423-9326 with questions or to check on a record before you drive over.
| Clerk | Julie Roush |
|---|---|
| Address | 301 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lafayette, IN 47901 |
| Phone | 765-423-9326 |
| Hours | M-F 8:00-4:30 (First Tue until 6:30) |
| Website | tippecanoe.in.gov/202/Clerk |
The clerk's website lists forms, contact info, and details on how to request case records. For a people search, start here and then branch out to the other offices described below.
Lafayette Court Records Search
MyCase is the best free tool for a court-based people search in Tippecanoe County. The state of Indiana runs this system at public.courts.in.gov/mycase. Type in a name and it shows all cases tied to that person across every Indiana county, including Tippecanoe. The search covers civil, criminal, traffic, and family cases. It is free. No account is needed.
Results show the case type, the filing date, and the current status. You can click into a case to see the parties, the judge, and a timeline of what has been filed. This makes it easy to check on someone fast. For people who live in Lafayette or West Lafayette, MyCase picks up their cases in the Tippecanoe County courts. If the same person had a case in another county, that shows up too.
Tippecanoe County also has its own court records page on the county website. This page gives you background on how the courts work and links to related tools. Between the county page and MyCase, you can handle most court record people searches without leaving home.
Tippecanoe County Recorder Search
Property records add depth to a people search. The Tippecanoe County Recorder keeps deeds, mortgages, liens, and other legal documents. Kristy Martin is the current recorder. The office is at 20 N 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, in Lafayette. Call 765-423-9352 with questions.
The recorder's website has details on how to search their records and request copies. When someone buys or sells a home in Tippecanoe County, the deed goes through this office. Liens show up here too. If a person owes money and a creditor files a lien, that record is public. These documents tie a name to an address and a specific piece of property, which is useful for confirming where someone lives or has lived.
| Recorder | Kristy Martin |
|---|---|
| Address | 20 N 3rd St, 2nd Floor, Lafayette, IN |
| Phone | 765-423-9352 |
| Website | Tippecanoe County Recorder |
Under IC 5-14-3, all recorded documents are public. You can visit the office in person or use their online tools to search by name. The recorder's records go back decades, so even older filings may be available.
Tippecanoe Property People Search
Tippecanoe County uses the Beacon GIS system for property lookups. Visit beacon.schneidercorp.com and select Tippecanoe County to get started. The system lets you search by owner name, parcel number, or address. It pulls up the property on a map and shows you the owner, the assessed value, and the tax details.
This is free to use. It works well for a people search because you can type in a name and see every parcel that person owns in the county. The map view shows where the property sits, and you can zoom in to see boundaries and nearby lots. Between the Beacon tool and the recorder's records, property searching in Tippecanoe County is thorough and accessible.
Tippecanoe County Vital Records
The Tippecanoe County Health Department keeps birth and death records going back to 1882. That is a deep archive. The department is at 1950 S 18th Street in Lafayette. Call 765-423-9221 for help. You can also visit the vital records page on the county website for details on how to request certificates.
Birth and death certificates cost $15 each. You can request them in person or by mail. Some restrictions apply to birth certificates. Recent records may only be released to the person named on the certificate, a parent, or a legal representative. Death records are generally more open. For a people search, a death record can confirm dates and next of kin. A birth record can verify a person's full legal name.
Marriage licenses come through the clerk's office. The fee is $29 for Indiana residents and $69 for non-residents. Certified copies of marriage records cost $4 each. Marriage records are used in a people search to track name changes and confirm family connections. These are public documents under Indiana law.
- Birth certificate: $15
- Death certificate: $15
- Marriage license (residents): $29
- Marriage license (non-residents): $69
- Certified marriage copy: $4
Open Records Law People Search
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act is the legal backbone of any people search in Tippecanoe County. Under IC 5-14-3, you can ask for records held by any county office. You do not need to give a reason. You do not need to show ID for most requests. The law puts the burden on the county to explain why a record should be withheld, not on you to justify why you want it.
Most records people search for are available. Court case files, property deeds, recorded documents, and marriage records are all open. There are limits on sealed court cases and certain records involving minors. If a Tippecanoe County office turns you down, ask for the denial in writing. They must cite the specific section of law that allows it. You can then take the matter to the Indiana Public Access Counselor if you believe the denial was wrong.
State-Level People Search Tools
Two Indiana state databases work alongside Tippecanoe County records. The Indiana State Police offers criminal history checks at in.gov/isp. This is a formal background check that pulls data from across the state. It covers arrests and dispositions, not just Tippecanoe County. There is a fee for the service, and processing takes some time.
The Indiana Department of Correction runs an offender locator at in.gov/idoc. This tool is free. You search by name and it tells you if a person is currently in state prison, on parole, or on probation. It does not cover the Tippecanoe County Jail. But for anyone sentenced to state-level time, the data is there.
Combined with MyCase and the local Tippecanoe County offices, these state tools give you a broad net for any people search. Court records show local cases. The ISP check shows statewide criminal history. The IDOC locator shows current incarceration status. Together they cover a lot of ground.
Tippecanoe People Search in Person
Lafayette's downtown area holds most of the offices you need. The clerk is at 301 Main Street. The recorder is at 20 N 3rd Street. Both are within walking distance of each other. You can visit both in a single trip and cover court records plus property filings in one shot.
Bring any details you have on the person you are searching for. A full name is the minimum. A date of birth helps narrow results if the name is common. An old address or a case number speeds things up. Staff at both offices can help you search their systems, but the more info you bring, the faster it goes. Cash, checks, and cards are accepted for copy fees at most county offices.
The main Tippecanoe County website lists all departments with their addresses and phone numbers. If you are not sure which office to visit, start there and find the right department for your type of record.
Cities in Tippecanoe County
Tippecanoe County includes Lafayette, West Lafayette, and several smaller towns. All court records go through the Tippecanoe County courts in Lafayette. The same county offices serve everyone in these cities for public record needs.
Other communities in the county include Battle Ground, Dayton, and Shadeland. Residents of those places use the Tippecanoe County Clerk and Recorder for all court and property records.
Nearby Counties for People Search
These counties border Tippecanoe County. If the person you are looking for might have ties to a neighboring area, check those county records too. Each county keeps its own court and property filings separate from Tippecanoe County.