Access Montgomery County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Montgomery County dissolution of marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and span the complete arc of each case from the opening petition through the judge's final order. The clerk's office in Crawfordsville is the right place to file a new case, look up a pending one, or request certified copies of court documents. This page covers how the Montgomery County record system works, what tools are available for searching cases, and where to get help if you need it during a dissolution proceeding.

Montgomery County Clerk Office

Clerk Sondra Sixberry and her staff maintain all court records for Montgomery County, including every dissolution of marriage case filed in the county. The office is at 100 E. Main St. in Crawfordsville, which is also the location of the Montgomery County Courthouse. This is where you go to file a new dissolution petition, pick up case documents, or speak with staff about a pending case. The Montgomery County Clerk handles the full range of dissolution record tasks, from accepting initial filings to issuing certified copies of final decrees.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern time, which is slightly longer than the standard 4:00 PM close seen in many Indiana county clerk offices. Phone contact is at (765) 364-6430, and email inquiries can go to sondra.sixberry@montgomerycounty.in.gov. The county website at montgomerycounty.in.gov has current office information. The Indiana Courts local directory page at in.gov/courts/local/montgomery-county lists current judge assignments and court division details for Montgomery County.

The Montgomery County website provides department directories, clerk office details, and links to resources that apply to dissolution of marriage cases filed in Crawfordsville.

Search Montgomery County Dissolution of Marriage Cases

Indiana's free public court search portal is the main online tool for finding Montgomery County dissolution of marriage cases. Go to public.courts.in.gov and choose Montgomery County to search by party name or case number. The MyCase system shows case type, filing date, current status, and hearing information at no cost. It is accessible at any time and works well for locating recent or active dissolution cases in Montgomery County.

MyCase shows case-level information but does not allow you to download actual filed documents. If you need the petition, the final decree, or financial disclosures submitted to the court, you have to contact the Montgomery County Clerk directly. In-person requests are handled at the Crawfordsville courthouse. Mail requests are also accepted when you include enough identifying information about the case. Doxpop provides a subscription-based alternative for searching Indiana courts, and it may include older Montgomery County records or additional data not shown in the state portal. For a guide on how to submit a formal records request, the Indiana Courts system has a step-by-step page at in.gov/courts/public-records/how-to-request.

The Indiana Courts local page for Montgomery County includes judge contacts, court schedules, and additional resources for people involved in dissolution of marriage proceedings in Crawfordsville.

Note: If you are searching for an older case and the name search does not return a result, it is possible the file pre-dates electronic records. Contacting the clerk office directly is the most reliable approach for pre-digital filings.

Filing Dissolution of Marriage in Montgomery County

The process starts at the Montgomery County Clerk's office on E. Main St. in Crawfordsville. One spouse files a dissolution of marriage petition along with the required court fee. Indiana's residency requirement under IC 31-15-2-3 is clear: at least one spouse must have lived in Indiana for six months and in Montgomery County for at least three months before the petition date. The clerk confirms residency when the petition is submitted. Indiana is a no-fault dissolution state. The grounds used in most cases is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, and neither party has to prove fault.

After the petition is filed, the other spouse must be served with the dissolution papers. This can happen through the Montgomery County Sheriff's office, a private process server, or certified mail when allowed by the court. Confirmed service starts the 60-day clock. Indiana law requires the court to wait at least 60 days after filing before entering a final dissolution decree. That wait is mandatory. Even when both spouses agree completely and want to move quickly, the decree cannot be signed before those 60 days are up.

Temporary orders can be requested during the waiting period for things like support payments, use of the marital home, and parenting schedules if children are involved. These provisional orders fall under IC 31-15-4 and become part of the Montgomery County dissolution file. Uncontested cases that are fully agreed upon often close shortly after the 60-day period ends. Contested cases where spouses disagree on property, support, or children take longer and may require hearings before the court reaches a final ruling.

What Montgomery County Dissolution Records Include

Each dissolution of marriage file in Montgomery County holds every document generated during the case. It starts with the petition. The petition names both parties, gives the date of marriage, states whether there are children, and lays out what the filing spouse is asking the court to do. The responding spouse's answer comes next if they contest anything. All motions, court orders, financial statements, and any evidence submitted at hearings become part of the official record.

The final decree ends the case. It contains the court's full ruling on marital property and debts. Indiana courts follow a default equal division rule under Indiana Title 31, but judges can divide property differently when the evidence shows a reason to do so. Maintenance, if awarded, is governed by IC 31-15-7-4. If children are involved, the decree will also cover custody, parenting time, and support amounts. Every one of these terms is part of the public Montgomery County dissolution record.

Certified copies are available through the clerk office in Crawfordsville. Bring a valid photo ID. Fees are generally $1 per page for copies with $1 to $3 added for certification. Copies can be picked up in person or mailed to you after a written request. Indiana Vital Records also keeps a short-form record of each dissolution, and that summary record can be ordered through the state health department if you just need to confirm a dissolution occurred. The Indiana State Library genealogy collection at in.gov/library/genealogy may have older Montgomery County dissolution records not yet digitized into court search systems.

Legal Help in Montgomery County

Indiana Legal Services assists income-eligible residents throughout the state with family law matters, including dissolution of marriage. Montgomery County residents can apply through indianalegalservices.org to see if they qualify for free legal representation or advice. Private family law attorneys practicing in Crawfordsville and the Montgomery County area can also be found through bar referral services if you need full legal representation.

Residents dealing with domestic violence in the context of a dissolution should contact the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 800-332-7385 or visit icadvinc.org for local resource contacts in the Crawfordsville area. The Indiana Courts directory at in.gov/courts/directory is a useful reference if you need current judge or clerk contact information for Montgomery County courts and do not want to call the main courthouse line.

Nearby Indiana Counties

Montgomery County is in west-central Indiana. The counties listed below border Montgomery County or are close by, and each operates its own dissolution of marriage filing system through the county clerk's office.