Find Felony Records in Lake County
Lake County felony records are kept by the Clerk of Courts Felony Division and the Lake County Sheriff's Bureau of Identification. Crown Point serves as the county seat for all Lake County felony case filings. You can search Lake County felony records through the MyCase online portal, by contacting the clerk's office, or by calling the Sheriff's criminal records division directly. Lake County is Indiana's second most populous county, with court activity spread across several cities in the northwest corner of the state.
Lake County Felony Records Quick Facts
Lake County Clerk Felony Records Division
The Lake County Clerk of Courts maintains a dedicated Felony Division for all felony case files. This is the primary office for accessing Lake County felony records in person. The division is in the Courts Building at 2293 N. Main Street in Crown Point. You can call the Felony Division at (219) 755-3477 to ask about a case or confirm what records are available before making the trip.
| Office | Lake County Clerk of Courts, Felony Division |
|---|---|
| Address | 2293 N. Main Street, Courts Building 1st Floor Crown Point, IN 46307 |
| Phone | (219) 755-3477 |
| Website | lakecountyin.gov/departments/clerk-felony |
The Felony Division keeps the official case files for every felony charge filed in Lake County. Case files include the charging documents, court orders, motions, and final judgment. Copy fees follow Indiana Code rates: $1.00 per page for plain copies and $3.00 for certified copies. If you need a certified copy for legal use, call ahead to confirm the current fee schedule. Staff can also search by defendant name or case number.
Note: Older Lake County felony records that predate the electronic system may require an in-person search at the clerk's office.
Search Lake County Felony Records Online
The Indiana MyCase portal at public.courts.in.gov/mycase provides free online access to Lake County criminal case information. You can search by name or case number to find felony cases filed in Lake County courts. Results show the case summary, charges, court dates, and case status. Final orders and judgments in criminal cases are often available to read without signing in.
Lake County also participates in the statewide Indiana judicial records system. For court records specific to Lake County's courts, the Indiana Judicial Branch maintains a county page at in.gov/courts/local/lake-county. This page has contact details for each court division and additional access resources. Lake County Superior Court handles criminal felony cases across multiple court rooms in Crown Point.
For a name-based criminal history check covering all of Indiana, use the Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History system at in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch. The fee is $15.70 per search by credit card. This search covers felony arrests and Class A misdemeanor arrests statewide, including Lake County records going back to the mid-1930s.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office website at lakecountysheriff.com also has resources for checking inmate status and jail records in the county.
The Lake County Sheriff and Clerk offices work together to maintain the full set of criminal records for the county, from initial arrest through final disposition in the court system.
Lake County Sheriff Felony Records
The Lake County Sheriff's Office under Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. handles arrest records and criminal history checks for the county. The Bureau of Identification handles criminal records requests and can be reached at (219) 755-3321. The main Sheriff's Office is at 2293 N. Main Street in Crown Point at (219) 755-3333. For jail-related records, call the jail records line at (219) 755-3421.
Lake County has a dedicated felony division because of the county's size and volume of criminal cases. The county processes a high number of felony charges each year given its population of nearly half a million residents. The Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking information, and criminal history for felony offenses originating in Lake County.
Under IC 5-14-3-5, the Lake County Sheriff must make certain records public. Arrest information, daily logs showing offense dates and locations, and warrant details are all available upon request. You do not need to give a reason when asking for these records. The basic arrest data for Lake County felony cases is open to anyone who asks.
Lake County Felony Case Process
Felony cases in Lake County start with an arrest by the Sheriff's Office or a local police department. After arrest, the case goes to the Lake County Prosecutor's Office, which decides whether to file formal charges. Felony cases are then assigned to one of the Lake County Superior Court criminal divisions in Crown Point. All filings and court orders from this point become part of the official felony record in Lake County.
The Lake County clerk keeps a record of every filing in the case from first appearance through sentencing. If a person is found guilty of a felony in Lake County, the sentence may include time at an Indiana Department of Correction facility. The IDOC maintains its own records, and you can search for currently incarcerated individuals at offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov. For victim notifications about an offender's custody status changes in Lake County, sign up for the free Indiana SAVIN service.
VINE also provides free notifications for Lake County jail custody changes. You can register at vinelink.com or call 866-959-8463. This service covers offenders held in the Lake County Jail separate from the IDOC state prison system.
Expunging Lake County Felony Records
Indiana's expungement law under IC 35-38-9 allows Lake County residents to petition the court to seal certain felony records. Once granted, the sealed records are removed from MyCase and the state LCH system. Filing fees for expungement petitions are waived under Indiana law, which makes the process more accessible for people who qualify.
Waiting periods for Lake County expungement petitions depend on the offense. Arrests that did not result in conviction may qualify after one year in some cases. Less serious felony convictions require eight years. More serious felonies require ten years and written consent from the Lake County prosecutor before the court will hear the petition. All fines, fees, and restitution from the case must be paid in full before a petition can be filed.
Some offenses cannot be expunged in Lake County or anywhere in Indiana. These include homicide, most sex offenses, and serious violent crimes under IC 35-38-9-8.5. If you are unsure whether your Lake County felony record qualifies, contact the Indiana Public Access Counselor at in.gov/pac for guidance on the process.
Note: Once a Lake County court grants expungement, the sealed records no longer appear in public online searches including MyCase and the ISP LCH system.
Lake County Cities with Felony Records Pages
Several Lake County cities have their own felony records pages with local court and police resources. Each city files felony cases at the Lake County courts in Crown Point.