FAQs • St. Joseph County, IN • CivicEngage

How do I search for a specific person?: At the Archives and Records Center, we are only able to help you with genealogy research. In order for us to research a specific person, please provide as much information as you have on the individual, tell what type of record you are looking for, and provide an approximate time frame to search. I always recommend that you go to the South Bend Area Genealogical Society because there are online indexes that may help you in your research.

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Archives and Records Center

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1. What is the difference between a certified copy and a non-certified copy of a marriage license?: A certified copy of a marriage license has the courts seal on it certifying that it is a true and legal copy of the marriage license, usually required for legal purposes, like getting your real id. A non-certified copy of a marriage license does not have any seal on it, usually used for personal purposes, like for genealogy.

2. How do I obtain a certified copy of my marriage license?: To obtain a certified copy of your marriage license, please fill out the form Certified Marriage License Clerk's Office and submit.

3. Where can I get a copy of a non-certified Marriage License?: You can request the document from the Clerk's Office or from the Archives and Records Center.

4. What years does the Archives have for Marriage Licenses?: We have Marriage Licenses from 1832 to 1988 from South Bend, and 9/9/1980 to 2/14/1998 from Mishawaka.

5. What is the difference between a Marriage License and a Marriage Application?: A Marriage License gives you the date when the couple applied to get their marriage license, and the date, place, and who married them. The Marriage Application has the biographical information, date of birth, birthplace, parents information, if they have been married before, etc...

6. What years does the Archives have for Marriage Applications?: We have Marriage Applications from April 1905 to 1988 from South Bend, and 9/9/1980 to 2/14/1998 from Mishawaka.

7. What is the difference between a certified copy and a non-certified copy of a divorce decree?: A certified copy of a divorce decree has the courts seal on it certifying that it is a true and legal copy of the divorce decree, usually required for legal purposes. A non-certified copy of a divorce decree does not have any seal on it, usually used for personal purposes, like for genealogy.

8. How do I obtain a certified copy of my Divorce Decree?: To obtain a certified copy of your Divorce Decree, please fill out the form Certified Divorce Decree Clerk's office and submit.

9. Where can I get a copy of a non-certified Divorce Decree?: You can request the document from the Clerk's Office or from the Archives and Records Center.

10. What years can the Archives Search for Divorce Records?: We have Divorce Indexes from 1832 to 1984 in South Bend. We have a Divorce Index from 1980-1990 in Mishawaka. If you need Divorce records after 1984 in South Bend or 1990 in Mishawaka, please contact the Clerk's office.

11. What is the difference between an Estate file and a Will?: A Will is a detailed list of how you want your assets distributed after death, and the Estate file is a court record that details the persons assets, taxes, debts, and distribution of said assets. In the state of Indiana, the Inheritance tax file is confidential.

12. What years can the Archives Search for Estate files and Wills?: We have Estate Indexes from 1832 to 1988 in South Bend. We have Estate Indexes from 1981-1995 in Mishawaka. If you need Probate records after 1988 in South Bend or 1995 in Mishawaka, please contact the Clerk's office.

13. Where are land records located?: For land record information you can contact the Assessor's Office or the Recorder's Office.

14. Where can I get a Birth Certificate?: For Birth Certificates please contact the Health Department at 574-235-9750 x 2, or visit the Health Departments page .

15. Where can I get a Death Certificate?: For Death Certificates please contact the Health Department at 574-235-9750 x 2, or visit the Health Departments page .

16. How do I get a criminal background check?

Please visit the Records Division at the St. Joseph County Jail located at 401 W. Sample St in South Bend between the hours of 8:00 am. and 4:00 pm.

If your company would like to get a pre-employment background check for a prospective employee, please contact the Records Division at 574-245-6535 between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

17. How do I access a criminal file?: We ask that you contact the St Joseph County Clerk's office at 574-235-9635 because we do not release criminal information here.

18. Where is the Archives and Records Center located, and what are the hours of operation?: We are located at 1140 S Lafayette Blvd, South Bend, IN 46601. We are open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and we prefer to do research from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. If you are planning a trip to visit and have a lot of research to do please call ahead at 574-235-9091 to make an appointment.

19. Can I request copies of documents at the Archives and Records Center?: We do allow you to make copies for a fee of five cents per page of records that are open to the public. Since we are a Records Center, we reserve the right to tell you to contact the originating department to get the information that you are looking for because we do not know that departments regulations.

20. What are the cost for copies at the Archives and Records Center?: Our cost for copies is $0.05 (five cents) per page. The cost is the same whether you stop in our office, and have us make a copy or if you have us scan and email it to you, or if we mail it to you.

21. What forms of payments are accepted?: Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or online for payments more than $2.00.

22. How long does it take to process a genealogy request?: Genealogy/Research requests are done on a first come first serve basis. The time it takes us to complete your request depends on how much information you provide and how much research we have to do. We try to complete most requests within 7 days, if we can not complete it in that time, we email you and let you know.

23. Can I use my own device to copy a document at the Archives and Records Center?: At this time you may use your own device, as long as it doesn't damage the original document. At this time there is no fee if you use your own device to capture the image.

24. How do I search for a specific person?: At the Archives and Records Center, we are only able to help you with genealogy research. In order for us to research a specific person, please provide as much information as you have on the individual, tell what type of record you are looking for, and provide an approximate time frame to search. I always recommend that you go to the South Bend Area Genealogical Society because there are online indexes that may help you in your research.

25. Can I access digitized records from home?: At this time, we do not offer this. But, on genealogical websites like Ancestry or Family Search, some of our records are available online.

26. Can anyone access information that we have?: Not all of our holdings are available to the public. Since we are only the holder of the information, it is the responsibility of the department to release any information that you are looking for. We do have certain records that are available to be used for genealogy that are open to the public that we can assist you with and you can view.

27. Who is in charge of the Archives and Records Center?: The Archivist/Director is Katerina Carter.

28. What is the purpose of the Archives and Records Center?

We Service all of the departments of St. Joseph County and the city of South Bend by:

Providing storage space for historical/non-historical records.
Retrieving stored records and delivering to requested department.
Providing training on the life-cycle of your departments records.
Destroying/microfilming records in accordance with retention schedule.

We service citizens by:

Helping them on their ancestral journey with records that we have that are available to the public.
- Search online Indexes at the South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Guiding them to the appropriate departments to request records they are looking for.

29. What are the rules when viewing records?: You can only use pencils, no food or drink, and clean hands are required when you are working with the original copies of records.

30. What is SBAGS?: SBAGS is the South Bend Area Genealogical Society, and they have indexes to some of the records used for genealogy on their website.

31. Is it possible to check out records from the Archives?: No, you can not check out records from the Archives, only the agency that creates the records stored at the Archives are allowed to check out the Records.

32. Can I hire the Archives staff to do my genealogy Research?: No you can not hire the Archives staff members to do your research, BUT we will gladly assist you the best that we can.

33. How far back do the Archives Records go?: We have records dating back to 1832.

34. Do you give tours of the Archives and Records Center?: Yes, we do give tours. All you have to do is ask!

35. Where is the Archives Reading Room?: We do not have an Archives Reading Room, but we do have a work station in our Archives set up that you can use to complete your research.