Indiana
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Indiana — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Indiana
The Indiana Judiciary runs a Self-Service Legal Center with court forms and divorce resources. Start there before anything else.
Indiana Judiciary — Self-Service Legal Center
Court forms and divorce resources from Indiana's court system.
in.gov — self-service center →Find a divorce lawyer
Indiana State Bar — Get Legal Help
The Bar's "Locate Your Lawyer" directory plus other legal-help links.
inbar.org — get legal help →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Indiana Legal Services
Free legal help in all 92 Indiana counties. Intake at 317-631-9410.
indianalegalservices.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-800-5556 — Indiana Department of Child Services, 24/7; you can report anonymously (backup line 1-833-800-5556).
in.gov — child abuse hotline →Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network
The Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority offers free housing counseling through the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network: 877-GET-HOPE.
in.gov — homeowners & renters →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
(317) 917-3685 — helps survivors locate shelters and services across Indiana.
icadvinc.org →Unpaid wages in Indiana
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Indiana.
Where to go
Indiana Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Indiana
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Indiana.
How it works
petition the circuit or superior court in your county
Typical court fee
varies by county — check your local court
Newspaper notice required?
yes — waivable by judge for safety
Small claims court in Indiana
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Indiana.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
about $50–$150 depending on county
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed
Clearing your criminal record in Indiana
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Indiana stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement (Second Chance Law)
What qualifies
most arrests, misdemeanors, and many felonies (not sex or violent offenses)
Waiting period
1 year for arrests; 5 years for misdemeanors; 8–10 years for felonies
Child support in Indiana
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Indiana.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' incomes combined) Indiana Child Support Rules and Guidelines, published by the Indiana Judicial Branch (worksheets/schedule)
When it ends
age 19
Lemon law in Indiana
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Indiana's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles purchased or leased in Indiana (under manufacturer warranty)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ business days out of service within first 18 months or 18,000 miles
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Indiana
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Indiana.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 10-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
No cap; returned within 45 days; itemized deduction list required
When the landlord won't fix things
No repair-and-deduct statute (tenant may sue for repairs, damages, and attorney fees)
DUI / DWI in Indiana
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Indiana handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15 (Class A misdemeanor)
Typical penalties
Up to 60 days jail, up to $500 fine, up to 2-year license suspension
How far back DUIs count
Lifetime (priors count forever; felony enhancements within 7 years)
Gun laws in Indiana
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (since July 1, 2022), 18+; optional shall-issue license
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
Yes — (Jake Laird Law; law-enforcement seizure with hearing within 14 days). Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Honors permits from all other states
Filming the police: your rights in Indiana
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Ind. Code § 35-33.5-5-5)
Buffer-zone law — in effect
25-foot law (Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-14, HEA 1186) — BLOCKED, not in effect
Indiana is one-party consent. Its 2023 25-foot buffer-zone law was preliminarily enjoined in Sept. 2024 and the Seventh Circuit upheld the block in Aug. 2025 (Reporters Comm. v. Rokita), finding it unconstitutionally vague. The 7th Circuit (Alvarez) also protects recording police as First Amendment activity.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Indiana
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Indiana
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Indiana
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Indiana
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Indiana
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →