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Indiana County
Scott County, Indiana
Austin's 2015 HIV outbreak and Scott County's opioid crisis - from the 2015 Austin HIV outbreak (the Scott County HIV outbreak of 2015 - centered in Austin - was the largest HIV outbreak associated with intravenous drug use in American history, with nearly 200 new HIV infections in a community of 4,000 people - the outbreak became a national focus for discussions about needle exchange programs, addiction treatment, and rural opioid crisis response, leading to policy changes in Indiana and across the country) to Scottsburg's I-65 commercial corridor and Lake Sequoia recreation.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Office: Scott County Sheriff’s Office – 111 S. First Street, Scottsburg, IN 47170 | Non-emergency (812) 752-8400; Sheriff Jerry Goodin.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-65 and SR-56/203 serve Scottsburg, the county seat, about 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky.
Notes: Scott County was formed in 1820 from parts of Clark, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, and Washington counties, named for General Charles Scott, Governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812. The county seat moved from Lexington to a more central location, founding Scottsburg once the current courthouse was built in 1873-1874.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Scott County Courthouse – 1 E. McClain Avenue, Scottsburg, IN, part of the Scottsburg Courthouse Square Historic District (roughly 16.5 acres, 48 contributing buildings, National Register of Historic Places since 2003).
Notes: The Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, housed in the former Scott County Home (“Poor Farm,” built 1892, National Register of Historic Places since 2000), documents several genuinely significant local historical events: the Pigeon Roost Massacre, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s 1863 raid through southern Indiana, and the Marshfield train robbery carried out by the Reno Brothers gang. William Hayden English, U.S. Vice Presidential candidate in 1880, had a home site in nearby Lexington, the county’s original seat, marked by a state historical marker.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Scott County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via scottcounty.in.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Scottsburg’s Carnegie Library – 108 S. Main Street, Scottsburg, IN (state historical marker since 2002).
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, the Scottsburg Courthouse Square Historic District, and historical markers commemorating Morgan’s Raid and the Pigeon Roost Massacre are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, well-preserved local history documented at the Scott County Heritage Center – spanning frontier conflict, Civil War raids, and Wild West-style train robbery – is among the standout local historical facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Scott County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via scottcounty.in.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Scott County Humane Society – confirm current contact via scottcounty.in.gov.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Scott County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via scottcounty.in.gov.
NOTES: Scott County is the seventy-third county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, well-preserved local history documented at the Scott County Heritage Center is among the standout local historical facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Scott County
Scott County is south-central Indiana’s opioid crisis epicenter – the 2015 Austin HIV outbreak, the largest IV drug-related HIV outbreak in American history, brought Scott County national attention and sparked significant policy changes in addiction treatment and harm reduction nationwide.
Scottsburg (the county seat, population ~6,500) serves the county’s governmental and commercial needs along I-65, while Austin (population ~4,000) has faced significant challenges from the opioid epidemic.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Scott County Assessor at 1 E. McClain Avenue, Suite 130, Scottsburg, IN 47170, phone 812-752-8407. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Scott County Circuit Court at 1 E. McClain Avenue, Scottsburg, IN 47170, phone 812-752-8420, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
1 E. McClain Ave., Scottsburg, IN 47170
(812) 752-8420
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 E. McClain Ave., Scottsburg, IN 47170
(812) 752-8420
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Scott County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Scott County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Scott County Circuit Court 1 East McClain Avenue, Suite 212, Scottsburg, IN 47170 (812) 752-8430 Scott County is in southern Indiana, seated in Scottsburg.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Indiana has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is governed by Indiana Code Title 29. Indiana offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the gross probate estate (less liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after death. The affidavit must be signed and recorded with the county recorder’s office before a personal representative is appointed. No court filing is required.
Devolution of Real Estate Affidavit – a separate affidavit specifically for transferring real property, available 7 months after death, with no value limit on the real estate, recorded with the county recorder.
Unsupervised Administration – a simplified probate track available when the estate is solvent and all inheritors agree; fewer court appearances and filings than supervised administration.
Supervised Administration – full court oversight, used for contested, complex, or insolvent estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and for Issuance of Letters (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (if intestate) with the Scott County Circuit Court.
The court reviews the will for compliance with Indiana Code § 29-1-5-3 (in writing, signed by the testator, witnessed by at least 2 credible witnesses).
The court issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly 3 months from first publication) to file claims.
The personal representative marshals assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and distributes the estate.
File a closing statement or final accounting to formally close the estate.
What it costs
Indiana does not have a state estate or inheritance tax.
Filing fees vary by county – confirm current amounts with the Scott County Circuit Court.
Indiana has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit – a minimum 45-day wait; Unsupervised Administration – roughly 6-9 months if uncontested; Supervised Administration – 9-12+ months.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
282 S. Main St., Scottsburg, IN 47170
(812) 752-8400
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 E. McClain Ave., Scottsburg, IN 47170
(812) 752-8420
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Scott County Health Department – confirm current contact via scottcounty.in.gov.
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