Indiana Court Filings Report: October 2026
Indiana recorded 6,778 court filings over the last 30 days—an 11.9% decline from the prior month's 7,696. For investors who read past the headline number, the breakdown tells a more useful story: where distress is concentrated, which counties are generating volume, and where competition is lightest right now.
The Broader Market Picture
A month-over-month pullback in filing volume doesn't signal a market collapse. It reflects normalization after a busier stretch—and normalization, counterintuitively, can work in your favor. When overall volume contracts, fewer wholesalers and fix-and-flip operators are actively working court data. Less noise means better signal for investors who stay consistent.
Where the Deals Are: Top Case Types This Month
The filing breakdown makes the opportunity clear:
- Eviction cases: 2,445 — Nearly 36% of all filings. This is the dominant category by a wide margin, reflecting ongoing tenant-landlord disputes and housing instability across the state.
- Divorce (no children): 955 — Asset division frequently accelerates home sales, often at below-market prices.
- Divorce (with children): 723 — Similar dynamics, with added urgency driven by custody timelines.
Evictions remain your primary play. Each filing represents a property in transition and an owner under pressure—conditions that create real acquisition opportunities. The combined divorce filings top 1,678 cases, forming a steady secondary pipeline of motivated sellers navigating major life changes.
County-by-County Action: Where to Focus Your Efforts
Marion County leads the state in recent filing volume. With median home values around $230K and a modest year-over-year price decline, Marion is a volume play—higher deal frequency, accessible price points, and a relatively stable local economy.
Lake County follows closely in filing activity, with a median home value near $253K and a slightly elevated unemployment rate compared to other active counties. That jobless rate matters: financial pressure on residents often translates to motivated sellers willing to negotiate.
Vanderburgh County carries the lowest median home value among the top five counties tracked, making it the most accessible market for budget-conscious investors. Year-over-year appreciation has been positive, which adds upside for fix-and-flip projects where margins depend on exit values holding.
Allen County and Hamilton County round out the top five. Allen offers mid-range price points in a stable employment environment. Hamilton County, with a significantly higher median home value, serves investors targeting premium properties—a different buyer profile, but a real one.
Premium Markets Worth Watching
Investors operating in the high-end segment should keep an eye on Hamilton, Boone, and Brown counties. Median values in these markets range from the mid-$300Ks to the mid-$400Ks, with low unemployment and positive year-over-year appreciation. That context matters when evaluating leads: foreclosure and eviction filings in these counties are more likely to stem from acute personal circumstances—divorce, job loss, health crises—than from broad economic weakness. That distinction affects how you approach the conversation with a potential seller.
What This Means for Your Strategy
The 11.9% month-over-month decline is a recalibration, not a retreat. Eviction activity remains elevated, divorce filings are consistent, and the counties generating the most volume span a range of price points and investor strategies. Focus prospecting on Marion and Lake for deal volume, Vanderburgh for value-add potential, and Allen and Hamilton for balanced opportunity across price tiers.
The competitive landscape is lighter than it was last month. That's your window. Use it before it closes.
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