Areas We Serve

Vanderburgh County Family Law & Criminal Defense Attorney

Serving Evansville and All of Vanderburgh County

Vanderburgh County is home to more than 181,000 residents across Evansville and surrounding communities including Darmstadt, Melody Hill, St. Joseph, and McCutchanville. As the third largest city in Indiana, Evansville sees a substantial volume of family law and criminal defense matters filed each year — divorce petitions, custody disputes, criminal charges, OWI arrests, and more — all processed through the Vanderburgh County court system in downtown Evansville.

Ziemer & Ziemer is located at 915 Main Street in downtown Evansville, minutes from the courthouse complex where Vanderburgh County cases are heard. The firm serves residents of Evansville and all of Vanderburgh County in both family law and criminal defense matters, providing direct access to experienced attorneys who know these courts, know the judges, and have appeared before them in cases across both practice areas for decades.

The firm also regularly assists clients from southern Illinois who find it necessary to appear at the Evansville courthouse for matters involving Indiana jurisdiction — including divorce, custody, and criminal charges that cross state lines or originate in Indiana.

Practice Areas

How Ziemer & Ziemer Serves Vanderburgh County Clients

Family Law Representation in Vanderburgh County

Vanderburgh County family law matters — including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, spousal support, and protective orders — are primarily handled through the Vanderburgh Superior Court. Ziemer & Ziemer represents clients on both sides of every major family law matter filed in Vanderburgh County courts:

Divorce
— contested and uncontested, including property division and spousal support
Child custody
— legal and physical custody, parenting time, and custody modifications
Child support — initial orders, enforcement, and modifications
Paternity — establishment, challenges, and related custody and support matters
Grandparents rights — visitation petitions under Indiana statute
Orders of protection — filing and defending against protective orders

Family law disputes carry real emotional weight, and clients dealing with the Vanderburgh County court system deserve an attorney who provides both honest legal counsel and steady representation through a process that can be long and unpredictable.

Criminal Defense Representation in Vanderburgh County

Criminal defense cases in Vanderburgh County are split between the Superior Court and the Circuit Court depending on the nature of the charge. Misdemeanor offenses, juvenile criminal matters, and probate disputes are handled in Superior Court. Felony criminal cases are primarily heard in the Circuit Court. Ziemer & Ziemer defends clients against the full range of criminal charges filed in Vanderburgh County, including:

DUI and OWI
— first offense and repeat charges, including jury trial defense
Drug possession and drug crimes
Domestic violence
Felony and misdemeanor charges across all levels
Criminal record expungement

Jay Ziemer served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Vanderburgh County before entering private practice — an experience that gives the firm a direct understanding of how Vanderburgh County prosecutors build and pursue criminal cases.

Sole custody means one parent holds primary legal or physical custody. The other parent typically receives parenting time, but one parent carries the decision-making authority or the child primarily resides with one household.

Joint custody means both parents share legal or physical custody, or both. Joint arrangements require a workable level of communication and cooperation between parents. Indiana courts can order joint custody even when one parent objects, if the evidence supports it as the best arrangement for the child.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY COURT INFORMATION

Vanderburgh County Court Locations and Contact Information

All trials and most legal matters in Vanderburgh County are handled at the courthouse in downtown Evansville, part of the Civic Center Complex. The following is practical reference information for clients navigating the Vanderburgh County court system.

Vanderburgh County Clerk's Office

The Clerk of the Vanderburgh Circuit Court is located in Room 216 of the Vanderburgh County Courthouse at 825 Sycamore Street, Evansville, IN 47708. The Clerk’s Office can be reached at (812) 435-5160.

Vanderburgh Superior Court

The Vanderburgh Superior Court is a court of general jurisdiction with seven elected judges and five magistrates appointed by the elected judges. The Superior Court handles juvenile criminal cases, probate disputes, misdemeanor offenses, most divorce petitions, and protective order matters. It is located in the Civic Center Complex at 825 Sycamore Street.

Vanderburgh County Circuit Court

The Circuit Court of Indiana’s First Judicial Circuit in Vanderburgh County is also located at 825 Sycamore Street. Circuit Court judges primarily hear felony criminal cases but also have jurisdiction over certain family law matters. The Circuit Court can be reached at (812) 435-5195.

GIBSON COUNTY COURT INFORMATION

Gibson County Court Locations and Contact Information

All criminal and family law matters in Gibson County are handled at the Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton, which houses the county clerk’s office, the superior court, and the circuit court.

Gibson County Superior Court

The Gibson County Superior Court handles misdemeanor and traffic cases. It also administers part of the county’s probation program, the drug court, and alcohol and drug treatment alternatives to criminal prosecution — options that may be available to eligible defendants as an alternative to standard criminal penalties. The Superior Court can be reached at (812) 386-6237.

Gibson County Circuit Court

The Gibson County Circuit Court has primary jurisdiction over felony criminal cases and cases involving children. This makes the Circuit Court the primary venue for divorce cases that involve questions of child custody, child support, and parental or grandparent visitation. Some individuals on probation in Gibson County also report to the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court can be reached at (812) 385-4885.

WHY ZIEMER & ZIEMER

Why Vanderburgh County Clients Choose Ziemer & Ziemer

Local Knowledge That Comes From Decades of Practice

Ziemer & Ziemer has been serving clients in Vanderburgh County courts for decades. Jay Ziemer’s background includes time as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Vanderburgh County — with specific assignments in the juvenile, paternity, and child support divisions — giving the firm an inside perspective on how county prosecutors and courts approach both criminal and family law matters. That local knowledge is a direct benefit to every Vanderburgh County client.

A Two-Attorney Team for Every Type of Case

As a husband-and-wife legal team, Ziemer & Ziemer brings two attorneys with complementary backgrounds to every case. Whether a client needs a family law advocate, a criminal defense attorney, or both — as sometimes happens when criminal charges and family law matters arise simultaneously — the firm has the depth to handle it without sending clients elsewhere.

Facing a Legal Matter in Vanderburgh County? Talk to Ziemer & Ziemer First.

Ziemer & Ziemer is located in downtown Evansville, minutes from the Vanderburgh County courthouse. Clients receive direct access to experienced attorneys who know these courts and are ready to handle both family law and criminal defense matters from the first consultation through final resolution.