In a message dated 98-05-25 18:17:26 EDT, beheler@netusa1.net writes: << By the way, it is illegal for them to charge for you to look at the record. Pay the fee and ask for a full receipt which explains what you are paying for and send a copy to the Indiana Attorney General. If you complain, the clerk may be forced to comply with the law. A friend was charge $5. to enter the record room at the Fulton Co., IN Clerk's office and reported them and got her money back. Don't know if they are complying now or not. >> Really??? At the Lake county clerks office they say their ONLY procedure is to fill out the form and give them the fee...and like one lady said, many want you to state your relationship to the person whose record youre looking up. The city of Gary keeps their own records (not kept at county level) and their procedure is the same...fill out the form, pay the fee, and go sit down, we'll be with you in a moment with your record. Jasper county clerk was great. Very nice woman there brought out the books and somewhat let me look through them...and she even helped. DeKalb county..."there's the books from 18##-18## and the books for 18##-19## are over there on that shelf....good luck." We found so many more things than we'd even hoped for that day! Searched through all of our dekalb surnames in each book finding people we didnt know existed. I just thought Lake county was picky and that things were easier in smaller communities...I didnt know there were laws regarding looking at the records. Thank you! Kathy