For criminal cases, cases are filed in Superior Court 1 when the highest level of the offense charged is murder, capital murder, Class A felony, Class D felony, Level 1 felony, Level 2 felony, or Level 6 felony.
All Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Status, Juvenile Miscellaneous (JM), and Mental Health case types are also filed in Superior Court I.
The court's calendar is available online here.
Judge Clouse
Judge Clouse received his B.A. from Indiana University – Bloomington and his Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law.
On December 9, 2021, Clouse became the 4th Judge of the Noble Superior Court, Division 1, after being appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb to fill the vacancy left by Judge Robert Kirsch’s retirement.
Prior to joining the court, Clouse worked in private practice and also served as Noble County Prosecuting Attorney from 1999 to 2014. While in private practice Clouse represented the City of Ligonier, and the Town of Albion, and also served as a Deputy Public Defender.
Clouse is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Noble County Bar Association. Clouse and his family attend the South Milford Church of Christ.
- Why can't I speak to the Judge directly?
Because in order for the Judge to remain impartial, he cannot hear one side of the case without the other side present.
- What should I do if I'm the victim in a case?
Keep in contact with the Prosecutor’s Office and the Victim’s Advocate. They will keep you informed of how the case is progressing.
- If I have an attorney, can I file motions on my own?
If you have an attorney, private or court appointed, the filings presented to the Court must come from your attorney. That is their job and that is why they are hired or appointed to represent you.
- I have written a letter to the Judge, but I haven't received a response.
Many of the letters the Court receives are from family members of defendants and cannot be addressed by the Court. Those that are received from defendant’s themselves are addressed either by the Court setting a hearing, or if the defendant is represented by counsel, the letter will be referred to counsel.
- What should I do if I can't make it to a hearing?
If you know you are going to be late for a hearing because of traffic or transportation issues, or other problems, call the court and tell them when you expect to arrive. If you know ahead of time that you will be unable to attend a scheduled hearing and need to request a continuance, you must do so in writing, and you must notify the opposing part of your intention to request a continuance. Motions to continue are available in the download section of this website. Phone calls for continuances are not accepted unless it is an emergency situation.
- What if I can't afford to hire an attorney?
If you find that you are unable to hire an attorney and need the Court to appoint an attorney to represent you, you must make that request in writing. The Court will then set a hearing to determine if you are indigent for purposes of appointing counsel.
- What if I want to check on the status of a case?
There is a public terminal located in the basement of the Courthouse. If you have access to the internet, you may click here and search for a case. Basic searches are free.
- I think I missed a court date and there may be a warrant out for my arrest. What should I do?
If you think there is a warrant out for your arrest, you should turn yourself in to the Sheriff’s Department as soon as possible. If it is a civil case (i.e. child support), and a body attachment has been issued, you should turn yourself in to the Sheriff’s Department.
- Can't I just call in for my hearing?
Hearings can be held over the telephone with consent of the Court. Call in advance to arrange it at (260) 636-2128.
- What if I have questions about my case?
Procedural questions may be answered by either the Clerk’s Office or the Court. At no time can any member of the Clerk’s office or the Court give you legal advice. Only an attorney may advise you. If you are told to contact an attorney regarding your questions, you should do so.
- What if I need extra time to pay my probation user's fee, pay my restitution, pay my ticket, pay my fines and costs, complete my community service work?
If you are on probation, you should contact your probation officer and let them know what the problem is. They can give you an extension. If you’ve already had an extension from the probation officer, they may tell you to contact the Judge. Do so in writing. Tell him what the problem is and how much extra time you think you will need.
- How do I contact the court?
You may contact the Noble Superior I Court Staff at (260) 636-3205 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.