Tippecanoe County, Indiana, named from the local Miami Indian Tribe's word "Kethtippecanoogi," meaning "place of the succor fish people," was formed in 1826. Tippecanoe County covers 503 square miles of land, just northeast of IN's capital city of Indianapolis. The stately Tippecanoe County Courthouse, built in 1881, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tippecanoe County has two major state trial courts. The Circuit Courts have unlimited trial jurisdiction in every case, with the exclusion of cases with concurrent or exclusive jurisdiction belonging to other courts. The Superior Courts, which have general jurisdiction, hear all civil and criminal cases, and handle small claims where no county court systems exist.
Indiana’s personal injury cases are heard in civil court. This FAQs section gives you information about civil lawsuits. As law courts use their own terminology, you may find this list of common legal terms handy. Once you’ve gone through a trial, you may have the right to appeal your personal injury case to the state’s Appeals Court or the Supreme Court, both of which are in Indianapolis. Indiana’s Appeals Court is located on 115 W. Washington Street in Suite 1270, while the Indiana Supreme Court is located on 315 Indiana State House Street.
Tippecanoe County’s Magistrate Court, formed in 1995, benefits the county judicial system by handling some of the case load of the Superior Courts. This convenes at the County Courthouse at 301 Main Street, in the city of Lafayette, the County Seat. The Magistrate further goes to the Jail Courtroom at the Tippecanoe County Jail at 2640 Duncan Road, Lafayette, Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. to conduct hearings on prisoners for Circuit and Superior Court matters.
Tippecanoe County, population of just under 149,000 (Census 2000), shows a marked increase in growth for Census 2007, with over 163,000 residents. Tippecanoe’s main city of Lafayette’s population is 63,679 while neighboring West Lafayette is over 31,000.
Tippecanoe County’s other communities include Dayton, Clark's Hill and Battle Ground, the historic site of the
Battle of Tippecanoe, fought in 1811 by Indiana Governor Harrison against the great Indian Confederation war chief Tecumseh. Harrison was later elected as the nation’s 9th president.
Except for the twin Lafayette cities, Tippecanoe County is a quiet, rural area, with cornfields stretching as far as the eye can see, and an occasional picturesquely rambling farmhouse. West Lafayette houses Purdue University, which now includes a College of Liberal Arts and a School of Pharmacy. Lafayette is home to the Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. These schools give this portion of Tippecanoe a youthful, vibrant ambience which extends to the shopping districts.
Tippecanoe County, Indiana is a pleasant mix of progressive college towns surrounded by the serenity of Midwestern rural living.
