Do you Understand the Index?

A few things worth remembering:

• Indexes to courthouse records are not always strictly alphabetical. Sometimes they are indexed only the first letter of the last name.
• Some indexes are partially by last name and then by first name.
• The Mc and Mac names can be at the front or the end of the "M" section.
• Not every party in a lawsuit appears in the defendant or plaintiff index.
• Indexes can be incorrect or missing.
• Courthouses may have indexes to records that were not filmed by the Family History Library.

A good idea is to ask a local person from the area who is familiar with the records. These people can be an excellent resource.