Des Moines County
Des Moines County, with a population of 38,910 as of the 2020 census, was created in 1834. It was named after the Des Moines River, which originally flowed through the county. It has a total land area of 416 square miles, and its county seat is Burlington.
Des Moines has only one trial court, the Des Moines County District Court. The court has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. There are specialized divisions of the court responsible for different types of cases. The Small Claims Division handles civil cases with claims of less than $5,000 and landlord-tenant relations. The Probate Division is responsible for the admission of wills, administration of trusts and estates, and appointment of guardianships. The Juvenile Division hears juvenile matters, and the Family Division hears family matters, including dissolution of civil union, divorce, annulment, paternity, visitation, and family support cases. The Civil Division hears all civil cases, and the Criminal Division hears all misdemeanor and felony cases.
Des Moines County public court records consist of court transcripts, writs, judgments, court filings, and legal proceedings of the Des Moines County District Court. The Des Moines County Clerk of Court keeps these documents up to date in accordance with state statutes and rules. The Clerk of Court's Office prepares, indexes, and preserves public court records for the county.
Des Moines County public court records can be accessed via the Iowa Courts Online Electronic Docket Record Search portal. While the free case search does not require registration, users who want in-depth results can use the Advanced Case Search, which requires registration and monthly subscription payments. To find records using the portal, choose Des Moines County from the list of counties and enter a case number or name.
The Des Moines County Clerk of Court provides access to these types of court records:
- Probate Case Records
- Criminal Case Records
- Civil Case Records
- Family Law Case Records
