Pottawattamie County
Pottawattamie County is the tenth most populous in Iowa and spans 959 square miles. It was created on September 21, 1848, and named for the Potawatomi Native American tribe. The county seat is Council Bluffs. It was estimated to have a population of 93,179 in 2023. Pottawattamie County is the second largest county by area and is located within Loess Hills.
The District Court serves as the only trial court in Pottawattamie County. It is Council Bluffs and attends to cases that involve violations of traffic laws, personal injury claims, felonies, misdemeanors, property disputes, small claims, child protection cases, and juvenile cases.
Court records include a variety of information, such as the index and filings of actions taken in a case, details about the filings, and official decisions taken by the court. The Clerk of the District Court is responsible for maintaining the accuracy of court records. Digital recording systems are used in capturing court proceedings. Cases are filed or submitted to the Clerk of Court for official purposes. After cases are closed, records are archived for future purposes. These include final judgments and sentencing orders in lawsuits. Once a case is finalized, the judgment or order is documented and filed. Records may either be digitized or stored on online platforms, while others are kept in paper forms.
The following court records are within the reach of the public in Pottawattamie County:
- Family Court Records
- Civil Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Small Claims Court Records
- Criminal Court Records
The District Clerk can be reached at 227 South 6th Street, Suite 406, Council Bluffs, IA 51501, or call (712) 328-5604. The office is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may also email the clerk to submit your requests for records of interest at CountyClerk.Pottawattamie@iowacourts.gov. Furthermore, anyone with internet access can view electronic court dockets by visiting the Iowa Courts Online Electronic Docket Search System. Note that records can be searched in real time. If you have questions about a particular case, you can contact the Clerk of Court to provide answers.
