Warren County
Warren County, which was created in 1846, is located in Iowa's south-central region. It is populated with over 55,000 people and Indianola is its county seat. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary War hero
Warren County operates a unified trial court system composed of a single district court. The Warren County District Court is an original and general jurisdiction court that adjudicates all cases, including civil, criminal, probate, and juvenile suits, in the county. Its jurisdiction is, however, limited when the original jurisdiction has been assigned to another judicial agency such as a court, tribunal, or administrative agency.
The District Court comprises various divisions organized according to case type, including:
- Civil division
- Criminal division
- Domestic relations division
- Special division
- Juvenile Court division
- Probate Court division
- Small Claims Court division
The District Court has separate categories of judges that hear specific cases based on the case type and the related jurisdiction. Only the district Judge has the general authority to preside over all cases. In contrast, other judges, such as the District Associate Judge, Associate Juvenile Judge, and Associate Probate Judge or Judicial Magistrate, exercise limited jurisdiction over specific cases.
The District Court's Juvenile Court division has original jurisdiction over minor-based matters, including parental rights termination, juvenile delinquency, children and families in need of assistance, and others relating to abortion notification waivers and voluntary foster care.
The Probate Court division oversees probate proceedings, including will construction, administration of decedents' and absentees' estates, the appointment of guardians and conservators, and cases related to trusts and trustees.
Finally, the Small Claims division resolves small claims cases, such as some landlord-tenant disputes, involving limited financial amounts in controversy using a simplified procedure.
Warren County court records refer to various documents compiled within distinct case files that detail the activities of different case trials. These records are crucial for preserving an accurate history of tried cases and also provide legal precedence for future trials. Court docket entries and case transcripts, motions and pleadings, and court decrees and judgments are typical contents of court records. Warren County court records include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Juvenile records
The Warren County Clerk of Court oversees civil, criminal, and family court records. Per state law, public records in Iowa, including non-exempt court records, can be accessed by members of the public upon request. Requesters can use any of these channels to conduct court record lookups in Warren County:
- The Iowa Judicial Branch Electronic Document Management System (EDMS): This is a subscription-based option that is only available to case parties
- The Iowa Courts Online Search Portal: Members of the public (non-parties) can conduct statewide searches for public case information using their private internet access or the public terminals at the District Courthouse
- The Warren County Clerk of Court Office: For in-person record requests during normal business hours where the case was filed
