Polk County
Located in the southwestern region of Missouri, Polk County was created in 1835 and named after Colonel Ezekiel Polk. Covers a complete area consisting of 636 square miles and, according to the 2020 U.S. census, an overall population of 31,519 based on 2020 data from the US census. The judicial needs of the residents of Polk County are met by a circuit court and four municipal courts.
All criminal and civil proceedings fall within the jurisdiction of the Polk County Circuit Court, which serves as the county's principal court. To deal with certain cases, it is separated into specialized departments. The Civil and Family Division deals with all civil and domestic relations issues, including civil tort, equity, employment disputes, medical malpractice cases, contract disputes, divorce, annulment, spousal support, emancipation, child custody, termination of parental rights, and child support, the Criminal and Traffic Division hears felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic cases. Admission of wills, administration of estates and trusts, and guardianship appointments are among the probate proceedings handled by the Probate Division.
In Polk County, municipal courts deal with violations of municipal ordinances within their borders. Polk County's four municipal courts are: Bolivar, Fair Play, Pleasant Hope, and Humansville Municipal Courts.
Public court records in Polk County include openly available court schedules, writs, court filings, motions, depositions, sentences, warrants, judgments, and court orders. These records, which may be in text, video, or audio formats, are created in the county courts. While municipal court clerks keep their records, the Polk County Circuit Court Clerk maintains the Circuit Court's records in compliance with state and county laws.
Unless sealed by court orders, the following types of Polk County's public court records are accessible to anyone:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Family Law Records
- Probate Records
- Traffic Records
Anyone interested in accessing nonconfidential court records from Polk County can use the Missouri CaseNet website to search for them. They can also go to the Circuit Court and view its public records by using the public terminal on the court's grounds. Additionally, individuals can ask the court clerks to provide copies of non-confidential court records at the stipulated fee.
