Minnehaha County
Minnehaha County is located on the eastern border of South Dakota. With a population of 197,214 individuals as of 2020, it is considered South Dakota's most populous county. The county was organized in 1868 and derived its name from the Sioux word Mnihaha, which means “rapid water.†It covers 807 square miles of land and has its seat in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city by population.
Minnehaha County's court system comprises the Circuit and Magistrate Courts. The Circuit Court serves both Minnehaha County and Lincoln County. It has jurisdiction over felonies, misdemeanors, certain municipal ordinance violations, and civil claims over $12,000 in dispute. It also hears domestic relations, juvenile, probate, family law, and equity cases. The Magistrate Court conducts pre-trial hearings and hears most municipal and city ordinance violations, pleas, bond forfeitures, committals, and civil cases where the disputed amount is below $12,000. It also hears requests for temporary abuse protection orders and certain mental health cases and adult drug cases assigned by the Circuit Court.
Public court records of Minnehaha County are legal documents about the conduct of court proceedings held in the county. These records typically include details such as case transcripts, names of parties involved, and filing dates. The Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts is the official tasked with filing, processing, updating, and maintaining these court records. The Clerk's Office provides access to the following public court records:
- Criminal records for adults
- Civil records
- Probate records
- Family records
To access court records, requesters may search online via the South Dakota Public Access Record System (PARS). Alternatively, they may visit the Clerk's Office in Sioux Falls or make a request remotely by sending an e-mail.
A fee of $20.00 is incurred per record search via the Public Access Record System, regardless of whether or not the search returns any records. Requesters also incur a $0.20 charge per page for obtaining and printing records from the Clerk's Office. If certified copies of these records are requested, an additional charge of $2 per page applies.
