Pennington County
Founded in 1875, Pennington County was named after John Pennington, 5th Governor of the Dakota Territory. It is the state's third largest county by land, covering up to 2,777 square miles of land in western South Dakota. As of 2022, the county is home to 109,222 residents. Rapid City serves as the county seat and also its largest city.
Pennington County's judicial system comprises the 7th Judicial Circuit Court and the Magistrate Courts. The 7th Judicial Circuit Court serves as the primary trial court. It handles all felony criminal cases, civil cases exceeding $12,000, equity cases, probate matters, juvenile matters, and family law matters such as divorce and guardianship cases. This court also hears appeals from the Magistrate Court. Magistrate Courts handle misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, small claims under $12,000, landlord-tenant disputes, forfeiture of bonds, committals, and traffic violations.
Pennington County public court records are any government document or materials generated during legal proceedings and stored to maintain government transparency. These records are accessible to the public following South Dakota's Sunshine Law. These documents include minutes, judgments, case filings, dockets, and trial transcripts. Accessible public records include:
- Civil court records
- Small claims records
- Property records
- Family law records
- Probate records
- Criminal court records
Some records, such as juvenile cases, bank statements, mental health files, and adoption records, are confidential and therefore restricted to only authorized individuals. To obtain public records, interested parties can contact the Pennington County Clerk of Court via phone or by visiting the address at:
Pennington County Clerk of Court
315 St. Joseph Street, Suite 5
PO Box 230
Rapid City, SD 57709-0230
Phone: (605) 394-2570
Email: amber.watkins@ujs.state.sd.us
Court records can also be accessed online through the South Dakota eCourts, where users can search by name or case number. Online access is generally free; however, certified or physical copies of records from the Clerk's Office incur fees for processing and duplication.
