Dallas County Court Records

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    Dallas County, Iowa, is part of the state's 5th Judicial District, and all court matters — criminal, civil, family, and probate — go through the Dallas County District Court at the county courthouse in Adel. The county's court records span decades of filings, dispositions, judgments, and legal documents. Whether you're running a background check, confirming a legal proceeding, or tracing property history, knowing where records are held and how to request them saves significant time.

    You can locate court case information through several channels: the clerk of court's office, public-access terminals at the courthouse, the statewide electronic docket, and county government websites. The Iowa Judicial Branch runs an online case search system that indexes filings and proceedings across all 99 counties, including Dallas County. Additional tools are available through IowaCourts.us. For records not indexed online, contact the Dallas County Clerk of Court or the Dallas County Recorder's Office directly.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Dallas County?

    Dallas County court cases are heard in the District Court, which has jurisdiction over criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, and small claims matters. Cases are filed and administered at the Dallas County Courthouse:

    Dallas County District Court Clerk of Court
    801 Court Street
    Adel, IA 50003
    Phone: (515) 993-7018
    Email: countyclerk.dallas@iowacourts.gov

    Juvenile Court Office
    801 Court Street, Room 203
    Adel, IA 50003
    Phone: (515) 993-5805

    District Court Administrator: Jennifer Webster, (515) 561-5848

    The clerk's office processes record requests, accepts filings, and provides certified copies Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding county-designated holidays.

    There are three ways to look up a case:

    1. Online docket search. Go to Iowa Courts Online and search by party name, case number, or citation number. Select Dallas from the county drop-down and choose the appropriate case type (civil, criminal, traffic, etc.). The electronic docket shows a filing index, hearing dates, and dispositions, but does not include the full text of documents.
    2. Public access terminal. Computers at the Dallas County Courthouse let you view and print electronic case documents stored in the Iowa Electronic Document Management System (EDMS). This option gives you broader access to case documents than the remote online docket.
    3. In-person or written request. Visit the Clerk of Court office or send a written request by mail. Include the full names of all parties, the case number if you have it, and the case type. Copy fees are $0.50 per page, and certification with the court seal costs $30 per document under Iowa Code 602.8105.

    Fines, surcharges, and court fees can be paid online through the Iowa Judicial Branch e-Payment portal using a major credit card.

    Are Court Records Public in Dallas County?

    Court records in Dallas County are generally public under Iowa Code Chapter 22, the state's Open Records Law. Members of the public may examine, copy, and publish most court filings. The law requires government custodians to provide records within a reasonable time — Dallas County's open records policy commits to responding within 10 business days, with an additional 20-day extension permitted when confidentiality determinations are needed.

    Iowa's court rules do carve out specific categories of confidential or restricted records. Under Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16, Division V, the following types of records are excluded from public access or carry restricted access:

    • Civil commitment cases involving substance abuse or mental illness
    • Children-in-need-of-assistance (CINA) and termination-of-parental-rights proceedings
    • Unexecuted search warrants and arrest warrants
    • Dissolution-of-marriage files prior to entry of the decree
    • Juvenile delinquency records sealed by court order, per Iowa Code 232.147
    • Pre-sentence investigation reports
    • Domestic abuse records the court has ordered sealed
    • Denied-judgment docket entries

    Chapter 16, Division VI also requires filers to redact protected personal information — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, dates of birth (except the year), and names of minor children — before submitting any document. These obligations apply to both electronically filed and paper documents. The Iowa Judicial Branch guidance on protecting personal information details exactly what must be omitted or masked from public filings.

    Dallas County's Open Records Request page provides online forms for both law enforcement records and general government records. A reasonable fee may be charged for retrieval time exceeding 30 minutes, and copying costs may not exceed the actual cost of providing the service.

    Dallas County Criminal Court Records

    Criminal cases in Dallas County are prosecuted and adjudicated in the District Court. You can search the criminal docket remotely through Iowa Courts Online — select Criminal as the case type and Dallas as the county. Results show charges, hearing dates, and disposition information for cases in the electronic docket.

    Comprehensive criminal history records, however, are maintained by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), which runs the state's central repository. Under Iowa Code 692.2, certain criminal history data is confidential and may only be released to authorized recipients. Records subject to restricted access include:

    • Arrest records with no disposition data after 18 months from the date of arrest
    • Records of dismissals or acquittals by reason of insanity
    • Records involving adjudications of mental incompetence to stand trial in cases alleging physical or mental injury
    • Records of individuals who have completed deferred-judgment probation

    To request a criminal history record check through the DCI, you can submit a request online, by mail, by fax, or in person. The fee is $15 per last name searched, with payment accepted in cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover). Each last name requires a separate form. In-person processing runs Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at:

    Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
    Support Operations Bureau, 1st Floor
    215 East 7th Street
    Des Moines, IA 50319
    Fax: (515) 725-6080

    The DCI typically processes requests within one to three business days. Results are mailed to U.S. and Canadian addresses or faxed to U.S. fax numbers only.

    For local arrest reports, incident reports, and accident reports, submit a request to the Dallas County Sheriff's Office using the county's law enforcement open records request form:

    Dallas County Sheriff's Office
    28985 Thin Blue Line Lane
    Adel, IA 50003
    Phone: (515) 993-4771
    Fax: (515) 993-6966
    Administrative Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Dallas County Civil Court Records

    Civil matters in Dallas County — including contract disputes, personal injury claims, landlord-tenant actions, and property disputes — are filed with the District Court. The Clerk of Court maintains the official case file for each civil action, and most records are available for public inspection.

    Filing fees for common civil actions (set by the Iowa Legislature under Iowa Code 602.8105):

    Action TypeFiling Fee
    Civil Petition (general)$195
    Dissolution of Marriage$265
    Domestic relations action (modification, annulment, separate maintenance)$110
    Small Claims ($6,500 or less in damages)$95
    Foreign Judgment$195
    Name Change$195
    Appeal of Small Claims judgment$195

    Additional fees include $60 for filing statutory liens, $30 for certification with the court seal, $60 for filing a lis pendens, $60 for contempt motions, $100 for a jury trial demand, and $0.50 per page for copies. If you can't afford the filing fees, you may request a deferral by submitting an Application to Defer Costs through the Iowa Interactive Court Forms system.

    Civil cases can be searched electronically through Iowa Courts Online — select Civil and Dallas from the drop-down menus and search by party name, alias, case number, or citation number.

    Small claims cases — covering disputes of $6,500 or less — are heard by judicial magistrates. The Iowa Judicial Branch provides free small claims forms and instructions for self-represented litigants. All filings must be submitted electronically through the Iowa eFile system unless the court grants an exception for paper filing.

    Property records — including deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements — are maintained by the Dallas County Recorder's Office and can be searched online through the Recorder's eSearch portal.

    Dallas County Family Court Records

    Family law matters in Dallas County are handled by the District Court and cover dissolutions of marriage, child custody and support, domestic violence protective orders, adoptions, and terminations of parental rights. The Juvenile Court division, located in Room 203 of the courthouse, handles cases involving juvenile delinquency, children in need of assistance, and families in need of services.

    Divorce records. Until a decree of dissolution is entered, the contents of a divorce file are confidential under Iowa court rules. Even after the decree is entered, certain materials — financial agreements, bank statements, and settlement terms — may remain sealed. To request divorce records, contact the Clerk of Court at (515) 993-7018 and include the full names of both parties and the date the divorce was finalized.

    Marriage records. The Dallas County Recorder's Office issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records from 1851 to the present. Certified copies are available to entitled persons — the record subject, spouse, child, legal parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or legal representative — for $15 per certified copy. Requests must include a completed Vital Records Request Form, a photo ID, and payment. In-person requests are accepted during office hours; mail requests require a notarized copy of the requester's photo ID.

    Dallas County Recorder's Office
    801 Court Street, Room 203
    P.O. Box 38
    Adel, IA 50003
    Phone: (515) 993-5804
    Fax: (515) 993-5970
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    Birth and death records. The Recorder's Office holds birth records from 1880–1920 and from July 1, 1941 to the present, along with death records for the same periods. Under Iowa Administrative Code 641-95, birth records become public 75 years after filing, and death records follow a similar restriction. Eligible requesters can obtain certified copies for $15 each. For records outside those locally held date ranges — particularly between 1920 and 1941 — contact the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Vital Records, at (515) 281-4944, or submit the state vital record application form by mail to:

    Iowa HHS Bureau of Health Statistics
    Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
    321 East 12th Street
    Des Moines, IA 50319-0075

    Juvenile records. Under Iowa Code 232.147, juvenile court social records are confidential. Official juvenile court records of delinquency proceedings may also be sealed by court order. Access is limited to the parties, their attorneys, and agencies authorized by statute or court order.

    Dallas County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Dallas County are handled by the Probate Division of the District Court. Iowa does not have a separate probate court — all filings go through the Clerk of Court at the Dallas County Courthouse. The division handles probate of wills, estate administration, appointment and supervision of guardianships and conservatorships, trust matters, and related accounting proceedings.

    To open a probate case or access existing probate records, contact the clerk's office:

    Dallas County District Court Probate
    801 Court Street
    Adel, IA 50003
    Phone: (515) 993-7018
    Email: countyclerk.dallas@iowacourts.gov

    Probate cases can be searched through Iowa Courts Online — select Probate as the case type. The electronic docket shows filing dates, appointed fiduciaries, and case status. Full documents can be viewed at the courthouse public-access terminal or requested through the clerk's office.

    Filing fees for guardianship and conservatorship petitions fall under the general civil petition fee of $195 under Iowa Code 602.8105(1)(a). The Iowa Judicial Branch offers interactive court forms to help self-represented individuals prepare guardianship, conservatorship, and other probate-related filings. All probate documents must be filed electronically through Iowa eFile unless the court grants an exception.

    Under Iowa Court Rules Chapter 20, the clerk of court may purge civil case files — including certain probate filings — ten years after final disposition. Permanent records such as wills admitted to probate and final decrees are typically retained indefinitely. If you're looking for older probate records not available through the electronic system, contact the clerk's office directly or reach out to the Iowa State Historical Society and the Iowa Genealogical Society for archival collections.