Dallas County Court Records

According to Rule 20.1 of Iowa Court Rules (ICR), court records are the contents of the court file, including the docket, court decisions, property records, criminal records, civil records, probate records, and other similar records generated in a case.

Dallas County court records include a collection of court hearings and related documents, making them invaluable for legal matters. These records document court rulings, case filings, and other legal activities, and they are also helpful as historical and legal resources. They are vital resources for researchers, attorneys, and anybody looking for information regarding court cases, property records, or the background of judicial procedures in Dallas County.

Are Court Records Public in Dallas County?

Court records in Dallas County are generally considered public. This means anyone can examine, copy for a fee, and publish. The public accessibility of court records is rooted in the Iowa Open Record Law, which ensures transparency and accountability in the legal system.

Public access to court records is subject to several restrictions, as stated in the Access to Court Records and Information Handbook. For instance, some kinds of records are confidential or sealed:

• Civil commitment cases involving drug misuse or mental illness
• Situations involving children in need of assistance and termination of parental rights
• Unexecuted search and arrest orders
• Divorce cases until a decree of divorce is entered
• Juvenile delinquency cases sealed by court order.
• Anything contained in a dissolution record that the court has ordered sealed, excluding orders, judgments, and decrees
• Civil domestic abuse records ordered sealed by the court
• Report from pre-sentence investigations
• Docket for denied judgments.

Dallas County Court Records Search

Individuals seeking to access court records in Dallas County may use the following options:

• Dallas County Clerk of Court
• Dallas County Recorder
• Dallas County Sheriff's Office
• Iowa Courts Online Electronic Docket Record Search.
• Bureau of Health Statistics Vital Records Office.

Dallas County Courts

The Dallas County Court system consists of a District Court. The District Court handles general civil and criminal cases with a few exceptions. This court has a division for cases regarding Juvenile, Probate, and Small Claims.

Cases involving juvenile delinquency, adoption, termination of parental rights, children in need of support, and families in need are handled by the Juvenile Court division. The Probate Court division handles cases involving trusts, accounting, conservatorships, guardianships, estates of deceased people, and guardianships. The Small Claims division oversees the process for resolving minor civil disputes, including landlord-tenant cases. The District Court hears its cases at the following location:

Dallas County District Court
801 Court Street
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5816
Fax: (515) 993-6991

Dallas County Criminal Records

Dallas County criminal records are generally confidential and not available to the public per Iowa Code Section 692.2. However, certain individuals and agencies, including criminal or juvenile justice agencies, the subject of the record, and specific individuals or public or private agencies, under certain conditions, can access these records. Some Iowa criminal records can only be obtained by criminal or juvenile justice agencies or the subject of the record or their attorney; they include:

• Criminal records that do not comprise any disposition data after eighteen months from the date of arrest
• Criminal records of dismissals or acquittals due to insanity
• Criminal records of judgments of mental incompetence to stand trial in cases involving alleged physical or mental injury
• Criminal records about a person who has completed probation after a deferred judgment.

The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is the repository for Dallas County criminal records. The department provides eligible persons access to criminal history records online, by mail, fax, or in person upon request.

Online Requests:

To request a criminal history record check online from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), individuals must visit the DCI's website and access the online portal. After that, they must accurately fill out the required request and billing forms with the details of the person whose records are being sought. Payment details, such as the credit card number or check details, are usually required. The request may be electronically submitted if all the forms are filled out and payment is made. The DCI typically responds to online requests in one to three days, depending on the volume of work.

Mail, Fax, or Email Requests:

Individuals must first download the required forms from the DCI website to request a criminal history record check from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) through mail, fax, or email. After that, they must accurately fill out the forms and put in the required payment. The completed forms and payment should be sent to the DCI's address or fax number or emailed if applicable. The DCI normally processes such requests in one to three days.

In-Person Requests:

To request a criminal history record check in person from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), individuals must visit the DCI office during business hours. They need to present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport. The completed request form and payment should be handed to the DCI staff. If requesting one's criminal history record, immediate results may be possible. However, if requesting records for someone else, the processing time may be longer. Below is the address of the Department:

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

Requesters are to note that a fee of $15 is charged for each last name searched. Payment can be made using cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. The DCI only mails to US and Canadian addresses and faxes to US fax numbers. Emailed results may not be considered original in other countries. For international requests, a US address or fax number of a family member or friend must be provided to receive the results.

Get Dallas County Civil Court Records

Except for a few exceptions, Dallas County civil court records are normally regarded as public records and are available to the public. These documents include important information regarding civil cases, which include lawsuits, property disputes, contract disputes, and other non-criminal legal issues. Usually, the county clerk's office in Dallas County is in charge of maintaining civil court documents. These records must be kept up to date and made accessible by them. The Clerk of Court's Office has copies of civil court case records for Dallas County. Interested persons can reach the Clerk's office at:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5816

The Iowa Court Case Search website also has records of civil court cases from Dallas County. If interested parties choose "civil" and "Dallas" from the Case Type and County drop-down menus, respectively, they can search civil court files. In addition to searching for documents by Citation Number or Case Number, the record seeker can perform a name search by supplying specifics about the record, such as the party name and alias.

Dallas County Marriage Records

Dallas County Marriage Records from 1851 to the present can be accessed by entitled persons at the Dallas County Recorder’s Office. Entitled persons include the person named on the record, their spouse, child, legal parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or legal representative/guardian. To obtain a certified copy of a Dallas County marriage record, individuals can visit the Dallas County Recorder's office in person or send a written request by mail. The request must include a completed form, a photo ID, and payment. A fee of $15.00 is required for the first certified copy, with additional copies costing $15.00 each. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (with processing fees). The Dallas County Recorder’s office is given below:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Room 203
P.O. Box 38
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5804
Fax: (515) 993-5970

In case the document is unavailable at the local recorder's office, the person making the request might attempt to locate the record by filling out the vital record application form on their website. A fee of $15.00 is required for the first certified copy, with additional copies costing $15.00 each. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (with processing fees). Requesters may turn in the application by mail or in-person at:

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

Dallas County Divorce Records

Anyone interested in obtaining and purchasing copies of a divorce record may send an email to the Dallas County Clerk of Court. Until the court issues an order, the information contained in Dallas County divorce records remains private. There's a chance that some of the documents won't be accessible even then. Sensitive data such as bank statements and financial agreements or settlements are typically included in these. Every request made to the county clerk needs to include:

• The entire name of the divorcing party;
• The second party's full name in the divorce;
• The year, month, and day the divorce was officially finalized by the court.

The Court Clerk's office is located at:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5816

Dallas County Birth and Death Records

According to Iowa Admin. Code 641-95, Dallas County birth and records become public after 75 years of filing. However, eligible requesters, including the record's subject (in the case of birth records only), family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order, can obtain copies of the records from 1851 to the present. To request a copy, individuals can visit the Dallas County Recorder's Office in person or send a written request by mail. The request must include a completed form, a photo ID, and payment. A fee of $15.00 is required for the first certified copy, with additional copies costing $15.00 each. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (with processing fees). The Dallas County Recorder's Office is located at:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Room 203
P.O. Box 38
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5804
Fax: (515) 993-5970

The requester might also attempt to locate these records by filling out the vital record application form on their website. A fee of $15.00 is required for the first certified copy, with additional copies costing $15.00 each. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (with processing fees). Requesters may turn in the application by mail or in-person at:

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

Dallas County Birth and Death Records are critical in resolving legal issues, historical study, and genealogy. These records provide essential details such as names, dates, and locations of births and deaths in Dallas County. They are necessary for medical research, family history, population trends, supporting legal actions, etc.

Dallas County Probate Court Records

The Probate Division of the Dallas County District Court handles Probate cases in Dallas County. This court oversees the administration of estates, trusts, and trustees, probate of wills, conservatorships, and guardianships, and other related legal matters. These records can be valuable for genealogical research, legal proceedings, and family history.

To access probate court records in Dallas County, requesters can visit the Dallas County District Court office during work hours at:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5816

Dallas County Property Records

Property records provide crucial information about real estate ownership, including assessments, borders, and other relevant characteristics. Legal documents such as mortgages, liens, easements, and deeds are sometimes found in property records. The Dallas District Court Clerk is mainly responsible for maintaining these records. To access probate court records in Dallas County, requesters can visit the Dallas County District Court office during work hours at:

Dallas County Courthouse
801 Court Street
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-5816

Dallas County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Iowacourtrecords.us provide access to Dallas County court records. Often, these websites provide user-friendly interfaces that allow users to enter specific case numbers, dates, or party names to search for specific instances. Additionally, unlike traditional methods, these systems save time and effort by enabling users to read and download court documents directly from their websites.

However, third-party websites may not always include the most up-to-date or accurate information because governmental bodies do not oversee them. Furthermore, not all court records might be obtainable via these platforms; some information might be prohibited or only available with official authorization. While most third-party sites offer free basic searches, some charge a fee to access or download documents.