Des Moines County Court Records

Iowa Court Rule 20.1 defines Des Moines County court records as any record of judicial proceedings produced by an authorized means. They include transcripts filed with the Des Moines County Court Clerk, court file contents created to document case activities, and documentary exhibits in the clerk's custody. Court records are generally open to the public and can be used for various purposes. They are especially valuable for maintaining the transparency of the county's judicial process and upholding public trust in the county's judiciary.

Are Court Records Public in Des Moines County?

Yes. As part of its commitment to transparency, the Des Moines County District Court provides the public access to its records in compliance with the Iowa Open Records Law and Court Rules. However, selected records are considered confidential and thus exempt from public disclosure. The following personal information and records are some of those considered private/confidential:

• Adoption
• Dates of birth
• Mental health
• Investigative filings
• Minutes of Testimony
• Names of minor children
• Witness information form
• Guardian Ad Litem Report
• Drug and Alcohol Testing
• Criminal Booking Sheet
• County Attorney Subpoena
• Child Abuse Assessment Report
• Social security and financial account numbers
• Individual taxpayer and personal identification numbers
• Criminal cases with an outstanding arrest or search warrant are confidential until the warrant is served

Des Moines County Court Records Search

Individuals can perform Des Moines County Court record searches via the following methods:

• Online using the Case Search portal
• Using the public access terminal at the courthouse
• In-person, with the help of a record staff
• Online through third-party platforms

Des Moines County Courts

Des Moines County is part of the Iowa Courts system's Judicial District 8. The county has one courthouse located at:

Des Moines County District Court
513 North Main Street
P.O. Box 158
Burlington, IA 52601
Phone: (319) 753-8262
Fax: (319) 753-8253

Des Moines County Criminal and Civil Records

All criminal and civil cases in Des Moines County begin in the county’s District Court. The Clerk of Court maintains records of these cases and makes them available online and in person to interested members of the public. Interested persons may visit the courthouse during business hours to obtain copies of certified criminal and civil court records. They can use the public access terminal in the office to view a record for free, but printing a copy attracts a fee. Requesters can also ask the staff to help locate a record. Requests may also be made via mail to the office of the District court clerk.

Members of the public can also use the Case Search tool on the Iowa Judicial Branch website to find records maintained by the District Court for free. To use this search tool, inquirers will require search criteria such as the name of the parties involved and the case number or citation number of the record of interest. Case parties can access court records and documents pertaining to their cases through the Iowa Judicial Branch Electronic Document Management System (EDMS).

It is worth noting that criminal court records differ from Des Moines county arrest records and criminal information accessible through the county law enforcement agencies.

Des Moines County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Des Moines County Recorder issues certified copies of marriage records to individuals who can prove a direct and tangible interest in the records. This typically includes the persons named on the record, their family members and legal representatives of these persons.

Des Moines county marriage record can be obtained by sending a written request to the recorder’s office via mail for $15 per copy. Payments may be made via check or money order. To get a certified Des Moines County marriage record, applicants will be required to send a completed Vital Record Application Form, the appropriate fee, and a valid government-issued picture ID to:

Des Moines County Recorder
513 N. Main St.
Burlington, IA 52601

The Recorder also provides non-certified copies of Des Moines marriage certificates for $5 per record. Customers can submit a request by phone at (319) 753-8221.

The Des Moines County District Court Clerk is the custodian of divorce records. These records are included in the Des Moines County public records; so, they are open to members of the public. Individuals may request copies of divorce records online or in person at the courthouse from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Online requests can also be submitted using the Case Search portal. Users can search for these records by name or case number.

Des Moines County Birth and Death Records

The Des Moines County Recorder maintains the county’s vital records including birth and death certificates dating back to 1880. Access to certified copies of these records is restricted to family members, but non-certified copies are available to all. The Recorder issues certified copies of birth and death records by mail for a fee of $15, payable by check or money order. The customer will be required to submit a completed, notarized Vital Record Application Form, the necessary fee, and a valid ID to the office. Uncertified copies of birth and death records may also be obtained in the office for a cost of $5.00 per record.

Des Moines County Property Records

The Recorder, Assessor, and Treasurer are the custodians of all property records in Des Moines County. Copies of property records can be obtained from their offices from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The custodians charge $0.50 per page for copies of records and $5 per document for certified copies. Individuals who cannot afford the copying fees can view property records online for free. For example:

• The Treasurer's Property Search Portal can be used to access property tax information. The search criteria to use this portal includes the owner name, parcel number, or property street address.
• The Assessor provides property records online via the Real Estate Search tool. Users may conduct a search with a parcel number, legal description, deed holder, lot, block, range, township, house number, street name, or lot area.

Des Moines County Court Records Online

Record seekers use third-party platforms like Iowacourtrecords.us as a convenient alternative for finding Des Moines court records online. These sites aggregate court records from various jurisdictions to a single database, making it easier for requesters to conduct broader searches. Users interested in comprehensive records should be willing to pay a small subscription fee or pay-per-record charges. Unfortunately, third-party sites might not always have accurate or complete court records. Therefore, users must do due diligence to cross-check information with official court websites for accuracy.