What are Iowa Court Records?
- Arrest Records
- Judgments
- Bankruptcies
- DUIs & DWIs
- Felonies
- Warrants
- Jail Records
- Lien Records
- Sex Offenses
- Misdemeanors
- Criminal Records
- Federal Dockets
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Iowa ranks 32nd among the most populous states in the United States, with 3.2 million residents. The state's judicial system, which includes a state supreme court, court of appeals, district, and juvenile courts, typically handles more than 650,000 cases a year. To preserve public safety and offer equitable and unbiased answers to common issues, Iowa courts are open to everyone.
Court records in Iowa are considered public records in the state and are accessible to the public upon request. The courts produce and maintain these records, which include complaints in civil cases and indictments in criminal prosecutions. These records include:
Docket Sheets
These contain crucial information on the judges, attorneys of record, and parties. A list of the documents used throughout the trial, together with their summaries, is also provided in the docket sheet.
Judgments and Orders
These records contain the jury or court's verdicts. After the trial, they are signed by the court. They outline the consequences and responsibilities for each party and include the ultimate decision.
Transcripts
These are written descriptions of court proceedings that document the rulings of the judges. They are particularly useful when presenting an appeal request or supporting documentation for a motion.
Evidence
This includes witness statements from both sides of the case at trial and tangible proof found during police investigations.
Court Minutes
These note the start and end of a trial. The names of the witnesses and lawyers are also listed. The court's proceedings, including recesses, testimony, and official statements, are summarized in the minutes.
Pleadings
These are formal written declarations outlining the accusations made by each party to the case. They consist
Briefs
Attorneys use briefs to submit written arguments to the court. They are intended to assist the court in resolving the case's legal disputes.
Most Iowa court records are accessible to anybody who knows the specifics of a case, such as the names of the parties or case numbers. However, there may be exemptions, such as records about children or sensitive information.
Types of Court Cases
Court cases fall into two main categories: criminal and civil. The main differences between these case types are the level of proof needed and the possible consequences. Other minor categories include family and traffic cases.
Civil Cases
The courts can resolve conflicts between individuals and organizations through civil trials. Unlike criminal cases, civil cases do not result in jail time or other serious loss of rights. Rather, they are settled by paying fines, dealing with the root of the dispute, or stopping a particular act. Their goal is to resolve conflicts and provide some sense of justice to the plaintiff.
A civil case often begins when one individual or group (the plaintiff) claims that another individual or group (the defendant) has harmed them. The plaintiff asks the court for redress by filing a complaint and starting a legal action. The plaintiff may seek damages or monetary compensation to make up for their losses or injuries. They might also ask for an injunction, which stops the defendant from doing an offending act.
Civil cases are decided by a jury or a judge. However, both parties can choose to have an out-of-court settlement, which usually involves a financial agreement. In a civil action, there is no legal right to counsel, unlike in criminal cases. Civil parties are required to represent themselves in court or hire legal representation.
Civil attorneys are required to meet a standard of proof known as the "preponderance of the evidence." This implies that the evidence must be more likely to be true than the evidence that contradicts it. Rather than the amount of evidence offered, decisions are made largely on how compelling the provided evidence is, regardless of the quantity.
Criminal Cases
A criminal case is formed when an individual is accused of a crime by a prosecutor working for the government. Criminal cases generally serve as a deterrent to future criminal action. They are meant to rehabilitate or keep offenders away from society. A criminal trial begins with the offender being arrested and charged during an indictment hearing.
Defendants in criminal cases are entitled to a jury trial by their peers. Each jury is hand-picked from a randomly selected pool of district residents, and the judge conducts interviews with each juror to rule out any potential bias. Another option available to defendants is a bench trial, which is a trial without a jury. Unlike in civil matters, defendants in criminal cases are entitled to legal representation.
Jurors in criminal cases must cast unanimous votes to fulfill the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt". This is because if found guilty of a crime, far harsher punishments could be meted out in a criminal case. A fine, jail time, community service, or a mix of all three could be the punishment in a criminal case.
What Are the Different Courts in Iowa?
Each of Iowa's four courts has distinct responsibilities and jurisdictions. These courts deal with everything from serious murder cases to petty traffic violations. The following are the courts making up the Iowa court system:
- Supreme Court
- Court of Appeals
- District Courts
- Juvenile Court
Iowa Supreme Court
With seven judgeships, the Iowa Supreme Court serves as the state's last resort court. In Iowa, all justices and appellate judges are nominated by the governor from a list of nominations selected by the state judicial nominating commission. Upon expiration of the initial appointment term, the justices and judges must be retained by the election of Iowa voters. Justices of the Supreme Court serve eight-year terms. The justices of the Supreme Court choose one of its members to be the Chief Justice every two years.
As an appellate court, the Iowa Supreme Court considers appeals from lower courts. To ascertain whether a major legal error occurred, they examine written records from the trial court. Rules governing the transfer of criminal or civil appeals to the Court of Appeals are established by the Supreme Court. The court is also in charge of establishing guidelines for the Supreme Court to follow while reviewing rulings from the Court of Appeals.
The Iowa Judicial Branch Building in Des Moines, Iowa, serves as the venue for the state Supreme Court's sessions. About 2,000 appeals are submitted to the Iowa Supreme Court annually.
Iowa Court of Appeals
Known as the intermediate appellate court in Iowa, the Iowa Court of Appeals is manned by nine judges. The Iowa Supreme Court assigns matters to the court, which also considers appeals from the state's lower courts. The Iowa Court of Appeals hears the majority of appeals in Iowa, and its rulings are final unless the Iowa Supreme Court allows for additional review.
The Court of Appeal, like the Supreme Court, does not hear new evidence or hold trials. To ascertain if the trial court committed any serious mistakes, it examines the trial court's record. The court has three options: affirm, which means to uphold the lower court's decision; reverse, which means to set aside the lower court's decision; and remand, which means to return the matter to the lower court with directives, like calling for a new trial. Instead of being the judgment of a single judge, an opinion is the collective judgment of a majority of the judges or justices.
Judges of the Court of Appeals serve six-year terms before needing to be re-elected. The Court of Appeals judges are also responsible for choosing one of their members to be the Chief Judge of the court every two years.
Iowa District Court
There is one district court in each Iowan county, and almost all cases start in the district court. The state's juvenile, criminal, civil, and probate cases are under the district court's general jurisdiction. It handles the initiation of such litigation and sees it through till judges render decisions. Iowa is separated into eight judicial districts for administrative purposes. Each district is presided over by a chief judge chosen by the Iowa Supreme Court. District judges hear appeals of small claims decisions rendered by associate or magistrate judges.
Iowa Juvenile Court
The juvenile court is a specialized court that handles cases pertaining only to minors, such as:
- Cases classified as Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) usually involving abused, neglected, or abandoned children.
- Cases involving termination of parental rights (TPR).
- Delinquency cases, such as behaviors that, if carried out by an adult, would normally be regarded as illegal.
- Commitment proceedings, in which a youngster is admitted to a hospital or other treatment center to receive treatment for substance misuse or mental illness.
- Adoptions.
How Many Federal Courts Are In Iowa?

Iowa has two federal courts: the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa a and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The Northern Court has jurisdiction over four divisions, namely the Western, Central, Eastern, and Cedar Rapids Divisions. There are three court divisions in the Southern District of Iowa, which consists of 47 counties: the Eastern Division's courthouse is in Davenport, the Central Division's is in Des Moines, and the Western Division's is in Council Bluffs.
These courts have limited jurisdiction and handle specific cases such as naturalisation. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is responsible for hearing appeals from these districts.
How Many Court Cases Are Filed Each Year in Iowa?
Iowa trial courts receive almost 700,000 cases annually, including civil, criminal, and juvenile proceedings.
- Civil Cases: Iowa has over 50,000 civil cases filed every year.
- Criminal Cases: About 85,000 criminal cases are filed in the state annually.
- Misdemeanors: Iowa District Courts hear over 415,000 cases.
- Juvenile: Juvenile courts see over 8,900 annually—most cover delinquency, child welfare, and adult filing cases.
- Probate Cases: Iowa courts handle over 14,000 probate cases.
- Commitment Cases: Iowa handles around 13,000 adult mental health commitment cases
- Infractions: There are over 71,000 small claims and infraction cases.
How Do I Look Up Court Cases in Iowa?

You can obtain court records in Iowa by reaching out to the custodian at the court where the case was heard and requesting to view the record. During regular business hours, requests can be sent in writing or verbally to the Judicial Branch. Custodians, however, have the right to ask that complicated demands be made in writing. Requests must contain enough information to allow for a reasonable identification of the records being sought. You may use the Iowa Judicial Branch's Court Directory to find the location of the court from which you are seeking a record.
Note that the judicial branch has established different custodians depending on who is making the request, such as the media.
- Media Requests: No matter the type of record, media requests must be sent to the Judicial Branch Communications Director via email.
- District Court Case Records: Request for district court case records must be sent to the county clerk of court office where the case is filed; a directory of district courts is available here
- Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals: Request for case records from the appellate courts must be sent to the Clerk of the Iowa Supreme Court via email.
- Administrative Records: Requests for judicial branch administrative records and judicial branch electronic data must be sent to the State Court Administrator via email.
The records custodian may provide an estimate of fees before the requested records are produced or copied. Also, payment of fees incurred in responding to the records request may be required before the requested records are received or reviewed. Responses to records requests are made as soon as possible, depending on the size and nature of the request.
The Iowa Judicial Branch also provides several online platforms that records seekers can use to find various court records. You can look up records via self-service tools such as the Iowa Courts Online Search Platform and the Iowa Court eFile system.
What Court Records Are Not Available to the Public in Iowa?
While many court records are available to the public, certain records are exempt. A detailed list of records that are restricted from the public is available in the Restricted Document and Case Type documentation. Some categories of court records that the public cannot access include:
- Adoption
- Criminal cases with an outstanding search and seizure or arrest warrant
- County Attorney Subpoena and Non-testimonial or Investigative Matters cases in investigative filings
- Administrative Search Warrant cases in investigative filings
- Dissolution of Marriage with or without children
- Cases ordered expunged or sealed by the court
- Juvenile delinquency and non-delinquency cases
- Adult and juvenile mental health cases
- Search Warrant
Certain records may be purged provided specific requirements are satisfied. To expunge your record, you must submit a written request to the court requesting an order expunging the record. This implies that the public will no longer have access to these records. It does not, however, imply that the case's record will entirely disappear.
Iowa Counties
- Adair
- Adams
- Allamakee
- Appanoose
- Audubon
- Benton
- Black Hawk
- Boone
- Bremer
- Buchanan
- Buena Vista
- Butler
- Calhoun
- Carroll
- Cass
- Cedar
- Cerro Gordo
- Cherokee
- Chickasaw
- Clarke
- Clay
- Clayton
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Dallas
- Davis
- Decatur
- Delaware
- Des Moines
- Dickinson
- Dubuque
- Emmet
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Franklin
- Fremont
- Greene
- Grundy
- Guthrie
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Harrison
- Henry
- Howard
- Humboldt
- Ida
- Iowa
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Keokuk
- Kossuth
- Lee
- Linn
- Louisa
- Lucas
- Lyon
- Madison
- Mahaska
- Marion
- Marshall
- Mills
- Mitchell
- Monona
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Muscatine
- Obrien
- Osceola
- Page
- Palo Alto
- Plymouth
- Pocahontas
- Polk
- Pottawattamie
- Poweshiek
- Ringgold
- Sac
- Scott
- Shelby
- Sioux
- Story
- Tama
- Taylor
- Union
- Van Buren
- Wapello
- Warren
- Washington
- Wayne
- Webster
- Winnebago
- Winneshiek
- Woodbury
- Worth
- Wright