Black Hawk County, with a population of approximately 130,000 residents and covering an area of about 573 square miles, is located in northeastern Iowa. Named after Chief Black Hawk, a Sauk leader, Black Hawk County was established in 1843. Its county seat is in Waterloo.
Courts in Black Hawk County
The Black Hawk County Court composition consists of District Courts. The Black Hawk County District Court presides over all criminal and civil cases, including felonies, misdemeanors, and civil disputes involving substantial monetary amounts. The District Court has specialized divisions for juvenile, probate, and small claims matters.
The Juvenile Court Division deals exclusively with cases involving minors. It presides over delinquency, child abuse, child neglect, and dependency cases. The Probate Court Division handles probate and estate administration, including validating wills and estates and guardianship of minors. The Small Claims Division adjudicates civil disputes for limited amounts, such as landlord/tenant disputes.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Black Hawk County
Public court records in Black Hawk County are all documents and information maintained by the courts that are open to the public to view and obtain copies. The Clerk of the District Court in Black Hawk County is the record custodian for public court records. Record seekers may visit the courthouse during business hours to obtain open court records. The office also permits mail requests for public court records.
Furthermore, Black Hawk County court records are available electronically. Interested persons may access public court records using the Iowa Courts Online portal.
Types of Public Court Records in Black Hawk County
Access to court records promotes citizens' confidence in the county's legal process. It also ensures transparency and fairness of the judiciary. Accessible public court records in Black Hawk County include:
- Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including burglary, drug possession, fraud, vandalism, and public intoxication
- Civil Court Records: Personal injury claims, property disputes, debt collection, employment disputes, and restraining orders
- Probate Records: Trusts, wills, name change, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust records
- Family Court Records: Child support and custody, annulment, legal separation, divorce, and alimony
Confidential Court Records in Black Hawk County
Confidential court records are information and documents maintained by the courts and restricted from public view. Confidential court records contain sensitive or private information where disclosure may result in an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Confidential court records are sealed by the courts and federal or state laws. Confidential court records in Black Hawk County include:
- Juvenile records
- Adoption records
- Medical and mental health records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Business proprietary information
Similarly, any information on a court document used to identify an individual is excluded from the public. Personal data in court documents are redacted or kept confidential to protect privacy and prevent fraud or identity theft. Personal identifying information removed from court documents include:
- Tax identification numbers
- Birthdates
- Bank account and credit.debit card numbers
- Social Security numbers
- Driver’s license information
Juvenile Delinquency in Black Hawk, IA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Black Hawk County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Iowa often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 468 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Black Hawk County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 468 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Black Hawk County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Black Hawk County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 9,086 |
| Dependency | 651 |
| Status | 32 |
Government of Black Hawk County, IA
| County Seat: | Waterloo |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1843 |
| Total Square Miles: | 573 |
| 2019 Population: | 132,648 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |
| County Contact: | 316 E 5Th St
County Courthouse Waterloo , IA 50703-4712 http://www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/ |