Des Moines County has an estimated population of over 38,000 residents, and Burlington serves as both its county seat and largest city. The county spans about 430 square miles of Iowa’s eastern border.
Courts in Des Moines County
The Eighth Judicial District Court is the apex court in Des Moines County and exercises general jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, probate, and juvenile cases. Its jurisdiction is only limited in certain case types when the original jurisdiction has been assigned to another type of court, tribunal, or administrative agency.
The Des Moines County District Court comprises three divisions, namely Juvenile Court, Probate Court, and Small Claims Court.
The Juvenile Court Division has original jurisdiction in all children-related cases, such as juvenile delinquency, adoption, termination of parental rights, and children in need of assistance matters. Also included under this division are cases of proceedings involving foster care and abortion notification waivers.
The Probate Court Division retains original jurisdiction over probate-related cases such as descendants and absentees’ estates, the construction of wills, conservatorships and guardianships, and trust and trustees.
Finally, the Des Moines County Small Claims division handles selected civil claims disputes involving limited money amounts not exceeding $6,500, such as in landlord-tenant disputes.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Des Moines County
In Des Moines County, the Clerk of Court for the Eighth Judicial District Court is the official custodian of all court records and processes all public court records requests. Major examples of public court records in Des Moines County include criminal records and probate records. Interested Des Moines County residents can access these records by visiting the county courthouse in person to use the public access terminal located there. They can also make records requests via phone calls to the Clerk of Court office or by fax.
In addition, Des Moines County citizens interested in court proceedings records can look them up using self-service tools such as the Iowa Courts Online Search and the Iowa Court eFile system. Individuals who require more information or lack internet access can visit the Clerk of the Court office in person to view and obtain copies of public court records directly. Requesters may, however, be required to pay a fee to cover the cost of copying public court records.
Types of Public Court Records in Des Moines County
In Des Moines County, interested residents can examine and obtain copies of non-confidential court case records and access information in legal documents not sealed by law. Typical public court records in Des Moines County include:
- Criminal case records
- Probate case records
- Traffic records
- Bankruptcy records
- Civil and Small Claims records
Confidential Court Records in Des Moines County
In Des Moines County, confidential court records are case documents or records containing information that are exempt by law from public disclosure per Iowa Code section 22.7. Generally, barring public access to confidential records is aimed at protecting the privacy of certain individuals, such as juveniles, and to preserve public safety. Additional cases where confidential court records are maintained include:
- Unexecuted search and arrest warrants
- Court-sealed civil domestic abuse records
- Court-sealed juvenile delinquency reports
- Pre-sentence investigative reports
- Records pertaining to professional duties or privileges, such as attorney-client privileges
Juvenile Delinquency in Des Moines, IA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Des Moines County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Iowa often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 346 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Des Moines County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 346 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Des Moines County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Des Moines County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 6,397 |
| Dependency | 375 |
| Status | 31 |
Government of Des Moines County, IA
| County Seat: | Burlington |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1834 |
| Total Square Miles: | 430 |
| 2019 Population: | 39,417 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 513 N Main St
County Courthouse Burlington , IA 52601-5221 http://www.dmcounty.com/ |