Dubuque County is located in Iowa and was named after the first European settler in the state. About 99,266 people call the county home with at least 42,620 housing units. The county seat is Dubuque City.
Courts in Dubuque County
Dubuque County is home to District One of the Iowa District Court. The court has original jurisdiction over all cases arising from the county. It hears civil claims, including contract disputes, claims for money, real estate matters, torts, negligence, and malpractice cases. It also handles small claims involving $6,500 or less and landlord-tenant issues. The criminal jurisdiction of the court covers all felonies and misdemeanors. It also hears juvenile delinquency and dependency matters. Family matters, including divorce, adoptions, support and custody, name change, and domestic violence, are also within the authority of the court. The court also handles matters on wills, trusts, estates, guardianships, and other probate cases.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Dubuque County
Dubuque County court records are in the custody of the District Clerk of Court. Researchers can contact the Clerk’s office to request these records or use the public access terminals at the courthouse to view the records. Dubuque County court records are also available online on the Iowa Judicial Branch Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) and the statewide Electronic Docket Record Search.
Types of Public Court Records in Dubuque County
Public court records are materials relating to court cases that are open to the public. These include court-generated documents and those submitted by the parties in a case. Some examples of public court records in Dubuque County are:
- Case dockets
- Pleadings
- Exhibits
- Filings
- Judgments and orders
Confidential Court Records in Dubuque County
Confidential court records are records that are protected from the general public as a result of a law or court order. Some examples in Dubuque County are:
- Records of adoption cases
- Records of juvenile cases
- Records sealed by court order
- Records containing information covered by attorney-client privilege
Juvenile Delinquency in Dubuque, IA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Dubuque 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 510 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Dubuque County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 510 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Dubuque County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Dubuque County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 10,554 |
| Dependency | 605 |
| Status | 111 |
Government of Dubuque County, IA
| County Seat: | Dubuque |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1834 |
| Total Square Miles: | 617 |
| 2019 Population: | 97,041 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 720 Central Ave
County Courthouse Dubuque , IA 52001-7079 https://www.dubuquecounty.org/ |