Located in East Central Iowa, Linn County, established in 1839, is home to over 230,000 residents, making it the state’s second most populous county. Named in honor of Senator Lewis Fields Linn, a Missouri Senator, Linn County covers an area of 726 square miles. Its county seat in Cedar Rapids serves as the commerce, grain milling, and freight hub of Eastern Iowa.
Courts in Linn County
Linn County Court consists of District Courts. The Linn County District Court has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. The District Court has a Criminal, Civil, Family Law, Juvenile, Probate, and Small Claims Division. The Criminal Division presides over felonies, misdemeanors, and serious traffic offenses. The Civil Division handles civil disputes such as contact and property disputes and personal injury claims. The Family Law Division specializes in matters related to family conflicts, including divorce, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, and paternity and adoption cases.
The Juvenile Court Division presides over cases involving minors, including juvenile delinquency, termination of parental rights, foster care placement, child protection orders, adoption, and emancipation cases. The Probate Court Division handles cases involving estates of decedents such as guardianships, wills, conservatorships, and trusts. The Small Claims Division handles disputes for monetary compensation, such as landlord-tenant disputes, evictions, wage disputes, contract disputes, and loan repayment.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Linn County
Public court records are papers and records maintained by the court and open to the public for inspection and copying. Interested persons may access public court records online through the Iowa Court Online. Record seekers may also visit the courthouse to view and obtain copies of court documents or mail requests to order the records.
Types of Public Court Records in Linn County
Public court records provide insights into the judicial proceedings in the cunty, allowing the public to see how the judiciary makes decisions and administers justice. The following court records are open to the public in Linn County:
- Civil Court Records: Eviction, employment disputes, property disputes, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes
- Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including aggravated assaults, homicide, vandalism, and disorderly conduct
- Probate Records: Conservatorships, guardianships, wills, trusts, and estates
- Family Court Records: Divorce, annulment, child custody, child and spousal support, and legal separation
- Traffic Records: Hit and run, illegal parking, driving under the influence, and speeding violations
Confidential Court Records in Linn County
Confidential court records containing private and sensitive information inaccessible to the public. Confidential records are sealed by the courts and exempted from public access to protect the individual named on the court document. Confidential court records in Linn County include:
- Juvenile court records
- Mental health records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Adoption records
- Grand jury proceedings
Public court records contain personal data which are exempted from public view. Personal identifiers on court documents are redacted due to privacy and security concerns. Personal identifiers excluded from public court records include:
- Social Security numbers
- Tax identification numbers
- Home address and phone numbers
- Medical records
- Financial account numbers.
Juvenile Delinquency in Linn, IA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Linn County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Iowa often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 1082 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Linn County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1082 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Linn County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Linn County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 14,211 |
| Dependency | 1,653 |
| Status | 99 |
Government of Linn County, IA
| County Seat: | Cedar Rapids |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1839 |
| Total Square Miles: | 725 |
| 2019 Population: | 224,115 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |