| Clerk of District Court | Dallas County Clerk of the District Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Dallas County Courthouse, 801 Court Street, Adel, IA 50003 |
| Phone | 515-993-7018 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (per the Dallas County website's court-fines FAQ; confirm before traveling, as the FAQ lists the clerk's street as 801 Main Street while the Judicial Branch lists 801 Court Street) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule) |
| Certified copy fee | $50 for certification and seal of a court document (Iowa Code section 602.8105(2)(b), per the Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule) |
Dallas County, directly west of Des Moines, has been Iowa's fastest-growing county for more than a decade as Waukee, West Des Moines, Urbandale, and Clive have pushed across the Polk County line. Its court records, however, still live in the small county seat of Adel. The Dallas County Clerk of the District Court, a state Judicial Branch office rather than a county department, keeps every case filed in the county — felonies and misdemeanors, civil suits, divorces and custody cases, probate, small claims, and traffic — at the historic Dallas County Courthouse at 801 Court Street.
Dallas County sits in Iowa's Fifth Judicial District, the same district as Polk County, and shares its district court administrator with Des Moines. That matters for one practical reason: a case involving a West Des Moines or Urbandale address may have been filed in either Dallas or Polk County depending on which side of the county line the events occurred, so a search that comes up empty in one county is worth repeating in the other.
There is no Dallas County-specific case-search website. Remote lookups go through the statewide Iowa Courts Online portal, which shows dockets and case status for free but not the filed documents themselves. Iowa abolished municipal courts in 1973, so city ordinance citations from Waukee, Adel, or Perry police are also filed with this same clerk's office as simple misdemeanors rather than in a separate city court.
Search Dallas County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Dallas County Clerk of the District Court
- Cost
- Free docket search on Iowa Courts Online; $0.50 per page for copies and $50 for certification under the Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule
- Coverage
- All district court case types filed in Dallas County — felony and misdemeanor criminal, civil, family, probate, small claims, traffic, and juvenile
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The Judicial Branch county page lists the clerk's address, phone, email, case-scheduling contact, and juvenile court office. Case information itself is searched through the statewide Iowa Courts Online portal, not a Dallas County site.
Other courts
Dallas County Juvenile Court Office
- Coverage
- Juvenile delinquency and child-in-need-of-assistance matters for Dallas County; these records are confidential by statute and are not available to the public
Located at 801 Court Street, Room 203, Adel, IA 50003, phone 515-993-5805, per the Iowa Judicial Branch county page. Listed for completeness only; juvenile case files are not public records.
What is available online
Dallas County case dockets, party names, hearing dates, and case status are searchable for free on the statewide Iowa Courts Online system. Confidential case types — juvenile, mental health commitments, adoptions, and some family matters — are excluded from public search by court rule. Filed documents (petitions, orders, judgments) are not displayed online for the general public; view them on the courthouse public-access terminal in Adel or request copies from the clerk. Fines and court debt for Dallas County cases can be paid online through the Judicial Branch's payment portal, by phone at 515-993-5816, or in person at the clerk's counter.
Which clerk has your record
In Iowa, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Iowa page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa District Court | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount, including small claims | Clerk of the District Court for the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Dallas County clerk offices
Dallas County Courthouse, 801 Court Street, Adel, IA 50003
Phone: 515-993-7018
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (per the Dallas County website's court-fines FAQ; confirm before traveling, as the FAQ lists the clerk's street as 801 Main Street while the Judicial Branch lists 801 Court Street)
In person. Visit the Clerk of the District Court at the Dallas County Courthouse, 801 Court Street, Adel, IA 50003, during business hours. The public-access terminal lets you search the index and read non-confidential filings at no charge; printed copies are paid at the counter. Bring a case number if you have one — otherwise the full names of the parties and the approximate year of filing.
By mail. Write to the Dallas County Clerk of the District Court at the address above (phone 515-993-7018, email countyclerk.dallas@iowacourts.gov). State the case number or party names, the specific documents you want, and whether you need plain or certified copies. Under the Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule, copies are $0.50 per page and certification and seal of a document is $50; call first to confirm the total and the accepted payment method before enclosing a check or money order made payable to the Clerk of Court.
Online. Use Iowa Courts Online for a free docket search by name or case number. A paid Advanced Case Search subscription adds filters but still does not show document images. Attorneys and registered parties can view their own filings through the eFile system.
Which county? Because the Des Moines suburbs straddle the Dallas–Polk line, check both counties in Iowa Courts Online if you are unsure where a case was filed. Cases from the 2010s and later will generally appear statewide in the same search.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Iowa |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule) |
| Certified copy | $50 for certification and seal of a court document (Iowa Code section 602.8105(2)(b), per the Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule) |
The Iowa Judicial Branch's Civil Court Fees page lists copies at $0.50 per page and $50 for certification and seal of a court document under Iowa Code section 602.8105(2)(b), and notes that its figures reflect 2026 legislative changes. The codified text of section 602.8105 published in the 2026 Iowa Code still shows the earlier $30 certificate-and-seal fee, so confirm the current amount with the county clerk before sending payment. Every county clerk of the district court charges the same statewide schedule.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Iowa's default is that court records are public, but several categories are removed from public view:
The Iowa guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Dallas County, Iowa court records kept?
At the Clerk of the District Court in the Dallas County Courthouse, 801 Court Street, Adel, IA 50003. Although most residents live in the Des Moines suburbs, the courthouse and every case file remain in Adel, the county seat.
Can I search Dallas County court cases online for free?
Yes. Iowa Courts Online, the statewide Judicial Branch portal, shows case dockets and status for Dallas County at no charge. Documents themselves are not online; view them at the courthouse terminal or request copies from the clerk.
Is a West Des Moines or Urbandale case in Dallas County or Polk County?
It depends on where the events occurred, since both cities span the county line. If a search in one county comes back empty, repeat it in the other. Both counties are in Iowa's Fifth Judicial District.
How much do copies of Dallas County court records cost?
The Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule lists paper copies at $0.50 per page and $50 for certification and seal of a court document. Confirm the total with the clerk's office before mailing payment.
Sources
- Dallas County | Judicial District 5 | Iowa Judicial Branch — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-5/district/5/county/dallas
- Dallas County, IA — Frequently Asked Questions (Collection of Court Fines) — https://www.dallascountyiowa.gov/m/faq?cat=17
- Dallas County, IA — County Courthouse facility page — https://dallascountyiowa.gov/facilities/facility/details/County-Courthouse-24
- Civil Court Fees | Iowa Judicial Branch — https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/representing-yourself/civil-court-fees
- Iowa Courts Online Search — https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/SelectFrame
- Iowa Judicial Branch — District Court — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court
- Iowa Judicial Branch — Court of Appeals — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/court-of-appeals
- Iowa Judicial Branch — Supreme Court — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/supreme-court
- Iowa DCI Criminal History Record Check Information — https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions-iowa-department-public-safety/iowa-division-criminal-investigation/criminal-history-record-check-information
- Iowa Code Chapter 901C — Expungement of Criminal Records — https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/901C.pdf
- Iowa Code Section 602.8105 — Clerk Fees for Civil Cases — https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/602.8105.pdf
- Iowa Code Section 22.7 — Confidential Records — https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/22.7.pdf
- Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16 — Rules of Electronic Procedure — https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ACO/CourtRulesChapter/16.pdf
- United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa — https://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/
- United States District Court, Northern District of Iowa — https://www.iand.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Iowa counties.