| Clerk of District Court | Pottawattamie County Clerk of the District Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Pottawattamie County Courthouse, 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 (mail: P.O. Box 476, Council Bluffs, IA 51502) |
| Phone | 712-328-5604 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| 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) |
Pottawattamie County sits across the Missouri River from Omaha, and Council Bluffs is the Iowa half of a metro area whose court records are split between two states. Anything filed on the Iowa side is kept by the Pottawattamie County Clerk of the District Court, a state Judicial Branch office in the Pottawattamie County Courthouse at 227 South 6th Street in downtown Council Bluffs. Felonies and misdemeanors, civil suits, divorces and custody cases, probate, small claims, and traffic citations all pass through this one clerk's office.
The county is the largest in Iowa's Fourth Judicial District, a nine-county district in southwest Iowa, and the district court administrator's office is also in the Council Bluffs courthouse. The county's own website answers the question "How can I get a copy of court documents?" by directing residents to the clerk at (712) 328-5604, and it explains that the clerk, not any county department, is the point of contact for court dates, fines, and juror questions.
There is no Pottawattamie County-run case-search website. Remote lookups go through the statewide Iowa Courts Online portal, which shows dockets and case status for free but not document images. If the case involved an Omaha address or a Nebraska arrest, it will be in the Douglas County, Nebraska, court system instead, which is entirely separate. Iowa has had no municipal courts since 1973, so Council Bluffs ordinance citations are filed here as simple misdemeanors rather than in a city court.
Search Pottawattamie County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie 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 street and P.O. Box addresses, phone, fax, email, case-scheduling line, and juvenile court office. Case information is searched through the statewide Iowa Courts Online portal, not a county site.
Other courts
Pottawattamie County Juvenile Court Office
- Coverage
- Juvenile delinquency and child-in-need-of-assistance matters for Pottawattamie County; confidential by statute and not open to the public
Located on the 5th floor of the courthouse, 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501, phone 712-328-5623, per the Iowa Judicial Branch county page. Listed for completeness only; juvenile case files are not public records.
What is available online
Pottawattamie 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 are not displayed online for the general public; view them on the courthouse public-access terminal or request copies from the clerk. Fines and court debt can be paid through the Judicial Branch's online payment portal. The county's departmental hours page lists county offices in the courthouse as open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but the clerk of court is a state office and is not on that list; call 712-328-5604 to confirm hours before visiting.
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
Pottawattamie County clerk offices
Pottawattamie County Courthouse, 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 (mail: P.O. Box 476, Council Bluffs, IA 51502)
Phone: 712-328-5604
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
In person. Visit the Clerk of the District Court at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse, 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. 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, or the full names of the parties and the approximate year of filing.
By mail. Write to the Pottawattamie County Clerk of the District Court, P.O. Box 476, Council Bluffs, IA 51502 (phone 712-328-5604, fax 712-328-4810, email CountyClerk.Pottawattamie@iowacourts.gov). Identify the case by number or party names, list the specific documents you want, and say whether you need plain or certified copies. The Iowa Judicial Branch fee schedule sets copies at $0.50 per page and certification and seal at $50; call first to confirm the total and payment method before enclosing a check or money order.
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.
Across the river. Omaha and Douglas County, Nebraska, cases are not in any Iowa system; use the Nebraska Judicial Branch's case search for those. Federal cases from the Council Bluffs area are heard by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, which holds court in Council Bluffs, and are on PACER.
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 Pottawattamie County, Iowa court records kept?
At the Clerk of the District Court in the Pottawattamie County Courthouse, 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. The office keeps criminal, civil, family, probate, small claims, and traffic files for the whole county.
Can I search Pottawattamie County court cases online for free?
Yes. Iowa Courts Online, the statewide Judicial Branch portal, shows Pottawattamie County case dockets and status at no charge. Filed documents are not online; view them at the courthouse terminal or request copies from the clerk.
Is an Omaha case in the Pottawattamie County court records?
No. Omaha is in Douglas County, Nebraska, which has its own state court system and online case search. Only cases filed on the Iowa side of the river are with the Pottawattamie County clerk and in Iowa Courts Online.
How much do copies of Pottawattamie 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. The county website directs copy requests to the clerk at (712) 328-5604; confirm the total before mailing payment.
Sources
- Pottawattamie County | Judicial District 4 | Iowa Judicial Branch — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-4/district/4/county/pottawattamie
- Courts and Juror Information — Pottawattamie County, Iowa — https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/courts/
- Hours — Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Departments and Services — https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/hours/
- 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.