| Clerk of District Court | Story County Clerk of the District Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Story County Justice Center, 1315 South B Avenue, Nevada, IA 50201 |
| Phone | (515) 337-8300 (Judicial Branch listing); (515) 382-7410 (Story County website listing) |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays |
| 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) |
Story County is best known for Ames and Iowa State University, but its courthouse — and every court record filed in the county — is in the much smaller county seat of Nevada, about ten miles east. The Story County Clerk of the District Court operates from the Story County Justice Center at 1315 South B Avenue in Nevada, a modern facility completed in 2002 that replaced the historic downtown courthouse. The clerk is a State of Iowa Judicial Branch employee, not a county officer, and the office processes all paperwork for civil, dissolution (divorce), probate, criminal, traffic, small claims, and mental health cases filed in the county.
Story County sits in Iowa's Second Judicial District, a 22-county district stretching across north-central Iowa, and its juvenile court office is located separately in Ames rather than at the Justice Center. Electronic filing is mandatory in all case types under Chapter 16 of the Iowa Court Rules, so nearly every case filed since the early 2010s has a fully electronic file that can be viewed on the courthouse public-access terminal.
Because of the university, the clerk's office handles a high volume of simple-misdemeanor and traffic cases involving students who may have since moved out of state. Those cases are all in the statewide Iowa Courts Online index; there is no Story County-specific search site, and Iowa has had no municipal courts since 1973, so Ames city ordinance citations are filed here too.
Search Story County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Story 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 Story County — felony and misdemeanor criminal, civil, family, probate, small claims, traffic, mental health, and juvenile
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The Judicial Branch county page lists the clerk's address, phone, fax, email, case-scheduling contact, and juvenile court office. Case information is searched through the statewide Iowa Courts Online portal, not a Story County site.
Other courts
Story County Juvenile Court Office (Ames)
- Coverage
- Juvenile delinquency and child-in-need-of-assistance matters for Story County; confidential by statute and not open to the public
Located at 126 S. Kellogg Ave., Suite 202, Ames, IA 50010, phone 515-233-3346, per the Iowa Judicial Branch county page. Listed for completeness only; juvenile case files are not public records.
What is available online
Story 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 public-access terminal at the Justice Center in Nevada or request copies from the clerk. Because e-filing has been mandatory for years, most cases from the 2010s onward are fully electronic. Fines, court costs, and child support payments can be made through the clerk's office or the Judicial Branch's online payment portal.
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
Story County clerk offices
Story County Justice Center, 1315 South B Avenue, Nevada, IA 50201
Phone: (515) 337-8300 (Judicial Branch listing); (515) 382-7410 (Story County website listing)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays
In person. Visit the Clerk of the District Court at the Story County Justice Center, 1315 South B Avenue, Nevada, IA 50201, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed state holidays). The Justice Center is on the southeast side of Nevada off U.S. Highway 30, exit 158. The public-access terminal lets you search the index and read non-confidential filings at no charge; printed copies are paid at the counter.
By mail. Write to the Story County Clerk of the District Court at the address above (phone (515) 337-8300 or (515) 382-7410, fax 515-382-7522, email countyclerk.story@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.
Ames is not the courthouse. County offices in Nevada's Administration Building (900 Sixth Street) and the juvenile court office in Ames do not hold adult case files; go to the Justice Center or contact the clerk directly.
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 Story County, Iowa court records kept?
At the Clerk of the District Court in the Story County Justice Center, 1315 South B Avenue, Nevada, IA 50201 — not in Ames. The office keeps criminal, civil, family, probate, small claims, traffic, and mental health case files for the county.
Can I search Story County court cases online for free?
Yes. Iowa Courts Online, the statewide Judicial Branch portal, shows Story County case dockets and status at no charge. Filed documents are not online; view them at the Justice Center terminal or request copies from the clerk.
Are Ames and Iowa State University citations in the Story County court records?
Yes. Iowa has no municipal courts, so citations from Ames police, ISU police, the county sheriff, and the State Patrol are all filed with the Story County Clerk of the District Court and indexed in Iowa Courts Online.
How much do copies of Story 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
- Story County | Judicial District 2 | Iowa Judicial Branch — https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-2/district/2/county/story
- Courts & Clerk of Court | Story County, IA — https://www.storycountyiowa.gov/96/Courts-Clerk-Court
- 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.