| Clerk of Courts | Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | 425 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104-2470 |
| Phone | 605-367-5900 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Not fixed by statute or the UJS Schedule of Court Costs; ask the county Clerk of Courts for the per-page charge |
| Certified copy fee | $15.00 per authenticated, exemplified, or double-certificate copy (SDCL 16-2-29(7)) |
Minnehaha County, home to Sioux Falls, is South Dakota's most populous county and part of the Second Judicial Circuit. One office, the Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts, keeps every trial-court file in the county — felonies and civil suits heard in circuit court, and misdemeanors and small claims heard in magistrate court — because South Dakota does not split those dockets between separate clerks the way many states do.
The clerk's office is at the Minnehaha County Courthouse in downtown Sioux Falls. Case summaries for criminal matters and protection orders are searchable statewide through the Unified Judicial System's paid PARS tool; full documents are viewed at the courthouse's public-access terminal or requested from the clerk. Civil, family, and probate files are not in PARS and must be looked up with the clerk directly or at the terminal.
A common point of confusion for Sioux Falls residents: city traffic and municipal-ordinance tickets written by Sioux Falls police generally go to Sioux Falls Municipal Court, a separate city system the county clerk's office does not index.
Search Minnehaha County court records online
Clerk of Courts
Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts
- Cost
- Free index search at the courthouse terminal; fees apply for copies and PARS searches
- Coverage
- All circuit court and magistrate court cases filed in Minnehaha County — felonies, civil suits, family and probate matters, misdemeanors, and small claims
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
This single office is the record holder for both circuit and magistrate court; South Dakota has no separate county clerk for lower courts.
What is available online
The clerk's office does not offer its own online case-search portal. Criminal case summaries and protection orders for Minnehaha County appear in the statewide PARS tool for a $20 per-search fee. Full case documents, including civil, family, and probate filings, are viewable only at the public-access terminal inside the Minnehaha County Courthouse or by request to the clerk.
Which clerk has your record
In South Dakota, 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 South Dakota page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (7 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits of any amount; Divorce, custody, and other family cases | Clerk of Courts of the county |
| Magistrate Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Small claims; Preliminary hearings in felony cases | Clerk of Courts of the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Minnehaha County clerk offices
425 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104-2470
Phone: 605-367-5900
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
In person. Visit the Clerk of Courts at 425 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls. Bring the case number if known, or the party names and approximate filing year. The courthouse has a public-access terminal for searching the index and viewing non-confidential documents at no charge.
By mail. Write to the Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts with the case number or party names and year, which document you need, whether you need a plain or authenticated copy, and payment or a request for a fee quote. The office's general line is 605-367-5900; the fax is 605-367-5916.
Online. Use PARS for a paid, name-based summary of criminal cases and protection orders statewide. It does not cover civil, family, or probate records.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Not fixed by statute or the UJS Schedule of Court Costs; ask the county Clerk of Courts for the per-page charge |
| Certified copy | $15.00 per authenticated, exemplified, or double-certificate copy (SDCL 16-2-29(7)) |
SDCL 16-2-29 sets the clerk of courts fee for reproducing an authenticated (certified) copy of a record at $15, and the UJS Schedule of Court Costs (rev. July 1, 2026) lists the same $15 for authenticated copies. A clerk record search requested by a non-party costs $20 per name under SDCL 16-2-29.5 ($5 when the search supports a pending state or federal case; no charge for named parties or attorneys of record). Neither source sets a per-page price for plain copies, so confirm that amount with the clerk. The $20 PARS online search fee is separate.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
South Dakota court records are open unless a specific statute or court order closes them. Access, and the process for closing a record from public view, is governed by SDCL Chapter 15-15A (public access to court records) and the expungement statutes in SDCL Chapter 23A-3.
The South Dakota 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
Does Minnehaha County have a separate clerk for misdemeanors and small claims?
No. The Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts keeps both the circuit court file (felonies, civil, family, probate) and the magistrate court file (misdemeanors, small claims) because magistrate court is a division of circuit court in South Dakota.
Can I search Minnehaha County court records online?
Criminal case summaries and protection orders statewide, including Minnehaha County, are searchable through PARS for $20 per search. There is no free online index for civil, family, or probate cases; those require a visit to the courthouse terminal or a request to the clerk.
Where are Sioux Falls traffic tickets handled?
Tickets issued by Sioux Falls police for city ordinance violations generally go to Sioux Falls Municipal Court, a separate city system not indexed by the county Clerk of Courts.
How do I get a certified copy of a Minnehaha County court record?
Request it from the Clerk of Courts in person or by mail with the case number and payment or a request for a fee quote. Call 605-367-5900 to confirm the current fee before sending payment.
Sources
- Minnehaha County Court Finder (SD Unified Judicial System) — https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/second-judicial-circuit/minnehaha-county/
- South Dakota Unified Judicial System — Court Records Access — https://ujs.sd.gov/cases-and-records/
- UJS Public Access Record Search (PARS) — https://ujspars.sd.gov/default.aspx
- South Dakota Understanding the Courts — Court Structure — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/understanding-the-courts/court-structure/
- South Dakota Supreme Court Opinions — https://ujs.sd.gov/supreme-court/opinions/
- SDCL 16-2-29 — Fees charged by clerk of courts — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-2-29
- SDCL 16-2-29.5 — Records search fee — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-2-29.5
- UJS Fees and Costs (Schedule of Court Costs) — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/understanding-the-courts/fees-and-costs/
- South Dakota DCI Background Check (backgroundcheck.sd.gov) — https://backgroundcheck.sd.gov/
- South Dakota Attorney General — Background Check Requirements — https://atg.sd.gov/LawEnforcement/Identification/backgroundcheckrequirements.aspx
- SDCL Chapter 15-15A — Public Access to Court Records — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/15-15A
- SDCL 23A-3-27 — Petition for Expungement — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/23A-3-27
- SD UJS Self Help — Expungement — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/civil-law-help/expungement/
- United States District Court, District of South Dakota — https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all South Dakota counties.