Established in 1855, Sac County is named after the Sauk Native American Tribe. The county covers an area of 578 square miles and is home to over 9,000 Iowans. Located in western Iowa, Sac County has its county seat in Sac City.
Courts in Sac County
Sac County operates a single court system, with only a District Court. The Sac County District Court has general jurisdiction over criminal cases, including felonies and civil disputes. It also has a Juvenile, Probate, and Small Claims Division.
The Juvenile Division presides over cases involving minors, including delinquency, child abuse, termination of parental rights, adoption, and foster care placement cases. The Probate Division deals with matters relating to the estate of the deceased. The court has jurisdiction over cases, such as wills, conservatorships, guardianships of minors, trusts and trustees, and actions for accounting. The Small Claims Division handles civil disputes for damages under $6,500. The court presides over landlord-tenant disputes, property damage, consumer complaints, breach of contract, and debt recovery.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Sac County
Public court records are documents and information generated or filed during legal proceedings that are open to the public for viewing and copying. Sac County public court records are available online through Iowa Courts Online. In addition, record seekers may visit the Clerk of Court office to view and obtain copies of public court records or mail requests for the records.
Types of Public Court Records in Sac County
Public access to court records helps ensure that the judicial process is conducted fairly, helping to build public trust in the county’s legal system. The following court records are publicly accessible in Sac County:
- Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including arson, aggravated assaults, vandalism, and simple theft
- Civil Court Records: Employment disputes, injunctions, defamation, property disputes, and business litigation
- Family Law Records: Legal separation, divorce, annulment, child custody, and spousal and child support
- Probate Records: Guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and estates
- Traffic Records: Stop sign violations, driving under the influence, parking violations, driving with a suspended license, and speeding tickets
Confidential Court Records in Sac County
Confidential court records in Sac County refer to documents and information inaccessible to the public. Confidential court records are private to protect privacy and comply with state and federal laws. Examples of confidential court records in Sac County include:
- Juvenile court records
- Adoption records
- Mental health records
- Trade secrets and business proprietary information
- Substance abuse treatment records
Court records contain personal identifying information made confidential by law and excluded from public view. Personal identifiers are redacted from court records before being made available to the public. Personal information removed from court records includes:
- Medical records
- Social Security numbers
- Health insurance identification numbers
- Vehicle identification numbers
- Financial account numbers
Juvenile Delinquency in Sac, IA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Sac County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Iowa often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 16 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Sac County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 16 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Sac County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Sac County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 464 |
| Dependency | 87 |
| Status | 17 |
Government of Sac County, IA
| County Seat: | Sac City |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Home Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1851 |
| Total Square Miles: | 578 |
| 2019 Population: | 9,817 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.06 |
| County Contact: | 100 NW State Street
County Courthouse Sac City , IA 50583-1750 http://www.saccounty.org |