South Dakota Court Records

The South Dakota Courts Website is a public resource designed to help users understand the structure and function of the state’s judicial system, which consists of the Supreme Court, circuit courts, and magistrate courts operating under the authority of the circuit courts.

Serving as the state’s highest court with the final ruling on matters concerning state law, the Supreme Court also serves as an appellate court, hears appeals from circuit court decisions, and also has original jurisdiction over certain types of proceedings filed directly with it. The primary trial court in South Dakota is the circuit court, handling criminal and civil cases, while Magistrate courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases and minor civil cases on behalf of the circuit courts. 

South Dakota provides public access to many court records, but access to certain records may be restricted or sealed, depending on the case type or applicable privacy laws. Likewise, the South Dakota Open Records Law provides public access to government documents and files subject to certain exceptions. While this website offers general information to assist the public with accessing South Dakota Public Records where possible, it does not provide legal advice.