Codington County Court Records Search

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    Codington County is located in northeastern South Dakota, with Watertown serving as the county seat and the hub of its judicial activity. The county’s court system operates under the South Dakota Unified Judicial System (UJS) as part of the Third Judicial Circuit. Court records generated by Codington County courts encompass a wide range of documents — including criminal case files, civil judgments, family law matters, probate proceedings, and related public records — and serve as an official account of judicial events within the county.

    Locating court records in South Dakota can be done through several channels: visiting the Clerk of Courts office in person, using public access terminals at the courthouse, submitting records requests by mail, or searching online through official state tools. SouthDakotaCourts.us may assist users in finding publicly available court case information filed across the state, including in Codington County. Access to court records in South Dakota is governed by SDCL Chapter 15-15A, which establishes the framework for what may and may not be disclosed.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Codington County?

    The South Dakota UJS provides multiple online tools for searching court case information. The method you choose will depend on the type of record you need and your level of system access.

    Online Search Options:

    • eCourts — A registered-user platform that allows searches by party name or case number for publicly accessible cases. Registration is free and confidential. Documents can be purchased at $0.10 per page, with a $3.00 maximum per document.
    • Public Access Records Search (PARS) — Provides summaries of criminal court information, domestic protection orders, stalking protection orders, and foreign protection orders. PARS is available to guest users on a pay-as-you-go basis. There is a $20.00 fee per search, charged at the time of submission regardless of whether results are returned. A drawdown account can be established for multiple searches by contacting UJSPARSsupport@ujs.state.sd.us. Criminal cases available through PARS generally cover 1989 to present; older cases must be requested directly from the Clerk of Courts.
    • Civil Money Judgment Query — Provides public access to the UJS civil judgments database; pay-as-you-go users can search by name and date.
    • Find Your Court Date — Allows parties to look up upcoming court dates by name and date of birth or case number.
    • Public Access Terminals — Available at the Codington County Courthouse, these terminals allow in-person electronic access to open court records at no cost.

    In-Person and Mail Requests:

    Codington County Clerk of Courts
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-5095
    Fax: (605) 882-5384
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    The Clerk of Courts maintains records for all civil, criminal, family, and probate cases filed in the circuit court. To request records by mail, include the case name, case number if known, the type of documents requested, and payment for applicable fees.

    Are Court Records Public in Codington County?

    Under the South Dakota Codified Laws, the vast majority of court records held by Codington County courts are open to the public. Any member of the public may request and obtain copies from the Clerk of Courts or access them through the UJS online tools described above.

    However, certain categories of records are excluded from public access under SDCL 15-15A-7, which enumerates specific information that may not be disclosed. Records that are restricted or confidential include:

    • Juvenile case records — All juvenile criminal cases are confidential and cannot be disclosed to the public under any circumstances. These records will not appear in any court record searches.
    • Sealed records — Cases sealed by court order are withheld from public access.
    • Drafts, memoranda, and personal notes — Working documents and internal notes created by court officials are not subject to public disclosure.
    • Attorney work product — Data or material protected under Article V of Chapter 19-19 is exempt.
    • Records whose disclosure would violate the privacy or safety of parties — Specific sensitive personal information, including confidential personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, is redacted under SDCL 15-15A-9 before public release.
    • Certain criminal investigation materials — Information whose release would compromise active law enforcement operations may be withheld.

    When a request is denied in full or in part, custodians are generally required to inform the requester of the reason for denial.

    Codington County Criminal Court Records

    The Codington County Circuit Court, part of the Third Judicial Circuit, has general trial jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, gross misdemeanor matters exceeding the magistrate court’s jurisdiction, and related criminal proceedings. The Codington County Magistrate Court handles lower-level criminal matters within its statutory authority. Both courts operate from the same courthouse location in Watertown.

    Codington County Circuit Court
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-5095
    Fax: (605) 882-5384
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    Codington County Magistrate Court
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-5095
    Fax: (605) 882-5384

    How to search criminal records:

    1. Use the PARS online search tool for a summary of publicly available criminal case information. A $20.00 fee applies per search. Cases from 1989 onward are generally available; pre-1989 records require a direct request to the Clerk of Courts.
    2. Visit the Clerk of Courts at 14 1st Avenue SE in person to view or request copies of criminal case files.
    3. Use the public access terminal at the Codington County Courthouse for free in-person electronic access to open records.

    For arrest-related records and law enforcement incident reports, contact the Codington County Sheriff’s Office, which handles civil process, warrant service, investigations, and general law enforcement across the county. The Sheriff’s Office also operates the county Detention Center.

    Codington County Sheriff’s Office
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-6280

    The Codington County Sheriff’s Office website provides additional information on booking records and inmate status through its Detention Center resources. Active warrants and current inmate lists are also published on the sheriff’s website.

    For broad criminal history background checks statewide, the UJS PARS system is the appropriate tool. Cases sealed from public access will not appear in any search results.

    Codington County Civil Court Records

    The Codington County Circuit Court hears civil cases involving amounts in dispute that exceed the magistrate court’s monetary jurisdiction. Civil matters before the circuit court include contract disputes, personal injury claims, property litigation, and other general civil actions. The Magistrate Court has civil jurisdiction when the amount in controversy does not exceed $12,000.

    Civil case records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts and include complaints, answers, motions, orders, and judgments. Judgment records are separately searchable through the UJS Civil Money Judgment Query tool, which is available to the public on a pay-as-you-go basis.

    How to access civil case records:

    • Online via eCourts — Registered users may search civil cases by party name or case number through eCourts. Registration is free; document viewing costs $0.10 per page up to a $3.00 per-document maximum.
    • In person at the Clerk of Courts — Visit 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201 during office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) to review and request copies of civil case files.
    • By mail — Submit a written request to the Clerk of Courts at the same address, providing sufficient case identifying information and payment for copy fees.

    Court forms for civil filings, self-represented litigants, and other matters can be located through the UJS Form & File Search tool, which allows filtering by case type, category, and circuit.

    For bulk requests involving large volumes of civil records or compiled case data, the UJS Bulk Court Records Request process is available for information that is publicly accessible but not already packaged in an existing report.

    Codington County Family Court Records

    Family law matters in Codington County — including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, and domestic protection orders — are heard in the Circuit Court under its family law jurisdiction. The Third Judicial Circuit Court provides family law help resources for self-represented parties through the UJS website.

    Codington County Court Services handles supervision and case management services related to family and criminal matters:

    Codington County Court Services
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-5110
    Fax: (605) 882-5106

    Family court records — including divorce filings and custody orders — can be searched through eCourts or accessed in person through the Clerk of Courts. Domestic protection orders, stalking orders, and foreign protection orders are also searchable through PARS for a $20.00 search fee.

    Marriage records in Codington County are issued and maintained by the Register of Deeds office. To obtain a marriage license in Codington County, both applicants must appear in person with a photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or tribal photo ID). The marriage license fee is $40.00, cash only — no checks accepted. There is no waiting period; the license may be used the same day of issuance and must be used within 90 days. It is valid anywhere in South Dakota. A certified copy of a marriage license after filing costs $15.00. The Marriage License Application worksheet is available on the Register of Deeds website.

    To obtain copies of marriage records, birth records, or death records, submit the Vital Records Request form to the Register of Deeds along with a valid photo ID and a $15.00 fee per record copy. Birth records are confidential and restricted to the subject (if eligible), immediate family members, legal guardians, and authorized representatives.

    Codington County Register of Deeds
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-6278
    Email: codrod@codington.sdcounty.gov
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    For statewide vital records, the South Dakota Department of Health Vital Records Office accepts requests for birth, death, marriage, and divorce records by mail, in person, online, or by phone.

    Codington County Probate Court Records

    Probate and estate matters in Codington County are handled by the Circuit Court, which has jurisdiction over estate administration, will probates, intestate proceedings, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. There is no separate probate court in South Dakota; the circuit court exercises this authority across all probate case types.

    Codington County Circuit Court (Probate Matters)
    Address: 14 1st Avenue SE, Watertown, SD 57201
    Phone: (605) 882-5095
    Fax: (605) 882-5384
    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    How to search and request probate records:

    1. Online via eCourts — Use eCourts to search probate case information by party name or case number. Free registration is required; document copies cost $0.10 per page up to $3.00 per document.
    2. In person — Visit the Clerk of Courts at 14 1st Avenue SE during regular office hours to inspect files, request copies, or access the courthouse public terminal at no charge.
    3. By mail — Submit a written request to the Clerk of Courts with case identifying information and payment for applicable fees.

    For historical probate records, the South Dakota State Archives holds Codington County court ledgers dating from 1880 through 1937, which include probate court records alongside registers of criminal actions and other historical case materials. These archival records can be identified through the South Dakota Archives research collections index.

    Property records relevant to estate and probate proceedings — including deeds, liens, mortgages, and plats — are maintained by the Codington County Register of Deeds at the same courthouse address. Standard deed copies cost $1.00 per page; certified copies are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 per additional page. The full Register of Deeds fee schedule is published on the county website.