Reviewed and updated October 11, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 11, 2026.
West Des Moines, Iowa, in Polk County, has about 74,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Iowa District Court for Polk County, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of the District Court, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: West Des Moines public records, Polk County court records, West Des Moines arrest records, West Des Moines warrants, West Des Moines inmate search, West Des Moines criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from West Des Moines
In West Des Moines, the Iowa District Court for Polk County hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Divorces go to the District Court, and the file stays with the Clerk of the District Court.
The Clerk of the District Court keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22).
Looking Up a Case from West Des Moines
For Polk County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at polkcountyiowa.gov/county-sheriff/court-services-division/sheriffs-... (page title: Sheriff's Sales | Polk County Iowa), phone 515-561-5718, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on October 11, 2026.
Statewide, Iowa Courts Online is the Iowa Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The Iowa court page SearchSystems verified is at iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts.
What Reaches the Court from West Des Moines
Together, the ten agencies in Polk County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 12,100 arrests to the FBI that year; the County Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Iowa District Court for Polk County.
The County Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at polkcountyiowa.gov/county-attorney (page title: County Attorney | Polk County Iowa), 222 Fifth Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other West Des Moines guides take the kinds of file one at a time: West Des Moines criminal records, West Des Moines divorce records, West Des Moines traffic tickets, West Des Moines DUI and West Des Moines property records.
More Official Court Pages for Polk County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Polk County and Iowa. These court pages from its Polk County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- District 5, Judicial District 5 (iowacourts.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in West Des Moines?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at polkcountyiowa.gov, phone 515-561-5718. Statewide, Iowa Courts Online is the Iowa Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in West Des Moines?
The Iowa District Court for Polk County, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Who keeps the court records in West Des Moines?
The Clerk of the District Court. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Iowa?
Yes: Iowa Courts Online, the Iowa Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Is this the official West Des Moines website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.