Reviewed and updated October 9, 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 September 30, 2026.
Clay County, South Dakota, has about 15,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Circuit Court for Clay County, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of Courts, 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, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Clay County public records, Clay County arrest records, Clay County warrants, Clay County criminal records, Clay County police reports, South Dakota arrest records and South Dakota inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Clay County
In Clay County, the Circuit Court for Clay County hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case, with magistrate judges taking misdemeanors, traffic and small claims.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court, and the file stays with the Clerk of Courts.
The Clerk of Courts keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the South Dakota Open Records Law.
Looking Up a Case from Clay County
For Clay County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/first-judicial-circuit/clay-county (page title: Clay County | South Dakota Unified Judicial System | SD UJS), phone 605-677-6756, 211 West Main Street Suite #300 Vermillion, SD 57069-0377, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Statewide, UJS Public Access Record Search is the South Dakota courts' statewide search, with a fee per name.
The South Dakota court page SearchSystems verified is at ujs.sd.gov/cases-and-records.
What Reaches the Court from Clay County
Together, the two agencies in Clay County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 378 arrests to the FBI that year; the State's Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Circuit Court for Clay County.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at claycountysd.org/statesattorneysoffice.cfm (page title: Clay County, South Dakota | State's Attorney), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 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 Clay County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Clay County criminal records, Clay County divorce records, Clay County traffic tickets, Clay County DUI and Clay County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Clay County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Clay County and South Dakota. These court pages from its Clay County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- South Dakota eCourts (ecourts.sd.gov)
Cities in Clay County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Circuit Court for Clay County.
The cities and towns in the county are Vermillion and Wakonda.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Clay County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at ujs.sd.gov, phone 605-677-6756. Statewide, UJS Public Access Record Search is the South Dakota courts' statewide search, with a fee per name.
Which court hears felonies in Clay County?
The Circuit Court for Clay County, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case, with magistrate judges taking misdemeanors, traffic and small claims.
Who keeps the court records in Clay County?
The Clerk of Courts. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in South Dakota?
Yes: UJS Public Access Record Search, the South Dakota courts' statewide search, with a fee per name.
Is this the official Clay County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.