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 October 4, 2026.
Union County, South Dakota, has about 17,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Circuit Court for Union 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, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Union County public records, Union County arrest records, Union County warrants, Union County inmate search, Union County criminal records, South Dakota arrest records and South Dakota inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Union County
Court cases from Union County are filed in the Circuit Court for Union County, which 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 Union County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dakotaathome.sd.gov/search/a8ac8af5-881e-580b-8fa8-4a6d98d763ac (page title: Union County Clerk of Courts | South Dakota Unified Judicial System | Clerk of Courts), phone 605-356-2132, 209 E. Main Street, Suite 230, Elk Point, SD 57025, 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 Union County
Together, the four agencies in Union County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 323 arrests to the FBI that year; the State's Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Circuit Court for Union County.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at unioncountysd.gov/states-attorney/purpose-and-mission (page title: Union County, South Dakota | Purpose & Mission), phone (605) 356-2666, 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 Union County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Union County criminal records, Union County divorce records, Union County traffic tickets, Union County DUI and Union County property records.
Cities in Union County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Circuit Court for Union County.
The cities and towns in the county are North Sioux City, Beresford, Elk Point, Alcester and Jefferson.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Union County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dakotaathome.sd.gov, phone 605-356-2132. Statewide, UJS Public Access Record Search is the South Dakota courts' statewide search, with a fee per name.
Which court hears felonies in Union County?
The Circuit Court for Union 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 Union 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 Union 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.