• Clerk of District Court: 801 Court Street, Adel, IA 50003; 515-993-7018.
• Dallas County Attorney: 515-993-5060.
• Juvenile Court Office: 121 N. 9th Street, Adel, IA 50003; 515-993-7095.
• Pretrial Release: 515-993-2136.
• Public Defender's Office: 515-725-1825.
• Dallas County Correctional Facility: 28985 Thin Blue Line Lane, Adel, IA 50003; 515-993-5815.

1. Magistrate court: within about a day of a new arrest, a magistrate sets bond and explains the charges.
2. Trial information: the county attorney files formal charges in more serious cases.
3. Arraignment: the defendant pleads before a district judge.
4. Pretrial: motions, evidence and plea offers.
5. Trial and sentencing.

Simple misdemeanors and city ordinance cases stay with magistrates. Look up any case on Iowa Courts Online.

Anyone who cannot pay for a lawyer can say so at the first court date and complete the financial statement. Under the State Public Defender system, a public defender or contract lawyer is assigned to you. The county lists the Public Defender's Office at 515-725-1825. You might be asked to repay part of the cost later. For release questions, see our bail guide.

Juvenile court officers at 121 N. 9th Street in Adel, 515-993-7095, handle complaints against youth under 18. They may resolve a case informally or file a petition. Serious crimes by 16- and 17-year-olds can begin in adult court, and a judge may waive other cases there.

Federal crimes are tried at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 111 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, 515-284-6248. Our inmate search page links the federal locators.

The Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center, 2317 Rick Collins Way, Eldora, IA 50627, 641-858-3852 lists the county among those it serves. Iowa sets a detention hearing within 1 working day.

Ask the district scheduling office at 515-561-5819. For files, fees and other clerk work in Dallas County, call 515-993-7018.

Dallas County is growing fast, and warrants here may come from the sheriff or from city departments like Waukee or West Des Moines. For a county warrant, the sheriff's administrative line is 515-993-4771. Neither the sheriff nor the state offers a public warrant list, and Iowa has nothing statewide that families can search. Iowa Courts Online shows the court case. When a skipped hearing is behind it, the Clerk of District Court at 801 Court Street in Adel (515-993-7018) can say how to request another date.