Dickinson County Jail Criminal Court Process
Criminal Court Process for Dickinson County Iowa
Dickinson County District Court, Spirit Lake, Iowa
The Iowa District Court for Dickinson County hears every local criminal case at the courthouse, 1802 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. To ask about a hearing or a file, call the clerk's office at 712-336-1138.
Criminal cases from the lakes area are heard at the Dickinson County Courthouse, 1802 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. The jail is in the same building, so most first hearings happen just down the hall. Dickinson is one of the 16 counties in Iowa's Third Judicial District, and courthouse offices keep weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Who to call at the courthouse
- Clerk of District Court: 1802 Hill Avenue, Suite 2506, Spirit Lake, IA 51360; 712-336-1138; CountyClerk.Dickinson@iowacourts.gov.
- County Attorney: 1802 Hill Avenue, Suite 2509, Spirit Lake, IA 51360; 712-336-6333, option 8. This office prosecutes crimes and cannot advise defendants.
- Dickinson County Jail: 1802 Hill Avenue, Suite 1200, Spirit Lake, IA 51360; 712-336-2793.
- Juvenile Court Office: 609 1st Avenue North, Estherville, IA 51334.
Steps in a criminal case
- First appearance: a magistrate explains the charge, sets release terms and takes requests for a lawyer.
- Trial information: for indictable crimes, the County Attorney files the formal charge.
- Arraignment: the defendant pleads guilty or not guilty in front of a district judge.
- Discovery and motions: both sides share evidence and many cases end in a plea.
- Trial and sentencing for cases that do not settle.
Traffic tickets, simple misdemeanors and city ordinance charges stay with the magistrates. Search dockets on Iowa Courts Online.
↑ Back to the question listHelp paying for a defense lawyer
Ask for a lawyer at your first court date and fill out a financial affidavit. When you qualify, the court assigns a lawyer through the State Public Defender, often a contract attorney in this part of the state. A conviction can bring an order to pay part of that cost back. For release questions, see our bail guide.
↑ Back to the question listCases involving children
Charges against children go to the Third District juvenile court office, which serves Dickinson from 609 1st Avenue North, Estherville, IA 51334. A juvenile officer can resolve minor matters without a petition, while bigger ones are heard in juvenile court in Spirit Lake. Some violent felonies by 16- and 17-year-olds start in adult court.
↑ Back to the question listFederal court for the lakes area
Federal charges go to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in Sioux City, 320 6th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101, 712-233-3900. Federal custody lookups are on our inmate search page.
↑ Back to the question listWhere is a Spirit Lake youth detained?
At the Northwest Iowa YES Center, 1231 West Cedar Loop, Suite 110, Cherokee, IA 51012, 712-225-5777. A judge holds the detention hearing within 1 working day.
↑ Back to the question listHow do I contact the Spirit Lake court?
Phone the Dickinson clerk at 712-336-1138, or fax 712-336-4005. Leave weapons at home. Hearings are booked by the district at 712-279-6608.
↑ Back to the question listCan I look up a Dickinson County warrant before calling the court?
You can start with the sheriff's warrants page, then confirm with the office at 712-336-2793, because deputies there serve the court's warrants and lists can lag. Since Iowa lacks any statewide public search, a city warrant from Spirit Lake or Okoboji may not appear. Court cases show on Iowa Courts Online. The Clerk of District Court, 1802 Hill Avenue #2506 in Spirit Lake (712-336-1138), can help when a missed Spirit Lake hearing is behind the warrant.
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