• Clerk of District Court: Suite 12, 100 NW State Street, Sac City, IA 50583; 712-662-7791; weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Sac County Attorney: Suite 9, 100 NW State Street, Sac City, IA 50583; 712-662-4791; weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office prosecutes state and county ordinance violations; city ordinance tickets go to each city's attorney.
• Sac County Jail: Suite 7, 100 NW State Street, Sac City, IA 50583; 712-662-7127, open 24 hours.

At this short hearing, a magistrate tells the defendant the charge, sets bond or other release conditions, and takes the request for appointed counsel. When no warrant was issued, a judge checks within 48 hours that officers had good reason for the arrest. Hearings for people in the jail are often held by video from the courthouse.

• Magistrate: simple misdemeanors, traffic and scheduled violations.
• District associate judge: first-offense OWI and other serious or aggravated misdemeanors.
• District judge: felonies and juvenile court.

1. Booking at the courthouse jail and a first appearance before the magistrate.
2. Formal charges: the prosecutor's trial information, due in most cases within 45 days.
3. Arraignment, which many defendants waive in writing.
4. Discovery, depositions and motions.
5. A jury trial within 90 days after formal charging, unless speedy trial is waived.
6. A presentence report and sentencing after a guilty plea or verdict.

Yes. On Iowa Courts Online, choose Sac County and type a name or case number for charges, bond, hearings and orders. Juvenile files and sealed records are not shown.

The request is made to the magistrate at the first hearing or filed with the clerk, along with a sworn financial statement. No State Public Defender office is based in Sac County, so a judge who finds the person eligible appoints a contract lawyer working with the State Public Defender. Defendants may later be billed for part of the cost.

For delinquency, a district judge acts as juvenile court in Sac City, and the County Attorney files delinquency petitions. Juvenile Court Services for the area works from 702 1st Ave. S., Fort Dodge, IA 50501, 515-573-1449. If a youth has to be held before a hearing, the juvenile officer places them at the Northwest Iowa YES Center, 1231 West Cedar Loop, Suite 110, Cherokee, IA 51012, 712-225-5777.

Sac County federal crimes are prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Western Division, at 320 6th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101; the clerk answers at 712-233-3900. Use PACER for filings and the BOP locator for people serving federal sentences.

See our Sac County bail page for schedule amounts, bond types, refunds and the 2026 changes.

The sheriff's office, in Suite 7 of the courthouse at 100 NW State Street, can; call 712-662-7127. Sac County deputies serve the court's warrants. Sac City deputies release no names; Iowa offers no statewide warrant search. Iowa Courts Online shows the case. The Clerk of District Court in Suite 12 of that building (712-662-7791) can explain rescheduling a missed Sac City hearing.