Clerk of Court, Johnson County Courthouse
417 S Clinton St, Iowa City, IA 52240. Free online search at iowacourts.gov. In-person records and certified copies through the Clerk's office, Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Phone (319) 356-6060.
Iowa Court Online — free public search
Iowa runs a statewide free public case search at iowacourts.gov. From North Liberty (or anywhere), you can search by:
- Party name (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent)
- Case number (e.g., SRCR123456 for serious criminal, EQCV for equity civil)
- Attorney name
- Date range and county filters
What's in Iowa Court Online
| Record type | Online availability |
|---|---|
| Adult criminal cases (most) | Yes — party names, charges, dispositions, scheduled hearings, filed documents (some redacted). |
| Civil cases | Yes — most petitions, answers, orders. |
| Traffic / civil infractions | Yes. |
| Small claims | Yes. |
| Family law (some) | Partial. Petitions and orders often visible; certain financial affidavits and minor-related filings restricted. |
| Probate (most) | Yes. |
What you CAN'T see online
- Sealed records. Court has entered an order sealing the case. Not visible in Iowa Court Online.
- Expunged records. The case is treated as though it doesn't exist.
- Juvenile records. Under Iowa Code 232.149, juvenile records are confidential. Many are automatically sealed when the subject turns 18 if there are no further offenses.
- Mental health and civil commitment proceedings. Closed by statute.
- Child welfare / CINA cases. Confidential.
- Certain dependency and adoption matters.
Paper records, certified copies, and the Clerk's window
For paper case files or certified copies (needed for many official purposes — immigration, federal employment, court filings in other jurisdictions), go to the Clerk of Court at 417 S Clinton Street. Bring the case number if you have it, photo ID, and a means of payment.
Iowa Code 602.8105 governs the Clerk's fee schedule. Certified copies typically run about $1 per page plus a certification fee. Search and retrieval of older paper files (especially pre-electronic) may take a few business days.
Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22)
Iowa Code Chapter 22 — the Iowa Open Records Law — gives any person the right to examine and copy public records, with statutory exceptions. Court records are generally subject to Chapter 22, supplemented by the Iowa Court Rules. The Clerk's office can deny a request only for a specific statutory reason; "I don't want to" isn't one of them. If you're refused, document the request and consider talking to a lawyer.
Expungement — clearing your record
Iowa expungement law lives at Iowa Code 901C. The headline rules:
- Simple misdemeanors — eligible 8 years after the date of conviction if you have no further criminal convictions during that period (and other conditions are met).
- Deferred judgments — eligible for expungement 8 years after successful discharge from probation.
- Dismissed and acquitted cases — often eligible for expungement on petition.
- Most felonies — not eligible (with narrow exceptions added in recent legislative sessions; verify current statute).
- OWI convictions — generally NOT eligible for expungement.
What expungement actually does
An expungement order removes the case from public view in Iowa Court Online and most background-check sources. It does not always remove records from private commercial databases (especially old scrapes), the FBI, or federal records. For OWI in particular, the conviction stays on your driving record at the Iowa DOT regardless of any criminal-side expungement.
Background checks — what shows up
- Iowa-only. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) operates the criminal history record check at dps.state.ia.us/DCI. A name-based check is around $15.
- Federal/national. FBI fingerprint-based criminal history (Identity History Summary Check).
- Sex offender registry. Separate Iowa Sex Offender Registry — searchable at the DPS site. Some inclusions are required by law regardless of expungement status.
- Private commercial databases. LexisNexis, ChoicePoint, employment-screening services maintain their own records. These often lag court updates and may show old or expunged data.
Federal court records — PACER
Federal records (criminal, civil, bankruptcy) live in PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov — not free. $0.10 per page, capped at $3 per document. Light users may qualify for the quarterly fee waiver. See the federal court guide for what's federal vs state.
Mugshot sites and court aggregators — getting your name down
Sites like mugshots.com and various "Iowa arrest" aggregators scrape booking photos and case data from county jails and Iowa Court Online, then often charge a fee to remove your entry. This is hard to fix and there is no centralized solution. Iowa law has limited the ability of these services to extort payment for removal, but enforcement is patchy.
Practical approach: (1) get an expungement if you're eligible; (2) request removal directly from each site, citing the expungement order if you have one; (3) push back on operators that demand a fee; (4) focus on suppressing your name in search results by building legitimate web presence — your professional profiles often outrank mugshot pages over time. A reputation-management firm may help; many are themselves a scam. Verify before paying.
Same Iowa-wide rules apply for Coralville cases — sister guide at coralvillelaw.com.
FAQ — Court records
Can I see someone's Johnson County case from North Liberty?
Yes — for most state court cases. Go to iowacourts.gov, choose Iowa Court Online, and search by name. Sealed, juvenile, and expunged cases will not appear. There is no fee.
How do I get a certified copy of a court order?
Visit or mail the Clerk of Court at 417 S Clinton Street, Iowa City. Provide the case number. Certified copies are about $1 per page plus a certification fee under Iowa Code 602.8105.
Can I expunge an old simple misdemeanor in Iowa?
Possibly. Iowa Code 901C generally allows expungement of a simple misdemeanor 8 years after conviction if you've stayed conviction-free. Talk to an attorney about specific eligibility.
Can I expunge an OWI in Iowa?
Generally no — OWI convictions are not eligible for expungement in Iowa, and the OWI also stays on your DOT driving record regardless of criminal-side relief.
How do I get my mugshot off the internet?
There is no quick fix. If you have an expungement order, request removal directly from each site that's published your booking photo. Be cautious about paying any service that demands a fee for "guaranteed" removal — many are exploitative. A criminal defense or reputation lawyer can advise.