South Dakota Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them (2026)

South Dakota splits its online court records between two different tools, and knowing which one to use saves both time and money. The Unified Judicial System's Public Access Record Search (PARS) is a paid, comprehensive lookup, while the free eCourts portal gives a lighter summary. This guide covers what each one actually shows, what stays off the public record entirely, and what South Dakota means when it calls a record expunged.

Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

South Dakota's Two Court Record Systems: PARS and eCourts

The Public Access Record Search, run by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System at ujspars.sd.gov, is the more complete of the two tools. It charges a flat fee for every search you run. The site states it plainly: "There will be a $20.00 fee for any search submitted. The fee is charged when the search is submitted and applies regardless of whether the search returns any records found for the requested search." That fee is waived if you are a named party to the case, a legal representative, or a qualified agency. Guests can pay per search or set up a drawdown account for repeated use.

The free alternative is eCourts, which requires registration but no payment. It returns summary information only, parties, attorneys, documents filed, hearings, judgments, and outcomes, for cases that are open to the public. You search either tool by name and date of birth or by case number.

What Each Tool Actually Covers

PARS covers civil records from January 2006 forward and criminal records from January 1989 forward, as long as the case has not been sealed. The state's own description is specific about the boundary: "Civil records from January 2006 to present and criminal records from January 1989 to present." Domestic, stalking, and foreign protection orders are included in that same window.

If you are looking for something older than that, PARS will not have it. Cases from before 1989 have to be requested directly from the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed. Even within the covered window, PARS is described by the UJS as providing "a summary of public court information," not the complete case file. Neither the court records search page nor the cases-and-records overview published by the Unified Judicial System states a specific fee for eCourts document images. Fees for underlying documents, as opposed to the summary itself, are set by the UJS; check the eCourts system directly or contact the Unified Judicial System for current pricing.

What Is Excluded From Public Search

Juvenile cases are the main category walled off from South Dakota's public court records tools. The state's own cases-and-records page is direct about this: "juvenile cases are confidential and cannot be disclosed to the public." That exclusion applies across the board rather than shifting to a courthouse-only middle tier the way some other states' rules work; South Dakota's structure does not carry that same remote-versus-courthouse-only distinction on the pages the Unified Judicial System publishes.

Access to South Dakota court records generally is governed by SDCL Chapter 15-15A. Beyond the juvenile exclusion, expect the standard categories most states treat as sensitive, sealed cases and any record a court has separately ordered closed, to stay off PARS and eCourts regardless of case age.

Free Alternative: Public Access Terminals

If the $20 PARS fee is the obstacle, South Dakota courthouses maintain Public Access Terminals where the same records can be viewed on-site at no cost. This is the practical workaround for a one-off lookup where a $20 charge is not worth it, and it is also a fallback for anyone who does not want to create an eCourts account.

Sealing Your Record: Expungement in South Dakota

South Dakota uses the word expungement, but it does not mean the file is destroyed. The Unified Judicial System's own self-help page defines expungement as "sealing records related to a person's arrest, detention, trial, or disposition," not physical destruction of those records.

Expungement in South Dakota is governed by SDCL 23A-3-27 and is not automatic. It generally requires filing a Motion for Expungement, and the statute sets out several timing paths: one year after an arrest with no charges filed, one year after a prosecutor dismisses the case, any time after an acquittal, or within one year of a dismissal on a showing of what the statute calls compelling necessity.

South Dakota law contains additional provisions touching petty offenses, municipal ordinance violations, and lesser misdemeanors that may allow for sealing on a different timeline. Because the current operative text of those provisions was not independently confirmed for this article, do not assume a specific waiting period applies to a minor charge without checking with the clerk of courts or a South Dakota attorney. For a full walkthrough of eligibility and the filing process, see the South Dakota expungement laws guide.

Certified Copies and Practical Steps

Both PARS and eCourts search by name plus date of birth, or by case number. For a certified copy of a court document, contact the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed; fees are set locally and vary by county, so confirm the current amount with that office directly before requesting one.

Using Court Records the Right Way

South Dakota's court record tools are built for checking your own case, verifying a party in litigation, or general public transparency, not for compiling background reports on other people. If a court record turns up as part of screening someone for a job, housing, or credit, that use is governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, not by PARS or eCourts directly. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, most adverse information drops off a consumer report after seven years, but records of criminal convictions are exempt from that limit and can be reported indefinitely unless South Dakota law has sealed them through expungement. Treat any name-match on a public records search with caution. Common names produce false positives, and a record belonging to someone else can surface in a search built around a name and birthdate alone.

Related Resources

Court Records by State covers the full 50-state picture. See also How to Look Up Court Records, Are Court Records Public?, South Dakota Expungement Laws, South Dakota Background Check Laws, South Dakota Warrant Search, and South Dakota Public Records Laws.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about South Dakota's public court record tools and expungement process. It is not legal advice. Portal fees, coverage windows, and statutes change; verify current details with the South Dakota Unified Judicial System or a South Dakota attorney before relying on anything here for a specific situation.

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Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.