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 is categorical rather than a question of where you view the file: SDCL 15-15A-7(p) lists juvenile court records and proceedings among the records excluded from public access, subject to statutory exception.

South Dakota does also have a courthouse-only middle tier, though it works differently from a standing class of records. SDCL 15-15A-6 is titled "Court records that are only publicly available at a court facility," and it lets any party to a case, any individual identified in the court record, or the court on its own motion ask that public access to information in a court record be limited to a court facility in the jurisdiction. For good cause the court limits the manner of access, using the least restrictive means that achieves the purposes of the access rule and the needs of the requestor. A record reaches that tier by order in a particular case, not by falling into a listed category. SDCL 15-15A-14(1) draws the same line from the other direction, treating records available for public access at the courthouse and records the court allows remote electronic access to as distinct things.

Access to South Dakota court records generally is governed by SDCL Chapter 15-15A. The general access rule, SDCL 15-15A-5(1), makes information in the court record accessible to the public except as prohibited by statute or rule and except as restricted by SDCL 15-15A-7 through 15-15A-13. 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 definition is statutory. SDCL 23A-3-26 defines expungement as the sealing of all records on file within any court, detention or correctional facility, law enforcement agency, criminal justice agency, or the Department of Public Safety concerning a person's detection, apprehension, arrest, detention, trial, or disposition of an offense, and then says directly that expungement "does not imply the physical destruction of records." The Unified Judicial System's self-help page describes the remedy the same way.

SDCL 23A-3-27 is the arrest-record path, and it is worth being precise about who it reaches. By its own terms an arrested person may apply to the court that would have jurisdiction over the crime for entry of an order expunging the record of the arrest, on four routes that each presuppose no conviction: one year after an arrest where no accusatory instrument was filed, one year after the prosecuting attorney formally dismisses the entire criminal case on the record, any time after an acquittal, or within one year of that formal dismissal on a showing of compelling necessity. Someone who was convicted is not covered by that section. Whichever route applies, SDCL 23A-3-30 requires the court to find by clear and convincing evidence that the ends of justice and the best interest of the public as well as the applicant will be served before it enters the order.

On the conviction side, South Dakota has one route that runs without a motion. Under SDCL 23A-3-34, any charge or conviction resulting from a case where a petty offense, municipal ordinance violation, or Class 2 misdemeanor was the highest charged offense is automatically removed from the defendant's public record after five years, provided all court-ordered conditions on the case have been satisfied and the defendant has not been convicted of any further offense within those five years. The same statute is explicit about what survives that removal: the case record remains available to court personnel or as authorized by order of the court, and it may still be used as an enhancement in the prosecution of later offenses. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is South Dakota's court records search free?

It depends on the tool. eCourts is free after registration but shows summary information only. PARS charges a flat $20 fee per search regardless of results. Public Access Terminals at South Dakota courthouses are free.

Does PARS include criminal cases from before 1989?

No. PARS covers criminal records from January 1989 forward and civil records from January 2006 forward. For anything older, contact the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed.

Are juvenile court records available to the public in South Dakota?

No. SDCL 15-15A-7(p) places juvenile court records and proceedings among the records excluded from public access, subject to statutory exception, and the Unified Judicial System excludes them from both PARS and eCourts.

Does South Dakota have records you can only view at the courthouse?

Yes, but it is order-based rather than a fixed category. Under SDCL 15-15A-6 a party, an individual identified in the record, or the court on its own motion can ask that public access to information in a court record be limited to a court facility, and the court does so for good cause using the least restrictive means available.

What does expungement mean in South Dakota?

SDCL 23A-3-26 defines it as sealing the records held by courts, correctional and law enforcement agencies, and the Department of Public Safety concerning a person's arrest, detention, trial, or disposition of an offense. The same section states that expungement does not imply the physical destruction of records.

Is expungement automatic in South Dakota?

Usually not, with one exception. SDCL 23A-3-27 covers arrest records and generally requires the arrested person to file a motion, with timing that depends on how the case ended. But SDCL 23A-3-34 removes a charge or conviction from the public record automatically after five years when a petty offense, municipal ordinance violation, or Class 2 misdemeanor was the highest charged offense, all court-ordered conditions were satisfied, and there were no further convictions in that window.

Can I use PARS or eCourts to screen a job applicant or tenant?

You can search, but using a court record to make an employment or housing decision is separately governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. This guide addresses personal lookups, not screening compliance.

How do I get a certified copy of a South Dakota court document?

Contact the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed. Fees are set at the county level, so confirm the current amount before requesting a copy.