Pottawatomie County Court Records

Pottawatomie court records are a valuable resource for accessing information about legal proceedings, such as what evidence was tendered, how the jury reached a verdict, or how the judge reached a sentence.

Information contained in a court record typically includes court minutes, names of the parties involved, case files, criminal records, civil records, probate records, family law records, pleadings, orders, transcripts, evidence, arguments, audio and video recordings, jury verdicts, dispositions, and sentencing.

Oklahoma Court Records set legal precedents, case laws, and decisions that may be mandatory or persuasive over lower courts within the state. Keeping records of legal proceedings helps ensure that these proceedings are fair, impartial, and follow due process. The Pottawatomie district court clerk is responsible for recording minutes of court proceedings and judgments as well as maintaining the county court records.

Are Court Records Public in Pottawatomie County?

Yes. Per the Oklahoma Open Records Act, as contained in Title 51 Oklahoma Statutes § 24A.2, residents of Oklahoma have the right to access, view, inspect, and request copies of government records. This act facilitates the exercise of the public's constitutionally recognized right to freedom of information.

Nonetheless, record custodians have discretionary power to keep certain records confidential if they believe that such disclosure may endanger the safety and security of an individual or the public. Where such disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy, the law requires that such records be exempt from public scrutiny (51 OK Stat § 24A.5 ). Furthermore, certain records may also be sealed or expunged by an order of the court. A sealed or expunged record is not a public record. The following records are not subject to public disclosure:

• Records subject to attorney-client and physician-patient privilege
• Information classified as confidential by law, constitution, statute, or order of the court
• Law enforcement investigation records
• Juvenile records
• Records relating to child abuse, adoption, foster care, or child welfare
• Mental health and medical information (HIPPA-protected information)
• Where such disclosure may compromise the safety and security of witnesses and confidential informants
• Information that can compromise the safety or security of victims of crime
• Information that may threaten the safety of public officials involved in the case
• Personal identification information (social security numbers, home addresses, and phone numbers)

Pottawatomie County Court Records Search

Members of the public can find Pottawatomie County court records at the County District Courthouse. The court clerk's office ought to have public access terminals to help individuals access court documents in person. Researchers may also send record requests to the court clerk by email, mail, or fax. Although it may be challenging to find what information or identification documents you may need to provide, researchers are advised to contact the court clerk with all inquiries, including questions about applicable fees and eligibility of access to confidential records.

However, the following details are staples that a requester should know to ensure that the court clerk can identify the record they need: the party name, case number, case/docket number, party type (plaintiff or defendant), court name, location, case type, and the filing date range.

For convenience, the office of the court clerk maintains online court information through the On Demand Court Records (ODCR) website, where researchers can search for and pay for court records online.

Pottawatomie County Court Clerk

Address: 325 North Broadway Shawnee, OK 74801
Email address: valerie.ueltzen@oscn.net
Phone: (405) 273-3624
Fax: (405) 878-5525

Interested persons may also find Pottawatomie County court records online at the Oklahoma State Courts Network. This system allows users to find court information by case number, party name, date of birth, party type, case type, case date range, and traffic citation (for district courts only).

Pottawatomie County Courts

The Pottawatomie County District Court is the highest in its jurisdiction. It has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine appeals from lower courts. The county court system consists of the district court and other municipal courts. Here is the court directory detailing the addresses, contact information, and websites of courts in Pottawatomie County.

Pottawatomie County District Court
Pottawatomie County Courthouse
325 North Broadway Street,
Shawnee, OK 74801
Phone: (405) 273-3624
Fax: (405) 878-5525

McLoud Municipal Court
408 West Broadway, McLoud,
OK 74851
Phone: (405) 788-4274 5

Shawnee Municipal Court
16 West 9th Street, P.O. Box 1448,
Shawnee, OK 74802
Phone: (405) 878-1624
Fax: (405) 878-1743

Tecumseh Municipal Court
City Hall 114 North Broadway,
Tecumseh, OK 74873
Phone: (405) 598-2188 ext. 115
Fax: (405) 598-6760

Pottawatomie County Criminal Records

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office maintains criminal records, such as inmate records, arrest records, and crime reports within his jurisdiction. Individuals can visit or contact the Sheriff's office at (405) 275-2526 to inspect or request copies of Pottawatomie County arrest records and incident reports.

Residents of Pottawatomie County can obtain criminal records through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). The OSBI provides both fingerprint-based checks and name-based checks. To access criminal records, interested individuals can use the OSBI's Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP). The Criminal History Information Request Portal is a registered use-only service, and it costs $15 to search by name only, $19 for fingerprint-based checks, and $2 for the Sex Offender Registry and Violent Offender Registry Search.

You can also purchase a criminal history record via mail or fax. Download and complete the Criminal History Records Form and mail it along with the applicable fees and documents to the OSBI. This service costs $15 to $19, with an additional $2 for a Department of Corrections database search. All fingerprint-based record searches must be sent by mail or submitted in person. The fee can be paid by cash (in person only), cashier's check, money order, or credit card.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
6600 N. Harvey
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Fax: (405) 879-2503

Get Pottawatomie County Civil Court Records

In Pottawatomie County, civil court records cover private or property disputes between individuals, businesses, or organizations, including intellectual property rights, torts, damages claims, insurance suits, family law, contract disputes, landlord-tenant issues, and more.

Pottawatomie court records are generally in the custody of the county court clerk. One may also choose to consult municipal courts to inquire about records of civil disputes and lawsuits that were settled in their courthouses. Nonetheless, members of the public can obtain copies of civil court records through the Oklahoma State Court Network or the On Demand Court Records website, by mail, or in person at the county courthouse.

Pottawatomie County Marriage Records

Marriage records are not public records, so interested persons will have to prove their relation to the subject of the record for their requests to be approved. To obtain a copy of a Pottawatomie County Marriage license, complete the Open Records Request Form and email/mail it to the Pottawatomie County Clerk.

Per section 24A.5 of the Oklahoma Open Records Act, the county clerk is authorized to charge residents a fee for searching and producing copies of government records. The fee is determined by a fee schedule, the type of record sought, and the number of copies. Once the office has received the request, a representative will contact the applicant to inform them of the applicable fees and how to make payment.

Pottawatomie County Clerk
309 North Broadway Ave Shawnee, OK 74801
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 576 Shawnee, Oklahoma 74802
Phone: (405) 273-8222
Fax: (405) 275-6898
Email: countyclerk@pottawatomiecountyok.gov

Pottawatomie County Divorce Records

Pottawatomie County Divorce Records may be obtained from the county clerk. Interested persons can send a request to the county clerk's office by mail or in person. The Pottawatomie County clerk will only have records of divorce decrees that a court in the county finalized.

To obtain a copy of a divorce decree, download and complete the Pottawatomie Open Records Request Form and email the request to countyclerk@pottawatomiecountyok.gov or mail the form to P.O. Box 576 Shawnee, Oklahoma 74802. Mails sent by post must include the sender's name, address, and contact information.

Pottawatomie County Birth and Death Records

Pottawatomie birth and death certificates are important records that may be useful in establishing relationships, genealogy, inheritance claims, insurance, and other benefits. The Oklahoma State Department of Health is responsible for maintaining and issuing copies of vital records of birth and death throughout the state.

There are multiple ways to order copies of Pottawatomie birth and death certificates, including mail orders, phone orders, and online orders (through an authorized third-party service provider). The Department of Health does not offer walk-in services; however, a phone call or online order has a two-day processing and delivery time. This is usually faster than the mail order, which takes approximately four weeks.

To order a Pottawatomie birth or death certificate, call (877) 817-7364 or complete the Oklahoma Birth Certificate Request Form and mail it to the address below. Ensure that the form is filled correctly. The request must be completed in full; it must contain the signature and photocopy of a legal photo ID of the applicant, as well as the total fees ($15 for a standard birth certificate and $35 for a heirloom birth certificate) and established eligibility of the applicant. Eligible applicants include the person named in the record, parent, legal guardian or custodian, authorized agent, or holder of a court order. The acceptable forms of photo identification are enclosed within the request form.

Mailing Address:
Vital Records Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
P.O. Box 248964
Oklahoma City, OK 73124-8964
Phone: (405) 426-8880
E-mail: AskVR@health.ok.gov

Pottawatomie County Probate Court Records

Probate cases involve validating wills, appointing trustees, executors, or administrators, notifying beneficiaries named in the deceased's will, gathering and distributing assets, debt claims, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, and estate administration. Pottawatomie County probate court records concern all the abovementioned matters and are usually handled by the county district court. Thus, interested persons may contact or visit the district court clerk's office to obtain Pottawatomie County probate court records.

Not all probate court records are public records. Adoption records are also classified as probate records and may only be available to qualified persons, such as the subject of the records, legal guardians, government agencies, or the courts.

Pottawatomie County Property Records

Pottawatomie property records are in two categories: real estate/land records and appraisal records. The Pottawatomie County clerk is in charge of all property documents affecting interests in land, such as ownership documents, mortgages, deeds, easements, liens, encumbrances, assignments, and other related records. On the other hand, the county assessor maintains records like plats, maps, tax records, property value, sales history, sales tax, and appraisal reports for both real and personal property registered in the county.

To obtain copies of property records, contact or visit the county assessor or the county clerk, depending on what type of record the searcher needs. You can also look up land records at the Oklahoma Land Records website or download and complete the Open Records Request Form and mail (post or email) it to the County Clerk's Office.

Pottawatomie County Clerk
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 576 Shawnee, Oklahoma 74802
countyclerk@pottawatomiecountyok.gov
Pottawatomie County Assessor
309 North Broadway Ave Shawnee,
OK 74801
Phone: (405) 275-4740
Fax: (405) 273-6450

Pottawatomie County Court Records Online

Though Pottawatomie County does not have an official case management system for accessing court records online, several third-party alternatives can help researchers find important case information. These public records search sites, like Oklahomacourtrecords.us, have transformed how people access court records. They allow the searcher access to a broader database, aggregating court information from all counties in Oklahoma and eliminating the need to visit courthouses in person.

Although third-party websites provide promising information, it may not be as comprehensive and complete as official sources. Court records from court clerks are more reliable, accurate, and up-to-date. However, a third-party court record search site is still a helpful and convenient alternative for researchers who do not reside in Oklahoma.