Lookup Public Records in Codington CountySouth Dakota. Including Vital Birth and Death Records, Deeds, Probate, Property Records, Mortgages, Liens, Judgments, Marriage Licenses, Voter Registrar, Payroll, Military Discharges.

Codington County, South Dakota Overview

Codington County is located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The county was formed in 1877 and named after Reverend G.S. Codington, territorial legislator. The county seat is Watertown. According to the U.S. Census Bureau of 2016, the county has a population of approximately 28,063 people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 717 square miles of which 688 square miles is land and 29 square miles is water. Codington County borders the following counties: Grant County to the northeast; Deuel County to the southeast; Hamlin County to the south; Clark County to the west and Day County to the northwest. Codington County has eight zip codes. The zip codes are 57235, 57238, 57242, 57243, 57245, 57263, 57272 and 57201. The most populated zip code is 57201.

Codington County Clerk of Courts Office Information

Under supervision of the Chief Justice, who is the administrative head of the Unified Judicial System, the State Court Administrator is the non-judicial officer who implements the rules and policies of the Supreme Court as they apply to the operations and administration of the courts and is the liaison between the judicial branch and the other branches of state and local government.

To ensure efficient and responsive operation, the State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services to the entire Unified Judicial System, which is composed of 7 Judicial Circuits. Codington County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit which is made up of fourteen counties. Those other counties are: Beadle, Brookings, Clark, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody, and Sanborn. The 3rd Circuit Courts are general trial courts with 6 Circuit Court Judges and 2 Magistrate Judges.

The administrative responsibilities of the Clay Clerk of Courts Office are as follows:

  • Assisting with requests for information on court procedures, fees, court dates, and forms.
  • Processing passports, assessing and receipting fees.
  • Opening, maintaining, storing and retrieving court files as needed in different types of cases.
  • Processing traffic tickets and other criminal complaints, receipting and disbursing fines, fees, costs, bond and restitution associated with same.
  • Working closely with the public, law enforcement and attorneys in maintaining judges’ calendars of court dates and assisting judges in the courtroom.
  • Summoning and qualifying jurors, assist judge in juror selection process, and authorize payment of jurors.
  • Performing magistrate functions such as setting bond, handling initial appearances, issuing warrants, entering default judgments in small claims cases and performing marriages.

South Dakota Unified Judicial System (UJS) Record Search Information

South Dakota has a statewide record search program. CRIMINAL cases are available, unless sealed, on the UJS system from 1989 to present. Civil cases, unless confidential or sealed, are available from 2003 to present.

Other civil cases you will need to contact a Clerk of Court to conduct the record search. You may mail the (Record Inquiry and Search Request Form) along with a check or money order for $20 to the following Clerk of Court Office. Also indicate where you would like the results mailed back to:

Susan Johannsen
Sanborn County Clerk of Courts
PO Box 56
Woonsocket, SD 57385
Phone: 605-796-4515
Email: [email protected]

Criminal and protection order searches are available on the Public Access Record Search (PARS) system at:

The physical address of Codington County Clerk of Courts Office is:

Codington County Courthouse
14 1st Ave. S.E.
Watertown, SD 57201
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (605) 882-5095
Fax: (605) 882-5384

Court Services:
Phone: (605) 882-5110
Fax: (605) 882-5106
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Connie Hartley is the Clerk of Courts of Codington County. She can be contacted at (605) 882-5095 or emailed at [email protected]

Codington County Clerk of Court’s Office Staffs:

Billie Jo Meyer, Deputy

Lisa Feltch, Deputy

Carol Denman, Deputy

Barbara Zeller, Deputy

Katy Webb, Deputy

Codington County Register of Deeds Office Information

The Register of Deeds Office is known as the library of local records. This office is a storage facility for a host of local documents. From land title transfers to birth, marriage, and death records, this office has a wealth of information about the local population. The office also has documents pertaining to genealogy, which is the study of one’s ancestry. The register of deeds office is a vital resource for people trying to discover their family tree.

Documents brought to the register of deeds office are recorded, which is an official method for documenting the time and date a legal instrument is placed in the public record. This is necessary because not only does this office record all instruments brought to them including property deeds, but everything else that affects that property. In addition to recording deeds, the register of deeds also records each mortgage, plat, and lease which provides a record when doing a thorough title search. The Register of Deeds Office is essential to bankers, abstract companies, real estate agents, land developers, and the public in providing an orderly method for documenting changes in property.

The complete filing/recording fee schedule of Register of Deeds Office can be found in the following link:

To download the birth record request/application form, visit the following link:

To download the death record request/application form and fees, visit the following link:

The physical address of the Codington County Register of Deeds Office is:

14 1st Ave. SE
Watertown, SD 57201
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (605) 882-6278
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Ann Rasmussen is the Register of Deeds of Codington County. She can be contacted at (605) 882-6278 or emailed at [email protected]

Codington, SD Genealogy and Ancestry Records
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Counties Data File Downloads
Total Ancestries Reported 2005-200933,421
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - United States or American - 2005-2009724
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Arab - 2005-200950
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - British - 2005-200912
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Czech - 2005-2009293
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Danish - 2005-2009628
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Dutch - 2005-20091,073
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - English - 2005-20091,555
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - European - 2005-2009153
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - French (except Basque) - 2005-2009739
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - French Canadian - 2005-2009105
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - German - 2005-200913,972
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Greek - 2005-20090
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Hungarian - 2005-200913
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Irish - 2005-20092,770
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Italian - 2005-2009179
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Lithuanian - 2005-20090
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Norwegian - 2005-20095,984
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Polish - 2005-2009575
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Portuguese - 2005-20090
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Russian - 2005-2009385
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Scotch-Irish - 2005-2009352
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Scottish - 2005-2009174
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Slovak - 2005-20092
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Subsaharan African - 2005-20092
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Swedish - 2005-2009997
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Swiss - 2005-200956
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Ukrainian - 2005-20090
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Welsh - 2005-2009130
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - West Indian (excluding Hispanic groups) - 2005-20090
Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Other Groups - 2005-20091,867

Codington County Register-Deeds Office
County Government Office

Address: 14 1st Ave SE, Watertown, SD 57201, United States
Phone: 605-882-6278

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