Meade County Information
Meade County is a county positioned in the state of South Dakota. The total population of Meade County in 2020 was 29,852. Sturgis is the current county seat in Meade County.
It was formed in 1889.
It was named for General George Meade. He was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer best known for decisively defeating Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War.
Meade County is part of the Rapid City, SD Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Meade County Arrest Records
Arrest records are kept on each and every crime in Meade County. Crimes in Meade County are split into two major categories, violent crime and property crime. Property crimes can include things such as burglary, vehicle theft, and larceny. Robbery, aggravated assault, murder, and forcible rape make up the four main violent crime categorizations. Meade County had 21 violent and 161 property crimes back in 2021. Meade County Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at:
Meade County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff: Pat West
1400 Main Street
Sturgis, SD 57785
Phone: (605) 347-2681
Meade County Criminal Records
Meade County records their criminal activity in the form of criminal records. These records cover murders, rapes, burglaries, arson, motor vehicle theft, assaults, and crimes of a sexual nature. All criminal records in Meade County are updated. Citizens of Meade County can use a search tool to get access to the records in question. Anyone on release or in jail can be searched for using the tool. The Meade County sex offender register is updated constantly. These consist of any offender living, attending school, working, or jailed in the Meade County area. This register is made available to all citizens of Meade County.
Members of the public living in Meade County can also search online for offenders in the area. A given zip code acts as the focal point of a resident's search. All offenders within that area will then be revealed to the searcher. A person may also use the tools to look up individual known offenders. These include any in prison or non-compliant offenders in Meade County.
Meade County Court Records
In Meade County, the county courthouse oversees all criminal, family, and civil cases. All Meade County court records are maintained by the court clerk. Meade County residents can access court records at:
Meade County Courthouse
Clerk: Linda Keszler
1425 Sherman Street
P.O. Box 939
Sturgis, SD 57785
Phone: (605) 347-4411
Fax: (605) 347-3526
In the state of South Dakota, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, and trial courts of general and limited jurisdiction. The Federal district courts hear appeals from state courts and are also the point of origination for federal cases and lawsuits. South Dakota Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has five judgeships. South Dakota Circuit Courts are courts of general jurisdiction. The 66 counties in the state are divided into seven judicial circuits with forty-one judicial circuit judges.
NOTE - Average records in Meade County can be delivered by mail, email, or fax. Nevertheless, any official or credentialed records in Meade County can only be delivered via mail.
Meade County Public Records
Each individual resident in the state of South Dakota has vital records kept on them. The vital records in question document a person’s most essential life events. These milestone events consist of deaths, births, divorces, and marriages. Meade County is, as well as other counties in the state, pivotal in the collection of these records for South Dakota. These counties, such as Meade County, are usually put in charge of collecting files and sending copies to the state government.
The county clerk in Meade County is in charge of amassing all marriage records. These records are kept at the South Dakota Department of Health Office of Vital Records. The files that Meade County would have collected on these life events include birth certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, marriage licenses, divorce certificates, marriage certificates, and more. Meade County records are stored in a central registry, along with all other vital records. All records may later be used for statistical analysis.
Any public record can be copied and accessed by residents in Meade County. The South Dakota Sunshine Law 1967 gives the general public in Meade County this fundamental right. Meade County residents can obtain public records in-person at:
Meade County Clerk’s Office
1300 Sherman Street #138
Sturgis, SD 57785
Phone: (605) 347-2356
Fax: (605) 720-6619
Records in Meade County do come with a charge. Meade County birth records cost $15 per first copy. Death records in Meade County cost $15 for the first copy. Marriage certificates in Meade County cost $15.
NOTE - If a requester would like to obtain records face-to-face, they must follow several rules in Meade County. The office is open between 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. CST from Monday to Friday to obtain records in-person in Meade County. If a requester wishes to get reports, they must bring some form of photo identification. This could comprise a driver’s license or state ID. All Meade County public record requests must be put in writing.
