The main phone number for the Black Hawk County Courthouse is 319-833-3331, which connects to the Clerk of Court in Waterloo. That line covers civil, criminal, probate, and traffic case questions.1Iowa Judicial Branch. Black Hawk County Judicial District 1 Other business runs through separate direct lines, so picking the right one the first time saves a transfer.
Direct Numbers by Department
- Clerk of Court (main): 319-833-3331
- Clerk of Court fax: 319-833-3251
- Case scheduling / 1st Judicial District Court Administrator: 319-833-33322Iowa Judicial Branch. Iowa Courts – District 1
- Juvenile court office: 319-291-2506
- Disability Access Coordinator (Gar Osland): 319-833-33903Iowa Judicial Branch. Disability Accommodation
- Relay Iowa TTY: 1-800-735-2942
- County Recorder (marriage licenses, deeds, vital records): 319-833-3012
The Clerk of Court and the County Recorder are two different offices in the same building. If you need a marriage license, a birth certificate, or a property deed, call the Recorder, not 319-833-3331.
Jury duty questions don’t go through a phone line. The Iowa Judicial Branch directs summoned jurors to the eJuror site at jury.iowacourts.gov or to email blackhawk.county.clerk@iowacourts.gov for reporting instructions. Daily juror pay is $30.1Iowa Judicial Branch. Black Hawk County Judicial District 1
What to Have Ready Before You Call
The clerk’s office moves faster when you can give them a case number. Iowa case numbers use letter prefixes: FECR is a felony, SMCR a simple misdemeanor, OWCR an OWI charge, LACV a civil lawsuit, and SCSC a small claims case. The number appears on any document the court has sent you.
Without a case number, have the person’s full legal name and date of birth ready. The clerk needs both to tell similar names apart. You can also look up the case yourself first through Iowa Courts Online at iowacourts.state.ia.us and call with the number in hand.4Iowa Judicial Branch. Iowa Judicial Branch
What Clerks Can and Can’t Tell You
Clerks read from the record. They can confirm filings, hearing dates, balances owed, and what documents are on file. They can’t share confidential records — juvenile cases, certain mental health proceedings, and sealed files are off-limits, and the clerk will say so when a request runs into that limit.5Iowa Judicial Branch. Public Records Requests They also can’t give legal advice. Questions about how to respond to a filing or what your options are in a case need to go to an attorney.
When the Phone Line Is Open
The courthouse is at 316 East 5th Street, Waterloo, IA 50703, and general business hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.1Iowa Judicial Branch. Black Hawk County Judicial District 1 The clerk’s line is staffed during those hours. The building is closed on official court holidays, so calls those days won’t be answered.6Iowa Judicial Branch. Administrative Order 2025-36 In Re 2026 Court Holidays
If you’re planning to visit rather than call, you’ll pass through a metal detector and bag screening at the entrance. Weapons and pocketknives are prohibited. Call the main number ahead of time if you’re not sure about a specific item.
Things You Don’t Need to Call For
Some of the most common reasons people call the clerk can be handled online without waiting for the line to open.
Paying a fine or court debt. The online payment portal runs around the clock. You’ll need the county, the charge type (traffic, criminal, or civil), and either your case number or your name.7Iowa Judicial Branch. Pay a Fine or Court Debt
Filing a case. Iowa requires electronic filing in most case types through eFile at iowacourts.gov/efile. Registration is free.8Iowa Judicial Branch. eFile If you can’t file electronically, ask the Clerk of Court for a form to be excused from the requirement.
Looking up a case. Iowa Courts Online lets you search by name or case number without calling.
Accommodation Requests
Accommodation requests for court proceedings — a sign language interpreter, wheelchair-accessible seating, assistive listening equipment — go to the 1st Judicial District’s Disability Access Coordinator, Gar Osland, at 319-833-3390 or gar.osland@iowacourts.gov.3Iowa Judicial Branch. Disability Accommodation The Iowa Judicial Branch doesn’t set a specific deadline, but interpreters and specialized equipment are harder to arrange on short notice, so call as far ahead of your court date as you can.