Pottawatomie County Court Records
Pottawatomie County court records are stored at the District Court in Shawnee. The court clerk's office manages civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic case files dating back to 1892. You can search Pottawatomie County court records online through OSCN for free, or visit the courthouse on North Broadway Street to request copies. Shawnee serves as the county seat and the central location for all district court filings. The clerk's office processes thousands of cases each year and accepts walk-in, mail, and email requests for record copies and case lookups.
Pottawatomie County Overview
Pottawatomie County District Court
The Pottawatomie County Court Clerk is Valerie Ueltzen. The office sits at 325 North Broadway Street in Shawnee. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone number is (405) 273-3624 and the fax is (405) 878-5525. You can also reach the office by email at valerie.ueltzen@oscn.net. Staff can look up a case by name or number and tell you the status over the phone. For copies, you will need to visit in person or send a written request.
Pottawatomie County is one of the more active courts in central Oklahoma. It covers Shawnee, Tecumseh, McLoud, and several other communities. The courthouse has been in use since 1892, and court records go back that far. The county is part of the 23rd Judicial District. All district court filings for the county, whether the case started in Shawnee or Tecumseh or anywhere else in the county, are stored and managed by this one clerk's office.
Under Oklahoma's Open Records Act, found in 51 O.S. Section 24A.5, the public has a right to inspect and copy most court records. Exempt records include juvenile cases, adoption files, mental health commitments, and records that contain social security numbers or banking information. The Pottawatomie County Court Clerk follows the same exemption rules as every other county in the state.
| Court Clerk | Valerie Ueltzen |
|---|---|
| Address |
Pottawatomie County Courthouse 325 North Broadway Street Shawnee, OK 74801 |
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 249, Shawnee, OK 74802 |
| Phone | (405) 273-3624 |
| Fax | (405) 878-5525 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| valerie.ueltzen@oscn.net |
Search Pottawatomie County Court Records
The OSCN docket search is the fastest way to look up court records in Pottawatomie County. Select "Pottawatomie" from the county dropdown and type in a party name or case number. Results include party names, attorneys of record, case status, docket entries, and hearing dates. Some documents are available as PDFs when the clerk has scanned them. OSCN is free and updated within 24 hours of new filings.
On Demand Court Records offers another way to search. It pulls from the same state data but adds date of birth filters, case monitoring, and alert tools. The basic search costs nothing. Advanced features run between $5 and $55 a month. ODCR also accepts online payments for some case types, which can save you a trip to the courthouse if you just need to pay a fine or court cost in Pottawatomie County.
In person, the courthouse at 325 North Broadway has public access terminals. Walk in during business hours and use them at no charge. Staff at the clerk's window can also run searches for you. Copies are $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Certification is $0.50 per document. Under Title 28, Section 153, the court clerk collects these fees for all certified copies.
You can search Pottawatomie County land records through OKCountyRecords, which indexes data from January 1985.
Use this tool to look up deeds, mortgages, and liens filed in Pottawatomie County.
Court Record Types in Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County processes all standard case types. Felony criminal cases use CF. Misdemeanors use CM. Civil cases over $10,000 use CJ. Civil cases under that amount use CS. Family law cases including divorce and custody are FD. Probate is PB. Small claims are SC. Traffic violations are TR. The clerk also issues marriage licenses and handles passport applications.
Not all records are open to the public. Juvenile court files are sealed by law in Oklahoma. Adoption records require a court order to access. Mental health commitment records, attorney-client communications, and records containing social security numbers or bank data are exempt from public disclosure. Records related to ongoing law enforcement investigations are also exempt. Under Title 22, Section 18, criminal records can be sealed through expungement if the person meets the legal criteria.
Note: Pottawatomie County court and land records date back to 1892, making them some of the older records in central Oklahoma.
Request Pottawatomie County Court Records
Mail requests for Pottawatomie County court records should be sent to P.O. Box 249, Shawnee, OK 74802. Include the case number or party names, a description of the documents you need, and payment for copies. Make checks payable to the Pottawatomie County Court Clerk. A self-addressed stamped envelope is needed if you want the copies mailed back.
You can also email the clerk at valerie.ueltzen@oscn.net for basic inquiries. Email works for confirming a case number or checking on fees, but actual copies still need to be picked up or mailed. The county website has an Open Records Request Form that you can fill out and submit. A valid photo ID is required for all record requests, whether in person or by mail.
Pottawatomie County Land Records
Land records are handled by the county clerk, Raeshel Flewallen. Her office is at 309 North Broadway Avenue in Shawnee. The phone number is (405) 273-8222. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The county clerk deals with deeds, mortgages, liens, and plat maps. These are separate from the court records managed by the court clerk next door.
You can search Pottawatomie County land records online at OKCountyRecords.com. Indexed data starts from January 1985 and gets updated in real time. The site covers deeds, mortgages, and other property filings. For older records, you will need to visit the county clerk's office in person.
Criminal Court Records
Criminal records in Pottawatomie County are searchable on OSCN. Both felony and misdemeanor dockets show charges, hearing dates, plea entries, and sentencing. For a statewide criminal history check, use the OSBI CHIRP portal at $15 per search. CHIRP may show arrest records that did not result in a formal court case.
The OklahomaCourtRecords.us page for Pottawatomie County provides links and search tips for finding court records in this county. For district court records specifically, OSCN remains the primary free tool.
Cities in Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County includes Shawnee, Tecumseh, McLoud, and several smaller communities. All district court cases are filed through the Pottawatomie County District Court in Shawnee. Each city also has its own municipal court for local code violations and minor traffic matters.
Other communities include Tecumseh, McLoud, Brooksville, and Earlsboro. Municipal court records for these towns are not on OSCN. Contact the town directly for those files.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Pottawatomie County. Double check where your case was filed before searching.