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Montana · How-To Guide

How do I access court records?

Clerk of District Court (county level - each of Montana's 56 counties / 22 judicial districts) / Montana Supreme Court (state level)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need: District Court (major civil cases, felonies, family, probate), Justice Court (misdemeanors, small claims up to $15,000, traffic - county-level), City/Municipal Court (city ordinances, traffic), or Montana Supreme Court
  2. Note: Montana has 56 county Clerks of District Court organized into 22 judicial districts
  3. Search online:
  4. ODYSSEY CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM / MONTANA COURTS E-FILING: Montana courts have been implementing electronic case management; public access varies by district
  5. MONTANA SUPREME COURT ONLINE: montanacourts.gov - access to Supreme Court opinions and some case information
  6. INDIVIDUAL COUNTY WEBSITES: Each county's Clerk of District Court may have limited online case information; access varies significantly by county
  7. Montana does NOT have a single comprehensive statewide public trial court case search equivalent to some states
  8. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Clerk of District Court in the county where the case was filed; in-person or written request
  9. In-person access: visit the county courthouse; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
  • Case number or full legal name of parties
Fee
Online access varies; certified copies: typically $0.50-$2.00 per page; contact specific county Clerk of District Court for current schedule
Processing Time
Varies by county; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
Limited statewide; Montana Supreme Court opinions at montanacourts.gov; individual county clerks may have some online access
Where to Go
Clerk of District Court in the county where the case was filed
County-specific variations apply

Montana's 56 counties vary significantly in court record online access. Yellowstone County (Billings), Cascade County (Great Falls), Missoula County, Gallatin County (Bozeman), and Lewis & Clark County (Helena) have larger court systems with more staff. Most rural Montana counties (especially in eastern and central Montana) have minimal online access and require in-person or mailed requests. Note that marriage licenses are held by the Clerk of District Court (NOT the Clerk and Recorder) in Montana.

Montana Notes

Important state-specific details

  • Montana does not have a comprehensive statewide public trial court case search portal equivalent to states like Indiana (myCase) or Iowa (Iowa Courts Online).
  • MARRIAGE LICENSE RECORDS: held by Clerk of District Court (not Clerk and Recorder).
  • Montana Supreme Court opinions: montanacourts.gov.
  • Criminal history background checks: Montana Department of Justice, Montana Identification Bureau (MIB) - doj.mt.gov/enforcement/criminalrecords; background checks available for a fee.
  • Montana Sexual or Violent Offender Registry: doj.mt.gov/enforcement/svor - searchable online.
  • Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules.
  • Montana Constitution, Article II, Section 9: right of participation in government and right to know; broad public access presumption.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
Montana Courts - montanacourts.gov | (406) 444-3858; Montana DOJ, Criminal Records Bureau - doj.mt.gov/enforcement/criminalrecords | (406) 444-3625