Missoula County
Missoula County, located in western Montana and covering 2,593 square miles of land, is the 25th largest county in the state. Having the seat of government in Missoula City, the county runs an integrated civil and criminal justice system that protects the fundamental human rights of about 117,922 residents.
The Fourth Judicial District Court in Missoula County is a court of general jurisdiction that oversees most civil cases involving amounts over $50,000 and all felony, domestic relations, and probate cases. It handles probate cases through its Magistrate Division and hears appeals from the Justice Court. Additionally, it operates a specialty court, the Youth Court, which renders juvenile justice services. The Youth Court has a subdivision, the Juvenile Probation Division, that adopts an informal process in handling cases involving minors, excluding traffic, fish, and game violations. Missoula County has another specialty court called the Veterans Treatment Court. It serves military officers charged with crimes related to substance abuse and mental health cases.
Missoula County's Justice Court is a court of limited jurisdiction that handles initial hearings of criminal, civil, traffic, fish, and game matters. The court is responsible for conducting criminal probable cause reviews, initial appearances on felony charges, and misdemeanor arraignments. Its jurisdiction also covers civil cases with claims up to $12,000.
In Missoula County, it is mandatory for all courts to keep records of documents gathered during case filings and judicial proceedings. These records, which typically include warrants, summons, dockets, decrees, and transcripts, are maintained and made available to the public by the respective courts' clerks. The Clerk of the District Court is the custodian of district court records in Missoula County.
Some of Missoula County's public court records include the following:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Probate Records
- Family Court Records
Certain Missoula County court records are kept away from public disclosure. They include juvenile records and records expunged or sealed by court orders. Many District Court records are available online through Missoula County's Copies and Records Searches website. Interested individuals may also request them by email or by mailing their requests to the clerk of the District Court. Case files and dockets of the Justice Court, and records that are not available online, may be obtained directly from the courthouse that maintains them.
