Yellowstone County
Created in 1883, Yellowstone County is located in southern Montana and is named after the Yellowstone River. It is the state's most populous county, with over 160,000 residents. Billings, the county seat, is also the most populous city in the state.
The Yellowstone trial court system comprises a district court, a justice court, a city court, and a municipal court. The Yellowstone County District Court is a general jurisdiction court that handles all felonies, general civil cases, probate matters, naturalization cases, specific ballot matters, and some special actions and proceedings. It also hears appeals from lower courts in the county. The Justice Court judge exercises limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, including initial felony hearings, most misdemeanors, general civil claims for amounts in dispute up to $7,000, and small claims for $3,000 or less. It shares concurrent jurisdiction with the District Court over certain misdemeanor cases.
The Yellowstone County City Court and the Municipal Court have shared jurisdiction over cases of municipal ordinance violations. These cases include municipal-based misdemeanors, civil claims for $15,000 or less and small claims for amounts up to $7,000, landlord-tenant matters, protection orders, forcible entry and detainer, and certain juvenile-related cases.
Yellowstone County court records are compiled case files and records of various formats that document legal activities from different case trials in the county courts. They include both submitted documents and those created in the course of court trials, such as motions, orders, pleadings, verdicts, trial transcripts, and judgments. Court records that are usually created in Yellowstone County courts include:
- Juvenile court records
- Criminal records
- Family law records
- Civil records
- Probate records
The Yellowstone County District Court Clerk maintains court records in the county. Interested persons are permitted by state law to view and copy public records, including court records after paying the required fees. Record seekers can access Yellowstone County court records online, by mail, and in person. Online access is available using the records search portal on the court clerk's website, while mail-in and in-person requests can be done at the District Court Clerk's Office or the courthouse where the cases were heard. Requesters are, however, required to pay the appropriate fees and submit self-addressed stamped envelopes.
