Bismarck Municipal Court

Bismarck Municipal Court cases in Burleigh County, Bismarck, ND

Bismarck Municipal Court is a limited-jurisdiction municipal court in Bismarck, North Dakota. It handles violations of Bismarck municipal ordinances occurring within city limits, including traffic citations and parking tickets, city code violations, and Class B misdemeanor offenses adopted by ordinance. The court's functions include arraignments, accepting pleas, conducting bench trials, issuing warrants, and imposing fines or other sanctions. It does not hear felony cases, juvenile matters, family law, probate, or general civil lawsuits; those are handled by the North Dakota District Court for Burleigh County (South Central Judicial District).

Bismarck Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Bismarck Municipal Court

Bismarck Municipal Court serves the public by handling:
- Case types: city ordinance violations, traffic and parking citations, and other non-felony (Class B misdemeanor) offenses occurring within city limits. Felonies and most juvenile matters are not heard here.
- Case filings and records: intake of citations/complaints, defendant filings (motions, continuances), access to case information, and certified copies.
- Court hearings: initial appearances/arraignments, pretrial conferences, bench trials (no jury), sentencings, show-cause/compliance hearings, and probation reviews.
- Orders and warrants: conditions of release (including no-contact orders in criminal cases) and warrants for failure to appear. Domestic violence/sexual assault protection orders are handled by Burleigh County District Court.
- Payments and compliance: fines/fees, restitution, bonds, payment plans, community service credit, and proof-of-compliance processing.
- Jury services: not provided by Municipal Court; jury trials are transferred to District Court upon request.