| Clerk of District Court | Cascade County Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Cascade County Courthouse, 415 2nd Ave N, Great Falls, MT 59401 (Clerk of Court) |
| Phone | (406) 604-7796 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed Montana state holidays |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages, $0.50 per page thereafter (Clerk of District Court, Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201) |
| Certified copy fee | Same per-page copy fee plus $2.00 for certification with the court seal (Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201) |
Cascade County, home to Great Falls, is the seat of the Eighth Judicial District. The Clerk of Court keeps district-court civil, probate, felony criminal, dependent-neglect, domestic-relations, guardianship, juvenile, paternity, and sanity (mental-commitment) case files at the Cascade County Courthouse, and also issues marriage licenses and accepts passport applications. The clerk's office links directly to Montana's statewide District Court Public Access Portal, so Eighth Judicial District cases can be searched online by name or case number.
Misdemeanors, traffic tickets issued by the Sheriff's Office, Montana Highway Patrol, or state wildlife officers, small claims up to $7,000, and civil claims up to $12,000 go instead to the Cascade County Justice Court, a separate office in the courthouse. Tickets and ordinance violations written by Great Falls city police go to the Great Falls Municipal Court, which the county does not index.
Fee schedules for searches and copies are set by statute; the clerk's office can quote the current amount for a specific request.
Search Cascade County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Cascade County Clerk of Court
- Cost
- Free case search on the statewide portal; per-page fee for copies
- Coverage
- District Court civil, probate, felony criminal, domestic-relations, guardianship, juvenile, paternity, and sanity cases for the Eighth Judicial District
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The office's page links directly to the statewide District Court Public Access Portal for case search and to the Eighth Judicial District's local rules.
Other courts
Montana District Court Public Access Portal (Cascade County)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Register of actions, party names, and case status for Cascade County District Court cases that have been entered into the statewide system
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Select Cascade County / the Eighth Judicial District when searching.
Other courts
Cascade County Justice Court
- Coverage
- Traffic and misdemeanor cases from county law enforcement, orders of protection, small claims up to $7,000, and civil claims up to $12,000
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
A separate office from the Clerk of Court, in Room 104 of the Cascade County Courthouse.
What is available online
Cascade County's Clerk of Court page links directly to the statewide District Court Public Access Portal, so a name or case-number search there covers Eighth Judicial District cases that have been entered into Montana's centralized system; the office can confirm coverage for a specific case type or year. The portal shows case status and the register of actions, not document images, so a records request to the clerk is still required for copies. The Justice Court's caseload (misdemeanors, traffic, small claims) is a separate system from the district clerk's records.
Which clerk has your record
In Montana, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Montana page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts (22 judicial districts, one Clerk of District Court per county) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family-law cases; Civil suits over $15,000 | Clerk of District Court of the county |
| Justice Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil cases up to $15,000 and small claims up to $7,000; Landlord-tenant and eviction (forcible entry and detainer) | Justice of the Peace / Justice Court clerk for the county precinct |
| City Courts and Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Misdemeanors and traffic tickets within city limits; Small claims within some cities | City Court clerk or Municipal Court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Cascade County clerk offices
Cascade County Courthouse, 415 2nd Ave N, Great Falls, MT 59401 (Clerk of Court)
Phone: (406) 604-7796
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed Montana state holidays
District Court records. Search the case index on the District Court Public Access Portal, then call (406) 604-7796 or visit the Clerk of Court's office at 415 2nd Ave N, Room 200, Great Falls, for a copy. Provide the case number, the document you need, and whether you need it certified. Fees follow the statewide schedule: $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages, $0.50 per page after that, plus $2.00 for certification.
Justice Court records. Contact the Cascade County Justice Court in Room 104 of the courthouse for case status and copy requests; its cases are not part of the Clerk of Court's index.
Great Falls Municipal Court records. Contact the Municipal Court directly for tickets and ordinance violations issued within Great Falls city limits.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Montana |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages, $0.50 per page thereafter (Clerk of District Court, Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201) |
| Certified copy | Same per-page copy fee plus $2.00 for certification with the court seal (Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201) |
This is the statutory Clerk of District Court fee schedule; individual District Courts publish the same figures on their fee schedules. Justice Courts, City Courts, and Municipal Courts set their own copy fees locally and are not bound by this schedule, so confirm the amount with that specific court before mailing payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Montana court records are generally open to the public, but several categories are restricted or removed from public search entirely:
The Montana guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search Cascade County District Court cases online?
Yes. The Clerk of Court's office links to the statewide District Court Public Access Portal, where you can search by name or case number for Eighth Judicial District cases entered into Montana's centralized system.
How do I get a copy of a Cascade County court document?
The online portal shows case status, not document images. Call or visit the Clerk of Court's office at the Cascade County Courthouse with the case number and the document you need.
Where are traffic tickets from the Montana Highway Patrol handled in Cascade County?
The Cascade County Justice Court handles traffic and misdemeanor cases from the Sheriff's Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and state wildlife officers; it is a separate office from the Clerk of Court.
Are Great Falls city tickets in the county's court search?
No. Tickets and ordinance violations issued by Great Falls police go to the Great Falls Municipal Court, a city system the county does not index.
Sources
- Cascade County Clerk of Court — https://www.cascadecountymt.gov/158/Clerk-of-Courts-Office
- Cascade County Justice Court — https://www.cascadecountymt.gov/227/Justice-Court
- Montana District Court Public Access Portal — https://dcportal.pubcourts.mt.gov/
- Montana Judicial Branch — General Public — https://courts.mt.gov/GeneralPublic
- Montana Judicial Branch — Court Links (portals and docket search) — https://courts.mt.gov/courtlinks
- Montana Judicial Branch — Public Access Portals — https://courts.mt.gov/Courts/portals
- Montana Judicial Branch — Courts of Limited Jurisdiction — https://courts.mt.gov/Courts/lcourt/
- Montana Supreme Court Public View Docket — https://supremecourtdocket.mt.gov/
- Montana DOJ Criminal History Online Public Record Search — https://doj.egovmt.com/choprs/
- Montana DOJ — Conviction Expungement Process — https://dojmt.gov/dci-home/conviction-expungement-process/
- Montana DOJ — Non-Conviction Removal and Sealing — https://dojmt.gov/dci-home/non-conviction-removal-and-sealing/
- Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201 — Fees of Clerk of District Court — https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0010/part_0020/section_0010/0250-0010-0020-0010.html
- Mont. Code Ann. Title 46, Chapter 18, Part 11 — Expungement of Records — https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0460/chapter_0180/part_0110/sections_index.html
- Mont. Code Ann. 44-5-103 — Confidential Criminal Justice Information, Definitions — https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0440/chapter_0050/part_0010/section_0030/0440-0050-0010-0030.html
- United States District Court for the District of Montana — https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Montana counties.