| Clerk of District Court | Gallatin County Clerk of District Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Gallatin County Justice Center, 515 S 16th Ave, Room 1041, Bozeman, MT 59715 |
| Phone | (406) 582-2165 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed legal holidays |
| Earliest records noted | 2012 |
| 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) |
Gallatin County, anchored by Bozeman, is one of Montana's fastest-growing counties and the seat of the Eighteenth Judicial District. The Clerk of District Court keeps felony, civil, family, and probate files, along with marriage licenses, at the Gallatin County Justice Center. Unlike some Montana counties, Gallatin's district court has converted to the state's centralized case system, so its cases are searchable by name or case number on the statewide District Court Public Access Portal, showing the register of actions for cases filed from roughly 2012 forward.
Misdemeanors, small claims, evictions, and county-level traffic tickets go to the Gallatin County Justice Court, a separate office in the same Justice Center complex. Tickets and ordinance violations inside Bozeman or another Gallatin County city go to that city's own municipal or city court instead.
Document images are not available through the public portal — it shows case status and history only. Copies of filed documents have to be requested from the clerk by email.
Search Gallatin County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Gallatin County Clerk of District Court
- Cost
- Free case search on the statewide portal; per-page fee for copies
- Coverage
- District Court felony, civil, family, and probate cases for the Eighteenth Judicial District
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The clerk's page links directly to the statewide District Court Public Access Portal for case search. Document copies are not downloadable there; email GallatinDCRecords@mt.gov with the case number and the documents you need.
Other courts
Montana District Court Public Access Portal (Gallatin County)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Register of actions, party names, and case status for Gallatin County District Court cases from about 2012 to present
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Updates within about 24 hours of a filing; select Gallatin County / the Eighteenth Judicial District when searching.
Other courts
Gallatin County Justice Court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, small claims, evictions, and county-level traffic and ordinance cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
A separate office from the Clerk of District Court; contact the Justice Court directly for case status and copies.
What is available online
Gallatin County's District Court is one of the counties whose cases are live on the statewide District Court Public Access Portal, so a name or case-number search there will generally return civil, criminal, family, and probate cases filed since around 2012. Older cases and case types the portal doesn't cover still require a records request to the clerk. The Justice Court's caseload (misdemeanors, small claims, evictions) is a separate system; check the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction Public Access Portal or contact the Justice Court directly, since not every Justice Court has converted to the statewide system yet.
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
Gallatin County clerk offices
Gallatin County Justice Center, 515 S 16th Ave, Room 1041, Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: (406) 582-2165
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed legal holidays
District Court records. Search the case index yourself on the District Court Public Access Portal. For a copy of a filed document, email GallatinDCRecords@mt.gov with the case number, the document you need, and whether you need it certified, or visit the Clerk of District Court's office at the Justice Center, 515 S 16th Ave, Room 1041, Bozeman. Copy 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 Gallatin County Justice Court directly; its cases may or may not yet appear on the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction Public Access Portal.
City court records. Bozeman, Belgrade, and other Gallatin County cities run their own municipal or city courts for ordinance violations and in-city tickets; contact that city's court office.
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 Gallatin County District Court cases online for free?
Yes. Gallatin County's District Court has converted to Montana's statewide case system, so you can search by name or case number on the District Court Public Access Portal at no cost, covering cases from roughly 2012 forward.
How do I get a copy of a document from a Gallatin County District Court case?
The public portal shows case status but not document images. Email GallatinDCRecords@mt.gov with the case number and the specific document you need, or request it in person at the Clerk of District Court's office in the Justice Center.
Where are misdemeanor and small-claims cases handled in Gallatin County?
The Gallatin County Justice Court, a separate office from the Clerk of District Court, handles misdemeanors, small claims, evictions, and county-level traffic tickets.
Are Bozeman city tickets in the county's court search?
No. Tickets and ordinance violations within Bozeman city limits go to Bozeman's own municipal or city court, not the county's District Court or Justice Court.
Sources
- Gallatin County Clerk of District Court — https://www.gallatinmt.gov/272/Clerk-of-District-Court
- Gallatin County Justice Court — https://www.gallatinmt.gov/460/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.