| Clerk of District Court | Lake County Clerk of District Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Lake County Courthouse, 106 4th Ave E, Room 301, Polson, MT 59860 (Clerk of District Court, third floor) |
| Phone | (406) 883-7254 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed legal 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) |
Lake County wraps around the southern half of Flathead Lake and shares Montana's Twentieth Judicial District with Sanders County to the west; two district judges sit in the Lake County Courthouse in Polson. The Clerk of District Court on the courthouse's third floor keeps the county's adoption, civil, criminal, domestic-relations, guardianship, juvenile, probate, and involuntary-commitment files, and it publishes one of the clearer fee schedules in the state — a one-page list keyed to Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201 that spells out copy, certification, and name-search charges.
Misdemeanors, traffic and Fish and Game citations, felony initial appearances, small claims, landlord-tenant cases, and orders of protection go to the Lake County Justice Court in the same courthouse. Tickets and ordinance violations inside city limits go instead to Polson City Court on 1st Street East or Ronan City Court on Main Street in Ronan, each a separate city office. Much of Lake County lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation, so some matters involving tribal members are heard in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Court rather than a state court — if a case is not in any county or city file, that is the next place to ask.
There is no Lake County-specific case-search site for court cases; the county's online "document search" link on the clerk's page leads to a Tyler Technologies index. Check the statewide District Court Public Access Portal for the case index, then send the clerk's records-search form for copies.
Search Lake County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Lake County Clerk of District Court
- Cost
- $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages, $0.50 per page after; $0.25 per page for emailed images; $2.00 certification; $2.00 per name per year for searches (up to 7 years, then $1.00)
- Coverage
- District Court adoption, civil, criminal, domestic-relations, guardianship, juvenile, probate, and sanity case records for Lake County (Twentieth Judicial District)
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Room 301 on the third floor of the courthouse; email LakeDistCourt@mt.gov. The clerk posts a Request Records Search form and a fee schedule (effective October 26, 2021) as PDFs. A copy of a decree of dissolution is a flat $10.00 and a copy of a marriage license $5.00, before certification.
Other courts
Lake County Justice Court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal offenses, traffic and Fish and Game violations, felony initial appearances, civil cases within Justice Court limits, landlord-tenant disputes, and orders of protection in Lake County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Same courthouse at 106 4th Ave E, Polson; office manager (406) 883-7258, email lakejusticecourt@mt.gov, open Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The court posts a weekly docket PDF but no case-search database; contact the clerks for case lookups.
Other courts
Polson City Court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and ordinance violations within Polson city limits
- Records
- Criminal, Traffic
Listed by the Montana Judicial Branch at 106 E 1st St, Polson, MT 59860, (406) 883-8219. The City of Polson website refused automated requests, so its court page could not be verified; contact the court by phone.
Other courts
Ronan City Court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and ordinance violations within Ronan city limits
- Records
- Criminal, Traffic
Listed by the Montana Judicial Branch at 207 Main St, Ronan, MT 59864, (406) 676-0211. No official web page for the court was located.
What is available online
Lake County's website gives the Clerk of District Court and Justice Court each a page with contacts, forms, and fee information, but neither page links to a court case-search database. The "Document Search" link on both pages goes to a Tyler Technologies site hosted for the county; it could not be loaded for this guide, so confirm with the clerk what it covers before relying on it for court cases. If the Twentieth Judicial District has been converted to Montana's Full Court Enterprise system, the district court case index and register of actions will be on the statewide District Court Public Access Portal, and Justice Court cases on the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction portal. Documents are not downloadable from either portal — the clerk's fee schedule prices emailed images at $0.25 per page, which is the cheapest way to receive copies once you have the case number.
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
Lake County clerk offices
Lake County Courthouse, 106 4th Ave E, Room 301, Polson, MT 59860 (Clerk of District Court, third floor)
Phone: (406) 883-7254
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed legal holidays
District Court copies. Download the clerk's Request Records Search form from the Clerk of District Court page and send it with payment to ATTN: Clerk of Court, 106 4th Ave E, Polson, MT 59860, or email LakeDistCourt@mt.gov to ask for a fee quote. Include the case number if known, otherwise the party names and years to be searched. Fees under the clerk's posted schedule: $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages and $0.50 per page thereafter for paper copies, $0.25 per page for electronic images sent by email, $2.00 for certification with the seal, $6.00 for an authenticated or exemplified copy for another state, $10.00 for a copy of a decree of dissolution, and $5.00 for a copy of a marriage license.
Name searches. If you do not have a case number, the clerk charges $2.00 per name per year for up to seven years and $1.00 per name per year after that. Narrow the year range as much as you can.
In person. The Clerk of District Court is in Room 301 on the third floor of the courthouse, weekdays 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Wheelchair access is through the Lake County Jail entrance on the west side of the building; call (406) 883-7272 for assistance.
Justice Court records. Call the Justice Court at (406) 883-7258 or email lakejusticecourt@mt.gov with the defendant's name and approximate citation date. The Justice Court sets its own copy fees.
City Court records. Polson City Court, (406) 883-8219, and Ronan City Court, (406) 676-0211, keep their own files for tickets and ordinance cases inside each city.
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
How much does the Lake County Clerk of District Court charge for copies?
The posted fee schedule, keyed to Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201, is $1.00 per page for the first 10 pages and $0.50 per page after that for paper copies, or $0.25 per page for images emailed to you. Certification adds $2.00, a decree of dissolution copy is $10.00, and a name search is $2.00 per name per year.
Can I search Lake County court cases online?
The county does not run its own court case-search site. Check the statewide District Court Public Access Portal for district court cases; if the Twentieth Judicial District has been converted to Montana's centralized system the index will be there. Otherwise submit the clerk's records-search form.
What if the case involves the Flathead Reservation?
Much of Lake County lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation, and some cases involving tribal members are heard by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Court instead of a state court. Those records are not in the county's district or justice court files.
Where do Polson traffic tickets go?
A ticket written by Polson police inside city limits goes to Polson City Court at 106 E 1st St; a ticket from a sheriff's deputy, Highway Patrol, or Fish, Wildlife and Parks officer goes to Lake County Justice Court in the courthouse. Ronan has its own City Court for tickets inside Ronan.
Sources
- Lake County Clerk of District Court — https://www.lakemt.gov/165/Clerk-of-District-Court
- Lake County District Court — https://www.lakemt.gov/1433/District-Court
- Lake County Clerk of District Court — Fee Schedule (MCA 25-1-201) — https://www.lakemt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/113/Fee-Schedule-PDF
- Lake County Justice Court — https://www.lakemt.gov/385/Justice-Court
- Montana Judicial Branch — 20th Judicial District court contacts — https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/20thJudicialDistrict
- 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.