| Clerk of District Court | McKenzie County Clerk of District Court — Jodee Lawlar |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | McKenzie County Courthouse, 201 5th St NW, Watford City, ND 58854 (Clerk of District Court, 2nd floor) |
| Phone | (701) 842-8230 (option 2 for the jury message line); fax (701) 444-3916 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.10 per page for a paper copy from a state-employed clerk; electronic copies are free |
| Certified copy fee | $20 for a certified copy or abstract of a judgment, order, or other filed paper; $10 for each additional copy of the same document |
McKenzie County is the heart of the Bakken oil field, and no North Dakota county changed more in the last generation: its population more than doubled after 2010 as Watford City grew from a small ranching town into a regional service center. That boom shows in the court docket, which carries far more traffic, criminal, and civil filings than a county of its size would otherwise see, and many parties who have since moved out of state.
Every district-court record filed in the county — felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil suits, divorce and custody, and probate — is kept by the McKenzie County Clerk of District Court on the second floor of the McKenzie County Courthouse, 201 5th St NW, Watford City. The county is part of the Northwest Judicial District, headquartered in Minot and covering Williston as well, so judges rotate through Watford City rather than sitting there full time. Note the office closes at 4:30 p.m., half an hour earlier than most North Dakota clerks.
Watford City is one of many smaller North Dakota cities that does not operate its own municipal court. Instead, city ordinance violations and tickets written by Watford City police are filed in the district court, and the city's website directs anyone with a citation to the Northwest Judicial District court and the statewide NDCRI search. That means the clerk of district court is the single stop for county, state, and city cases alike.
Search McKenzie County court records online
Clerk of District Court
McKenzie County Clerk of District Court — Jodee Lawlar
- Cost
- Free index search at courthouse terminals and on NDCRI; statewide fee schedule applies for copies
- Coverage
- All district-court criminal, civil, family, and probate cases filed in McKenzie County, plus Watford City ordinance and traffic citations, which are filed in district court because the city has no municipal court
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The North Dakota Court System's official county page lists the clerk, address, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. hours, phone, fax, and jury line. The county's own site (mckenziecountynd.gov) does not carry a separate clerk-of-court page.
Other courts
Watford City — city citations (handled by the Northwest Judicial District Court)
- Coverage
- Watford City ordinance violations and police-issued citations, which are filed in McKenzie County District Court rather than a separate municipal court
- Records
- Traffic
Watford City has no municipal court of its own. The city's official page sends people with a citation to the Northwest Judicial District court at the McKenzie County Courthouse and to the statewide NDCRI case search to look up cases, dates, and pay fines.
What is available online
Case indexes for McKenzie County district-court cases are searchable through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov by selecting McKenzie County or "State of North Dakota." Coverage includes criminal, traffic, civil, family, probate, and judgment records plus court calendars. Because Watford City has no municipal court, city ordinance and traffic citations are also district-court cases and appear in the same McKenzie County index. Document images available online vary by case type; older, sealed, or sensitive filings require an in-person or mail request to the clerk of district court.
Which clerk has your record
In North Dakota, 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 North Dakota page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Court | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount | Clerk of District Court for the county |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city (or the municipal judge where no clerk is appointed) |
Request records in person or by mail
McKenzie County clerk offices
McKenzie County Courthouse, 201 5th St NW, Watford City, ND 58854 (Clerk of District Court, 2nd floor)
Phone: (701) 842-8230 (option 2 for the jury message line); fax (701) 444-3916
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time)
In person. Visit the Clerk of District Court on the second floor of the McKenzie County Courthouse, 201 5th St NW, Watford City, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Public parking is in front of the courthouse; there is also a public entrance at the rear that opens on the same level as the court, which avoids the stairs. A public access terminal is available for searching the case index at no charge.
By mail. Write to the McKenzie County Clerk of District Court, 201 5th St NW, Watford City, ND 58854, with the case number or the parties' names and approximate filing year, the specific document you need, whether you want a certified copy, and payment or a request for a fee quote. North Dakota's statewide fee schedule sets $20 for a certified copy or abstract and $10 for each additional copy of the same document. The clerk's fax number is (701) 444-3916.
Online. Search the case index for free through NDCRI, and pay eligible fines through the same site. Certified copies must still come from the clerk's office.
City tickets. A ticket written by Watford City police is a district-court case in McKenzie County, so it is searched and handled through the same clerk of district court; there is no separate city court to contact.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.10 per page for a paper copy from a state-employed clerk; electronic copies are free |
| Certified copy | $20 for a certified copy or abstract of a judgment, order, or other filed paper; $10 for each additional copy of the same document |
Fees are set statewide by the North Dakota Court Fee Schedule under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03 and are the same in every county for state-employed clerks; a few counties employ the clerk directly and may set limited local charges, so confirm before mailing payment. Figures above are effective July 1, 2025.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
North Dakota's judicial records are presumed open under Supreme Court Administrative Rule 41 (Access to Court Records), which implements the state's constitutional open-records provision for the courts. Several categories are removed from public search or never appear in the index at all:
The North Dakota 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 do I search McKenzie County court records online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov and select McKenzie County, or "State of North Dakota" to search every county at once. It is free and covers criminal, traffic, civil, family, probate, and judgment records.
Does Watford City have a municipal court?
No. Watford City ordinance violations and police citations are filed in McKenzie County District Court, and the city's website directs anyone with a ticket to the Northwest Judicial District court at the county courthouse and to the NDCRI search to look up their case or pay a fine.
What are the McKenzie County clerk's hours?
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Central Time. The office closes half an hour earlier than most North Dakota clerks of district court, so plan an in-person visit accordingly.
How much does a certified copy cost in McKenzie County?
McKenzie County follows the statewide North Dakota Court Fee Schedule: $20 for a certified copy or abstract of a judgment, order, or other filed paper, and $10 for each additional copy of the same document. Plain paper copies are $0.10 per page.
Sources
- North Dakota Court System — McKenzie County — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/mckenzie-county
- City of Watford City — Northwest Judicial District Court and Municipal Ordinances — https://cityofwatfordcity.gov/northwest-judicial-court/
- North Dakota Court System — Northwest Judicial District — https://www.ndcourts.gov/districts/northwest-judicial-district
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) — https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/default.aspx
- North Dakota Court Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2025) — https://www.ndcourts.gov/Media/Default/district-courts/Court-Fees.pdf
- North Dakota Court System — About Us — https://www.ndcourts.gov/about-us
- North Dakota Court System — Public Access (District Court Case Search and Payment Processing) — https://www.ndcourts.gov/public-access
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry — Locations and Types of Searches — https://www.ndcourts.gov/public-access/help/types-of-searches
- North Dakota Attorney General — Requesting a Criminal History Record Check — https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/public-safety/criminal-history-records/requesting-a-criminal-history-record-check/
- North Dakota Supreme Court Docket Search — https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/docket-search
- North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 12-60.1 — Sealing Criminal Records — https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12c60-1.html
- North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 27-05.2 — Clerk of District Court Funding and Fees — https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t27c05-2.pdf
- North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 41 — Access to Court Records — https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-resources/rules/ndsupctadminr/41
- United States District Court for the District of North Dakota — https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all North Dakota counties.