| Clerk of District Court | Stutsman County Clerk of District Court — Wanda Auka |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Stutsman County Courthouse, 511 2nd Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401 |
| Phone | (701) 253-6243 option 1 (Clerk's Office); option 2 (Jury Line) |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 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 |
Stutsman County, midway between Fargo and Bismarck on Interstate 94, is the largest county in the Southeast Judicial District, and its seat, Jamestown, hosts the district's busiest courthouse. Every district-court record filed in the county — felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil suits, divorce and custody, and probate — is kept by the Stutsman County Clerk of District Court at the Stutsman County Courthouse, 511 2nd Ave SE, Jamestown. The courtrooms are on the second floor, and the clerk's counter and public terminal are in the same building.
Jamestown also has a Municipal Court for city ordinance violations and tickets issued by Jamestown police. Since a 2019 remodel, the municipal court has been housed on the first floor of the combined Law Enforcement Center at 205 6th St SE, next to the sheriff's office and city police — a different building from the county courthouse a few blocks away. People who walk into the courthouse looking for a city ticket are sent down the street, and vice versa.
There is no separate probate, county, or small-claims court to check; North Dakota's district court handles all of those matters, and small-claims cases are simply a division of the district court's civil docket. The county also hosts a juvenile court office in Suite 1 of the courthouse, but juvenile records are confidential and are not part of the public index.
Search Stutsman County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Stutsman County Clerk of District Court — Wanda Auka
- 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 Stutsman County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The North Dakota Court System's official county page and the county's own Court System page (stutsmancounty.gov) agree on the address, phone, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. hours.
Other courts
Jamestown Municipal Court
- Coverage
- Class B misdemeanors under city ordinance, infractions, non-criminal traffic offenses, and other city violations within Jamestown
- Records
- Traffic
Located since 2019 on the first floor of the Law Enforcement Center, 205 6th St SE, Suite 104, Jamestown, ND 58401; phone (701) 251-2143, fax (701) 251-6297; office hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The state court system's municipal listing still shows an older 510 3rd Ave SE address; the city's page and the county's Court System page both give the 6th St SE location.
What is available online
Case indexes for Stutsman County district-court cases are searchable through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov by selecting Stutsman County or "State of North Dakota." Coverage includes criminal, traffic, civil, family, probate, and judgment records plus court calendars. Jamestown Municipal Court cases also appear in NDCRI because North Dakota's municipal courts share the same statewide case management system, but the file for a city ticket is held by the municipal clerk at the Law Enforcement Center. 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
Stutsman County clerk offices
Stutsman County Courthouse, 511 2nd Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401
Phone: (701) 253-6243 option 1 (Clerk's Office); option 2 (Jury Line)
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time)
In person. Visit the Clerk of District Court at the Stutsman County Courthouse, 511 2nd Ave SE, Jamestown, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Parking is available in front of the courthouse and there is an accessible elevator to the second-floor courtrooms. A public access terminal is available for searching the case index at no charge. Cell phones must be turned off in the courtrooms, and purses, backpacks, food, and hats are not allowed while court is in session.
By mail. Write to the Stutsman County Clerk of District Court, 511 2nd Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401, 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.
Online. Search the case index for free through NDCRI. Certified copies must still come from the clerk's office.
City tickets. For a ticket written by Jamestown police, contact Jamestown Municipal Court at the Law Enforcement Center, 205 6th St SE, Suite 104, (701) 251-2143.
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 Stutsman County court records online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov and select Stutsman County, or "State of North Dakota" to search every county at once. It is free and covers criminal, civil, family, probate, and judgment records.
Is Jamestown Municipal Court in the county courthouse?
No. Since 2019 the municipal court has been on the first floor of the Law Enforcement Center at 205 6th St SE, Suite 104, next to the sheriff's office and city police. The county courthouse, where the Clerk of District Court sits, is at 511 2nd Ave SE.
Where are small-claims cases filed in Stutsman County?
With the Clerk of District Court. North Dakota has no separate small-claims court; small claims are a division of the district court's civil docket and are kept by the same clerk as other civil cases.
How much does a certified copy cost in Stutsman County?
Stutsman 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 — Stutsman County — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/stutsman-county
- Stutsman County — Court System — https://www.stutsmancounty.gov/departments/court-system/
- City of Jamestown — Municipal Court — https://www.jamestownnd.gov/168/Municipal-Court
- North Dakota Court System — Jamestown Municipal Court — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/jamestown
- North Dakota Court System — Southeast Judicial District — https://www.ndcourts.gov/districts/southeast-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.