| Clerk of District Court | Williams County Clerk of District Court — Jodee Lawlar |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Williams County Courthouse, 205 E Broadway, Williston, ND 58801 (mailing: P.O. Box 2047, Williston, ND 58802-2047) |
| Phone | (701) 774-4374, option 2 (Jury Message Line) |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| 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 |
Williams County, home to Williston and part of the Northwest Judicial District, keeps all district-court records — felony and misdemeanor criminal, civil, family, and probate — with the Williams County Clerk of District Court at the Williams County Courthouse. This single clerk's office is the official holder of District Court records not only for Williams County but for the Northwest District's records generally, since the clerk also serves McKenzie and Divide Counties' district-court needs in that judicial district.
Williston runs its own Williston Municipal Court for city ordinance violations and traffic tickets issued by city police, which is entirely separate from the county district court and is not searchable through the county clerk or the statewide portal.
Because Williams County sits in the Bakken oil-producing region, out-of-state searchers researching liens, contracts, or civil suits tied to oilfield activity should expect to search the district court civil index rather than any county recorder's real-property records, which are a different office.
Search Williams County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Williams County Clerk of District Court — Jodee Lawlar
- Cost
- Free index search at courthouse terminals and on NDCRI; fees apply for certified copies
- Coverage
- All district-court criminal, civil, family, and probate cases filed in Williams County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Confirmed against the North Dakota Court System's official Williams County page, which lists the same clerk, address, and courthouse.
Other courts
Williston Municipal Court
- Coverage
- City ordinance violations and traffic tickets issued by Williston police within city limits
- Records
- Traffic
A separate city court system, not indexed by the county or NDCRI.
What is available online
Case indexes for Williams County district-court cases are searchable through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov by selecting Williams County or "State of North Dakota." Coverage includes criminal, civil, family, probate, and judgment records, plus court calendars.
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
Williams County clerk offices
Williams County Courthouse, 205 E Broadway, Williston, ND 58801 (mailing: P.O. Box 2047, Williston, ND 58802-2047)
Phone: (701) 774-4374, option 2 (Jury Message Line)
In person. Visit the Clerk of District Court on the first floor of the Williams County Courthouse, 205 E Broadway, Williston. A public access terminal is available for searching the case index at no charge.
By mail. Write to the Clerk of District Court, Williams County Courthouse, P.O. Box 2047, Williston, ND 58802-2047, with the case number or party names and approximate filing year, the specific document needed, whether you need a certified copy, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Online. Search the case index for free through NDCRI. Certified copies must still be requested from the clerk directly.
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 Williams County court records online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov and select Williams County, or "State of North Dakota" to search every county. It covers criminal, civil, family, probate, and judgment records for free.
Who keeps district-court records in Williams County?
The Williams County Clerk of District Court, currently Jodee Lawlar, at the Williams County Courthouse in Williston. This office holds felony, misdemeanor, civil, family, and probate case files.
Are Williston traffic tickets in the county court system?
Only if a county deputy wrote the ticket. Tickets issued by Williston police go to Williston Municipal Court, a separate city system with its own online information page.
Where do oilfield-related civil suits in Williams County get filed?
In the district court civil docket, kept by the Clerk of District Court, the same office as other civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. Real-property liens and deeds are a separate county recorder function, not part of the court file.
Sources
- Williams County — Clerk of District Court — https://www.williamsnd.com/clerk-of-district-court/
- North Dakota Court System — Williams County — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/williams-county
- 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
- City of Williston — Municipal Court — https://www.cityofwilliston.com/departments/municipal_court/index.php
- 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 Court Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2025) — https://www.ndcourts.gov/Media/Default/district-courts/Court-Fees.pdf
- 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.