Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Richland County, Montana, has about 11,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Richland County District Court and the Justice Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of District Court, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Richland County public records, Richland County arrest records, Richland County warrants, Richland County inmate search, Richland County criminal records, Montana arrest records and Montana inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Richland County
Court cases from Richland County are filed in the Richland County District Court, which hears felonies, civil cases, divorces, probate and juvenile matters.
The Justice Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases and small claims.
A city with a city and municipal court of its own tries the tickets written under its ordinances.
Divorces go to the District Court, and the file stays with the Clerk of District Court.
The Clerk of District Court keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Montana Public Records Act.
Looking Up a Case from Richland County
For Richland County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at courts.mt.gov, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Montana has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
What Reaches the Court from Richland County
Together, the three agencies in Richland County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 272 arrests to the FBI that year; the County Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Richland County District Court or the Justice Court.
The County Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at richland.org/county-attorney.html (page title: County Attorney | RICHLAND COUNTY MONTANA), phone 406-433-2505, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Richland County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Richland County criminal records, Richland County divorce records, Richland County traffic tickets, Richland County DUI and Richland County property records.
Cities in Richland County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Richland County District Court or the Justice Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its city and municipal court where it has one.
The cities and towns in the county are Sidney and Fairview.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Richland County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.mt.gov.
Which court hears felonies in Richland County?
The Richland County District Court, which hears felonies, civil cases, divorces, probate and juvenile matters. The Justice Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases and small claims.
Who keeps the court records in Richland County?
The Clerk of District Court. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Montana?
No. Each court's records are looked up through that court.
Is this the official Richland County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.