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 on September 24, 2026.
Burke County, North Dakota, has about 2,200 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Burke County District 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: Burke County public records, Burke County arrest records, Burke County warrants, Burke County criminal records, Burke County police reports, North Dakota arrest records and North Dakota inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Burke County
Court cases from Burke County are filed in the Burke County District Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
A city with a 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 North Dakota Open Records Law.
Looking Up a Case from Burke County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at ndcourts.gov/public-access (page title: North Dakota Court System | District Court Case Search and Payment Processing), 103 Main St. NE, Bowbells, ND 58721, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Statewide, North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
What Reaches the Court from Burke County
The Burke County Sheriff's Office reported 20 arrests to the FBI for 2025; the State's Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Burke County District Court.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at burkecountynd.com/states-attorney (page title: State's Attorney | Burke County, ND), phone (701) 377-4358, 4358 MAILING ADDRESS 103 Main St SE PO Box 190 Bowbells, ND 58721, Monday & Tuesday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
The court file is one record with several readers: a criminal case from the arrest to the sentence, a divorce from the petition to the judgment, a traffic ticket from the citation to the conviction the court reports to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, and an eviction or a lien on land.
The other Burke County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Burke County criminal records, Burke County divorce records, Burke County traffic tickets, Burke County DUI and Burke County property records.
Cities in Burke County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Burke County District Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its municipal court where it has one.
The cities and towns in the county are Powers Lake, Bowbells, Lignite, Columbus, Portal and Flaxton.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Burke County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at ndcourts.gov/public-access. Statewide, North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Burke County?
The Burke County District Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Who keeps the court records in Burke 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 North Dakota?
Yes: North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
Is this the official Burke 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.