Court records in Burleigh County, North Dakota, are maintained by the Clerk of District Court and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. BurleighCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Burleigh County. Additional access points include the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry portal, the Burleigh County court page on the state court system website, and the clerk's office in Bismarck.
Burleigh Court System Overview
Burleigh County is part of the South Central Judicial District in North Dakota. This judicial district also includes Emmons, Grant, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, and Sioux counties. The district court in Burleigh County is a court of general jurisdiction, meaning it handles the full range of criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile matters. A magistrate division within the district court handles lower-level cases such as misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic violations. Jackie Keller serves as the Clerk of District Court for Burleigh County.
Contact the clerk's office for current hours and scheduling information.
Courts Serving Burleigh
Several courts serve residents of Burleigh County:
Burleigh County District Court (South Central Judicial District)
Bismarck Municipal Court
Bismarck Municipal Court is part of the South Central Judicial District and has jurisdiction over municipal ordinance violations occurring within city limits.
United States District Court — District of North Dakota
Federal cases involving Burleigh County residents are heard by the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. The court maintains a divisional office in Bismarck.
United States Bankruptcy Court — District of North Dakota
Federal bankruptcy cases are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota, also located in Bismarck.
What Types of Cases Burleigh Courts Hear
Courts serving Burleigh County handle a wide range of case types:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Traffic: Moving violations, DUI/DWI
- Civil: Lawsuits, contract disputes, personal injury, small claims
- Family law: Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, protection orders
- Probate: Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts
- Juvenile: Delinquency proceedings, child protective matters
- Adoption
- Municipal ordinance violations (Bismarck Municipal Court)
The sections below explain which division or court handles each category.
District Court Cases in Burleigh
The Burleigh County District Court hears felony criminal cases after they are bound over from the magistrate division following a preliminary hearing. District judges also preside over civil cases that exceed the magistrate's jurisdictional dollar limit, appeals from magistrate court decisions, and post-conviction proceedings. Cases are assigned to district judges within the South Central Judicial District. Criminal cases typically arrive at the district level after a felony information or indictment is filed by the State's Attorney. Civil cases begin when a plaintiff files a complaint and summons with the clerk's office. You can search for district court case records through the North Dakota Court System public access portal.
Magistrate Court Cases in Burleigh
The magistrate division of the Burleigh County District Court handles:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Felony preliminary hearings (initial appearances and probable cause determinations)
- Civil cases up to $35,000 (the jurisdictional limit under North Dakota law)
- Small claims cases up to $15,000
- Traffic violations
- DUI arraignments and hearings
Because Bismarck is the county seat and state capital, Burleigh County sees high caseload volume. Magistrate judges may be assigned to handle specific calendars such as traffic, criminal arraignments, or small claims to manage the workload efficiently. Small claims procedures are simplified — parties generally represent themselves and formal rules of evidence are relaxed.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Burleigh
Family Law
Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, termination of parental rights, and civil protection orders are handled by district court judges in Burleigh County. These cases are filed with the Clerk of District Court. The North Dakota Legal Self Help Center provides forms and instructions for many family law matters, including adult name changes.
Probate
Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust matters are filed in district court. Probate case records can be searched through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry system under the "Civil, Family & Probate" category.
Juvenile
Juvenile cases — including Juvenile Corrections Act proceedings and Child Protective Act cases — are heard in district court. Juvenile records are confidential under North Dakota law and are not available through public search portals. Contact the clerk's office for questions about juvenile case procedures.
How Cases Move Through the Burleigh Court System
- Filing / Initiation: A criminal case begins with a complaint or citation filed by law enforcement or the State's Attorney. Civil cases start with a complaint and summons. Family and probate matters begin with a petition.
- Assignment to Judge: Cases are assigned to a district or magistrate judge within the South Central Judicial District based on case type and the court's internal assignment procedures.
- Initial Hearings: Criminal defendants appear for arraignment, where charges are read and a plea is entered. Civil cases typically have a scheduling conference to set deadlines.
- Pre-Trial Phase: In criminal cases, this includes motions, discovery, and plea negotiations. Civil cases involve discovery, depositions, and pre-trial motions.
- Trial or Resolution: Criminal cases resolve by plea agreement or jury/bench trial. Civil cases resolve by settlement, default judgment, or trial.
- Post-Judgment: Criminal cases proceed to sentencing. Civil judgments may be enforced or appealed. Appeals from district court go to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Burleigh
The South Central Judicial District is overseen by an administrative district judge who manages court operations across all counties in the district. A trial court administrator handles day-to-day administrative functions. Contact the Burleigh County clerk's office for the trial court administrator's contact information.
Local court rules for the South Central Judicial District govern scheduling, motion practice, and other procedural requirements. These rules are available through the North Dakota Court System website.
Public Access to Records
Under North Dakota's open records laws (N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18) and court administrative rules, most court records are generally public. Restricted records include:
- Juvenile case records
- Sealed records
- Adoption records
- Records restricted by court order or statute
The district court case search does not include restricted case information. For guidance on requesting public records from the City of Bismarck, use the city's public records request form. The North Dakota Attorney General's office provides additional guidance on open records law.
Attending Hearings
Court hearings in Burleigh County are generally open to the public. Some proceedings may be conducted remotely by video or telephone — ask the clerk's office whether a specific hearing will be held in person or electronically.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Burleigh
- Court Case Search: Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry to search criminal, traffic, civil, family, and probate case records in Burleigh County. You can search by defendant name, case number, citation number, or attorney.
- Clerk of District Court: The Burleigh County Clerk of District Court office at 514 E. Thayer Ave., Bismarck, processes public records requests, certified copies, and court filings.
- Court Forms and Self-Help: The North Dakota Legal Self Help Center offers forms for name changes, protection orders, nonconviction record closures, and other common filings.
- Criminal History Records: Statewide criminal background checks can be requested through the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) by submitting a signed form and fee by mail.
- Inmate Search: Search current inmates at the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center through the facility's online inmate search tool. For individuals in state prison, use the North Dakota Department of Corrections resident lookup.
- Warrants: The Burleigh County Sheriff's Department maintains information on active warrants. The City of Bismarck warrants page covers warrants issued by Bismarck Municipal Court.
- Vital Records: Birth and death certificates are available through North Dakota Health and Human Services Vital Records. Divorce record copies must be obtained from the county clerk or recorder where the divorce was decreed. Historical vital records may also be available through the State Archives.
- Property and Land Records: The Burleigh County Recorder maintains deeds, mortgages, and other land records. Property tax information is available through the Burleigh County property tax page and the county parcel viewer.
- Sheriff's Department: For civil process service, records requests, or general inquiries, contact the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department at (701) 222-6651.