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    Montana DUI Courts: Where Your Case Is Heard

    Which Montana court hears a first-offense DUI case, what happens at each stage, and the ZIP codes and counties each courthouse covers.

    How Montana DUI courts are organised

    A DUI charge in Montana is prosecuted in the Justice Court or Municipal Court that serves the county or municipality where the stop happened, not where you live. The clerk's office in that courthouse controls your hearing dates, accepts motions and continuances, and takes payment of fines and court costs. Calendars, filing hours and remote-appearance rules differ from courthouse to courthouse, so confirm them with the clerk before your first date.

    Misdemeanor DUI is heard in a Montana justice, municipal or city court depending on the jurisdiction, while felony DUI — typically a fourth or later offense — is heard in district court. Appeals from courts of limited jurisdiction go to the district court for a trial de novo, and district court appeals go to the Montana Supreme Court.

    The state judiciary publishes the authoritative directory of courthouses, judges and calendars at courts.mt.gov. Use it to confirm the address and division for your case number; local listings age quickly.

    Montana judiciary — court directory

    Courthouse locations, hearing calendars, clerk contacts and self-help forms.

    MT driver-licensing agency

    The separate licence action, which the criminal court does not decide.

    What happens at each stage in Montana

    A DUI case in Montana is heard in the Justice Court or Municipal Court, and a separate licence action runs alongside the criminal case.

    1. 1Arrest, booking and the chemical test — Officers arrest for DUI under Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-1002 and request a breath, blood or urine test under Montana's implied-consent section, Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-1016. Refusing carries its own licence penalty, separate from the criminal charge.
    2. 2Licence action by the state agency — The Motor Vehicle Division administers suspension, revocation and reinstatement for DUI-related licence actions. That action runs on its own timetable, independent of the criminal case.
    3. 3Arraignment in the Justice Court or Municipal Court — The charge is read, a plea is entered and conditions of release are set in the Justice Court or Municipal Court. Misdemeanor DUI is heard in a Montana justice, municipal or city court depending on the jurisdiction, while felony DUI — typically a fourth or later offense — is heard in district court.
    4. 4Pretrial motions and discovery — Defence counsel obtains the police report, test records and calibration or maintenance logs, and may move to suppress the stop or the test result. Montana courts use the Judicial Branch's Full Court e-filing system for participating case types.
    5. 5Plea or trial, then sentencing — A first DUI conviction carries a fine of $600–$1,000, jail exposure up to 10 days, a licence suspension of 6 months. A first offense carries a fine and a mandatory minimum jail term.
    6. 6Reinstatement — The Motor Vehicle Division administers suspension, revocation and reinstatement for DUI-related licence actions. Montana requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before the licence is restored.

    Filing and case handling in Montana

    • Montana courts use the Judicial Branch's Full Court e-filing system for participating case types.
    • Municipal and city courts are courts of record.
    • The core offense is Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-401.
    • The 24/7 Sobriety and Drug Monitoring Program may be imposed alongside or instead of an interlock requirement.

    Whatever the local practice, take your citation or case number to every call — clerks index by case, not by name — and get the payable amount for fines and court costs in writing before you pay.

    Montana ZIP codes covered

    These Montana ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.

    Browse all Montana ZIP codes.

    Counties and cities using these Montana resources

    Other Montana official resources

    Montana Driver Licensing After a DUI: Hearings, Reinstatement & SR-22Montana DUI Statutes: The Code Sections That Control Your Case

    Frequently asked questions

    Which court handles a first DUI charge in Montana?
    First-offense DUI cases in Montana are heard in the Justice Court or Municipal Court for the county where the stop happened. The court clerk's office there sets the arraignment date and accepts filings.