Flathead County Detention Center

A judge makes the call. Jail staff only follow the order. In Montana, police must bring an arrested person in front of the nearest available judge "without unnecessary delay" (MCA 46-7-101). The judge then settles release at that very first hearing (MCA 46-9-109).

For most arrests outside the cities, that hearing takes place at the county Justice Court, 935 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5643. It has three judges and keeps weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Your loved one might be brought to the courtroom, or they might appear on a live video hookup from the jail (MCA 46-9-206).

City arrests can be heard in Kalispell Municipal Court, Whitefish Municipal Court or Columbia Falls City Court. Felony cases later move to District Court. The bail travels with the case, though a district judge may change it (MCA 46-9-201).

Montana tells judges to start with the least strict choice that would still get the person to every hearing (MCA 46-9-108). These are the main choices:

• Recognizance. The person pays nothing and signs a pledge to return (MCA 46-9-111).
• Conditions. Release with rules attached. These might include a curfew, staying sober, no firearms, check-ins, or a no-contact order for the alleged victim.
• Cash. The court holds the whole amount until the case wraps up.
• Two co-signers. Along with the defendant, two qualified people put their names on a written undertaking for the full bail.
• Commercial bond. A licensed bail agent puts up the guarantee in exchange for a fee you can't get back.
• Real estate. Land in Montana that has enough equity, free of loans, can be put up (MCA 46-9-401).
• License in place of cash. On certain traffic tickets, an officer may keep the driver's license as the bail.

A county report from 2019 notes that some people freed on bond here are ordered into drug or alcohol testing. Certain cases, like a repeat partner assault or felony stalking, call for an ankle monitor whenever one is available.

A Recommended Bond Schedule from the state Supreme Court guides the lower courts. The current edition is dated January 2026. Judges use it as a starting point and can go higher or lower. State surcharges are already folded into every figure. Some figures from the list:

• Assault causing bodily injury (misdemeanor): $585, with a required court appearance
• Furnishing alcohol to a person under 21: $535, with a required court appearance
• Boating while impaired: $335
• Illegal gambling: $750 for a second offense in 5 years, and $1,500 for a third
• Felonies: left blank, so each amount is up to the judge

State law keeps a few charges off any schedule. Those are: hurting or strangling a partner or relative, stalking, and ignoring an order of protection or no-contact order (MCA 46-9-302). Anyone held on one of them must wait for the judge. To learn the actual figure for your loved one, see the roster or ask the court.

The city court has a bond schedule of its own, dated January 1, 2024. It covers misdemeanors that happen inside city limits. Some of the amounts:

• DUI, first offense: $850
• Disorderly conduct, first offense: $205
• Theft, first offense: $400
• Resisting arrest: $500
• Driving on a suspended license: $325
• Driving uninsured, first offense: $325
• Drug paraphernalia: $450
• Criminal trespass to property: $400

Partner assault (first and second offense), stalking, and a first or second protection order violation say "NO BOND" on the list. Those people see the judge first. The court clerk can tell you how and where a city bond gets paid. Call 406-758-7705 on a weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Open the online jail roster and choose Current Inmates. Every name comes with an age, a PIN, the total bail, the next court date and a list of charges with their Montana law numbers. Many charges also carry a status, such as Continued, Sentenced, Dismissed or NotFiled.

Look near the top for the date and time the list was refreshed. Amounts can change after a hearing, so phone the jail at 406-758-5617 and confirm the figure before you gather money. Jot down the PIN, which is the jail's own number for each inmate. It saves time on every call.

The jail sits at 920 South Main, Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901. Jail officers may accept bail for a judge only when the figure is on a court's schedule or listed on the warrant. Insist on a signed receipt, which the law requires (MCA 46-9-302). Detention officers look over every bond to be sure it is correct and legal before they release anyone. A simple plan:

1. Find your loved one on the roster. Note the PIN and the total bail.
2. Phone 406-758-5617. Say the full name and ask what is owed on each charge.
3. Ask what payment the jail takes right now, and how to fill in the payee line.
4. Find out if a judge must see the person first. That rule applies to partner assault.
5. On the way, have your photo ID and the precise sum with you. Keep the receipt until the case ends.

Staff are on duty around the clock, but a quick call first can save you a wasted trip.

Yes. Montana court rules allow schedule bail to be paid to the court itself on regular business days. You can read the schedule on the wall at each court's office. Before you go, call to check the amount, what forms of payment they take, and how fast the release will happen.

• Justice Court: 935 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5643. Weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Kalispell Municipal Court: 312 1st Ave. E., Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-7705. Clerk's office weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Whitefish Municipal Court: 275 Flathead Avenue, Whitefish, MT 59937, 406-863-2440. Office hours weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Columbia Falls City Court: 130 6th Street West, Columbia Falls, MT 59912, 406-892-4340. Phone for hours.
• Clerk of District Court (felonies): 920 South Main, Suite 300, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5870. Phone for hours.

Cash in the exact amount, or a money order, is the safest bet unless staff say otherwise. Checks and cards are a question to ask before you leave the house, since the jail and each court can have different rules.

A few local courts take ticket and fine payments on the web. Those sites are built around citation numbers, so they won't post bail for someone in a cell:

• Kalispell Municipal Court payments accepts Visa and MasterCard through CitePay, plus a 5% fee. In person, its clerk takes cash, personal checks, money orders and cashier's checks for small cases that don't require a court date.
• The Justice Court page takes card payments on fines if you have the case or citation number and a birth date. Fees may be added, and tickets marked as a required appearance can't be paid there.
• Whitefish has a city online payments page for its bills.

To post bail, phone the jail at 406-758-5617 or the court handling the case. Do not send cash by mail.

It is possible. The Whitefish Police Department keeps a small holding area at its station, 275 Flathead Avenue, Whitefish, MT 59937. It is only for short stays. Someone arrested by Whitefish officers may be bonded out right there. Anyone who is not bonded or released gets driven to the county jail in Kalispell.

To find out where the person is, call Whitefish police at 406-863-2420. Their lobby is staffed weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After a Kalispell or Columbia Falls police arrest, ask that department, or the jail at 406-758-5617, where the person ended up.

In state law, bail agents carry the formal title "surety bail bond insurance producer." Their licenses come from the state Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (MCA 33-17-1601). Some points to keep in mind:

• The agent's fee is gone for good once you pay it, even if charges are later dropped.
• An agent may want collateral, such as the title to a vehicle. Get the return terms on paper.
• The bond is only a promise that the person will appear. It is never used for fines or restitution (MCA 46-9-503).
• A person who misses court can be picked up by the agent and handed over to the police. The agent usually has to warn local officers ahead of time (MCA 46-6-508).
• Lawyers, and officials with the power to grant bail, can't serve as a surety (MCA 46-9-402).
• Confirm an agent's license with the national insurance license lookup.

Bail is tied to a single case. Another order can still hold your loved one, so ask about each of these:

• A warrant from elsewhere. A 2025 change in the law stops a local judge from granting bail to a person who is held on another jurisdiction's warrant (MCA 46-9-201).
• Extradited back to Montana. Before any bail, they first appear in front of the judge who issued it (MCA 46-9-105).
• Probation or parole. Being on supervision weighs on the judge's decision (MCA 46-9-109). The state office in town is at 121 Financial Drive, Suite A, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-752-2575.
• More than one case. City charges and county charges are bailed out one at a time.
• Tribal, federal or immigration holds. See those answers further down.

Before paying, call the jail at 406-758-5617 and ask for a full list of holds.

Montana's constitution says all people can be bailed out, except in a capital case when "the proof is evident or the presumption great" (Mont. Const. art. II, sec. 21). The same document bans excessive bail (Mont. Const. art. II, sec. 22).

A judge can still order pretrial detention when there is probable cause to think no set of conditions will make sure the person returns (MCA 46-9-106). The judge looks at what happened, the person's record, any earlier escapes or skipped dates, the risk to anyone else and how rooted they are locally. A scored risk tool may be part of it (MCA 46-9-109).

For county cases, prosecutors from the County Attorney's Office speak for the state at bail hearings. Their office is at 820 South Main, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5630. Its doors are open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Bail is not locked in. Either lawyer may file a request to raise it, cut it, swap it for another kind, or change the conditions (MCA 46-9-311). Whoever files must warn the opposing side in good time.

1. Your loved one's lawyer drafts the request and files it where the case is.
2. Gather pay stubs, rent or mortgage papers, the names of nearby family, and an honest budget. Montana says bail may not be oppressive and has to fit the person's means (MCA 46-9-301).
3. Offer conditions that ease the judge's concerns, such as testing for alcohol, a curfew or regular reporting.

On a Justice Court case, call 406-758-5643 and ask how to get a bail motion on the calendar. On a felony, call the District Court clerk at 406-758-5870.

Many can. At the opening hearing, the judge brings up the right to counsel (MCA 46-7-102). State public defenders take on felony charges, any misdemeanor that carries possible jail time, and cases in Youth Court.

Eligibility comes down to money. Families whose total income is 133% of the poverty guideline, or less, are covered. So does anyone who could not hire private counsel without substantial hardship. A job or a posted bail can't be the sole ground for saying no (MCA 47-1-111). The person fills out a financial form and swears it is true, and the court reviews the result.

• Local office: Office of State Public Defender, 723 5th Ave. E., Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-751-6080
• If the Kalispell office can't take the case: Conflict Defender, 111 N. Higgins, Suite 300, Missoula, MT 59802, 406-329-1300
• Online form: apply for a public defender

Kalispell holds most of the criminal courts. Whitefish and Columbia Falls each run a city court of their own.

• Eleventh Judicial District Court, for felonies. The clerk's office is at 920 South Main, Suite 300, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5870. Judges' chambers are in Suite 310, with a court office line of 406-758-6242. Five district judges sit here. The Eleventh District is made up of this county alone.
• Justice Court, for county misdemeanors and early felony hearings: 935 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5643.
• Kalispell Municipal Court: 312 1st Ave. E., Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-7705.
• Whitefish Municipal Court: inside the Emergency Services Center, 275 Flathead Avenue, Whitefish, MT 59937, 406-863-2440. Look for it off Baker Avenue, up the hill behind Safeway.
• Columbia Falls City Court: 130 6th Street West, Columbia Falls, MT 59912, 406-892-4340.
• Federal court: Russell Smith Federal Courthouse, 201 E. Broadway, Suite 310, Missoula, MT 59802, 406-542-7260.

If the person showed up for everything and the case is finished, the court hands the cash back (MCA 46-9-502). Under court rules, the refund is made out only to the person who put up the money, so keep that receipt. Kalispell Municipal Court sends its bond refunds by mail, usually two to four weeks after the judge approves them at the end of a case.

Missing court is different. Then the bail can be forfeited by the judge. The court has to mail word of the forfeiture to the defendant and each surety. When 10 working days pass with no notice sent, the bond is let go (MCA 46-9-503).

• The forfeiture can be undone if, inside 90 days, the person returns or offers a good reason for missing court.
• Forfeited misdemeanor cash goes to the local treasury, city or county, that took it. Felony cash is sent to the state (MCA 46-9-511).
• The court can choose to pay forfeited bail to a victim as restitution (MCA 46-9-512).

Call the court that received the payment to ask about a refund.

At booking, officers collect and log whatever the person had with them. Check on those items, and on any balance in their jail account, before release day. The jail line, 406-758-5617, can tell you when pickup is possible and what to bring.

You will need photo ID. When picking up on someone else's behalf, find out whether staff want written permission from them. This jail accepts only cash for inmate money. See our inmate money page and our commissary page for how accounts and store orders tend to work.

Federal crimes from this county are filed in the Missoula Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. Court meets at the Russell Smith Federal Courthouse, 201 E. Broadway, Suite 310, Missoula, MT 59802, 406-542-7260. The clerk keeps weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• The question of jail or release is decided at the first federal appearance. A short delay is allowed if either side asks: the defense can get up to five days and the prosecutor up to three, weekends and holidays not counted (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• Until trial, a federal defendant is held by the U.S. Marshals Service. Its Missoula office is at 201 East Broadway, Suite 220, Missoula, MT 59802. Phone the district line at 406-200-6004 to learn where someone is housed.
• U.S. Pretrial Services writes a background report for the judge. Its Missoula office answers at 406-542-7100.
• Once sentenced, a person can be found on the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

PACER has the federal case file, with a charge for each page.

No. The state charge and the immigration hold are two different things. This is what normally happens next:

1. The jail receives Form I-247A, an immigration detainer from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
2. That lets the jail keep the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. State law makes officers follow the detainer. They must also inform the person of it. A person who backs up a claim of U.S. citizenship or lawful status with credible proof can't be held on it (MCA 27-16-801).
4. ICE officers then take custody. Montana belongs to the Salt Lake City Field Office, 2975 Decker Lake Drive, Suite 100, West Valley City, UT 84119, 801-736-1200.
5. To find them later, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. Enter the A-number when you know it. If not, enter the full name and the birth country.

About 28,296 acres of this county are inside the reservation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). Since 1994, the tribes alone have handled misdemeanors by enrolled members of any federally recognized tribe within the reservation's borders. Felonies there are shared with the state, and sometimes with federal authorities.

Bail on a tribal charge is set by the tribal court, apart from the county courts. Flathead Tribal Police operate a jail that runs 24 hours a day. The department's office is at 42487 Complex Blvd, Pablo, MT 59855, and answers at 406-675-4700 in business hours. The tribal government's main number is 406-675-2700. If you don't know which agency made the arrest, also try the county jail at 406-758-5617.

Felony sentences of more than one year are served under the Montana Department of Corrections. Right after sentencing, the person normally stays at the county jail while state workers assess and classify them. After that, the state chooses a spot for them, such as prison, prerelease or treatment.

• Track them on the Montana offender search, which accepts a name or a DOC ID number.
• Our Montana state prisons guide describes every state facility.
• Local probation and parole officers work from 121 Financial Drive, Suite A, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-752-2575.

Montana treats every person under 18 as a youth. Youth Court, which District Court judges run, hears most of their cases (MCA 41-5-203). The county jail houses adults only. An adult jail may hold a youth for a few hours to process or move them, but not overnight for that purpose (MCA 41-5-349).

• According to a 2019 county report, youths from here who need secure detention are held in Missoula or placed in local youth homes. The likely site is the Missoula County Juvenile Detention Facility, 2340 Mullan Road, Missoula, MT 59808. Visits are booked at 406-258-4054.
• If a youth is detained, the youth's probable cause hearing must take place in 24 hours or less, leaving out weekends and holidays (MCA 41-5-332).
• Youths can be released on bail. In setting it, the court weighs what the youth and the parents are able to pay (MCA 41-5-323).

Juvenile Probation, at 406-758-6277, can confirm where a youth is being held and the date of the hearing.

Two things decide the court: how serious the charge is, and where it happened.

• Justice Court gets misdemeanors the County Attorney files for places outside the three cities. Tickets from state troopers, deputies, game wardens, the state transportation department and county animal control land here too. It may hear offenses with a maximum of 6 months behind bars or a $500 fine (MCA 3-10-303).
• City courts in Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls deal with misdemeanors and local ordinance cases that happen inside city limits (MCA 3-11-103).
• District Court takes all felonies. Montana defines a felony as a crime that can bring a state prison term longer than one year (MCA 45-2-101).
• Youth Court is a part of District Court that deals with most charges against people under 18.

A felony case typically opens in Justice Court, which holds the first hearing and sets bail. After the County Attorney files formal charges, the case is transferred to District Court.

The county courts sit a few blocks apart downtown. Bring photo ID to any of them.

• Clerk of District Court, Eleventh Judicial District, 920 South Main, Suite 300, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5870. Call for office hours. The judges' chambers are in Suite 310, and the court office answers at 406-758-6242. Five district judges handle the caseload.
• Justice Court, 935 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5643. Weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Kalispell Municipal Court, 312 1st Ave. E., Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-7705. Mail goes to P.O. Box 1997, Kalispell, MT 59903.

The Detention Center shares the clerk's street address. It is in Suite 100 at 920 South Main, Kalispell, MT 59901.

They do. The county has three incorporated cities, and every one of them keeps a court. Each is a court of record, so its hearings are recorded.

• Whitefish Municipal Court works out of the Emergency Services Center, 275 Flathead Avenue, Whitefish, MT 59937, 406-863-2440. The building is reached from Baker Avenue and sits above the Safeway lot. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, and the judge holds open court Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. People charged, and their lawyers, attend in person. Email goes to WhitefishMunicipalCourt@mt.gov.
• Columbia Falls City Court is at 130 6th Street West, Columbia Falls, MT 59912, 406-892-4340. City Hall and the police share that address. Call for court days and hours.
• Kalispell Municipal Court gets its own answer below.

Cases from Bigfork, Lakeside, Evergreen, Hungry Horse, West Glacier and other spots outside city limits are filed in Justice Court.

This court handles misdemeanors and ordinance cases from inside city limits. It also issues protection orders and search warrants. You'll find it at 312 1st Ave. E., Kalispell, MT 59901. The clerk answers at 406-758-7705 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.

• Morning court starts at 9:00 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check in between 8:30 and 9:00.
• Afternoon court starts at 3:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Check in between 2:30 and 3:00.
• Latecomers do not get to see the judge, so arrive early.
• A payment plan on a fine has to be requested from the judge in court. It costs $25 a month. Missed payments can bring a notice that the license will be suspended, plus collections.

The court's own bond schedule sets amounts for many city charges. Our bail page explains it.

Police must bring the person to a judge "without unnecessary delay" (MCA 46-7-101). That judge usually sits in Justice Court or a city court, and the person may appear live or on a jail video link. The law lists what the judge must cover (MCA 46-7-102):

• what the charges are
• that they may have a lawyer, and get one at no cost if they are too poor to pay
• the general ways they could be released before trial
• that they don't have to talk, and words they do say can come up at trial
• that being convicted can mean losing firearm rights
• on a felony complaint, the right to a judge's ruling on probable cause

The judge rules on release during this same hearing (MCA 46-9-109). A 2019 county report said arraignment here happens within 72 hours.

Justice Court is a court of record with three judges at 935 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5643. The office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

First appearances on tickets are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings in two groups:

• For the 9:00 a.m. session, check-in opens at 8:00 a.m.
• For the 10:30 a.m. session, check-in opens at 10:00 a.m.

Along with criminal cases, the court takes traffic tickets, temporary protection orders, small claims, landlord and tenant disputes, and license reinstatement. It can also take requests to clear or reduce old marijuana records. Fines may be paid with a card through the Justice Court page.

For places outside the cities, the County Attorney brings misdemeanor charges to Justice Court. Inside each city, the city takes its cases to its own court. A plea comes first. After a not guilty plea, either side may demand six jurors (MCA 46-17-201).

The trial must begin within 6 months of the plea, or the charge is thrown out for good. Delays the defense asked for don't count, and the judge can allow more time for good cause (MCA 46-13-401). Here are a few penalties set by state law:

• Drunk driving, first time: jail from 24 hours to 6 months, and $600 to $1,000 in fines (MCA 61-8-1007)
• Theft of property worth $1,500 or less: a fine as high as $1,500, 6 months in jail, or both (MCA 45-6-301)
• A first partner assault: from 24 hours to 1 year, and $100 to $1,000 (MCA 45-5-206)
• A misdemeanor whose law names no penalty: up to 6 months and $500 (MCA 46-18-212)

Judges sometimes hold off on imposing a misdemeanor sentence, for up to one year. Keeping every condition can then lead to dismissal (MCA 46-18-204).

The Eleventh Judicial District serves this one county. The County Attorney's Office brings every felony case here. The usual path:

1. First appearance in Justice Court. The judge sets bail and appoints a lawyer if one is needed.
2. Charging. Justice Court may hold a hearing to test probable cause. Prosecutors can also go straight to a district judge and request permission to file a charge called an information (MCA 46-11-201).
3. Arraignment in District Court, where a guilty or not guilty plea is entered (MCA 46-12-201).
4. Pretrial work, such as motions, evidence disputes and plea talks.
5. Trial before a jury of 12, whose verdict must be unanimous. Both sides must sign off in writing to skip the jury (MCA 46-16-110).
6. Sentencing once the person is found or pleads guilty.

If a statute names no specific penalty, a felony carries a ceiling of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, which can be combined (MCA 46-18-213). Felony theft over $1,500 can bring as much as 10 years. Drug possession carries up to 5 years, but a first offense is presumed to get a deferred sentence (MCA 45-9-102).

Stricter rules kick in at once:

• No quick bail. Charges of partner or family assault, strangulation, stalking, or breaking a protection order mean the person waits to see a judge (MCA 46-9-302).
• Holding before trial. If no rules would keep the public safe, the judge may keep the person in jail (MCA 46-9-106).
• Ankle monitors. The law favors one for felony stalking and for repeat or felony partner assault, when a monitor is available (MCA 46-9-108).
• Victim warning. In these cases, staff at the detention center have to notify the alleged victim quickly once bail is granted.
• Repeat cases. A third partner assault becomes a felony that can bring 5 years (MCA 45-5-206). A past felony rules out deferring the sentence on a new one (MCA 46-18-201).

The County Attorney's Office handles every felony in the county, plus misdemeanors from outside the three cities. Find it at 820 South Main, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-758-5630, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Each city brings its own cases. The city court clerk can tell you who the city prosecutor is.

Public defenders for this area work at 723 5th Ave. E., Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-751-6080. They defend felony cases, Youth Court cases, and misdemeanor charges carrying a chance of jail. If the Kalispell office can't represent someone because of a conflict, the Conflict Defender in Missoula may be assigned: 111 N. Higgins, Suite 300, Missoula, MT 59802, 406-329-1300. Applications go through the public defender's website, and a judge reviews whether the person qualifies (MCA 47-1-111).

For a person in jail, the quickest place to look is the jail roster, which shows the next court date for most inmates. To see the case itself, try Montana's two free court portals. Each searches by name or by case number:

• Lower court portal: Justice Court and the three city courts
• District Court portal: felony cases

Youth cases and sealed files won't appear. When a case can't be found, call the court: 406-758-5643 for Justice Court, 406-758-5870 for the District Court clerk, 406-758-7705 for Kalispell, 406-863-2440 for Whitefish and 406-892-4340 for Columbia Falls. Have the name, spelled right, and the birthday ready before you dial.

Skipping court makes things worse. Kalispell Municipal Court warns that failing to appear will result in a warrant for arrest, and other courts can issue one too. When bail was posted, the judge may also forfeit it (MCA 46-9-503).

Act quickly. A person with a city warrant should go to that court right away to see the judge. Running into police first can mean arrest. In other courts, a lawyer can call the clerk about a new date. A good excuse given within 90 days of a forfeiture can get it canceled.

The Sheriff's warrant site opens a county warrant list sorted by last name, showing age, last known location and the charge. Only people with felony warrants have photos. The Sheriff's Warrants and Fugitives page says the list is not an official court record, so confirm with deputies at 406-758-5610. Kalispell police run a Most Wanted page. The state's offender search flags anyone wanted for escape or for absconding from supervision. Before turning yourself in, get advice from a lawyer and bring photo ID. Two county pages list different addresses for surrender, so phone first.

Yes. After a trial in Justice Court or a city court, a guilty verdict can be taken to District Court. The notice of appeal is due within 10 days of the judgment (MCA 46-17-311).

All four of the lower courts here are courts of record. So the district judge reviews the recording and papers from the first trial, rather than holding a whole new trial. Because the deadline is so short, a lawyer should file it. The clerk of the court that heard the case can list the forms and any fees.

Roughly 28,296 acres of this county are part of the Flathead Indian Reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Since 1994, the tribes have held sole power over misdemeanors committed there by a member of any federally recognized tribe. Felony cases on the reservation are shared with the state, and some are federal.

That means a tribal member's misdemeanor on reservation land is heard in tribal court. A case against a non-member, or a felony, may still reach the county courts. To learn where a case was filed, phone the tribal police at 406-675-4700 in business hours. Their office is at 42487 Complex Blvd, Pablo, MT 59855. The tribal government can be reached at 406-675-2700.

Federal crimes here go to the Missoula Division of the federal court, which also takes cases from Lake, Lincoln, Missoula, Ravalli and Sanders counties, among others. It meets in the Russell Smith Federal Courthouse, 201 E. Broadway, Suite 310, Missoula, MT 59802, 406-542-7260. The clerk is in weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Crimes in federal places, such as the part of Glacier National Park inside the county, may be charged in this court.
• At the opening federal hearing, the judge rules on custody: jail or release until trial (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• Deputy U.S. marshals hold federal defendants and bring them to each hearing. The Missoula office is at 201 East Broadway, Suite 220, Missoula, MT 59802, and the district line is 406-200-6004.
• U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services in Missoula answers at 406-542-7100.
• Look up case papers on PACER. After sentencing, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

A detainer leaves the criminal case in place. What it changes is release day. ICE files Form I-247A to have the jail keep someone up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, so agents can pick them up (8 CFR 287.7(d)).

1. Montana officers must arrest a jailed person named in a detainer, and must explain the reason to that person (MCA 27-16-801).
2. No one may be kept on it after showing credible papers that prove citizenship or lawful status.
3. Police in Montana may now check on immigration status during a lawful stop, under a 2025 change (MCA 46-5-401).
4. ICE's field office for Montana is in Salt Lake City: 2975 Decker Lake Drive, Suite 100, West Valley City, UT 84119, 801-736-1200.
5. The ICE Online Detainee Locator can show where they were taken.

Tell the defense lawyer about any immigration hold right away. A guilty plea can affect a person's right to stay in the country.

State prison sentences are carried out by the Montana Department of Corrections. While the state assesses the person, they usually remain in the county jail. Then they are moved to a prison, prerelease center or program picked for them.

• The Montana offender search lists each state inmate's facility and status.
• Read about each state facility in our Montana state prisons guide.
• Local probation and parole officers work at 121 Financial Drive, Suite A, Kalispell, MT 59901, 406-752-2575.
• Parole decisions are made by the Board of Pardons and Parole, 1002 Hollenbeck Road, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, 406-846-1404.

Cases for people under 18 are heard in Youth Court, a part of District Court (MCA 41-5-203). Youth files are kept off the public portals. In 2019, a county report counted four juvenile probation officers here and said most youth cases were diverted out of court.

• A detained youth gets a probable cause review in 24 hours or less, not counting Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays (MCA 41-5-332).
• The same report said youths who need a locked facility are held in Missoula. That points to the Missoula County Juvenile Detention Facility, 2340 Mullan Road, Missoula, MT 59808.
• For a short list of grave charges, prosecutors can ask to have a youth 12 or older tried in District Court as an adult (MCA 41-5-206).
• State prisons may not hold anyone younger than 16.

A parent can call the Juvenile Probation and Youth Court Office at 406-758-6277 to learn where the child is being held and the hearing date.

A victim advocate in the County Attorney's Office can walk you through the case. Call 406-758-5630 and ask for the advocate.

• In felony cases, and in misdemeanors with injury or threats, the prosecutor has to consult the victim first. That covers dismissal, plea deals, release and diversion (MCA 46-24-104).
• The Violence Free Crisis Line, 406-752-7273, also connects people with a court advocate after domestic or sexual violence.
• A 24-hour mental health crisis line is 406-752-6262.
• For alerts when a state felony offender moves or is freed, register with VINE on VINELink or by phone at 800-456-3076.
• The state crime victim compensation program can cover up to $25,000 in costs from a crime. Call 800-498-6455.