Williams County Court Records

Williams County court records are a collection of information or official documents that the court keeps in connection with court cases. During a legal proceeding, the County Court Clerk generates and maintains information about various case filings, hearings, judgments, and other legal actions within the court.

For this reason, court records may also include testimonies and arguments, subpoenas, bonds, jury lists, indictments, warrants, writs of habeas corpus, summonses, transcripts, and orders. Persons who obtain court records can expect to find information on why the case was filed, the persons involved, and the case outcome.

The availability of Williams court records helps individuals exercise their legal rights and conduct legal research when necessary. Without these records, it may be challenging to understand the county’s justice system and ensure its fairness and transparency.

Are Court Records Public in Williams County?

Yes. Williams County Court Records are generally open to the public for inspection. Following the North Dakota Century Code Title 44 Chapter 04, authorized individuals may request copies of these records from the proper custodian (N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18). However, some court records and record information cannot be disclosed because they are confidential by law or court rules.

Confidential records will remain closed to the public unless disclosed under a court order or by law (N.D.C.C. §44-04-18-11). Below are some examples of confidential court records:

• Juvenile court proceedings
• Mental health commitment proceedings
• Social security numbers; credit, debit, or electronic fund transfer card numbers; and financial account numbers
• Adoption and paternity proceedings
• Domestic violence protection order files, except for the final order of the court
• Psychological evaluations and drug and alcohol treatment records.

Williams County Court Records Search

Members of the public can conduct a Williams County court records search at the following locations:

• District court clerk's office
• The originating courthouse where a case was filed
• North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry
• Third-party public records online resources.

Williams County Courts

The Williams County court system comprises the District Court and Municipal Court. Below is the contact information of courts in Williams County:

Williams County District Court
205 East Broadway
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802
Phone: (701) 774-4374 (Civil)
Fax: (701) 774-4379 (Civil)
Phone: (701) 774-4377 (Criminal)
Fax: (701) 774-4379 (Criminal).

Epping Municipal Court
P.O. Box 44
Epping, ND 58843
Phone: (701) 774-4657

Grenora Municipal Court
P.O. Box 296
Grenora, ND 58845
Phone: (701) 694-3391

Ray Municipal Court
20 Winther Street
P.O. Box 67
Ray, ND 58849
Phone: (701) 568-2204

Springbrook Municipal Court
111 Springbrook Street
Springbrook, ND 58843
Phone: (701) 774-3982

Tioga Municipal Court
16 1st Street Northeast
P.O. Box 218
Tioga, ND 58852
Phone: (701) 641-2699
Fax: (701) 664-2264

Wildrose Municipal Court
P.O. Box 664
Wildrose, ND 58795
Phone: (701) 539-2122

Williston Municipal Court
City Hall, 22 East Broadway
P.O. Box 1306
Williston, ND 58802
Phone: (701) 577-8100 ext. 3
Fax: (701) 577-8880

Williams County Criminal and Civil Records

According to North Dakota Open Records, the general public can access Williams County criminal court records except for certain criminal investigative information. Criminal investigative information does not include details concerning an arrest, as seen in Williams County arrest records (N.D.C.C. §44-04-18.7).

The Clerk of the District Court is the official custodian of all criminal and civil court records in Williams County. Anyone may search for criminal court records by submitting a written request to the Williams County Court of Clerk’s office or the courthouse in person.

Williams County District Court
205 East Broadway
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802
Phone: (701) 774-4377
Fax: (701) 774-4379

A fee of $10 is charged for each search for a name and type of court record after a request. The clerk should pay the fee before the record search results are provided.

The North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry system allows the public to search for unofficial criminal case records in the county. The available criminal court case information includes felonies, misdemeanors, city transfers, infractions, and administrative traffic. Requesters may complete a search for criminal/traffic records using the case number, defendant information, citation number, attorney information, and date filed.

The public may also access civil court case information by making in-person requests to the Williams County Court Clerk’s Office. However in-person record requests are necessary when finding complete court case information.

Williams County District Court
205 East Broadway
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802
Phone: (701) 774-4374
Fax: (701) 774-4379

Using the North Dakota Court Records Inquiry tool, members of the public may also obtain civil and family case records in Williams County. The available civil/family court case information includes child custody and support, forcible detainer, foreclosure, foreign judgment, malpractice, small claims, and other civil matters. Requesters can complete a search by case, party information, attorney information, and date filed.

Williams County Marriage Records

Williams County Marriage records are public, so anyone can view and make copies when necessary. However, only eligible parties can obtain marriage records and certificates at the Williams County Auditor’s Office. Eligible parties include the couple on the record, immediate family members, or authorized legal representatives. Interested individuals may also get copies of Williams County Marriage certificates from the office by submitting a request in person or a written request via mail to the office.

Williams County Auditor
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802
Phone: (701) 577-4500

Williams County Divorce Records

Williams County Divorce records are open to interested members of the public. Divorce case information is usually kept with other court records. It may only be accessible through the County District Court Clerk, where the annulment occurred in person or via mail.

Williams County District Court
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802-2047.

Individuals may access divorce records in the county through the North Dakota Court Records Inquiry tool online. Divorce information may be found among the system's civil, family, and probate case records. Note that certified copies contain essential details of the divorce and the parties involved and can only be accessible to the parties to the divorce case or the defense attorneys.

Williams County Birth Records

Only eligible persons may access certified Williams County birth records. The North Dakota Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records issues copies of Williams County birth certificates to the adult subject, their immediate family member, and authorized third parties.

Other parties may only request a certified copy of a birth record with a court order or notarized authorization from the record subject. Eligible requestors may obtain birth records in person, online, or by mail. Certified copies of birth records cost $15 per copy.

For additional information, contact:

Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records
600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2360

Williams County Death Records

The North Dakota Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records issues copies of Williams County death certificates. The office provides different types of certified copies of death records based on eligibility:

• A certified copy of a complete death record may be issued to a relative (includes the cause of death and the social security number)
• A certified copy of a death record that includes the facts of death (includes the decedent's social security number but does not include any cause of death information)
• A certified informational copy of a death record may be issued to the general public (includes all the demographic information about the decedent but does not contain the cause of death or the social security number).

Individuals may request death records in person, online, or through regular mail. When making an order at the same time, certified copies of death records cost $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy.

Alternatively, individuals can search for death certificates on the North Dakota State Government website. However, the date of death should be more than one year from the current date. The information required to complete the search includes the full name, date of death, and county of death.

Williams County Probate Court Records

Members of the public can access Williams County probate court records at the Clerk of the District Court’s office in person and online. The North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry provides probate case information such as probate administration, probate of will, formal and informal probate, claims against an estate, guardianships, appointment proceedings, and other probate matters. Complete a search for probate records using the case status, type, and filing date.

Williams County Property Records

The Williams County Treasurer/Recorder's Office maintains documents affecting real property titles, reception records, grantor/grantee indexes, and land tract indexes. The office also records, stores, and provides copies of corner records, plats, deeds, mortgages, and liens in the county.

The public may search for recorded documents on real property for free by visiting the Records Room in the Recorder's Office. The Records Room is open from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Obtaining copies of these documents in person will cost $1 per page.

Williams County Recorder’s Office
Williams County Administration Building
1st Floor
206 East Broadway
Williston, ND 58801.

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2047
Williston, ND 58802-2047.

Recorded property documents are also available online through iDocMarket. To search and access records, the requester should have an account by subscribing for $15 per month or $5 per day. All document information is searchable using the document title, party name, land description from patent to present, book and page/recording number, and date. Printing each document costs $1 per page.

Williams County Court Records Online

Third-party websites, such as Northdakotacourtrecords.us, allow members of the public to obtain Williams County Court Records. These platforms offer easy online access to court information from anywhere in the state, which saves time and effort for individuals who cannot visit the courthouse in person.

Many requestors prefer to use third-party resources because of their user-friendly interface, which allows finding court records by name, location, or case number. The downside to using these platforms is that no official government agency owns them. As a result, users cannot depend on the accuracy and reliability of the information obtained.