Ada County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

With around 500,000 residents, Ada County is Idaho's most populous county. As home to the State's capital, Boise, it is also its county seat. The Ada County trial court system has two main courts: the district and the magistrate. The District Court is the main trial court in Ada County. It handles the most serious cases, like felonies and civil lawsuits. Each District Court has a Magistrate Division being a smaller court that handles less serious cases, like misdemeanors and small claims lawsuits (typically for disputes under $5,000). There is also an independent Tribal Court system in Ada County that has its own judges and rules which only apply to tribal members or cases that happen on tribal land.

The Ada County District Court, located in Boise, serves as the backbone of Ada County's trial court system. While empowered to hear all case types, its primary focus is on the most serious cases. This includes felony charges and civil lawsuits involving substantial sums of money, typically exceeding $10,000. Contract disputes, medical malpractice claims, and personal injury lawsuits arising from car accidents are common examples of civil cases handled here. The district court also functions as a level of appeal for decisions made by lower magistrate judges. The Ada County Magistrate Court, housed in the same building as the District Court, typically hears cases assigned by the Administrative District Judge. These cases include infractions, misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, probates, guardianships, conservatorships, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights cases, habeas corpus cases, and civil cases in which the amount of money in dispute does not exceed $10,000. Ada County Juvenile Court handles cases involving minors, including delinquency and child protection.

The Ada County Court System handles more than 18,340 criminal and civil cases that are filed in Idaho's court system each year, reflecting the county's crime rate of 3668 per 100,000 residents. The Ada County Prosecutor's Office maintains electronic records for the county. By submitting a Public Records Request with the proper records request type, the public can request access to these records.

In summary, the court system in Ada County is a vital component of the county's government and is committed to providing justice for a wide range of legal matters. The county's court structure, which centers on the district and magistrate courts, allows it to handle the wide range of cases it hears effectively.