Like most states in the U.S., Idaho has a multifaceted court structure that provides the citizens of the state with everything they need to satisfy their civil and criminal court needs. However, unlike a great number of states the court system in Idaho recognizes the Native American Tribal Courts, which have jurisdiction within the boundaries of the state.

If you need to find information by searching through Idaho court records, then it is important that you have a firm understanding of the workings of the court system in this state.

 Idaho Supreme Court

The top appellate court in the state of Idaho is the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is made up of a chief justice, which was Justice Roger S. Burdick as of July 2011, in addition to four other justices. All justices of the Supreme Court are elected via a statewide, nonpartisan ballot and allowed to serve for a six-year term.

The Supreme Court hears cases that are appealed from district courts as well as from the state Industrial Commission and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. The Supreme Court has the authority to assign cases to be first heard by the Idaho Court of Appeals, except for convictions of capital murder and appeals from the previously mentioned administrative commissions, which go directly to the Supreme Court.

 Idaho Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals in Idaho is a small panel made up of only three members. The court has appellate authority over judicial proceedings that arise for district courts as well as those that are assigned by the Supreme Court.

 Idaho District Court

Idaho is divided in to seven different judicial districts, each with an administrative judge who has been chosen by the other judges in the district. A district court, which includes a magistrate division, is located in each county in the state of Idaho. In addition, each district court has a unique set of rules. In the state of Idaho, there are forty-one district judges and eight-seven magistrate judges.

You need to look to district courts for Idaho court records pertaining to civil actions and felony criminal cases in amounts exceeding $10,000. District judges also hear appeals from the magistrate division, which hears divorce cases, probate matters, juvenile cases, initial felony proceedings via a preliminary hearing, minor violations, misdemeanors, civil cases that are valued under $10,000 as well as small claims cases that are under $4,000.

As of January 2007, the state of Idaho had created forty-seven drug and mental health courts, which includes eleven mental health courts, fifteen adult drug courts, eight misdemeanor/DUI courts, eight juvenile drug courts, three additional DUI courts as well as to family dependency treatment courts.

If you are looking for Idaho court records pertaining to a specific case that was heard in that state, it is important to have as much information beforehand as possible. The more you know about the case when you begin your search, the better you chances will be to find the information you seek quickly and easily with minimal expense.

• Idaho State Court Districts

• Idaho State Legislature