Idaho Court Records

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This entry was originally written by Dwight A. Radford for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.

This article is part of
Idaho sil.png
the Idaho Family History Research series.
History of Idaho
Idaho Vital Records
Census Records for Idaho
Background Sources for Idaho
Idaho Maps
Idaho Land Records
Idaho Probate Records
Idaho Court Records
Idaho Tax Records
Idaho Cemetery Records
Idaho Church Records
Idaho Military Records
Idaho Periodicals, Newspapers, and Manuscript Collections
Idaho Archives, Libraries, and Societies
Idaho Immigration
Ethnic Groups of Idaho
Idaho County Resources
Map of Idaho


The various Idaho courts that kept records of genealogical value were the district courts, probate courts, justice of the peace courts, and the magistrate divisions of district courts. District courts have countywide civil and criminal jurisdiction, including naturalization, with some appellate jurisdiction.

Probate courts had jurisdiction over probates, adoptions, and minor civil matters until they were abolished in 1971, and their records and functions were assigned to the district courts of magistrates division of district courts.

Justice of the peace courts had jurisdiction over minor petty cases until 1971, when they were abolished, and their jurisdiction was assigned to the district courts. Magistrate divisions of district courts are citywide courts assigned court cases by the various district courts. These cases generally include minor civil and criminal cases, probates, and juvenile matters.

Idaho court records are at the local county courthouses although many are microfilmed and available through the FHL.

The Idaho State Historical Society has 1,200 boxes of Idaho Supreme Court case files from the territorial and state court covering 1863 to 1970.