BOZEMAN — Thousands of Gallatin County residents have been notified of their potential inclusion as jurors in new pools established by District Court and Justice Court for the 2025–2026 jury terms.
Last week, the Gallatin County District Court issued notices to approximately 8,500 residents. Justice Court will begin sending notifications this week to an additional 4,500 individuals. Selection is performed randomly from a comprehensive list that includes registered voters, licensed drivers, and holders of Montana ID cards.
The District Court has jurisdiction over serious legal matters, including felonies, larger civil cases, and family law issues. Justice Court is tasked with adjudicating smaller civil disputes, misdemeanors and traffic violations occurring outside city limits, among other limited-jurisdiction cases.
Recipients of the jury duty postcards should understand that while they are not yet summoned for specific trials, they have been identified as potential jurors for the year-long term beginning soon. Timely response is critical:
- Recipients of District Court notifications (white postcard) must complete the juror questionnaire within ten days.
- Recipients of Justice Court notifications (blue postcard) are required to respond within seven days.
Detailed instructions for completing these questionnaires are included on the postcards and should be followed carefully. Delays in response may necessitate intervention from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, which could burden law enforcement resources and impede judicial proceedings.
Individuals selected by both courts are advised to contact the District Court directly to resolve any duplication in jury pool assignments.
Residents should be aware that in addition to District and Justice Courts, several other courts in Gallatin County maintain independent jury pools, including those in Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan, Three Forks, and West Yellowstone, as well as the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office. Notices received from those entities require direct follow-up with the issuing court for specific juror guidance.
For more information, please visit the respective court websites: Gallatin County District Court and Gallatin County Justice Court
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