Lewis and Clark County launches online warrant list to aid residents, curb scams

A threatening text about a warrant no longer has to send Lewis and Clark County residents into a panic. The county has launched an online warrant list for Justice Court, giving people a way to check whether their name appears before paying money, calling a stranger back, or waiting to learn about the problem during a traffic stop or court appearance.

The public warrant page went live on May 5, 2026, and county leaders say it is meant to do two things at once: increase transparency and cut down on scams. Residents who find their name on the list are being directed to contact Lewis and Clark County Justice Court at 406-447-8201 or 406-447-8202 to discuss options and work toward a resolution.

Justice of the Peace Mark Piskolich said people are often caught off guard when they learn a warrant exists in their name, and the underlying issue is frequently something relatively minor, such as an unpaid traffic citation or paperwork that was not completed as expected. That makes the new page more than a convenience. It gives people a direct way to verify the situation and take action before it turns into a more stressful encounter with law enforcement or the court.

The county’s warning also carries a clear public-safety message: law enforcement agencies do not text people demanding immediate payment or threatening arrest over warrants or traffic violations. That matters in Lewis and Clark County, where the Montana Department of Justice warned in June 2024 about scammers posing as law enforcement and claiming people had warrants for missing jury duty. State officials said all of the reports at that time came from Lewis and Clark County, and investigators had already stopped victims from sending money.

The Justice Court is run by Justices of the Peace Michael G. Swingley and Piskolich and handles misdemeanor offenses, traffic and animal-control violations, civil complaints, orders of protection, search warrants, and some initial appearances for arrests and probation-violation matters. The court is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the new list fits into a broader shift by Montana courts toward centralized case-management systems and public-access portals. The Montana judiciary describes that portal access as a courtesy service, not a statutory requirement, but for residents trying to separate a real court issue from a scam, the local warrant page offers a practical first check.