Frequently Asked Questions

The Whitefish Police Department issues citations. The Whitefish City Attorney’s Office files criminal complaints. Both types of cases are filed and handled in Whitefish Municipal Court. 

It depends on the type of citation. Parking violations do not require a court appearance, but other violations may. Contact the Court to inquire.

Overtime parking citations will list the standard fine of $20.00 on your citation. For all other violations, the standard fine can be found upon online citation inquiry (online payment) or by inquiring with the Court.

If you received a citation for a parking violation, an appearance in court is not necessary. You can pay the fine and your case will be closed. 

For all other types of violations, you will need to appear in court on the date and time stated on your citation, and will need a parent and/or guardian present with you. 

Any citation that involves an accident requires an appearance. You will be expected to make your appearance on the date and time stated on your citation. 

Yes. Time pay agreements (payment plans) are arranged directly with the Judge and will require your appearance in court. The Judge will ask how much you are able to afford each month and you will be required to adhere to your time pay agreement on a monthly basis.

If you elect to resolve your citation with payment of the fine, it must be paid before the hearing date and time that is listed on your citation. Failure to respond to your citation with either an appearance or payment may result in further action such as an order to seize on your vehicle, driver’s license suspension, warrant, etc. 

It is important that you contact the Court before your court date for your options.  

Yes. Please visit our How Do I Pay a Ticket/Fine? page for more information.

Citations that are not Overtime Parking violations are assigned a standard fine amount by the Judge. Please call the Court for more information. 

If you wish to contest the citation, you will need to appear to enter a “not guilty” plea at your initial appearance during an open court session.

Requests to reschedule your court appearance must be done well in advance with emergencies being an exception. Please call the Court for your options. 

Yes. If you are physically unable to be present for your court hearing, you may request to appear by Zoom in an email. Please email WhitefishMunicipalCourt@mt.gov your request for Zoom instructions. Be aware that if your citation proceeds to trial, your physical presence will be required at that trial.

Yes, Whitefish Municipal Court accepts card payments. For more information about payment options, please visit our How Do I Pay a Ticket/Fine? page.

If you elect to mail in your payment, you may address it to: 

Whitefish Municipal Court
275 Flathead Ave
Whitefish, MT 59937

Please note that your payment must be received on or before your due date.

During the open court session, the Judge will advise all persons who have received a citation of their legal rights. The Judge will then call up cases individually. When your case is called, you will be asked to sit at a table with a microphone so the audio recording system can pick up your voice. The Judge will ask you to enter a plea to the charges in your citation. The next steps of your case depend on what kind of plea that you enter. 

Note: The initial appearance is not a trial. The citing officer will not be present, and the Court will not hear evidence. If a trial is necessary, it will be set at a later date.  

If your citation does not state a date and time for a court appearance (located near the middle/bottom of your citation), it may be a warning. Please call the Court if you are unsure. 

If you plead “Not Guilty” that means you are contesting the citation. The Court will schedule your case for an omnibus hearing. Between the time of your initial appearance and the omnibus hearing, you should exchange discovery (evidentiary materials) with the City Attorney’s Office. Any motions you intend to file should be filed by the date of the omnibus hearing. At the omnibus hearing, the Court will set the matter for a trial. Please note that you are required to attend the omnibus hearing and any subsequent hearings set by the Court.  

Depending on the severity on the charge, you may be subject to a driver’s license suspension, a warrant for your arrest, an order to seize on your vehicle, and/or other further courses of action. 

Generally, your citation can only be dismissed either at trial, by motion filed by the City Prosecutor (Deputy City Attorney), or by motion filed by you as the defendant or your attorney. The Court will not dismiss a citation based on explanation of circumstances without the City Prosecutor or any witnesses present, and an initial appearance is not the time to introduce any evidence or testimony. 

You may email a copy of your insurance policy to WhitefishMunicipalCourt@mt.gov or stop in in person with a physical copy. 

The points system is a tool that is used by state motor vehicle licensing agencies to penalize those who are convicted of various traffic offenses. Getting points on your license can increase auto insurance costs, suspend your driving privileges, produce heavy fines/fees, etc. Please contact Motor Vehicle Division in Helena or your state’s motor vehicle department for more information.

The Court does not have these reports on file. Accident reports can be obtained by contacting the Whitefish Police Department. All other reports must be released by the City Prosecutor. Please contact the City Prosecutor's office for assistance.

All requests to reschedule your court date must be in writing and be made well in advance. You may email your request to WhitefishMunicipalCourt@mt.gov or file a written request in person during court hours. You will be expected to appear in court for your original time and date unless otherwise directed by the Court. 

If you have a case filed in this court, your time to meet with the Judge will be at your scheduled hearing. Otherwise, the Judge is prohibited from participating in ex parte communication with either party.

If you have a case filed in this court, your time to speak with the Judge will be at your scheduled hearing and the next steps in your case will be determined by what kind of plea you enter. The Judge must remain an impartial party and throughout the pendency of your case, will be unable to hear argument outside of a trial. 

Yes, some people do opt to represent themselves, but be advised that the Court is unable to provide any legal advice. For self-help resources, please visit the General Public information page located on the Montana Judicial Branch website. However, if you have been charged with a more serious offense, you may want to think about your options very carefully as there can be some unexpected risks and penalties.  

Expungements are filed with a District Court. Please contact a Flathead County District Court for more information or seek the advice of legal counsel.

You may call the State of Montana Motor Vehicle Department at (406) 444-3933 or visit their website. If you are not a Montana licensed driver, you will need to contact your state's driver's licensing agency.

Court-ordered community service must be completed at any 501(3)(c) non-profit organization defined by the IRS.

If you received your citation today, be advised that it takes two (2) business days for the violation to be filed with the Court. Please contact the Whitefish Police Department if you believe the citation was issued in error. Once your citation is filed with the Court, your options are to:

1. Pay the fine/forfeit bond, or 
2. Appear for the hearing listed on your citation.

The parking program (leased parking, permit parking, etc.) is managed by City Hall. You may want to contact them to ensure that your information is up to date. Once your citation is filed with the Court, your options are to pay the fine or to appear for the hearing listed on your citation if you believe the citation was issued in error. 

Please refer to Downtown Parking and/or call City Hall at (406) 863-2400 for more information on permits and parking areas. 

You do not need to appear in court unless you would like to contest your citation, or otherwise speak with the Judge and City Prosecutor. Fines vary depending on the type of parking violation. For any parking violation other than Overtime Parking, please contact the Court for more information. 

Downtown Whitefish has a parking ordinance that addresses Reparking violations. If you believe that you have been cited in error, you will need to appear for the hearing listed on your citation. 

If you do not pay or appear on your citation, you may be scheduled for a hearing to show cause as to why you should not be held in contempt of court, an order to seize may be issued on your vehicle, and/or other possible courses of action.