St. George Court Case Database
St. George is the county seat of Washington County and the major city of southwestern Utah. It is home to an unusual mix of court systems. State court cases go through the Fifth Judicial District Court, while the city also hosts a U.S. District Court Southern Region location with a resident federal judge. The St. George Justice Court handles local misdemeanor and traffic matters. This page covers how to find St. George court records across all three court systems and what each one covers.
St. George Quick Facts
Court Systems in St. George
St. George is one of the few Utah cities with both a state district court and a resident federal court. This makes the court records landscape here more complex than in most Utah cities.
The Fifth District Court serves Washington County, including St. George. It handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $11,000, domestic relations, probate, and appeals from justice courts within the Fifth District. State court records from the Fifth District are accessible through Utah's XChange system at utcourts.gov/en/courtrecords.html.
The St. George Justice Court handles Class B and C misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and small claims disputes up to $11,000. Like all Utah justice courts, it is a court not of record. Other municipal justice courts also operate in the broader Washington County area, each handling local cases within their city limits.
Note: Because St. George also has a resident federal judge, some legal matters involving federal law are handled locally rather than requiring travel to the main federal courthouse in Salt Lake City.
Federal Court Records in St. George
St. George hosts a U.S. District Court Southern Region office with one senior district judge and one magistrate judge. This is a distinct advantage for Washington County residents and attorneys who have federal cases. Rather than traveling to Salt Lake City for every federal proceeding, parties can appear before the federal court in St. George.
Federal court records from St. George are available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system, known as PACER, at pacer.uscourts.gov. PACER is the national system for federal court records and covers all U.S. district and bankruptcy courts. You can search by party name, case number, or docket entry. Registration is free, and document access costs a small per-page fee.
Federal cases from the St. George location include civil rights matters, federal criminal prosecutions, immigration cases, bankruptcy proceedings, and appeals handled at the federal level. These records are separate from state court records and are not available through Utah's XChange system. If you are researching St. George court records and are unsure whether the case is state or federal, checking both PACER and XChange is the most thorough approach.
Search St. George State Court Records Online
Utah's XChange system is the main tool for finding St. George state court records. Access it at utcourts.gov/en/courtrecords.html. The system covers both the Fifth District Court and the St. George Justice Court. Search by party name, date of birth, case number, court location, or date range. Results include case details, hearing history, dispositions, and document downloads.
Monthly XChange access costs $40 for up to 500 searches. The annual plan is $240. Each document download costs $1.00. If you only need to check your own active case, the free MyCase portal gives parties access to their case history, filed documents, and upcoming hearings at no cost. MyCase also lets parties in debt collection, eviction, and small claims cases file documents online without visiting the courthouse.
Free public access terminals at the Fifth District Courthouse in St. George let you search XChange during courthouse hours at no charge. This is a practical option for a single search before committing to a subscription.
Types of St. George Court Records
St. George court records span state and federal systems. State records from the Fifth District cover felony criminal prosecutions, civil lawsuits, domestic relations cases, and probate proceedings. Justice court records from the St. George Justice Court cover misdemeanor charges, traffic violations, and small claims judgments. Federal records from the U.S. District Court Southern Region cover federal criminal cases, civil rights actions, and other federal matters.
Within the XChange system, St. George criminal records show charges filed, hearing dates, plea information, sentence dates, bail amounts, compliance records, and final disposition. Civil records show party names, claims, motions, and judgments. Domestic relations records include divorce decrees, custody orders, and support agreements, though certain portions may be restricted to protect minor children. Probate records include estate inventories, creditor notices, and distribution orders.
In-Person Court Record Access in St. George
You can request St. George state court records in person at the Fifth District Courthouse. Bring the full name of a party to the case or the case number. The clerk's office can search the database and pull documents. Plain copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $8.00 each.
For federal court records, contact the U.S. District Court's St. George office or use the PACER system online. Federal records are not available through the state court clerk's office. If you need both state and federal records related to the same individual or matter, you will need to submit separate requests to each court system.
Note: Public access terminals at the Fifth District Courthouse provide free XChange searches, which can save money if you only need to look up one or two St. George court records.
GRAMA Requests for St. George Court Records
Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act, found at Utah Code Title 63G, Chapter 2, governs public access to state court records. Any person can submit a written GRAMA request to the Fifth District Court clerk or the St. George Justice Court. Your request must describe the records with reasonable specificity and include your name and contact information.
Standard response time is 10 business days. Expedited requests are processed within 5 business days when the requester can justify the urgency. Most routine requests for public St. George court records are granted. If a request is denied, you can challenge it by filing a motion or by appealing to the State Records Committee. Federal records are governed by separate federal access rules and are not subject to GRAMA.
St. George Criminal Records and Background Checks
State criminal convictions from St. George cases flow into the Utah statewide criminal history database. The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification at bci.utah.gov processes official criminal background check requests for a $20 fee. A BCI report gives a summary of convictions statewide, including St. George cases.
XChange provides full docket detail for specific state court cases in St. George. PACER provides full docket detail for specific federal court cases. The BCI report is a broader summary rather than a case-by-case record. Use the tool that best matches what you need: BCI for a quick criminal history summary, XChange for state case details, and PACER for federal case details.
Legal Help for St. George Residents
Utah Legal Services provides free assistance to qualifying Washington County residents at utahlegalservices.org. Their services cover a range of civil legal matters, and eligibility is based on income. The Utah State Courts website at utcourts.gov has self-help resources, court forms, and procedural guides for common case types handled at the St. George Fifth District Court and the local justice court.
For federal matters before the U.S. District Court Southern Region in St. George, the federal court's website provides resources for pro se parties. Federal cases are more complex than most state matters, and consulting a licensed attorney is strongly advisable for any federal court proceeding.
Washington County Court Records
St. George is the county seat of Washington County, and all major state court filings go through the Fifth Judicial District Court serving the county. For broader information on Washington County court records, district-wide resources, and additional filing locations, visit the Washington County court records page.
Nearby Utah Cities
Other Washington County cities also maintain local court records. Select a nearby city to find court record information for that area.