Case Studies
How the Montana Supreme Court Brought 192 Courts onto a Single, Shared Case Management Platform
The Court Administrator’s Office transitioned 192 trial courts onto a single platform, replacing multiple instances of a single legacy system for faster and more accurate data sharing across agencies.
Solution:
Justice
Population:
1.1M
Agency Type:
State
Region:
West
Overview
About Montana Supreme Court
The Montana Supreme Court oversees the administration of 192 diverse trial courts across a vast and predominantly rural state. Case workloads can range from as few as 60 cases a year to hundreds of hearings a day for district, municipal, city, and specialty courts, all of which are overseen by the Court Administrator’s Office (CAO).
Over the years, the CAO has invested in technology to advance court efficiency and meet modern service expectations, but the challenge was ensuring that the courts with fewer staff weren’t left behind. Previously, on-premise systems required the same amount of work no matter what the size or type of court, while cloud-based software didn’t require the same IT overhead.
The Montana Supreme Court moved to the cloud with Neumo, which made it easier for all courts to access a shared platform that handled court administration work, case management with access for stakeholders, and even statewide data sharing.
The platform’s case search capabilities and real-time visibility into statuses strengthened efforts to deliver timely justice to residents across Montana.
Less than 48 hours
to deliver criminal dispositions, reduced from weeks
Less than 1 minute
to search court records, replacing hours of manual case lookup
192 courts
supported on 1 centralized court management system
Challenge
The Risk of Legacy Systems
Montana’s trial courts previously operated on locally hosted systems, including an early DOS-based platform developed by university students. Even after transitioning to a Windows-based system, there were still more than 100 servers located across the state that required regular IT attention.
Rural communities, long distances, and inclement weather could mean onsite technical assistance or server maintenance was on hold until a technician could reach the location.
Manual workflows involved scanning documents, tracking revisions via email, and searching physical archives by hand. There was no centralized system to check the status of cases or share data with other agencies.
Without integrations in place, criminal disposition reports were physically mailed, which could delay updates to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and other public safety agencies.
"The efficiency is amazing. We transfer the criminal dispositions, and the DMV has them within a day or two. Disposition reports used to be handwritten and mailed, which meant there was a higher chance of errors or delays.”
— Claudia Anderson, Project Manager, Montana Supreme Court Administrator’s Office
Solution
A Shared Case Management Platform
The CAO replaced the legacy system with Neumo Courts, a cloud-based case management platform. Staff rolled out the new system district by district to all 192 trial courts across the state.
The platform centralized document management and allowed for real-time tracking, version control, and advanced search functionality. Court staff could view case materials by docket number, date, or party name within seconds.
The system also enabled third-party integrations, including one with the DMV for near real-time reporting of criminal dispositions and license suspensions or reinstatements. Access for county attorney and public defender offices allows for timely, coordinated action across agencies and reduces the reliance on paper-based communication or manual updates.
“The API has been fantastic. It’s automatically sending data over to the Motor Vehicle Division, so we can cut out an extra process they had to manage.”
— Ryan Davies, Director of IT, Montana Supreme Court
Key Results
Centralized Operations for Statewide Efficiency
Infrastructure and Cost Savings
The consolidated environment reduced hardware and maintenance costs, with staff no longer having to support dozens of disparate systems. Without the need to travel across the state for server maintenance, operational overhead was further reduced.
Faster Search Capabilities
Locating old opinions used to require scanning emails, local folders, or even physical archives. Court staff can now retrieve filings and case details in seconds without manually entering case numbers. The system’s hyperlinks and search tools allow navigation by case name and other parameters, which makes it easier for staff and stakeholders to find the information they need.
A Transparent Review Process
Built-in status tracking allows judges, clerks, and administrative staff to monitor where a filing stands in the review pipeline. This eliminates back-and-forth communication and supports more timely decisions.
“We’ve gone from hundreds of field servers down to six. My team can make a trip across town instead of driving eight hours across the state. It’s much easier to support and the cost savings allow us to invest more into the central server and better equipment, so the system runs faster.”
— Ryan Davies, Director of IT, Montana Supreme Court
Secure Document Management
Digital documents have replaced much of the system’s prior reliance on printed materials or informal communication. Sensitive records are protected with role-based permissions, and all actions are logged for a reliable audit trail.
Integrated Payment Processing
More than 150 courts use CitePay, which is integrated into the FullCourt Enterprise system. Payments initiated through online portals or in-court POS terminals are securely routed, authorized, and deposited directly into county accounts. Accurate, real-time reconciliation and automated deposit reporting reduce administrative overhead.
“A judge can see if there are bonds or warrants outstanding, any dispositions, changes to the case—all within seconds without ever having to manually type in a case number.”
— Claudia Anderson, Project Manager, Montana Supreme Court Administrator’s Office
Looking Ahead
Montana’s investment in modern service delivery is setting a new standard for statewide coordination, with secure, efficient workflows that support equitable access to justice. Next, the CAO plans to launch Neumo Jury to streamline jury management with automated check-ins, contactless payments, and customized reporting. This expansion will further reduce administrative burden, enhance the resident experience, and equip courts to better serve communities across Montana for years to come.