Criminal Court Cases in Franklin County
Franklin County sits in Idaho's Sixth Judicial District. District Court hears felony cases. Its Magistrate Division handles misdemeanors and infractions, juvenile matters, and the first stages of felony prosecutions. Idaho has a unified court system, so Preston, Franklin, and Weston do not keep separate municipal criminal dockets. A city citation or misdemeanor filed in Franklin County routes to the Magistrate Division.
The clerk keeps the filed case record at 39 West Oneida in Preston. The Franklin County court page lists the counter and staff. District Judge Robert C. Naftz and Magistrate Judge Eric S. Hunn are named there. District criminal scheduling goes to Linda Hampton, magistrate criminal and juvenile work to Maria Delgado, and record-request support to Mike Bosen.
Franklin County's Two Court Levels
The court level tells a searcher where a Franklin County criminal case stands. A felony complaint may first appear in the Magistrate Division for a preliminary hearing. If it proceeds as a felony, District Court becomes central. Misdemeanors and infractions stay with the Magistrate Division. Juvenile files also begin there, but public access is much tighter.
The same event may create an arrest file, a magistrate case, and later a district case. Read linked numbers and docket entries together. An arrest allegation can change when the prosecutor files charges. The Franklin County arrest search explains why a receiving-jail record may appear before the court case.
Franklin County Case Record Searches
The Idaho iCourt Portal is the first online channel. Basic public searching is free. Use the courthouse public kiosk when the online interface is not enough, then submit a written clerk request for a specific document. A public summary is not always the complete Franklin County case file.
- Open Smart Search and enter a case number or a party name as
Lastname, Firstname. - Select Franklin as the county and clear any old filter before a new search.
- Use a middle name, suffix, or at least four letters plus an asterisk to refine results.
- Open the case tile and read charge, bond, hearing, disposition, event, and financial panels.
- Use the kiosk first, then ask the clerk for copies or certified documents.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Search | Text | Yes | Case number or party/business name |
| Party name | Text | No | Use Lastname, Firstname; middle name and suffix can narrow |
| Case number | Text | No | Formats include CR-2016-1234; legacy numbers vary |
| County | Filter | No | Choose Franklin and clear retained filters later |
| Hearing Search | Filters | Varies | County, type, party, attorney, judge, and date range |
Case tiles separate Party Details, Charge Details, Bond Information, Disposition Events, Other Events and Hearings, and Financial Information. The print control lets a reader choose tiles instead of printing the whole view. That structure helps isolate the filed charge and final result without mistaking a scheduled hearing for a completed event. Year of birth is an aid, not fingerprint proof of identity.
iCourt Search Traps in Franklin County
A reversed name can return nothing even when the Franklin County case exists. The tutorial uses surname first, a comma, and then the given name. Wildcards need at least four letters. Old case numbers may omit zeros used in newer formats. Results can display 10, 25, 50, or 200 items, and column headers sort the list.
A blank result proves little. Sealed cases return no public result. Arrest or search warrants and supporting affidavits remain sealed until service or return rules permit access. Ask the clerk to check the number and explain the public request route. Search silence is not warrant clearance.
What a Criminal Case File Contains
A Franklin County case file follows the prosecution after charges are filed. It does not prove that every arrest allegation became a court charge. Read the charging document, register of actions, disposition, and judgment together.
| Case Number & Court | Identifies the matter, division, and Franklin County location. |
|---|---|
| Charging Document | States what the prosecutor filed, which may differ from the arrest claim. |
| Docket Entries | Lists motions, orders, filings, and events in date order. |
| Hearing Dates | Shows scheduled and completed public hearings. |
| Disposition & Judgment | Records dismissal, plea, acquittal, or finding of guilt. |
| Sentence & Conditions | Shows public sentence and financial events. |
Franklin County's 2024 Request Form
The March 2024 court request form directs users to iCourt or the kiosk first. A written request is then mandatory. List the parties, case number, and exact documents. If the records concern the requester, identification may be required.
| Item | Published fee |
|---|---|
| File before October 1, 2018 | $20 nonrefundable research fee |
| Copy | $1 per page |
| Certified document | $2 |
| Hearing audio on flash drive | $12 |
Delivery can be printed, faxed, emailed, or mailed. The form allows three business days for response or a written extension and decision by ten business days. It gives no submission email or payment method. Call 208-852-0877 to confirm the route.
Criminal Case Stages in Franklin County
The prosecutor's filing starts the court case. Arraignment records the charge and plea process. Pretrial work may add motions and scheduling orders. The matter ends through dismissal, plea, or trial. A guilty outcome leads to judgment and sentence.
Case flow: Charges Filed › Arraignment › Pretrial › Plea or Trial › Disposition › Sentencing
Not every Franklin County case reaches every stage. A dismissal can end it early, and a plea can avoid trial. Read events from oldest to newest while using the final disposition field for the outcome.
Franklin County Paper and Portal Access
The courthouse is both a local counter and a path into Idaho's statewide court system. Older Franklin County files may require paid research, while current summaries are usually searched online first. These channels complement each other. They are not complete duplicates.
The Idaho Courts records page explains kiosk, clerk, and compiled-data routes. Its rules do not replace the Franklin County form. Use the local form for a known case document. Use PACER for a federal prosecution because iCourt covers Idaho state cases.
The official image below shows the access routes used when a remote summary is not enough.
It highlights the split between portal review, courthouse terminal access, and clerk-produced copies.
The Franklin County court page identifies the local record counter.
That county page is the local source for staff, hours, forms, and contact details.
The Idaho iCourt search is the statewide public portal.
Its Smart Search is the first remote stop for a Franklin County state case.
Federal dockets instead use the official PACER service.
PACER does not contain Idaho state District or Magistrate Division cases.
Access Rules for Case Records
Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32 governs court-record access. Public does not mean each field, filing, or image is open online. Juvenile material, protected victim data, sealed cases, and certain warrant papers can be withheld. Redaction removes protected details while allowing the rest to be released.
The Idaho Public Records Act governs many agency files, but court records follow the judiciary's rule. Ask the clerk which route applies. If a case was set aside, dismissed, sealed, or shielded, compare the signed order with the current docket rather than relying on one search screen.
Idaho's relief terms are not interchangeable. BCI expungement under Idaho Code §67-3004(10), Clean Slate shielding under §67-3004(11), and a conviction set-aside or dismissal under §19-2604 affect different records. A court order may change the public case view without erasing every agency file. Review the order and use BCI self-review to see whether the repository reflects the outcome.
Search limit: A missing result can reflect spelling, filters, sealing, protected warrant material, or lag. It is not proof that no Franklin County case exists.
Franklin County's Federal Case Line
Federal cases from Franklin County belong to the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, not the local clerk or iCourt. PACER supplies the federal docket and filed documents. The nearest federal public counter and terminal is in Pocatello. Keep the state and federal searches separate so a blank iCourt result is not mistaken for the absence of a federal prosecution.