The Montana Supreme Court announced Wednesday that backup data from the state’s court filing system was compromised as part of a nationwide breach affecting the Thomson Reuters C-Track case management and electronic filing platform, according to a report by the Daily Montanan. The breach spanned March through June 2026 and touched courts in more than a dozen states and territories.

What Happened

Unauthorized access to the Thomson Reuters system was discovered on June 30, though Court Administrator Dave McAlpin was not notified until July 23. The breach was not attributed to any failure by Montana or other affected state court systems — all data was stored entirely within Thomson Reuters’ infrastructure.

In addition to Montana, courts in Kentucky, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Ohio, Wyoming, and the U.S. Virgin Islands were also affected.

The C-Track system serves the Montana Supreme Court, District courts, and a number of lower courts throughout the state, making the potential reach of the exposure broad.

What Data May Have Been Accessed

Montana court administrators said they are currently working with Thomson Reuters’ security team to identify exactly which state records were accessed. While most of the compromised data appears to be publicly available court information, some personally identifiable information was also found in the affected files.

Sensitive data categories that may have been accessed include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, medical information, and health insurance details. Confidential, sealed, or redacted court records may also have been involved.

Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court Bowen Greenwood cautioned that the scope of potential impact is wide. “Because of the data that may have been included in the unauthorized access, many people who have been involved in any case in any Montana court may be affected,” he said, as reported by the Daily Montanan.

Court Response and Credit Monitoring

Chief Justice Cory Swanson said the court moved quickly after learning of the breach. “Since learning of the data breach, the Montana court team has worked tirelessly to identify whether any Montanan has been harmed by it,” he told the Daily Montanan.

Thomson Reuters is providing 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to individuals whose information may have been exposed. Those seeking assistance can call a dedicated toll-free line at 1-833-918-5294, available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central Time. Callers should reference engagement number B 17184 7.

Broader Context

The breach adds to a growing list of data security incidents affecting state government systems and judicial infrastructure across the country. For Montana, where courts handle sensitive matters ranging from child custody and criminal proceedings to civil litigation, the potential exposure of sealed or confidential records raises particular concerns.

The state court system’s reliance on a third-party vendor for electronic case management is common among smaller-population states, which often lack the resources to build and maintain independent filing infrastructure. That arrangement, while cost-effective, places data security largely outside the control of state administrators.

Montana officials have faced other data-related scrutiny in recent months. A legislative committee earlier this year ordered the Secretary of State to appear and address concerns about federal voter data requests, reflecting broader unease about the security and proper handling of sensitive government records at multiple levels of state government.

The court administration has not yet announced a timeline for completing its review with Thomson Reuters, nor has it indicated how many Montanans may ultimately be identified as directly affected. Anyone who has been a party to litigation or otherwise involved in Montana court proceedings is encouraged to contact the monitoring line and consider reviewing their credit reports as a precaution.