Brown County Criminal History

Brown County criminal history records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and the District Court in New Ulm. Part of the 5th Judicial District in southern Minnesota, the county has about 25,000 residents. If you need to search a criminal case, find information on an arrest, or access court records, this page walks through the agencies and free online tools that cover criminal history in Brown County.

Brown County Sheriff and Criminal History Records

The Brown County Sheriff's Office is at 307 6th Street in New Ulm. The main number is (507) 359-3333. The Sheriff's website is at co.brown.mn.us. The Sheriff provides law enforcement for the county and maintains records on arrests and criminal incidents. If you need to confirm an arrest or ask about a criminal matter in Brown County, calling the Sheriff's Office is a reasonable first step.

Minnesota law at Minn. Stat. § 13.82 classifies arrest data as public. The Sheriff can share who was arrested, when, where, and on what charges. If an active investigation depends on keeping certain facts private, those details may not be released right away. But the core arrest record is available to the public. For a certified criminal history report covering all of Brown County's cases, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at bca.dps.mn.gov is the right agency. Call (651) 793-2400 or visit the BCA background check page at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca.

Under Minn. Stat. § 13.87, criminal history data held by law enforcement is classified as private in most cases. The BCA can give someone their own record. Requests from third parties require a legal basis. For public case-level lookups, MCRO is the better tool, described in the section below.

Note: The Sheriff's Office handles arrest records and incident data. Official certified criminal background reports come from the Minnesota BCA, not the county sheriff.

Brown County District Court and Criminal Case Records

The Brown County District Court is at 14 State Street in New Ulm. The phone number is (507) 233-6600. The court is part of the 5th Judicial District and handles all criminal cases filed in Brown County. The court administrator keeps full case files, including charges, hearing dates, court orders, and final dispositions. You can visit during business hours to view records or request copies. Staff can help you search by name or case number if you are not sure where to start.

The free statewide search tool for court records is Minnesota Court Records Online, or MCRO. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us to look up Brown County criminal cases. Search by name or case number. MCRO shows charges, docket entries, case status, and outcomes. It is a good way to confirm a case exists and see basic details without a trip to New Ulm. Sealed records and juvenile cases do not appear in the public search results.

The screenshot below is from Minnesota Court Records Online, the free statewide court search portal that covers Brown County cases.

Use Minnesota Court Records Online to search Brown County criminal cases at no cost. Results show charges, case status, and docket history.

The screenshot below is from the Brown County court page on mncourts.gov, which has local contact details and access to court resources.

See the Brown County court page for office hours, forms, and direct links to case records and court services.

BCA Background Checks and Criminal History

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is the state agency that maintains the official criminal history database. A BCA report pulls data from courts and law enforcement agencies in all 87 counties, including Brown. It gives a more complete picture than an MCRO search alone. You can access the free public conviction search at cch.state.mn.us. That tool shows conviction records going back 15 years for free, using name and date of birth.

For a full certified background check that includes non-conviction data and arrest records, the BCA charges $15. Request one at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca or call (651) 793-2400. The BCA is the right option when you need a thorough statewide criminal history report rather than a county-level case search. Individuals can also request their own criminal history directly from the BCA without a fee.

For people serving state prison sentences who may be connected to Brown County cases, the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us tracks current location and status for all DOC inmates. It is free and does not require login.

Inmate Search and VINE Link in Brown County

VINE Link is the primary free tool for checking inmate custody status in Brown County. The national service covers county jails and state facilities across Minnesota. Search by name at vinelink.com or call 1-877-664-8463. If someone is in the Brown County jail, VINE will show their current status. You can also register for alerts that notify you when a person's custody changes, such as when they are released or moved to another facility.

The screenshot below is from VINE Link, the statewide inmate tracking and notification service that covers the Brown County jail.

Use VINE Link to search custody status and sign up for notifications for people held in Brown County facilities. The service is free and runs all day, every day.

For direct questions about someone in the Brown County jail, call the Sheriff at (507) 359-3333. For people who have moved to state prison, the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator covers all DOC facilities statewide and is also free.

Expungement of Criminal Records in Brown County

Minnesota's expungement law lets people petition to have certain criminal records sealed from public view. The key statute is Minn. Stat. § 609A.02. Not every offense qualifies. The law sets out which crimes can be sealed, what waiting periods apply, and what the court must consider when deciding. Petty misdemeanors and some misdemeanors tend to qualify after a shorter wait. More serious felonies face longer waiting periods or may be ineligible altogether under current law.

To file for expungement in Brown County, you submit a petition to the District Court at 14 State Street in New Ulm. The court notifies every agency that holds a copy of the record. Those agencies have a right to respond and can object. A hearing is held, and the judge decides whether to grant the seal. If your case ended in a dismissal or acquittal, check whether Minn. Stat. § 609A.015 applies. That statute allows automatic sealing for certain qualifying outcomes without the need for a full court petition.

The Minnesota Courts self-help section at mncourts.gov has guides and forms for the expungement process. Regional legal aid offices serving southern Minnesota can also help Brown County residents figure out whether they qualify and walk through the steps to file.

Cities in Brown County

Brown County is in southern Minnesota with New Ulm as the county seat. All criminal cases from communities throughout the county go through the Brown County District Court in New Ulm.

No cities in Brown County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All county residents access criminal history records through the county-level offices and tools described above.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Brown County. If a case was filed in a different county, contact that county's court or sheriff for records.