Carver County Criminal History Records

Carver County criminal history records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and the District Court in Chaska. Part of the 1st Judicial District and located southwest of the Twin Cities, the county serves about 105,000 residents. The county publishes a free daily inmate roster and criminal case data is searchable through the state's MCRO system. This page covers how to find Carver County criminal history, what tools are available, and who to contact for specific records.

Carver County Sheriff and Criminal History Search

The Carver County Sheriff's Office is at 606 East 4th Street in Chaska. The main line is (952) 361-1212. For jail inquiries, call (952) 361-1145. The Sheriff's website is at carvercountymn.gov. Records Division hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Sheriff handles law enforcement for the entire county and maintains arrest records, incident reports, and criminal history data. For questions about a specific arrest or criminal matter in Carver County, start with the Sheriff's Office.

Minnesota's data practices law at Minn. Stat. § 13.82 makes arrest records public. The Sheriff can confirm who was arrested, when, where, and on what charges. If an active investigation is at stake, some details may be withheld temporarily. But the basic facts are public, and the Sheriff's Office can provide them on request. For certified criminal history reports that go beyond arrest data, contact the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at bca.dps.mn.gov or call (651) 793-2400. The BCA maintains the statewide criminal history database covering all Carver County cases.

Under Minn. Stat. § 13.87, criminal history data held by law enforcement is private in most circumstances. The BCA can release a person's own record to them directly. Third-party access requires a valid legal basis. For case-level lookups that are accessible to the public, use MCRO, described in the section below.

Note: Call (952) 361-1145 directly for booking confirmations and custody questions specific to the Carver County jail.

Carver County Daily Inmate Roster

Carver County publishes a daily inmate roster as a PDF listing all current inmates in the county jail. The roster is updated each day and is publicly available at no cost. You can access it at gis.co.carver.mn.us. The roster shows current jail occupants without requiring a login or account. It is a direct PDF from the county system, making it one of the more transparent inmate search tools in the Twin Cities metro region.

For questions about a specific booking or to confirm current custody status, call the jail at (952) 361-1145. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and provide basic booking information. For people who have moved from the county jail to a state DOC facility, use the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us. That system is free and covers all DOC-operated prisons statewide.

VINE Link at vinelink.com or by phone at 1-877-664-8463 also covers the Carver County jail. You can search by name and sign up for free alerts when someone's custody status changes. The service runs all day, every day.

Carver County District Court Criminal Case Records

The Carver County District Court is at 604 East 4th Street in Chaska, right next to the Sheriff's Office. The court number is (952) 361-1420. Records are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The court administrator keeps full case files for all criminal matters in the county. This includes charges, hearing dates, court orders, and final outcomes. You can visit in person to view files or request copies, or search online through MCRO at no cost.

Minnesota Court Records Online is the free statewide public search tool for court cases. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us to search Carver County criminal history records by name or case number. The system shows charges, docket entries, case status, and outcomes. Sealed records and juvenile cases do not appear in the public search. For the full case file, you need to visit the court in Chaska or make a formal records request to the administrator.

The screenshot below is from the Carver County court page on mncourts.gov, which provides contact info, hours, and access to court records.

See the Carver County court page for contact info, hours, and direct links to the MCRO case search system.

BCA Background Checks and Criminal History

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains the official statewide criminal history database. A BCA report combines court case data with law enforcement records from all Minnesota counties, including Carver. This gives a more complete picture than an MCRO search alone and is the right option when you need a full record that goes beyond one county's files.

The free public search at cch.state.mn.us shows conviction records going back 15 years. That 15-year window is set by Minn. Stat. § 13.87, which governs how criminal history data is classified and released to the public. For a full certified background check, the BCA charges $15 and covers arrests and non-conviction data as well. Request one at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca or call the BCA at (651) 793-2400.

The screenshot below is from Minnesota Court Records Online, where Carver County criminal cases can be searched at no cost.

Use MCRO to search Carver County criminal cases for free by name or case number.

Expungement of Criminal History in Carver County

People with a criminal record in Carver County may qualify to have it sealed under Minnesota's expungement law. The governing statute is Minn. Stat. § 609A.02. Expungement closes the record to public searches while keeping it accessible to law enforcement. The law sets out which offenses can be sealed, how long you must wait after completing your sentence, and what the court weighs when deciding. Petty misdemeanors and some misdemeanors can often be sealed after a shorter wait. Felonies require more time and some cannot be expunged.

To file for expungement in Carver County, you submit a petition to the District Court at 604 East 4th Street in Chaska. The court sends notice to all agencies that have a copy of your record. Those agencies can object, and a hearing is held. The judge then decides. If your case was dismissed or you were found not guilty, look into automatic sealing under Minn. Stat. § 609A.015. That law allows some favorable case outcomes to be sealed without going through the full petition process.

The Minnesota Courts self-help center at mncourts.gov has expungement guides and forms. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and other organizations serve the Carver County area and can help you understand your options at little or no cost before you file anything.

Cities in Carver County

Carver County includes Chaska and several growing communities southwest of Minneapolis. All criminal cases from cities and townships in the county go through the Carver County District Court in Chaska.

No cities in Carver County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All residents of the county access criminal history records and case data through the county-level tools and offices listed above.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Carver County. If a case was filed in a neighboring county, contact that county's court or sheriff for records.