Grant County Criminal History Records

Grant County criminal history records come from two main sources: the Grant County Sheriff's Office in Elbow Lake and the District Court that serves the county. Both maintain public records tied to arrests, criminal charges, and court case outcomes. This page explains how to search those records, how to request background checks through the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and what steps to follow if you want to expunge a Grant County criminal record. Free online tools cover many searches, and in-person options are available at the Elbow Lake courthouse.

Grant County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Grant County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It handles arrest records, incident reports, and criminal history data for all areas of Grant County. The office is at 10 2nd Street NE in Elbow Lake. You can reach them at (218) 685-8280 or by fax at (218) 685-5319. The Sheriff's Office is the right starting point if you need arrest records or details about criminal activity in the county.

Minnesota Statute 13.82 governs what law enforcement must make public. Under that law, agencies must release the name of anyone arrested, the date of arrest, the charges filed, and the name of the arresting agency. The Sheriff's Office will provide this information upon request. Records tied to active investigations or juvenile cases may be withheld. If you are not sure whether a particular record is available, call the office directly before making the trip to Elbow Lake.

Grant County is a small rural county in west-central Minnesota. Because the population is modest, many records can be located by contacting the Sheriff's Office or by searching MCRO. Older records not yet digitized may require an in-person visit to the Elbow Lake courthouse to review.

The Minnesota Courts website shows court locations, contact details, and filing information for cases handled in Grant County.

Visit mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Grant.aspx for court contact details and information about accessing Grant County criminal case records.

The Minnesota Courts site is the official source for court contact information and forms that apply to Grant County criminal cases.

Grant County Court Records and MCRO

The Grant County District Court handles all criminal cases filed in the county. It is part of Minnesota's 7th Judicial District. The courthouse is in Elbow Lake and can be reached at (218) 685-4520. The clerk's office manages case files and can help you locate a case by name or case number. If you need certified copies of court documents, submit that request to the clerk either in person or by mail.

Most Grant County criminal case records are available free online through the Minnesota Court Records Online system. MCRO lets you search by name or case number and returns charges, hearing dates, case status, and disposition. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, criminal history data held by courts is generally public for up to 15 years. Sealed or expunged records will not appear in search results. For cases not found online, or when you need official copies, contact the District Court clerk in Elbow Lake directly.

The Minnesota Court Records Online portal below is the free starting point for any Grant County criminal case search.

Go to Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) to search Grant County court cases by name or case number at no cost.

MCRO covers all Minnesota counties including Grant and is updated as new case information is entered by court staff.

Background Checks and BCA Criminal History

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs the statewide criminal history database. It draws data from courts, law enforcement agencies, and correctional facilities across all Minnesota counties, including Grant. A BCA report gives a more complete picture than searching the court system or the Sheriff's Office alone. The free public search tool is at cch.state.mn.us. That free tool shows only the limited public portion of the record. A full background check costs $15. Details are at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/background-checks.aspx.

The $15 BCA background check is commonly needed for employment in licensed occupations, volunteer positions working with children, and other regulated roles. It returns a certified report that courts, employers, and licensing agencies will recognize. Individuals can also order their own background check from the BCA to see what the record shows before applying for a job or housing. The BCA is the definitive source for statewide criminal history in Minnesota and covers Grant County alongside every other county.

If a person you are searching for may be in a state prison rather than a county jail, the Minnesota Department of Corrections has a free public offender locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/. This covers DOC facilities only and does not include Grant County jail data.

Expungement in Grant County

Expungement is the process for sealing a criminal record in Minnesota. The main statute is Minnesota Statute 609A.02, which defines who can petition and which cases qualify. A person with a Grant County criminal record files the petition at the Grant County District Court in Elbow Lake. The process requires submitting a formal petition, notifying the BCA and all agencies that hold the record, and attending a court hearing where a judge decides whether to grant the request.

Minnesota also has an automatic expungement law. Under Minnesota Statute 609A.015, certain cases are sealed without the person having to file anything. This applies to cases that ended with a stay of adjudication, a diversion program, or a dismissal. If your case qualifies under 609A.015, the court handles the sealing automatically. Not all cases qualify. Some serious offenses are excluded from both the automatic process and the standard petition process.

Sealing a record removes it from MCRO and most public background check systems. Law enforcement agencies may still access sealed records in specific situations. Expungement petition forms are at the Elbow Lake courthouse or on the Minnesota Courts website. If you are unsure whether your case qualifies, a legal aid attorney or a private attorney with Minnesota expungement experience can help you review the record and decide whether to petition.

Victim Notification: VINE Link

VINE Link is a free statewide service for tracking the custody status of someone in a Minnesota jail or prison. It covers Grant County and sends automatic alerts when an inmate is released, transferred, or has a status change. Register at vinelink.com or call 1-877-664-8463. Notifications can be sent by phone, email, or text. Registration is free and does not require you to explain why you are requesting alerts.

The VINE system shown below links to the Grant County jail and all other Minnesota detention facilities.

Visit VINE Link to register for free custody alerts for anyone held in a Minnesota facility including Grant County.

VINE runs around the clock and is a reliable supplement to calling the Sheriff's Office directly to check on custody status.

Cities in Grant County

Grant County is a rural county in west-central Minnesota. No cities in the county exceed the population threshold for individual city pages. Elbow Lake is the county seat and the location of both the courthouse and the Sheriff's Office. All criminal cases filed in Grant County are handled by the District Court in Elbow Lake.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Grant County. Each has its own District Court and Sheriff's Office handling criminal records in their area.