Find Criminal Records in Jackson County

Jackson County criminal history records are held by the Sheriff's Office and the District Court, both located at the Jackson County Courthouse on Sherman Street in Jackson, Minnesota. The Sheriff's Office handles arrests, jail bookings, and local law enforcement records. The District Court manages criminal case filings and provides access to case records. This page explains how to search those records, how to request a background check through the BCA, and what the expungement process looks like for anyone with a Jackson County criminal case on record.

Jackson County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. The office is at 400 Sherman Street in Jackson, Minnesota. You can reach them at (507) 847-4420. The fax number is (507) 847-4308. The Sheriff's Office handles all arrests, incident reports, and law enforcement criminal history for Jackson County. The county website for the Sheriff is at co.jackson.mn.us/sheriff.

Jail information for Jackson County is available through the county website. Visit the Jackson County jail page for details about the facility, visiting hours, and how to find out if someone is currently in custody. For the most current inmate information, calling the Sheriff's Office directly at (507) 847-4420 is the most reliable method.

Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, law enforcement agencies must disclose the name of any arrested person, the date of arrest, the charges, and the arresting agency. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office can provide this information upon request. Records that involve ongoing investigations or juvenile defendants may be withheld.

The Jackson County Sheriff page on the county website is shown below, which is the official source for local law enforcement contact details and criminal history resources.

Visit co.jackson.mn.us/sheriff for the Jackson County Sheriff's Office page with contact info and links to county law enforcement services.

The county website is the official source for Sheriff contact information and details about jail operations in Jackson County.

Jackson County Court Records and MCRO

The Jackson County District Court is part of the 5th Judicial District and is located at the Jackson County Courthouse, 400 Sherman Street in Jackson. The court handles all criminal cases filed in the county. The clerk's office can assist with finding a case by name or number and can accept requests for certified copies of court documents. For court contact details and filing information, visit the Minnesota Courts website.

Court case records for Jackson County are searchable free online through the Minnesota Court Records Online system. MCRO lets you look up cases by name or case number and shows charges, hearing dates, case status, and outcome. 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 show up in MCRO. For cases not found online, or when you need official copies, contact the District Court clerk in Jackson directly.

The Minnesota Courts website shows all contact and filing details for the Jackson County District Court.

Go to mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Jackson.aspx for court contact details, hours, and filing information for the Jackson County District Court.

The Minnesota Courts site lists court hours, forms, and how to reach the Jackson County clerk's office for criminal case records.

MCRO is the free online search tool for all Jackson County criminal case records.

Use Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) to search Jackson County court records by name or case number at no cost.

MCRO is the official free search system for criminal and civil court case records in Jackson County and all other Minnesota counties.

Background Checks and BCA Criminal History

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension manages the statewide criminal history database. BCA data includes records from courts, law enforcement agencies, and correctional facilities across all Minnesota counties, including Jackson. The free public search is at cch.state.mn.us. This tool shows only the public portion of a record. A complete certified background check costs $15 and is ordered at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/background-checks.aspx.

The $15 BCA background check is commonly required for licensed occupations, volunteer work with children, and other regulated positions. It produces a certified report that courts, employers, and agencies accept. People can also order their own BCA criminal history to see what appears before they apply for work or housing. The BCA covers Jackson County as part of its statewide database, giving a broader result than searching the local court or Sheriff alone.

For people who may be in a state DOC facility rather than the Jackson County jail, the Minnesota Department of Corrections operates a free offender locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/. This covers state prison facilities only.

Expungement in Jackson County

Expungement seals a criminal record from public view in Minnesota. The main statute governing the process is Minnesota Statute 609A.02, which sets out who can petition and what case types qualify. A person with a Jackson County criminal record files the petition at the Jackson County District Court. The process requires a formal petition, notification to the BCA and all agencies that hold the record, and a court hearing where a judge rules on the request.

Minnesota also has an automatic expungement law. Under Minnesota Statute 609A.015, some case outcomes trigger automatic sealing without any filing by the defendant. This applies to cases that ended with a stay of adjudication, a completed diversion program, or a dismissal. If your case qualifies, the court handles the sealing automatically. Serious offenses are excluded. Petition forms and instructions are at the Jackson courthouse or on the Minnesota Courts website.

After expungement, the record is removed from MCRO and most public background check systems. Law enforcement agencies may still access it under specific conditions set by law. If you are not sure whether your Jackson County case qualifies, a legal aid attorney or private attorney with experience in Minnesota expungement law can review the record and advise you on next steps.

Victim Notification: VINE Link

VINE Link is a free statewide service for tracking the custody status of individuals held in Minnesota jails and prisons, including the Jackson County jail. It sends automatic alerts by phone, email, or text when an inmate is released, transferred, or changes status. You can register at vinelink.com or call 1-877-664-8463. No explanation is required to sign up.

The VINE system connects to Jackson County and all other Minnesota detention facilities, as shown below.

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

VINE is available around the clock and is a reliable way to stay informed about custody status changes in Jackson County.

Cities in Jackson County

Jackson County is a rural county in southwestern Minnesota. No cities in the county exceed the population threshold for individual city pages. Jackson serves as the county seat and is the location of both the Sheriff's Office and the District Court. All criminal cases filed in Jackson County are handled by the District Court at the Jackson County Courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Jackson County. Each handles criminal records through its own Sheriff's Office and District Court.