Duluth Felony Records
Duluth felony records are processed through the St. Louis County District Court in the 6th Judicial District. As the fourth largest city in Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Duluth has a busy court system. Felony cases that start with a Duluth police arrest go to the St. Louis County Attorney for prosecution. You can search court records online, check the county jail roster, or pull up state criminal history data through the BCA. The Duluth Police Department also handles records requests for arrest reports and incident data from local cases. This page breaks down every option for finding Duluth felony records.
Duluth Overview
St. Louis County Court and Duluth Felonies
Duluth is the county seat of St. Louis County. All felony cases from the city go to the St. Louis County District Court. The county attorney files charges and handles prosecution. The St. Louis County court has locations in both Duluth and Virginia, but the Duluth courthouse handles most of the felony cases from the city.
You can search Duluth felony cases through Minnesota Court Records Online. Search by name or case number. MCRO shows charges, docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. Criminal cases only show up after a conviction has been entered. For pre-conviction data, go to the courthouse and use the public access terminals. Those give you the full electronic file.
| Court | St. Louis County District Court |
|---|---|
| Location | Duluth, MN |
| County Attorney | (218) 726-2370 |
| Judicial District | 6th Judicial District |
The St. Louis County Sheriff also keeps a jail roster that updates every hour. It shows current inmates, charges, and booking data. People may not show up right away if they are still in the intake process. Inmates can also be transferred to other facilities when the jail is full.
Duluth Police Felony Records
The Duluth Police Department is at 2030 Arlington Avenue. The records division handles requests for arrest reports, incident logs, and other police data. Call (218) 730-5870 for records. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest data is public. Active investigations stay private until closed.
The Duluth Police Department website links to divisions, records, and contact info.
Duluth police handle city-level offenses. Felonies get referred to the county attorney for prosecution, so the arrest report stays with DPD but the court file lives at the county. If you need both the police report and the court record, you request them separately.
Under Minnesota Statute 609.02, a felony in Minnesota is any crime with a possible sentence over one year. When DPD books someone on a felony charge, they write the arrest report, create a booking sheet, and compile any supplemental investigation notes. The county attorney then reviews the case and decides on charges. Once the case is filed in St. Louis County District Court, it gets a court file number and all docket entries, motions, pleas, and sentencing data go into that county file. Both the police data and the court file are public after the case closes.
Minnesota law protects your right to see public data. Under Minnesota Statute 13.03, any person can ask a government agency for data classified as public. The Duluth Police Department and St. Louis County must both respond in a reasonable time. If either office denies your request, they must cite the specific statute that makes the data private. You can take a denial to the state Commissioner of Administration for review.
The Duluth city website has links to the police department and other city services.
How to Search Duluth Felony Records
The BCA Criminal History Search is free. It shows public conviction data for the past 15 years. It lists the offense, conviction date, court, and sentence. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, older data becomes private. This tool covers all of Minnesota, including Duluth cases.
The DOC Offender Locator covers people who served time under state corrections since 1979. It shows current status, facility, and release dates. The St. Louis County jail roster shows who is currently in custody at the county jail in Duluth. It updates hourly.
The BCA covers statewide conviction data. MCRO shows case-level court details for St. Louis County and all other counties. Under Minnesota Statute 138.17, felony case files are kept for 50 years after closure. Murder files are permanent. Old Duluth felony cases may still be on file at the courthouse or with the BCA. The BCA has maintained records since 1986. Contact the St. Louis County court to ask about older case data.
Under Minnesota Statute 641.08, the St. Louis County Sheriff keeps records on every person booked into the county jail. Those jail records are public under the Data Practices Act. The Minnesota VINE system lets victims track offender custody status in St. Louis County or statewide. You get alerts when someone is released or moved.
Note: The BCA search and MCRO pull from different databases. Check both for a more complete picture.
Duluth Felony Expungement
The Clean Slate Act, effective January 1, 2025, makes some felonies eligible for automatic expungement. Under Minnesota Statute 609A.015, the BCA reviews records and seals those that qualify five years after sentence discharge. Violent crimes and sex offenses do not qualify.
You can also petition the St. Louis County District Court for expungement if your case does not qualify for the automatic process. The Help Seal My Record website has free eligibility tools. Forms are at mncourts.gov. Legal aid is available through LawHelpMN for people who qualify. Under Minnesota Statute 138.17, felony records are kept 50 years, so old Duluth cases may still be on file.
St. Louis County Felony Records
Duluth is the county seat of St. Louis County. All felony cases from the city go through the 6th Judicial District court. The county page covers the sheriff's office, jail roster, and court record access for the whole county.