Find Felony Records in Pine County

Pine County felony records can be searched through the state court system or at the courthouse in Pine City. The county is part of the 9th Judicial District, and the District Court handles all criminal filings. Whether you need to look up a specific case or check someone's criminal history, there are several ways to get the information you need. The Sheriff's Office also keeps arrest and booking data that ties into the court records. Online search tools from the state make it possible to pull up basic case details from anywhere, though some records require an in-person visit to view in full.

Pine County Sheriff and Criminal Records

The Pine County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. They handle felony arrests, serve warrants, and manage the county jail. You can call the sheriff at (320) 591-1660 for questions about current inmates or active warrants.

When someone is booked into the Pine County jail on a felony charge, the sheriff creates a record that includes the person's name, date of birth, charge, and booking date. Minnesota law under Statute 641.08 requires sheriffs to keep these logs. The data becomes part of the public record once charges are filed through the court system. If you need to check on someone in custody, the sheriff's office staff can help you during regular business hours.

The sheriff also works with state agencies on criminal cases. Felony arrests in Pine County get reported to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which adds them to the statewide criminal history database. This means a Pine County felony will show up in both the local court records and the BCA system.

Pine County Felony Court Records

All felony cases in Pine County go through the 9th Judicial District Court. The court is in Pine City. You can reach the court clerk at (320) 591-1450 to ask about filings, get copies, or check the status of a case. Court staff can search by name or case number.

For online searches, use Minnesota Court Records Online. This tool is free and covers all district courts in the state, including Pine County. You can search for criminal cases by the defendant's name. The results show charges, docket entries, hearing dates, and case outcomes. Not all details show up online though. Pre-conviction records and sealed cases are not part of the public search results. You need to visit the courthouse to see the full file in those situations.

Note: Court records from before July 2015 may have limited availability in the online system.

Criminal History Data in Pine County

The BCA Criminal History System is the state's central database for felony records. Pine County felony convictions are in this system along with records from every other county in Minnesota. A free public search is available at chs.state.mn.us. It shows conviction data for the past 15 years from the date the sentence was completed.

Under Statute 13.87, criminal history data is classified as either public or private depending on the type of record and how much time has passed. Public data includes the offense, conviction date, court, and sentence. Private data covers arrest records without conviction, juvenile records, and convictions older than 15 years past sentence completion. If you need private data, the person being searched must sign a notarized consent form. The BCA charges $15 for third-party criminal history checks and mails results in about two weeks.

Pine County Felony Search Tools

The BCA's online search tool covers Pine County and all other Minnesota counties for criminal history lookups.

You can run a quick check on this page for free. It pulls from the statewide database that holds felony conviction data.

Expungement of Pine County Felony Records

Minnesota now has an automatic expungement process under the Clean Slate Act. This law, found at Statute 609A.015, went into effect January 1, 2025. The BCA identifies eligible records and sends them to the courts for review. If no objection is raised in 60 days, the record gets sealed.

Felony convictions have a five-year waiting period after the sentence ends. Violent crimes and sex offenses do not qualify. If your felony is not eligible for automatic sealing, you can still file a petition with the Pine County court. The petition process is under Statute 609A.02. Legal help with expungement is available through helpsealmyrecord.org and LawHelpMN.

Pine County Corrections and Felony Data

Anyone sentenced to state prison from Pine County will have records in the Department of Corrections system. The DOC offender locator lets you search for current and past inmates. The database goes back to 1979 and includes people under DOC supervision for felony convictions.

The DOC search shows the person's name, offense, sentence, facility, and projected release date. For more detailed records, contact the DOC at (651) 361-7330. Victims of crimes in Pine County can sign up for alerts through Minnesota VINE to get updates when an offender's custody status changes. Under Statute 138.17, felony court records are kept for 50 years after the case closes, and murder case files are kept forever.

Pine County Felony Data Practices

Minnesota's Data Practices Act controls how Pine County shares felony records with the public. Under Statute 13.03, you can inspect government data for free at the courthouse during office hours. Copies cost up to $0.25 per page. Viewing requests should be handled right away. Written requests for copies can take up to 10 business days to process.

The court in Pine City keeps felony case files that include the criminal complaint, motions, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and final judgments. Each document is public unless a judge sealed it. These files stay on record for 50 years after the case closes under state retention rules. Murder files are kept forever. Older Pine County felony cases may still be on file at the courthouse even if they are not in the online system.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Pine County. Felony cases are filed in the county where the crime took place, so check the location details on your case.