Find Swift County Felony Records

Swift County felony records are kept at the District Court in Benson. The county is part of the 8th Judicial District and is located in west-central Minnesota. You can search for criminal case files through the state's online court system or by contacting the courthouse. The Sheriff's Office handles arrests and maintains jail booking data, while the court clerk manages all case filings and legal documents. Both state and local tools are available to help you find felony records in Swift County, from free online searches to in-person visits at the courthouse for official copies.

Swift County Sheriff and Criminal Records

The Swift County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement across the county. You can reach the office at (320) 843-3133 in Benson. They process felony arrests, serve warrants, and manage the county jail.

Every felony arrest in Swift County generates a booking record with the person's name, charge, date of birth, and arrest date. The sheriff keeps these logs under Minnesota Statute 641.08. Arrest data gets sent to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for the statewide criminal history system. Once the county attorney files charges, the case moves to the court. Swift County is a smaller rural county with a low volume of felony cases, but the same state laws and data practices rules apply here as they do in the metro area. The sheriff's staff can help with custody checks and warrant questions during business hours.

Swift County sees a mix of felony cases including drug offenses, property crimes, and assault charges. The county attorney reviews arrest reports from the sheriff and any local police and decides which cases get filed as felonies. Once charges are filed, the case enters the court system and all documents are maintained by the clerk in Benson.

Search Swift County Felony Court Cases

The 8th Judicial District Court in Benson handles all felony filings for Swift County. Call (320) 843-2744 for court questions.

To search online, use Minnesota Court Records Online. It is free and covers all district courts in the state. Search by name or case number to find Swift County felony cases. Results include charges, docket entries, hearing dates, and case outcomes. Convicted cases show the most detail while pending cases are more limited. For the full file, visit the Benson courthouse during business hours. Under Statute 13.82, felony records are public data. Anyone can ask for them.

The BCA statewide search at chs.state.mn.us is another free tool that covers Swift County felony conviction data. It shows public conviction records within 15 years of sentence completion.

Note: Pre-conviction records and sealed cases do not show up in the public online search tools.

Swift County Criminal History and Corrections

Under Statute 13.87, criminal history data is classified as public or private based on the type of record and how much time has passed. Public conviction data from the BCA covers the past 15 years from sentence completion. Older records become private. Third-party checks cost $15 and require a notarized consent form. The BCA mails results in about two weeks.

For records of people sent to state prison from Swift County, use the DOC offender locator. It covers inmates from 1979 forward. Under Statute 609.02, a felony is any crime punishable by a year or more in prison. Under Statute 138.17, felony court records are kept for 50 years. Murder case files are permanent. Victims can track offender custody through Minnesota VINE.

Swift County Felony Search Resources

The BCA Criminal History Search is the main state tool for looking up felony records in Swift County.

This free search tool lets you check public conviction data. Enter a name and date of birth to get started.

Swift County Felony Expungement

Under Statute 609A.015, Minnesota's Clean Slate Act lets certain felony convictions be automatically sealed after five years from sentence completion. The BCA handles the review. If the court does not object in 60 days, the record gets sealed. Violent crimes and sex offenses do not qualify for automatic sealing.

If your Swift County felony is not eligible for automatic expungement, you can petition the court under Statute 609A.02. Free help with the process is available at helpsealmyrecord.org and LawHelpMN.

Swift County Felony Data Practices

Minnesota's Data Practices Act controls how Swift County shares felony records with the public. Under Statute 13.03, you can inspect government data for free at the courthouse in Benson during regular office hours. If you want copies, the county charges up to $0.25 per page. Requests to view records should be handled right away. Written requests for copies can take up to 10 business days to process.

The court in Benson keeps felony case files that include the criminal complaint, motions filed by both sides, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and final judgments. Each of these documents is part of the public record unless a judge has ordered a specific item sealed. These files stay on record for 50 years after the case closes under state retention rules. Murder files are stored permanently and never destroyed. Older Swift County felony cases may still be on file at the courthouse even if they do not appear in the online search tools.

If you have trouble getting records from Swift County, the Minnesota Department of Administration handles data practices complaints. You can also contact the court administrator in Benson for help with specific requests. All courts in the state follow the same data rules, so public felony records should be available to anyone who asks for them regardless of their reason.

Nearby Counties

Swift County borders these counties in west-central Minnesota.