Yellow Medicine County Felony Records
Yellow Medicine County felony records are held at the District Court and Sheriff's Office in Granite Falls. This western Minnesota county is part of the 8th Judicial District. If you need to search for a felony case here, you can use the free state court search tool or contact the local offices in Granite Falls. The court keeps all criminal case files and the Sheriff stores arrest and booking records for the county jail. Public access to these records is available under Minnesota's data practices laws.
Yellow Medicine County Overview
Yellow Medicine County Sheriff
The Yellow Medicine County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. The Sheriff handles felony arrests, operates the county jail, and keeps records of everyone who gets booked. You can reach the office at (320) 564-4511 for questions about arrests, warrants, or jail status.
Yellow Medicine County is a rural county with a small population. The volume of felony cases is lower than what you see in metro areas, but the same record-keeping rules apply. Under Minnesota Statute 641.08, the Sheriff must log every person held in the jail. The record includes their name, charge, date of booking, bail amount, and release date. These booking logs are a key source of felony arrest data in the county.
Arrest data for felony cases is generally public under Minnesota Statute 13.82 once charges are filed. This means you can ask the Sheriff for the name and charge tied to a felony arrest. The main exception is data from active investigations that have not yet resulted in charges.
| Office | Yellow Medicine County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Phone | (320) 564-4511 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Find Felony Cases in Yellow Medicine County
The 8th Judicial District Court in Granite Falls handles all felony cases from Yellow Medicine County. You can search case records at Minnesota Court Records Online. The tool is free and shows case type, charges, hearing dates, and case status. Search by name or case number to find what you are looking for.
Contact the court at (320) 564-3350 for copies or questions about a specific case. Walk-in visits work during business hours. Certified copies have a per-page fee. You can also inspect files at the courthouse for free. Most felony case records are open to the public.
Yellow Medicine County felony court records typically include the criminal complaint, arrest warrant, bail orders, plea documents, trial records if there was one, and the sentencing order from the judge. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, conviction data is classified as public. You do not need to explain why you want to see the records.
| Court | Yellow Medicine County District Court |
|---|---|
| Phone | (320) 564-3350 |
| District | 8th Judicial District |
| Online Search | Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) |
Yellow Medicine County Criminal History
The BCA Criminal History Search is the statewide database for criminal records. It covers Yellow Medicine County felony convictions along with records from every other county. The public search is free and shows the offense, court, conviction date, and sentence for records within the past 15 years.
A felony in Minnesota is defined by Minnesota Statute 609.02 as a crime that can bring one year or more in state prison. Common felony types in rural counties like Yellow Medicine include drug offenses, burglary, theft over a certain amount, and repeat DWI cases. All conviction data flows into the BCA central repository from courts and law enforcement across the state.
The DOC offender locator is another search tool. It shows people who are under Department of Corrections supervision, including those who served prison time or are on supervised release. If a Yellow Medicine County felon went to state prison, they would appear in that system.
Expungement in Yellow Medicine County
Some felony records from Yellow Medicine County can be sealed through expungement. Minnesota's law is in Minnesota Statute 609A. You need to wait a certain number of years after finishing your sentence. Violent felonies and sex offenses do not qualify. Other felonies may be eligible if you have stayed out of trouble since your case was resolved.
The Clean Slate Act in Section 609A.015 allows automatic expungement for some cases. The BCA reviews records and identifies those that qualify. The seal happens without the person needing to file anything. For cases that need a petition, you file with the Yellow Medicine County District Court. The site helpsealmyrecord.org has tools to check your eligibility. You can also get free legal help through LawHelpMN.
Felony records in Minnesota are retained for 50 years under Minnesota Statute 138.17. Murder cases are kept permanently. But expungement can seal records from public view well before the retention period runs out.
Note: Sealed records may still be accessible to some law enforcement and licensing agencies under limited conditions set by state law.
Public Access Rights
Under Minnesota Statute 13.03, you have the right to inspect public government data for free. That includes felony records held by Yellow Medicine County agencies. If you want copies, the office can charge a reasonable fee. They should respond right away for inspections and within 10 business days for copy requests. You do not need to give a reason to access public felony conviction records.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Yellow Medicine County. Make sure you search the right county based on where the arrest or crime took place.