Search Burnsville Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records for Burnsville, Minnesota are maintained by Dakota County District Court, part of the 1st Judicial District. Burnsville itself does not keep court records. Whether you need case details, charge information, or a certified copy of a document from a Burnsville criminal case, Dakota County District Court is where those records are filed and stored.

Dakota County District Court

Dakota County District Court handles all criminal matters from Burnsville. The courthouse sits at 1560 Highway 55, Hastings, MN 55033. Reach the clerk's office at (651) 438-8100. This court is part of Minnesota's 1st Judicial District and serves all cities in Dakota County, including Burnsville.

Every criminal case filed in Burnsville goes to this courthouse. That covers misdemeanor cases brought by the Burnsville City Attorney and felony cases prosecuted by the Dakota County Attorney. The court clerk keeps the official record for every one of those cases.

If you need a case number, want to look at a court file, or need a certified copy of a document, the clerk's office is your starting point. Hours are Monday through Friday. Call before you visit, as hours can shift around holidays. More court details are at mncourts.gov/find-courts/dakota.

Free MCRO Case Search for Burnsville

The Minnesota Court Records Online portal is the state's free public search for criminal court records. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. No login needed. No cost to search.

Search by name or case number to find Burnsville cases. Results from Burnsville show up under Dakota County. You can see charges, filing dates, case status, and court dates. Some sealed or restricted records will not appear in results.

Since July 1, 2023, uncertified copies of most court records are free to download directly from MCRO. Many people can get exactly what they need without contacting the clerk at all. If you need a certified copy for a legal filing or background check purpose, that costs $14 and requires a formal request to the Dakota County clerk.

MCRO covers all case types statewide. When searching specifically for Burnsville criminal records, filter by Dakota County to narrow your results quickly and skip records from other parts of Minnesota.

Burnsville Police Department Records

The Burnsville Police Department is at 100 Civic Center Pkwy, Burnsville, MN 55337. Phone: (952) 895-4600. The department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and police case files for events within Burnsville city limits. These are separate from court records.

Here is a useful distinction: an arrest record is a police document. A court record is a court document. Both can exist for the same incident, but you request them from different offices. For a police report or arrest log, contact the Burnsville Police records unit. For a court filing or case disposition, contact Dakota County District Court.

To request records from the Burnsville Police Department, visit burnsvillemn.gov/departments/police/records for forms and submission instructions. Fees and turnaround times depend on the record type and volume of the request. Some records have restricted access under state law.

For incidents outside Burnsville city limits handled by the county, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office holds those records separately.

Burnsville City Attorney

The Burnsville City Attorney prosecutes misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor cases that originate in Burnsville. When a Burnsville officer charges someone with a lower-level criminal offense, the city attorney takes that case through Dakota County District Court on behalf of the city.

Gross misdemeanors and felonies go to the Dakota County Attorney's office. The county attorney handles the more serious charges. Both offices create criminal court records at Dakota County District Court. The difference is which office appears as the prosecuting attorney on the case file.

Data practices requests for city-held records go through the city attorney's office. Information is available at burnsvillemn.gov/departments/city-attorney. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, found in Minn. Stat. Chapter 13, governs what public records the city must make available and what it may lawfully withhold.

The Minnesota Court Records Online system is the free public search for all Burnsville criminal case records.

MCRO is updated regularly and includes Dakota County criminal case records from Burnsville going back many years.

BCA Statewide Criminal History

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs a statewide conviction database. A BCA criminal history search costs $8 per person and covers roughly 15 years of conviction data. Access it at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/criminal-history-search.aspx.

The BCA pulls conviction records from court filings across all Minnesota counties. If someone has a conviction from Burnsville and a separate conviction from another county, a BCA search will show both. The database does not show dismissed cases, charges that were not convicted, or records that have been sealed through expungement.

For employment or housing background checks, BCA data gives a clean statewide picture of convictions. For a deeper look at a specific Burnsville case, including all filings, hearings, and court dates, MCRO gives more detail. The two tools work well in combination when you need both breadth and specifics.

Expungement of Burnsville Criminal Records

People with criminal records from Burnsville cases may be able to have those records sealed. Minnesota expungement law lives in Chapter 609A of the Minnesota Statutes. Two paths exist.

The first is automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015, the Clean Slate law. Certain offenses are sealed automatically after a waiting period with no action from the person whose record it is. The courts run this process on their own based on the type of offense and the time elapsed.

The second path is a court petition. You file a motion at Dakota County District Court asking a judge to seal the record. The judge weighs factors like how much time has passed, your conduct since the offense, and the nature of the crime. Not every record qualifies. Serious felonies and violent offenses are generally not eligible.

Eligibility details and forms are at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement. Dakota County legal aid can help you file a petition if cost is a concern.

How to Get Copies of Court Records

To get a copy of a Burnsville criminal court record, decide first whether you need a certified or uncertified copy. Uncertified copies of most records are free to download from MCRO since July 1, 2023. That covers most everyday needs, like reviewing charges or checking the outcome of a case.

Certified copies cost $14 per document. You get them from the Dakota County District Court clerk at 1560 Highway 55, Hastings, MN 55033. Requests can be submitted in person or by mail. Include the case number, the full name on the case, and a description of the specific documents you need. Call (651) 438-8100 with questions.

The Minnesota Courts copy request page has instructions and a mail-in form at mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request. Fee information is at mncourts.gov/help-topics/court-fees/district-court-fees. Most simple requests are handled within a few business days.

Dakota County District Court

All criminal court records for Burnsville are filed and maintained at Dakota County District Court. Visit the county page for full court details.

Nearby Cities

Other Dakota County cities near Burnsville also file criminal court records through Dakota County District Court and the 1st Judicial District.