Olmsted County Criminal Court Records

Olmsted County criminal court records are held at the District Court in Rochester, the county seat and the largest city in southeastern Minnesota. As the headquarters of the 3rd Judicial District, Rochester handles a substantial caseload of felonies, gross misdemeanors, and misdemeanors. The county also offers several unique public access tools, including an online inmate custody database and daily sheriff activity logs, making Olmsted one of the more transparent counties in the state for public criminal record access.

Olmsted County District Court

The Olmsted County District Court is at 151 4th St SE, Rochester, MN 55904. The Court Administrator is Hans Holland, and the direct line is (507) 722-7264. The main court phone is (507) 328-7600. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The court handles all criminal case filings, hearings, and sentencing proceedings for Olmsted County.

Rochester is the largest city in southeastern Minnesota and sees a significantly higher volume of criminal court activity than the other counties in the 3rd Judicial District. Felony charges, DWI cases, domestic assault matters, drug offenses, and complex criminal trials all move through this courthouse. The court also manages related civil proceedings including orders for protection and harassment restraining orders that arise out of criminal cases.

MCRO Online Case Search

The Minnesota Court Records Online system is the primary free tool for searching Olmsted County criminal cases. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us and search by name, case number, or citation. No account needed. No fee.

Results include parties, charges, case status, and scheduled hearing dates. For cases filed on or after July 1, 2015, documents are often available to view and download directly from MCRO at no cost. The court calendar posts at 7:00 AM every morning and updates hourly. Given Rochester's court volume, the calendar is active and often reflects multiple courtrooms running simultaneously.

Public access terminals at the Rochester courthouse let you run the same searches in person. Court staff at the window can assist with complex lookups or copy requests. Some records will not appear in public searches, including expunged cases, juvenile matters, and sealed files.

Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and Custody Database

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is at 101 4th St SE, Rochester, MN 55904, and can be reached at (507) 328-6800. They provide law enforcement services across the county. The sheriff's website at olmstedcounty.gov/government/county-departments/sheriffs-office is a strong resource for public criminal information.

One standout tool is the Who Is in Custody database at olmstedcounty.gov/residents/safety-security/sheriffs-office-adult-detention-center/who-custody. This database shows current inmates in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center, including booking dates, charges, and bond information. It is free to search and updates regularly. If you want to know whether a specific person is currently in custody in Olmsted County, this is the direct resource to check.

The Sheriff's Office also publishes Daily Activity Logs at olmstedcounty.gov/sheriffs-office-activity-logs. These logs are free, public, and cover daily sheriff activities, calls for service, and arrest information. They are a useful supplement to court records when you want to understand recent law enforcement activity in the county.

Copy Requests for Court Records

Uncertified copies of Olmsted County criminal court records have been free since July 1, 2023. You can download many documents directly from MCRO for cases filed after July 2015. For older records or physical copies, contact the court directly in Rochester or use the mail request process.

Certified copies cost $14 per document. These are needed when you must provide an officially stamped copy for legal proceedings, appeals, or formal applications. Request them in person at 151 4th St SE, by mail, or through mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request.

Mail requests need to include the defendant's name, case number, the year the case was filed, and a clear description of what you need. Include payment for certified copies. The court fee schedule is at mncourts.gov/help-topics/court-fees/district-court-fees.

BCA Criminal History Records

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension offers statewide criminal history searches for $8 per person. The BCA database covers felony and gross misdemeanor convictions from all Minnesota counties going back 15 years. Find the request form at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca.

MCRO gives you Olmsted County case-level details. The BCA gives a broader statewide conviction summary. For the most complete look at a person's criminal record in Minnesota, use both. BCA searches are useful when you know criminal activity may have occurred in multiple counties, not just Olmsted.

Expungement in Olmsted County

Two paths exist for expunging criminal records in Minnesota. Automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015 applies to qualifying low-level offenses without requiring any court filing. After the waiting period passes, eligible records are sealed automatically. Petition-based expungement under Chapter 609A requires filing a petition with the Olmsted County District Court in Rochester, notifying relevant agencies, and attending a hearing.

A granted expungement seals the record from public access. It disappears from MCRO and most government databases. Olmsted County has a higher volume of court cases, and the court sees a corresponding number of expungement petitions each year. The process is the same as in other Minnesota counties, but the Rochester courthouse staff handle a larger workload.

Learn more at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement. Local legal aid organizations in Rochester may be able to assist with the petition process.

Access Rights Under Minnesota Law

Under Minn. Stat. Chapter 13, the Government Data Practices Act, most criminal court records in Minnesota are classified as public data. Anyone can request access to Olmsted County criminal case files without providing a reason. The court must respond and either supply the records or explain any restriction. The same rules apply to the sheriff's custody database and activity logs.

Restricted records include juvenile cases, expunged matters, victim contact information protected by statute, and active investigation data. Beyond those categories, criminal records in Olmsted County are open. MCRO is the easiest way to access them, but in-person requests at the courthouse window also work for anyone who prefers to look at physical records.

3rd Judicial District Headquarters

Olmsted County is not just part of the 3rd Judicial District. Rochester is the district's headquarters. District-level administration, including chief judge offices and district court administration, operates from the Rochester courthouse. More information about the 3rd District, its judges, and all nine county courts is at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/District/3.aspx.

The Olmsted County court page on mncourts.gov provides current contact information, direct staff links, and access to court tools for Olmsted County.

The court directory page is the central hub for Olmsted County court contacts, hours, and links to case search tools.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office website offers access to the custody database, daily activity logs, and other law enforcement resources for the county.

The sheriff's office site links directly to inmate lookup tools and public arrest and activity logs for Olmsted County.

Cities in Olmsted County

Rochester is the only city in Olmsted County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated city page.

Nearby Counties

Counties neighboring Olmsted are also in the 3rd Judicial District or nearby. All maintain public court records through the same state systems.