Traverse County Criminal Court Records

Traverse County criminal court records are maintained by the 8th Judicial District Court Administration office in Wheaton. The office handles all felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor cases filed in the county. Minnesota Court Records Online lets you search case records at no cost any time of day, and the courthouse at 702 Second Avenue N accepts in-person and mail requests Monday through Friday during regular office hours.

Traverse County District Court

The Traverse County District Court is located in Wheaton and operates under the 8th Judicial District. Court Administrator Rachel Schmidt oversees operations, including case management, hearing schedules, and public record access. The office handles requests Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Traverse County also offers a hearing eReminder service, letting you sign up for automated alerts about specific case hearing dates without checking MCRO manually.

The Traverse County court page on mncourts.gov provides current contact details, links to the court calendar, and information about eReminder sign-ups. The weekly hearing calendar posts at 7:00 AM and is updated hourly. Check that page before visiting Wheaton to confirm hours and service availability. The Traverse County government website has contacts for all county departments.

Searching Criminal Records Online

The best free tool for searching Traverse County criminal records is Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO). It requires no account and is available 24 hours a day. MCRO covers all 87 Minnesota counties from one search interface. Enter a party name, case number, or attorney name to get results. Each result shows the case type, charges filed, scheduled hearing dates, and final disposition. Documents filed from July 1, 2015 onward are free to view and download.

A second entry point is mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro, which has user guides and help resources. The court calendar for Traverse County posts weekly at 7:00 AM and is refreshed every hour. That means you can confirm whether a specific case is scheduled for a hearing without calling the court. Public access terminals in the Wheaton courthouse are available at no charge during business hours.

Getting Copies of Court Records

Traverse County criminal court records are public unless sealed or restricted by court order. Since July 1, 2023, uncertified copies are free. Certified copies cost $14 per document. Submit requests through the Minnesota Courts copy request portal, in person at the Wheaton courthouse, or by mail to Court Administration at 702 Second Avenue N.

Provide the defendant's full name and case number when submitting a request. In-person requests are usually handled the same day. Mail requests can take a week or more, especially if older records need to be pulled from storage. If you are not sure which documents you need, the clerk can describe the contents of a file before you submit a formal request. Sealed and restricted records cannot be released, and staff will note the restriction.

Traverse County Sheriff

The Traverse County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement across the county and manages the county jail. Arrest records originate with the Sheriff. After an arrest, the report goes to the county attorney for a charging decision. Once charges are filed with the District Court, the case appears in MCRO and becomes searchable.

Arrests made very recently may not yet be in MCRO. The charging process takes time, and there can be a gap of several days between an arrest and when formal charges are filed. If you are trying to locate someone arrested recently, call the Sheriff's Office to check their status in the jail system. For other county contacts, the Traverse County government website lists all departments with phone numbers and locations.

BCA Criminal History Search

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension operates a statewide conviction database separate from MCRO. A BCA search covers Traverse County and every other county in Minnesota, returning felony and gross misdemeanor convictions reported to the state within the past 15 years. Each search costs $8. Use the BCA criminal history search portal and enter the subject's full legal name and date of birth to get results.

The BCA record shows only convictions that law enforcement agencies reported to the state. It does not include charges that were dismissed or reduced. MCRO, by contrast, shows all court activity including charges that did not result in a conviction. Running both gives the most complete picture. Individuals can also check their own BCA record at any time through the self-check option on the portal.

Expungement in Traverse County

Minnesota law allows people with qualifying records to petition to seal them under Minn. Stat. Chapter 609A. Some cases qualify for automatic sealing under the Clean Slate provisions at Minn. Stat. Section 609A.015, which has applied since 2023 to certain low-level offenses without requiring a petition to be filed.

For cases that do not qualify automatically, a petition must be filed with the Traverse County District Court in Wheaton. Waiting periods run from one to five years based on the offense type and case outcome. Cases that ended without a conviction may qualify sooner than those with a guilty plea or verdict. Filing fees apply but can be waived based on income. The Minnesota Courts website has self-help forms and instructions for filing without an attorney.

Once expungement is granted, the record is sealed from public access. Law enforcement may still access sealed records in certain situations. Private background check databases may retain the old information and need to be contacted separately after the expungement is complete.

Data Practices and Public Access

Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act at Minn. Stat. Chapter 13 governs access to court records in Traverse County. Most criminal court records are public. Protected categories include sealed files, victim contact information, and some juvenile records. Court staff apply these rules uniformly for every request.

The image below shows the Traverse County listing in the Minnesota Courts directory, which links to the public case search and local courthouse contact information.

Click the image to open the Traverse County court page on mncourts.gov, or go directly to MCRO to search criminal records at no charge.

Nearby Counties

Traverse County is in far western Minnesota on the South Dakota border and shares borders with several neighboring counties.