Search Winona County Criminal Court Records

Winona County criminal court records are filed at the District Court in Winona, the county seat along the Mississippi River bluffs in far southeastern Minnesota. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial District and processes all criminal cases filed in the county. Winona is home to several colleges and sees criminal matters ranging from common misdemeanors to serious felony charges. Most records are available to the public for free through the Minnesota Court Records Online system, and this page explains how to use it and other tools to access records.

Winona County District Court

The Winona County District Court is at 171 W 3rd St in Winona. The Court Administrator's office handles all case filings, hearing schedules, and public records requests. Call (507) 457-6380 during weekday hours. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The courthouse processes all criminal matters filed in the county, from misdemeanor arraignments through felony trials and sentencing.

Winona is one of the more active court locations in the 3rd District. The city's college population and its role as a regional hub contribute to a broad range of criminal case types. DWI and drug matters are common filings. Assault, theft, and property crimes show up regularly as well. All of these generate public records once charges are formally filed in district court.

The Winona County court page on mncourts.gov provides current contact information, local court rules, office hours, and links to online case search tools.

The state courts directory listing for Winona County is the best first stop for finding court contacts and accessing public record search tools.

MCRO Online Search for Winona County

Minnesota Court Records Online is the free state system for searching Winona County criminal case data. Visit publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Search by name, case number, or citation. No login is required for basic public searches.

Search results list the parties named in the case, charges filed, current case status, and upcoming court dates. For cases filed from July 1, 2015 forward, documents are often viewable and downloadable directly from MCRO for free. Older cases appear in the system with basic details, but you will need to contact the court for documents. The court calendar posts at 7:00 AM each morning and updates every hour, so checking MCRO on the day of a hearing gives the most accurate schedule.

A public access terminal at the Winona courthouse lets you run MCRO searches in person during business hours. Court staff are at the counter to help if you have difficulty finding a case or if you need assistance with a copy request. Some records are not publicly accessible regardless of how you search.

Obtaining Copies of Records

Uncertified copies of Winona County criminal court records have been free since July 1, 2023. You can download documents for recent cases directly from MCRO. For older case records or physical paper copies, contact the court in Winona directly or submit a written mail request.

Certified copies cost $14 per document. They are stamped by the court and commonly needed for legal proceedings, formal verification, or appeal filings. Request them in person at 171 W 3rd St, by mail, or through the online copy request process at mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request.

Mail requests should include the defendant's name, case number, the year filed, and a list of the specific records needed. Include payment for any certified copies. The court fee schedule is listed at mncourts.gov/help-topics/court-fees/district-court-fees.

Winona County Sheriff's Office

The Winona County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for unincorporated parts of the county and coordinates with the Winona Police Department in the city. Find department contact information and resources at winonacountysheriff.org. The sheriff may maintain jail roster and booking records that are separate from the court's case files.

Once the Winona County Attorney's office files charges based on a sheriff or police arrest, the case enters the court system and becomes a public record in MCRO. Arrest and booking data at the sheriff's office are maintained separately. Both are public, but you need to contact different offices to get each type of record.

General county government information and department contacts are at co.winona.mn.us.

BCA Criminal History Search

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database separate from the court system. A BCA search costs $8 per person and covers felony and gross misdemeanor convictions from all Minnesota counties for the past 15 years. Submit a request at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca.

Use MCRO when you need specific case details for a Winona County matter. Use the BCA when you want to check whether someone has convictions in other Minnesota counties as well. The two systems complement each other. Neither one alone gives you a complete view of a person's full criminal history across all jurisdictions.

Expungement in Winona County

Minnesota provides two routes to seal criminal records through expungement. Automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015 applies to qualifying low-level offenses after a set waiting period. No filing is required for automatic cases. Petition-based expungement under Chapter 609A of the Minnesota Statutes requires filing a petition with the Winona County District Court, notifying the relevant agencies, and appearing at a hearing before a judge.

A court-granted expungement seals the record from public access. It disappears from MCRO and most government agency databases. Winona County sees a range of expungement petitions given the diversity of its caseload. The Minnesota courts' expungement resource page at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement covers eligibility and the full process. Local legal aid in Winona may assist with the petition process at low or no cost.

Government Data Practices Act

Minn. Stat. Chapter 13, the Government Data Practices Act, governs access to public records in Minnesota. Criminal court records are classified as public data, meaning anyone can request and view Winona County case files without providing a reason. The court is required to either provide the records or explain the legal basis for any restriction.

Restrictions that do apply include juvenile proceedings, certain victim information protected by statute, records that have been expunged, and active investigation data. Outside of these categories, Winona County criminal court records are fully public. You can search them through MCRO, visit the courthouse, or request them by mail. No special permission is required to access public court files.

3rd Judicial District

Winona County is one of nine counties in the 3rd Judicial District of Minnesota. The district covers southeastern Minnesota and is based in Rochester. Each county court in the district operates its own administrator and staff while following the same statewide rules. More about the 3rd District, its judges, and court locations is at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/District/3.aspx.

Nearby Counties

Counties bordering Winona are in southeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Minnesota counties in the area maintain records through the same MCRO system.