Are Criminal Records in Hennepin County Publicly Accessible?

Hennepin County’s criminal records are publicly accessible. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act provides for public access to government records such as criminal records. The Act also guides the restriction of certain types of records from public view for safety, privacy, and maintenance of public order. These restrictions include financial information, personnel records, personally identifiable details like driver’s license numbers and social security numbers, law enforcement investigation documents, and more.

Criminal records may be divided into three types: arrest records, court records, and incarceration records. Arrest records provide details of the individual’s law enforcement custody before trial, court records contain details of the court trial and sentencing, and jail records provide details of rehabilitation and parole/probation. While requests may be made by members of the general public, the agency may deny access based on an inadequate request, potential harm to ongoing investigations, or the records being exempted.

Who is Eligible to Access Hennepin County Criminal Records?

Hennepin County criminal records may be accessed and obtained by these individuals:

• Law enforcement agencies and Attorneys have wide access to criminal records for official functions and client representation. However, these entities may require a valid law enforcement ID, a court order, or client authorization to access certain criminal records.
• Employers have limited access to the individual’s written consent to job-related details and records of arrests without conviction.
• Researchers may have limited access based on legitimate research conditions or requirements.
• The general public may access public criminal records, while juvenile records and victim information may be exempted.

How to Request Criminal Records in Hennepin County

Hennepin County criminal records may be accessed and obtained using records requests. These requests may be made through these steps:

• Determine the records of interest, which may be court records obtainable at the Hennepin County District Court or arrest records obtainable at the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
• Collate all necessary documents and information that you will need for the request, such as fill name, case number, offense type and date, and date of birth.
• Determine the request mode. Requests may be submitted online, by mail, or in person. Requesters using online resources may use the Search Public Criminal History or the Case Search websites.
• Fill out the Petition at the Hennepin County District Court at the District Court Administrator’s office.
• Verify your identity using a government-issued ID and pay the required fees to file the petition.
• Wait for the processing time and receive the records when ready.

Hennepin County residents may make in-person requests at these addresses:

Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
Hennepin County Government Center
300 S. 6th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55487

Hennepin County District Court Records Center
300 S. 6th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55487

Interested parties may also find criminal records using the online resources provided by third-party records websites such as Minnesotacourtrecords.us. These websites allow users to locate criminal records across jurisdictions without visiting a physical location. However, such sites are unregulated and should not serve as reliable options for finding criminal records.

What Information Is Contained in Hennepin County Criminal Records?

Hennepin County criminal records contain criminal and personal details as guided by the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. These records contain personal information, details of the incidents, and the outcome of any court trials. Criminal records contain arrest, court, and jail records. Thus, key details like the arresting agency, location or date of arrest, booking number, charges, full name, date of birth, case number, sentencing details, and plea entered may be found in a criminal record. These records may also contain details of the individual’s parole or probation conditions.

There are exemptions provided by law that the public must not have access to for public safety and personal privacy and security. The exemptions in Hennepin County include private data such as Social Security Numbers, medical records, financial details, and other personal identifiers, confidential information like victim details and personnel records, records from ongoing investigations, and information related to national defense or security.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Hennepin County Criminal Records?

Hennepin County criminal records are accessible to anyone in the county. However, there are certain restrictions placed on some types of records, such as:

• Juvenile records
• Sealed records which are sealed by a court order
• Records of ongoing investigations
• Privacy interests

Restrictions on public records are provided to ensure personal privacy and security and to help maintain public order and safety. Certain agencies or individuals, such as the Courts, parole and probation officers, law enforcement agencies, and other authorized individuals like researchers, may still access restricted criminal records.

What Happens if My Request for Hennepin County Criminal Records is Denied?

Hennepin County criminal records requests may be denied for various reasons, such as:

• The records of interest are sealed or expunged
• The records are not in the agency’s records archive
• The requester did not provide enough information for the records search and recovery
• The records are subject to exemption laws
• The required fees were not paid
• The purpose of the request is not legitimate
• There is a lack of property authorization from the individual

Requesters may file an appeal to denials of records requests to the Minnesota Department of Administration, Data Practices Office at:

180 East 7th Street
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2847
info.dpo@state.mn.us
(651) 296-6733

How to Expunge or Seal Hennepin County Criminal Records

Expungement of records is available to individuals who want to remove parts of the criminal records while sealing is available to individuals who want to make parts of their records private or restricted from public view. Expungement or sealing has certain requirements for eligibility, which include:

• The type of offense must qualify for sealing or expungement
• The sentence given must be completed with parole or probation.
• The individual has satisfied the waiting period.
• The individual’s criminal history qualifies him/her for expungement or sealing of records.

Requesters may expunge or seal parts of their criminal records by finding out if they are eligible, collating the necessary documents and information to support the application, and filing a Petition for Expungement at the Hennepin County District Court. The Petition should be served on the state Attorney’s Office, and the ensuing trial or hearing should be attended till an order is given. After getting an order for expungement, copies of the order may be obtained from the court for service on the relevant agencies.