Criminal Records in Faribault County
Faribault County criminal records are maintained at the District Court in Blue Earth, the county seat in south-central Minnesota near the Iowa border. The 5th Judicial District handles all criminal cases filed in the county. If you need to search criminal records in Faribault County, you have several options, from the free statewide court access system to the county jail roster and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. This page explains each source and how to use them to find the information you need.
Faribault County Overview
Faribault County District Court
The District Court in Blue Earth operates under the 5th Judicial District and handles all criminal matters in Faribault County. The Court Administrator maintains the official record of every case, from the initial filing through final disposition. Court staff can help you search by name or case number and process requests for copies of documents.
Faribault County is a smaller, rural county. The volume of criminal cases is much lower than metro counties, but the process for accessing records is the same. All court files are maintained at the courthouse in Blue Earth. Cases include misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies filed by the county attorney or local police agencies.
The court does not have a separate online portal specific to Faribault County. All electronic searches go through the statewide Minnesota Court Records Online system. For physical records or certified copies, you need to contact the courthouse directly.
| Court | Faribault County District Court - 5th Judicial District |
|---|---|
| Address | Faribault County Courthouse 415 North Main Street Blue Earth, MN 56013 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | mncourts.gov - Find Courts |
Search Faribault County Criminal Records Online
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) is the best free tool for searching Faribault County criminal records. The system is available at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. You can search by a person's name or by case number. The system pulls from all Minnesota county courts, including the 5th District court in Blue Earth. Records filed after July 1, 2015 are free to view. Older cases may require a trip to the courthouse or a written request. The roster lists people currently held in the county jail with their charges and booking dates. Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, law enforcement agencies must make basic arrest data public. That covers the time and date of arrest, the name of the person arrested, the charges, and their custody status. Faribault County Sheriff's Office follows these same rules.
For conviction history going back up to 15 years, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is the main statewide source. Their criminal history system at chs.state.mn.us charges $8 per search and returns conviction records for anyone who has been convicted in Minnesota, including Faribault County. The 15-year window runs from the date the sentence was discharged, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 13.87. The BCA's main agency website at bca.dps.mn.gov has more detail on what their records include and what the search returns.
The MCRO system shown here at mncourts.gov lets you search Faribault County criminal court cases by name or case number at no cost.
State Resources for Faribault County Records
The Minnesota Department of Corrections maintains a public offender viewer at coms.doc.state.mn.us. This tool shows people who are currently incarcerated in a state facility or on supervised release. It does not cover local jail holds at the Faribault County jail. If you are looking for someone housed at the county level, check the jail roster instead.
The Minnesota Courts website at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts lists contact details for every county court in the state. You can find the current phone number and address for the Faribault County courthouse there. Court information changes less often than you might think, but it is worth confirming hours and contact details before making a trip to Blue Earth.
Note: The MCRO system does not include all case types. Sealed or expunged records will not appear in results. Juvenile matters are also excluded from public access.
Sealing Criminal Records in Faribault County
A person with a criminal record in Faribault County may be able to get that record sealed through expungement. Expungement does not erase the record. It removes it from public view. Law enforcement agencies can still see sealed records. The process is handled through the 5th Judicial District Court in Blue Earth.
Under Minn. Stat. § 609A.015, some cases qualify for automatic expungement. These are mainly cases where the person was not convicted. For conviction expungements, you must file a petition and meet eligibility rules set out in Minn. Stat. § 609A. The type of crime and how long ago it happened both matter. The court may hold a hearing and several agencies have a chance to respond before a judge rules.
Sex offenders registered under Minn. Stat. § 243.166 face additional restrictions. Registration requirements are not undone by expungement of other records. Anyone in Faribault County who is subject to predatory offender registration should know that their registration status remains public even if other records are sealed.
Cities in Faribault County
No major cities in Faribault County meet our population threshold for dedicated pages. Blue Earth serves as the county seat. All criminal cases from communities throughout the county go through the 5th Judicial District Court in Blue Earth.
Nearby Counties
Faribault County borders several counties in southern Minnesota. If you are unsure which county handled a case, these are the courts nearest to Faribault County.