Free North Dakota Warrant Search (Wanted Status Lookup)

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Free North Dakota Warrant Search

Find out if you or someone else has a warrant out for their arrest in North Dakota, free of charge.

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Run a free North Dakota warrant search quickly and efficiently via the databases linked throughout this resource. Thanks to state and federal public record laws, citizens are granted access to all non-protected warrant records.

Warrants are legal documents requesting an individual to appear in court and may be issued by courts and pursued by law enforcement agencies.

This resource provides clear steps for searching and obtaining details about North Dakota warrants.

Can the Public See Who Has a Warrant in ND?

Anyone can view or request copies of a public record in North Dakota, according to the state’s Sunshine Law.¹ Almost all public record requests from public and government entities must be allowed, other than under special circumstances.

North Dakota Century Code designates all government records as public access unless there are situations warranting the records being sealed.² The Sunshine Laws are government-created laws stemming from the Sunshine Act, which became law in 1976, to ensure government transparency and accountability. The Sunshine Act was created to curb fraud and protect U.S. citizens from inequality and discrimination.

The Freedom of Information Coalition (FOIC) offers information about North Dakota’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws, including the North Dakota Open Records Statute. It also offers a North Dakota sample FOIA request for inquiries sent by mail.

These laws allow individuals to search for a warrant in North Dakota. Several types of warrants exist in the state, and they’re publicly available for curious citizens.

Important Information To Search for Warrants Issued in North Dakota

North Dakota’s Open Records Statute NDCC 44-04-8 et seq, section 44-04-18 proclaims that access to public records includes all records generated and stored by a public agency.² This includes various types of warrants as explained further below.

When an inquiry for a North Dakota warrant search is performed on an individual or the searcher, it’s helpful to have, at a minimum, the first name, last name and location where the warrant was issued. Organizations offering public records searches for warrants include state, county and city agencies and local law enforcement departments. Many offer free searches and copies.

The North Dakota Attorney General has provisions for law enforcement that outline what is and isn’t public record. The Law Enforcement Records Checklist includes pertinent information about the law enforcement records.³

The federal government also offers access to public records, including warrants, such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the U.S. Marshals Service. A more comprehensive search – such as a federal inquiry – may offer numerous results based on the name and date of birth, as there are many people in the United States with the same name and birthday.

Knowing which court, law enforcement agency or city to search narrows the choices, making the inquiry faster.

How To Run a Free North Dakota Warrant Search on Yourself or Someone Else

The North Dakota Court System encompasses the state’s three levels of court, including the Supreme Court, the District Court and the Municipal Courts. The court divisions include the Clerk of the Supreme Court, whose duties include managing cases and the court’s case schedule.

This individual also administers court records mandated by Administrative Rule 5 – Powers and Duties of the Clerk of the Supreme Court.⁴ The court clerk is the court’s contact for the public, assists members of the North Dakota Bar Association and works with local and national news outlets.

To access a North Dakota warrant search, the court provides a District Court Case Search Tool where citizens can access public records. Inquiries are available for criminal, traffic and civil cases and include municipal court case information.

The North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry system (NDCRI) is free, and data is updated daily. Explore the State of North Dakota Courts help guide for information.

The Public Access Help page includes specific information for civil, criminal and judgment records by location if additional information is needed. Citizens who request their warrant information in person should keep in mind that the court or law enforcement agency providing the warrant record could place them under immediate arrest if they have an outstanding warrant.

The Criminal/Traffic Search Form provides a “Select a Location” drop-down menu for counties and municipalities, or the user can choose the state of North Dakota to search the entire state.⁵ The form doesn’t provide a specific search choice for a warrant search but allows queries to be specified as:

• Criminal/Traffic
• Civil, Family & Probate Case Records
• Judgments Search
• Court Calendar

There are only two required fields for this form: last name and first name. Full names are necessary to provide search results. Single letters in one or both fields won’t return search results. Once the search returns records, the following information is listed:

• Case Number
• Citation Number
• Defendant Info
• Filed/Location/Judicial Officer
• Type/Status Charge(s)

At the top right of the results page is the location where the warrant was issued, and the additional information is located under the “Other Events” and “Hearings” section towards the bottom of the page. The Other Events and Hearings information displays the agency that received the hard copy.

Once the user has this information, they can search for the agency’s website — for example, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office — where there’ll be a link to obtain public records.

The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office offers a criminal history check on individuals living in North Dakota. The request can be based on the person’s name or by using their fingerprints. Physical copies of the fingerprints must be supplied and can be requested from local law enforcement departments.

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) maintains all criminal history records for the state, including arrests and prosecutions.⁷ Data is collected from state attorneys, courts and county and municipal agencies.

The Public Request for Criminal History Record Information Form requires requesters to provide:⁸

• Full name (this includes maiden name, former name and aliases)
• Date of birth
• Social Security number or the subject’s fingerprints
• Subject’s current address or a signed authorization form

Without a signed authorization, the BCI mails a notice to the individual, letting them know their criminal history was pulled.

A $15 fee is required for each record check and must be paid by check or money order and included with the completed form. The form must be mailed to:

North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
Criminal Records Section
PO Box 1054
Bismarck, ND 58502-1054

Phone: (701)328-5500

Find Warrants Issued at the County Level in North Dakota

North Dakota counties each maintain public records, including warrant information for their district. The public can access a warrant by navigating to the county’s website and submitting its online form, visiting the county offices or sending a request by mail.

A few of the sites below may require registration and charge a small fee. Not all county sites will provide warrant information online. In this case, it’s best to phone the agency to inquire about warrant records. Several examples of how to obtain warrant details at the county level can be found below.

Anybody interested can freely look up wanted individuals in Cass County. The list of inmates supplied by the Cass County Jail provides booking numbers that assist with additional searches, such as finding the individual’s warrant records.⁹

The Criminal Case Search tool utilizes the North Dakota court records Inquiry, which includes searches for the entire state. Citizens can also contact Cass County Sheriff’s Office’s Warrant Division by phone or email at:

Cass County Sheriff’s Office
Warrant Division
211 9th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103

Phone: (701)241-1283

The Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department accepts records requests via email.

Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department
514 East Thayer Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501

Phone: (701)222-6651
Fax: (701)221-6899

Although the Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office does not process warrant searches online, citizens can access the North Dakota Case Records Inquiry to search for relevant information in Grand Forks County.⁵

Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office
122 South 5th Street, Suite 210
Grand Forks, ND 58201

Phone: (701)780-8280
Fax: (701)780-8307

The Ward County Sheriff’s Office Records Department provides a fee schedule and contact information for several types of requests that likely include warrant information. The Ward County Inmate Locator shows all inmates and includes information with their ID numbers to assist in performing a warrant search through other agencies.¹⁰

Ward County Records
204 Front Street Southeast
Minot, ND 58702

Phone: (701)857-6600

The Williams County Sheriff’s Office provides a contact form searchers can use to ask about warrant information or request an open records request.

Williams County Sheriff’s Department
223 East Broadway, Suite 301
Williston, ND 58801

Phone: (701)577-7700

The Morton County Clerk of Courts office provides public records by calling (701)667-3358 or emailing 30clerk@ndcourts.gov.

Morton County Clerk of Courts
Public Records
210 2nd Avenue Northwest
Mandan, ND 58554

Phone: (701)667-3358

Reach Out to Municipal Agencies & Courts in North Dakota for Warrant Information

Public records, including warrant information for cities in North Dakota, are maintained by the various municipalities.

Inquiries entail filling out the online form available on the city’s website or sending the form via mail. Not all municipalities provide warrant information, but the records do include the offender’s ID number to run a North Dakota warrant search on another website.

The Fargo Police Department provides an online form to submit a request for an open records report with criminal information that may include warrant information.¹² Individuals can also run a criminal history check, which may include information on outstanding warrants.

Fargo Police Department
105 25 Street North
Fargo, ND 58102

Phone: (701)223-1212
Fax: (701)355-1861

The Bismarck Request for Public Records Form allows users to specify which record they want a copy of, such as warrants.¹³ Citizens can also explore the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department & Bismarck Police Department Combined Warrant List to identify active cases in the area.

City of Bismarck – Request for Public Records
221 North 5th Street
Bismarck, ND 58506-5503

Phone: (701)355-1300
Fax: (701)222-6470

The Grand Forks Police Department explains how to request reports, including police reports such as investigative reports, a record check and information to request a warrant check by calling (701)787-8000 and choosing extension 2 (PSAP) to verify.

Grand Forks Police Department
122 South 5th Street
Grand Forks, ND 58201

Phone: (701)787-8000

The City of Minot provides an open public records request through the NextRequest platform to provide the public with access to this information, including warrants. Individuals can also complete the online record request form for warrant information.

City of Minot Open Public Records
10 3rd Avenue Southwest
Minot, ND 58701

Phone: (701)857-4752
Fax: (701)857-4751

The West Fargo Police Department provides an individual record check and a North Dakota Courts records inquiry form, both of which may contain warrant information if a warrant exists.^{14, 5}

West Fargo Police Department Records Request
800 Fourth Avenue East, Suite 2
West Fargo, ND 58078

Phone: (701)515-5500
Fax: (701)515-5501

The Williston Police Department supplies the public with an online records request form that can be submitted online, printed and mailed or requested by phone at (701)713-3535.

Williston Police Department
Attn: Records Department
223 East Broadway, Suite 201
Williston, ND 58801

Phone: (701)577-1212

Broaden Your Search Beyond ND & Access Federal Warrants

The National Freedom of Information Coalition (FOIC) secures access to public records, working closely with states and additional coalition participants. Policies and statutes ensure any citizen in the United States can complete a warrant search without barriers based on their race, financial status or political alignment.

The Federal Judiciary offers public access to all publicly accessible records filed in United States court systems with the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) program beginning in 1999. Users must register to run a search, and account options include saving frequent searches, advanced search features and saving links.

PACER allows searching federal court cases throughout the U.S. or limiting the search to a specific state’s court. Inquirers can narrow their search by court-specific information using the Court CM/ECF lookup tool.¹⁵ Under the form is a table with court information, including the court contact and CM/ECF info, court type and circuit.

A search on PACER does require a fee for information and copies. However, those who can’t afford the fees, including litigants and litigants without representation (Pro Se), can visit the electronic public access fee schedule page to inquire about applying for an exemption with free access.¹⁶

Individuals can contact the PACER Service Center by calling +1-800-676-6856 or by email at pacer@psc.uscourts.gov.

Other ways to search for a federal warrant include viewing the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives site.¹⁷ If the warrant search pertains to a fugitive on this list, the searcher can gather relevant information to assist them in searching more specific agencies. If a citizen thinks they may have a warrant, it’s advisable to hire a warrant attorney to perform an FOIA search.

The U.S. Marshals Service also keeps an updated list of fugitives at U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted Fugitives, and if the person being searched committed a crime that included drugs, their information can be viewed on the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fugitive list.

Common Types of Warrants in North Dakota & Why They’re Issued

Warrants in North Dakota, in general, remain active indefinitely until the person named is apprehended. This means that law enforcement can make an arrest at any time, regardless of how long ago the warrant was issued. There are no statutes of limitations on arrest or bench warrants.

The most common types of warrants issued in North Dakota include:

• Arrest Warrants:¹⁸ When enough evidence for probable cause indicates a crime was committed, the judge or magistrate issues an arrest warrant for the suspect. Additional reasons for an arrest warrant are failure to follow probation or parole conditions, not paying child support or not paying fines or bonds.
• Bench Warrants: A failure to appear in a North Dakota court for a hearing can result in a bench warrant. The bench warrant is distributed to all law enforcement offices in the state.
• Search Warrants: A search warrant is a warrant ordering a peace officer to search for stolen or evidential property or a person at a specific address.
• Governor’s Warrant: A governor’s warrant is issued when a court from another county or state requests an offender be returned to its jurisdiction.
• Tracking Warrant: If an officer needs information about the whereabouts of an offender wearing an electronic tracking device, the court will issue a tracking warrant.

Clearing Warrants & Reporting Wanted Individuals in North Dakota

Wanted persons can clear a warrant in North Dakota by appearing in the issuing court to resolve the reason the judge authorized it. You can contact the court that ordered the warrant in person. In most cases, the clerk will give you a date for a court hearing with the judge or magistrate.

Persons who discover they have an outstanding warrant should consider talking to an attorney, letting their family know, contacting a bail bondsman or turning themselves in.

While citizens can’t clear their own warrant in North Dakota, an attorney may be able to “quash” or clear the warrant by requesting a hearing with the judge who issued the warrant and appearing in court without the client being present to have the warrant lifted (although felony charges will require your appearance).

The attorney may request to quash a warrant issued by an error of law. Sometimes, an attorney can appeal to the judge or magistrate to quash the warrant if their client commits a minor crime, such as a misdemeanor or infraction.

Call the nearest local law enforcement agency or dial 911 to report a wanted person in North Dakota.¹⁹ If the wanted person is seen on a highway, submit your anonymous tip to the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) by texting a message to 847411 (tip411). Enter NDHP in the text message, followed by a space and then type your tip.

Or use the web-based tip form to submit your sighting online. Don’t use this system if a crime is in progress or to report an emergency; dial 911 instead.

A North Dakota warrant search may reveal important information about an individual or a searcher and help determine if a known citizen is being sought for arrest.

Delve deeper by conducting a North Dakota arrest and criminal record search or find other vital details of residents statewide using the ND free public information lookup tutorial (explains how to obtain records of marriages, court cases, and far more).