Cass County public records are a great place to start looking into someone’s past and present or to check one’s own information.
Whether you want to see if an individual has a criminal record, has been married before, or has since divorced, all of this is possible under the federal Freedom of Information Act and the Ohio Sunshine Laws that make certain documents and information publicly accessible.
If you’re looking into public records for personal reasons, you can typically do so for free–if you know who hosts them and how to access them or submit a request.
Whether you’re seeking information on arrests, court appearances, warrants, background check reports, property records, or probationer or prisoner information, Records Page offers this concise yet comprehensive resource on how to track down various Cass County, North Dakota records at no cost.
How To Run a Cass County Inmate Search & View Mugshots for Free
Arrest records are documents that show everything that happened during an incident that concluded with police intervention. When accessing these records, you can see mugshots, the date and location of the arrest, the arresting agency, and any court dates that follow.
The best starting point for this information is through Cass County, as it provides the broadest search. You can also narrow your search to the various towns within Cass County.
Search the Cass County Jail for Local Arrests
The best place to start for your Cass County arrest records search is with the Cass County Jail. Since Cass County encompasses several towns and cities, this is the best agency to cover all those jail records without diving into specific police departments.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department has a convenient inmate list where you can see all inmates currently in the county jail and inmates with new charges.1,2 Unlike other searches, you don’t need to type in any information on the inmate you’re looking for because all inmates appear alphabetically. You can then narrow your search from there.
For those who don’t have access to a computer or cannot find the individual’s name on the inmate roster, you can call the Cass County jail at (701)-241-5799 to see if the person you’re looking for is in custody. They are available any time, day or night.
The addresses and contact information for the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County Jail can be found below:
Cass County Sheriff’s Office
1612 23rd Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102
Phone: 701.241.5800
Fax: 701.241.5805
Hours: Weekdays 8am – 5pm
Cass County Jail
450 34th St. S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
Phone: 701.271.2967
Look Up Arrests & Obtain Police Reports Through Police Departments in Cass County
Cass County, North Dakota, comprises 27 cities–including the most populated city in the state, Fargo. Many of these areas fall under the Cass County Sheriff’s jurisdiction, but there are several individual police departments where you can look for arrests and records as well.
Fargo is the most populated area of Cass County. They have their own police department, but all individuals arrested by this department will go to Cass County Jail since they don’t have a specific jail just for Fargo.
You can use the Cass County current inmate list linked above to find out if an individual was arrested in Fargo and has since been transferred to the county jail. If you prefer to visit the Fargo Police Department in person, their address is:
Fargo Police Department Headquarters
105 S25 St. No.
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
You can also call the Fargo Police Department with any questions you might have at (701)-235-4493. This agency also has an open records request that you can fill out online; it allows you to request Cass County public records on any incidents that the individual in question might have been involved in, as long as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.
If you’re looking for arrest records and information in the city of West Fargo, there are a few ways to do so. You can get in touch with the West Fargo Police Department by calling (701)-515-5500 or by visiting them at the following address:3
City of West Fargo Police Department
800 Fourth Ave. E., Suite 2
West Fargo, North Dakota 58078
The city of West Fargo also has a small jail where they can hold a small number of inmates before they post bail or get transferred to the Cass County Jail. The address for the West Fargo City Jail is the same as the police department’s address. If you want to call the jail directly and not the police department, dial (701)-433-5500.
Similar to other areas of Cass County, residents in Casselton, North Dakota, have their own police department, but arrests made by this agency will be booked directly into the Cass County Jail.
The phone number for the Casselton Police Department is (701)-347-4861. If you need to visit the Casselton Police Department, this is the address:
Casselton Police Department
702 1st St. N.
Casselton, North Dakota 58012
The rest of the towns and cities within Cass County all contract with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. This makes it easy to locate criminal and arrest records for individuals in Cass County since–regardless of the arresting agency–you can find the information in one place instead of searching through several police departments.
How To Obtain Free Cass County North Dakota Criminal Records
Before you start your free criminal record check in Cass County, it’s important to understand that there are several types. Knowing the differences can help you narrow down your search. Some records show arrests, charges, warrants, probation, background checks, sex offender records, and more.
Depending on what record you’re looking for, there are different agencies where you can look for the records. The best place to look for criminal records in Cass County is via the Cass County inmates list, the State of North Dakota Courts website, and other agencies.
Looking into whether someone has a criminal record allows you to learn more about the person. These records can be vital in understanding someone’s past or current situation and whether you want to have them in your life or your family.
Access Criminal Cases & Charges Through the Cass County Inmate List
One of the best ways to access criminal cases and charges in Cass County is via the Cass County Inmate List. When you visit the web page, you’ll see over 50 pages of inmates along with the number of charges they have against them.
You’ll also be able to view the status of the charge, their booking date, their birth date, and other information surrounding their criminal charges. You can see what jurisdiction they were arrested in and when their scheduled release date is, if they have one.
Accessing this inmate list is completely free and a great way to delve into anyone’s criminal past. You get a decent amount of information from this agency without paying a dime. The only downside when using this avenue to look for criminal records is that it’s not as in-depth as other record search options.
Conduct a Cass County Criminal Record Search Through the Clerk of District Court
Another avenue you can take to conduct a criminal record search in Cass County is through the District Court. They currently don’t have a public terminal on their website for you to search for criminal records, but you can still contact the agency for information on a specific person or criminal case.
The Clerk of the District Court is located in Fargo.4 You can visit the office in person, mail a record request to them, or give them a call at (701)-451-6900 to inquire about an individual or gain insight into a criminal case that was heard by this court.
Clerk of District Court in Cass County
211 9th Street South
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
Hours: M-F 8am – 5pm
If you want to mail a criminal record request to this agency, their mailing address is:
Cass County Clerk of Courts
P.O. Box 2806
Fargo, North Dakota 58108-2806
How To Determine if Someone Has an Arrest Warrant in Cass County North Dakota
Looking into whether someone has a warrant for their arrest in Cass County is a necessary part of reviewing criminal records.
You can access Cass County warrants in several ways. One of the best ways to look for active arrest warrants is through the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. They have an arrest warrant lookup where you can verify if there are any active warrants in the county for themself or other individuals.
You can also email the office with questions or tips on any active warrants at [email protected]. They also have a direct phone number for you to call with questions or information. The number is (701)-241-1283.
Another way to look up active arrest warrants is via the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, a free public index.5 Once you visit the website, you’ll select the area of the state where you want to search for warrants. Select Cass County, and then you’ll be navigated to an area where you choose criminal/traffic.
Enter all required information from here, such as the person’s first and last name. The more information you have, the better, but you can perform a free public records search with just their full name.
If you don’t mind making phone calls, you can call police departments within Cass County directly to see if there are any warrants for the individual you’re looking into. This can be more time-consuming, but if you’re determined to gather the information, it could be worth it.
Regardless of the method you take to look into arrest warrants, you should be able to find the information you need through these channels. If you find out that someone has a warrant out for their arrest and you have been in contact with them, you can report all information you have to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
How To Find Cass County Probation Records
Just because someone is no longer in prison or jail doesn’t mean they’re not under the watchful eye of law enforcement. Many people who go to jail will be on probation upon their release. If you’re looking into someone’s criminal history, knowing whether they’ve been on or are currently on probation is a good idea.
Often when you look up arrest and criminal records for an individual, you’ll find details of their probation if they’ve been released from jail and are now under supervision. It might not provide you with all relevant information, but you’ll be able to see if they’re on probation and when it is expected to end.
You can also request probationer details from the Fargo Parole & Probation Office. The Fargo Parole & Probation Office can be reached by phone or by visiting them in person:
Fargo Parole & Probation Office
461 34th St. S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
Phone: (701)-239-7272
If you’re a crime victim and find out that the person is still in custody but will eventually be out on probation, Cass County and the state of North Dakota allow victims to sign up for their Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (SAVIN) service.7 You’ll get reliable and timely notifications about the individual, including probation information if applicable.
Lastly, if you want to use a third-party search for probation records, you can use Vinelink. You can perform a simple search and get access to probation records and more without signing up. If you wish to see more detailed information regarding your search, you can make a free account and perform the search again.
How To Execute a Criminal Background Check in Cass County North Dakota
A criminal background check is an extensive dive into an individual’s criminal history. It includes all their arrests, charges, and outcomes of each incident in one document rather than having to look up individual incidents. There are a multitude of reasons why people might conduct a background check on others.
Personal background checks are when one person is looking into another; you can perform a personal background check and uncover details of anyone’s past by looking into any of the Cass County public records described throughout this resource.
People perform personal background checks on others mainly to ensure they’re not letting someone dangerous or risky into their lives. It could be to protect themselves or their entire family.
Whether you’re looking into criminal history or trying to determine whether a certain person is married, a background check is the best way to verify someone is who they say they are. It’s ideal to know who the person is before bringing them around kids or, if you’re dating, making sure they’re not already married.
While all this information is readily available for the public to access and legal, some practices are illegal. If you’re using the information you find to blackmail, harass, or dox a person, you’re not responsibly accessing records, which is illegal.
You typically see people getting professional background checks when applying for jobs or renting property, but there are many reasons for these official checks. Businesses use the results of background checks to make informed hiring decisions.
With personal background checks, you don’t need permission from the individual you’re looking into to search their records; this isn’t the case with professional background checks, though. There are specific rules that organizations or companies need to follow when conducting a professional background check.
Some of the rules they have to follow include:
- They must obtain written consent from the individual to run the background check. People typically give their written permission during the application process; this form gives you a general idea of what that looks like.
- Employers or landlords are responsible for informing applicants how they plan to use the information they acquire during the background check. Ideally, they’ll do so via a written form outlining how the information they learn will affect their decision and the scope of their reasoning.8
- Organizations have to follow strict non-discrimination guidelines. Employers and landlords are required by law to treat everyone equally. This includes asking one person for a background check but not another or not using the same level of scrutiny for every individual.
- All decisions they make after seeing the background check reports must be consistent. If an employer or landlord rejects an applicant for a specific offense, they have to reject every applicant with the same offense.
- Suppose the employer or landlord makes a decision not to move forward based on something in the background check. In that case, they have to provide the applicant with a copy of the report and a summary of their findings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
- Applicants are allowed to have a chance to correct any information from the background check if it’s not accurate.
- According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), landlords and employers have to keep records of background checks and their decisions on file for one year.
If you’re looking into criminal records, usually all you need is the individual’s name (considered a level 1 check). It helps if you have more information, but their full name can still yield the answers you seek. In some cases, you’ll see public records from the county and even at the state level.
Alternatively, fingerprint-based searches (commonly known as level 2 background checks) are needed in some cases and tend to be much more reliable and accurate.
Not all employers will require a fingerprint background check, but fingerprinting is usually required for those working in healthcare, law enforcement, with children, or with other vulnerable populations. This method is not suitable for any personal background checks and requires consent from the subject beforehand.
North Dakota Health and Human Services offers further information regarding criminal background checks, including who needs one, where to get fingerprinting done, and more.10 You can get in touch with the North Dakota Criminal Background Check Unit in several ways. You can call them, fax them, email them, or visit in person.
Here’s the contact information for this unit:
Criminal Background Check Unit
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Department 325
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0250
Phone: (701)-328-7575
Toll Free: (800)-472-2662, 711
Fax: (701)-328-0358
Email: [email protected]
You can fill out a criminal background check record request as well. You’ll complete the form, submit the original with your hand-written signature, and mail it to the BCI. For the form, you’ll need the person’s date of birth, full name, social security number, authorization form, or current address.
You will need to include the $15 fee within the envelope. The fee must be on a personal check or money order made out to “N.D. Attorney General.” Processing the request takes seven to ten business days, but you can pay for expedited processing and shipping.
Another way to conduct a background check on someone is through the FBI. This federal agency provides Identity History Summary Checks. These checks need fingerprints and are not for employment purposes.
It’s a good option for those conducting a personal background check and only costs $18.
How To Check Criminal Records in North Dakota via State & Federal Agencies
You don’t need to rely solely on Cass County resources to check for criminal records. There are several state and federal agencies that you can utilize in your criminal record search. Here are some of those resources:
- The North Dakota Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation has a resident lookup feature where you can search for currently incarcerated individuals throughout the state.
- The State of North Dakota Courts offers a criminal case records search. You can perform this by the case number, the individual’s name, the attorney, and more.
- You can access the North Dakota Sex Offender Registry via the Office of the Attorney General.
- In addition to just one state, you can use the National Sex Offender Registry to see if they’re registered anywhere in the country, either by searching the offender’s name or a particular location.
- The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) offers an online inmate locator tool that allows users to look up prior and current federal offenders by either their name or their registered BOP number.
- If you have an account, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) allows you to search nationwide for criminal cases. It costs $0.10 per page to access records.
How To Search Public Court Records in Cass County North Dakota
Cass County encompasses over two dozen towns, so there is a larger court system. Residents of the county have one district court and six municipal courts. The best way to search for any public court records in Cass County is via the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry.
You can search for civil, family, probate, criminal, traffic, and other records for free with a little information, such as the person’s first name.
The East Central Judicial District Court is the region for Cass County, and their contact information is as follows:
East Central Judicial District Court
211 9th St. S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
Phone: (701)-451-6900
Email: [email protected]
If you need certified copies of any court records, the County Recorder’s office is responsible. They’re located inside the Cass County Courthouse at the address mentioned above.
How To Look Up & Obtain Cass County North Dakota Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)
Everyone has a different reason for needing to access Cass County records. One of the most common reasons is to find official documents to use as proof when dealing with administrative processes.
Another reason is to find out if someone is married or divorced. With dating culture nowadays, it’s easy for people to lie about their current relationship or the details of a previous one. Thanks to Cass County public records, you can see if the person you’re thinking of dating is actually single.
Looking through county vital records is another way to obtain a copy of your marriage license, birth certificates for you or your kids, and death records. Remember that custodians of these records typically limit who can access them due to their potentially sensitive nature.
Check Someone’s Marital Status (Divorced or Married) via the North Dakota Courts Records
The most convenient place to look up someone’s marital status in Cass County is via a North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry. As you would when searching for criminal records with the search, you’ll choose Cass County and then click on “civil, family, and probate case records.”
From there, you’ll enter the person’s name, and then you can narrow your search further by selecting the type of record you’re looking for (marriage/divorce). This is an excellent tool for information about someone’s marital status, but not for certified copies.
Another way to look up someone’s marital status in Cass County is with North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) online marriage license index.13 All you need is the name of one of the people, and you can see their marital status. Marriage records from 1872 to July of 1944 are available here.
Retrieve Cass County Birth & Death Records Through the North Dakota Department of Health
For those looking for birth and death records, you need to go through the North Dakota Department of Health. Unlike with other records, birth and death certificates can only be accessed by certain people, such as family members of the individual you’re looking for a birth or death certificate for.
You can request a certified copy of a birth certificate in three ways. You can place your order online, by mail, or by making an in-person appointment.14 If you’re requesting a copy of a birth certificate or birth record by mail, you’ll need a government-issued photo ID, the individual whose record you’re looking for, or the mother or father listed on the record.
If you’re looking for a birth record for someone deceased, you have to be an immediate family member of the person, such as their parent, grandparent, grandchild, or child. You also need a copy of their death certificate when requesting this record. You’ll mail your request form to:
Vital Records
Department 325
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0250
You can also request records for fetal deaths in the same manner as a standard birth record. This is any birth that resulted in a stillbirth.
You can request certified copies of death certificates by mail or online. The process is the same for birth certificates. You can also search Cass County death records with the North Dakota Division of Vital Records via their Public Death Index.
This is a free option and ideal if you’re not looking for a certified copy of the death certificate.
How To Determine Who Owns a Property or Home in Cass County North Dakota at No Cost
Unlike other counties in the United States, looking for who owns property or a home in Cass County isn’t as simple as you might think. The County Recorder keeps records of deeds and property ownership, but it’s not readily available to the public through that agency.
One of the best ways to look for property ownership in Cass County at no cost is to sign up with the North Dakota Recorders Information Network (NDRIN). It’s free to sign up and keeps up-to-date property information for Cass County and other counties in the state.
For those looking for property records in the largest city of Cass County, Fargo, you can use Fargo Parcels. You need the property’s address to see who the official owner is.
You can reach out through their contact form with questions or concerns.
Utilize Cass County Public Records Responsibly & Know Your Rights
When looking into public records in Cass County, there are several rules that you need to follow. Even though these records are general and don’t require consent from the individual, they still have rights to privacy, fair treatment, and respect.
If you’re conducting a personal background check, always use common sense when sharing that information with others. Using the information to decide if you want someone around your family is a perfect reason to access this information.
However, if you share this information with people with the intention to harm the individual cited, or even if it’s unintentional, sharing the information can be harassment in some cases.
Employers and landlords who conduct professional background checks need to follow all the rules outlined by the Federal Trade Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Fair Credit Reporting Act. When they don’t, it can result in legal action.
Government agencies have to have transparent standards. Anyone can reach out to one of these agencies and request records as long as they don’t have sensitive information within them; you can always submit a Freedom of Information Act request.16
If you believe you weren’t treated fairly, there are several avenues you can go through to file a complaint. You’ll want to file a complaint with the EEOC if you were discriminated against when applying for, interviewing, or working for a company or organization.17 You might do this if you were asked to do a background check but another applicant wasn’t.
The Federal Trade Commission is responsible for handling complaints where employers run background checks without written consent. You can contact the FTC if an employer doesn’t provide adequate information about their findings and reasonings.
There are many ways to access Cass County public records for free, so use this information wisely and begin your search today.
References
1Cass County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Contact Us. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.casscountynd.gov/our-county/sheriff/contact-us>
2Cass County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). List of Inmates in Cass County Jail. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.casscountynd.gov/services/corrections-jails/current-inmate-roster>
3West Fargo Police Department. (n.d.). About. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.westfargond.gov/149/Police>
4Cass County Clerk of the District Court. (n.d.). Facility Directory. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.casscountynd.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/1061/318>
5North Dakota Supreme Court. (n.d.). Cass County. North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/default.aspx>
6North Dakota Courts – Cass County. (n.d.). Criminal\Traffic. North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/Search.aspx?ID=100>
7Cass County Department of Corrections. (n.d.). Victim Notification. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.casscountynd.gov/our-county/corrections/victim-notification>
8Equal Employment Opportunity Commission & Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.). Background Checks. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/plain-language/pdf-0142-background-checks-what-employers-need-know.pdf>
9North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, April). Personal Authorization form for Criminal History Record Inquiry. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.nd.gov/eforms/Doc/sfn00829.pdf>
10North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Criminal Background Checks. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.hhs.nd.gov/providers/criminal-background-checks>
11North Dakota Government. (n.d.). North Dakota Sex Offender Registry. Office of Attorney General. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://sexoffender.nd.gov/offender/name-search>
12North Dakota State University. (n.d.). Cass County, N.D. Marriage License Index. NDSU Archives – Databases. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://library.ndsu.edu/db/marriage/results>
13North Dakota State University. (n.d.). NDSU Archives – Databases. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://library.ndsu.edu/db/marriage/>
14North Dakota Department of Health. (n.d.). Secure Online Ordering of ND Birth and Death Certificate. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://apps.nd.gov/doh/certificates/firstPage.htm>
15City of Fargo Assessor’s Office. (n.d.). Assessment Information. Fargo Parcels. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.fargoparcels.com/01-1110-00050-000?segId=1>
16U.S. Department of Justice. (n.d.). How do I make a FOIA Request? Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.foia.gov/how-to.html>
17U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination. Retrieved October 9, 2023, from <https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination>