Run a Free Cass County Warrant Search (North Dakota)

Conduct a free Cass County warrant search today using this article, which provides everything you need to do so.

You can search for warrant information because of the North Dakota Open Records Law and the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); these statutes allow access to inspect and copy public government records such as warrant data.

These lookups can verify whether or not you have any active warrants for your arrest. You can also seek warrant information for someone else in your life or just out of curiosity; you don’t need a specific reason to justify a warrant search.

This clear, concise resource explains the process of obtaining warrant details, the different types you can find, and offers links to online search tools and record custodians in Cass County, North Dakota.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

Information Necessary To Perform a Free Cass County Warrant Search

It’s important to walk before you run. Before you conduct your first search, you need to better understand the information necessary to access warrant information and where it is located. The information in this section will lay the foundation for subsequent warrant searches.

The North Dakota Open Records Laws provide the basis for access to warrant information but also set forth certain exceptions.¹ Cass County has various types of warrants, and we will discuss them in detail later. Depending on the type of warrant, it may be more likely to be exempt from public disclosure than others.

For instance, one of the primary exemptions for warrant information is data that, if released, would negatively impact an ongoing law enforcement investigation. While information on wanted individuals may be readily available, a search warrant will likely be restricted until fully executed. Otherwise, it would allow criminals to thwart ongoing law enforcement investigations.

When you’re ready to perform a warrant search, you may use online resources, formal written requests, and informal searches via phone or in person. However you perform your search, ensure you gather pertinent information before you begin. At a bare minimum, this means knowing the person’s full name and the county where they reside.

You will save a lot of time if you know the county where the warrant was issued so you can target your search with the correct government agencies. If you are unable to find certain information, it may help if you know the date and reason the warrant was issued.

Also, if you are conducting an informal search, it may be helpful to have some descriptive information about the person, such as their appearance, date of birth, and other related information.

Searches are conducted with the record custodian of the warrant information. In Cass County, warrant information is in the possession of the East Central Judicial District.²

Some cities and towns maintain municipal courts that issue warrants that are executed by local law enforcement agencies. In Cass County, there is no warrant information maintained at the municipal level.

Next, you will be provided with the specific resources and steps to conduct a warrant search in Cass County.

How To View Active Warrants in Cass County North Dakota

If you want to conduct a warrant search in Cass County, you will need to use the state’s unified case search tool.³ The first step you will take is to properly focus your search by selecting Cass County and then clicking on the option for criminal and traffic cases.

You can then conduct a search by case number, name or attorney. If you are conducting a name search, if known, you can also include the person’s date of birth. There are also options for searching specific case types such as felony, extradition and misdemeanors.

Lastly, you can narrow your search by setting a date range for when the case was filed.

The results will include any criminal cases that match your search criteria. Here, you can see the case number, name, type of case, and charges. You can also view the filing date and court location.

Once you click on the case number, you will be able to view the complete online criminal record, including warrant information.

When looking at the full online record, scroll down to the section labeled “Other Events and Hearings.” This section contains all events related to this particular criminal case.

In this section you will find any information about warrants that were issued and executed. You can use this information to further your search directly with the court that issued the warrant.

Cass County criminal cases are handled by the East Central Judicial District. For additional warrant information, you can contact the East Central Judicial District Clerk to determine what other options there are for accessing criminal records.⁵ They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and can be contacted by phone at 701-451-6900.

You can also talk to someone in person by going to the address below:

Clerk of District Court
East Central Judicial District
211 Ninth St. South
Fargo, North Dakota 58103

You can also check for warrant information with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.⁶ You can call them at 701-241-5800 or by going to the address below:

Cass County Sheriff’s Office
1612 23rd Ave. N
Fargo, North Dakota 58102

None of the major cities and towns in Cass County maintain or provide access to warrant information. However, you can look for warrant information statewide. In the next section, we will detail how to find warrant information throughout North Dakota.

How To Check for Warrants Throughout North Dakota

If you want to perform a broad search of warrant information throughout the state, you can use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry Search Tool.⁷ This online tool is the same one that was used to search for warrant information in Cass County. However, on the opening page, on the “location: drop-down menu, you will select “State of North Dakota.”

You will then click on the criminal and traffic cases option and proceed to conduct the search as instructed in the previous section. Warrant information for the online criminal record is limited. In order to get complete information, you will have to contact the specific court that issued the warrant in question.

Types of Warrants & What They Stand For

There is more than one type of warrant in Cass County. Various warrants can be issued and they each are triggered by unique actions. These different warrants also serve various purposes.

It’s important to learn these various types of warrants to help you determine what you want to search for and better understand the information you uncover.

In Cass County, you may encounter some of the below warrant types:

Arrest Warrant:⁸ An arrest warrant is issued when law enforcement or the district attorney presents sufficient evidence that a defendant committed a criminal offense. The evidence must be enough that the judge determines there is probable cause that the person committed a crime. At the time it is issued, law enforcement has the authority to take this person into custody.

Bench Warrant: This warrant is issued by the judge without any request from law enforcement. A bench warrant is issued when an individual fails to follow a specific court order, such as the paying of a fine. A bench warrant is also often seen when a person fails to show up for a scheduled court date.

Search Warrant: Law enforcement requests a judge to issue a search warrant when they want to search a non-public area for evidence of a certain crime. Law enforcement is required to present probable cause that evidence of a specific crime is in this location for a judge to issue a search warrant.

Probation & Parole Warrants: As a condition of remaining out of jail, individuals on probation or parole must meet certain requirements. If someone commits a probation or parole violation, a warrant can be issued for their arrest.

Child Support Warrant:⁹ A warrant can be issued for a parent’s arrest if they willfully fail to pay child support and resolve the matter in court.

Fugitive Warrant: This type of warrant is issued for the arrest of a person who has fled the location where they committed a crime.

Capias Pro Fine Warrant: If a person is found guilty in court and receives a judgment but does not make payment on it, a court may issue a warrant against them, referred to as a Capias Pro fine warrant.

If, during your search, it is noted that the warrant is active, this means that it has yet to be fully executed. This is not a separate kind of warrant.

How Do I Resolve a Warrant in Cass County?

After learning how to perform a search in Cass County, it may have resulted in finding out that you or a loved one has an outstanding warrant. At this point, you may not know what actions to take to resolve an active warrant. The answer is it depends on the basis and content of the warrant.

If, for instance, you received a bench warrant for a traffic violation or missed the hearing date, you may be able to quickly resolve the matter by contacting the court that issued it. Sometimes, you can have a warrant quashed if you reschedule a missed hearing or pay any overdue debt.

However, the warrant may be more serious and require you to turn yourself into law enforcement. If that’s the case, the first thing you’ll want to do is seek a consultation with a criminal attorney in Cass County. They’ll advise you on the specific steps and what you should and shouldn’t do when turning yourself in.

It’s advisable to let your family know; in the stress of figuring out your arrest warrant, you don’t want your family to be unaware of your whereabouts. Also, it may be a good idea to reach out to a bail bondsman and inform them of your situation as they have expertise in these matters.

If bail is on the table, they’ll help you quickly post so you can be released from custody more seamlessly.

If you find out someone else has an active warrant, you’re under no obligation to do anything. However, if the warrant is for a serious matter like violent crime, you should let law enforcement know any information you might have on the wanted person.

You can contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office with warrant information by email at [email protected].¹⁰ Alternatively, you could call their warrant line at 701-241-1283 or their tip line at 701-241-5777.

You can also go in person to the address below:

Cass County Sheriff’s Office
1612 23rd Ave. N
Fargo, North Dakota 58102

If the matter isn’t serious and you know the person well enough, you could let them know in case they didn’t know about the warrant. At the very least, you can let a friend or family member know if you don’t want to tell the person directly.

With all the information provided in this resource, you should be ready to begin conducting a Cass County warrant search; if you find any active warrants for you or someone you know, consider the advice provided in this section.