Freqently Asked Questions - Criminal Resources

As explained on the back of the ticket, paying a fine is a plea of guilty.

If you want to request that the court reopen a traffic case, you can ask the judge to allow you to withdraw your guilty plea and vacate the conviction. This request can be made by calling court administration to schedule a hearing and filing a Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea and Vacate Conviction with the court. A copy of your motion must also be served on the prosecuting authority for the case.

At the hearing, you can explain to the judge why you think you should be allowed to withdraw your guilty plea and have the case reopened.

Except for certain documents filed in the case, all information in a criminal court case is available to the public including:

the name of the defendant
the type of crime charged,
the name of the court that convicted or dismissed the charges,
the date of conviction or dismissal,
a description of the sentence served, if any, and
other details of the crime and court process.

The Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch are established by the Minnesota Supreme Court and govern public access to all types of records of the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

When there is enough evidence to charge a crime, the prosecutor will issue a criminal complaint. If you were not served with a complaint while you were in custody, then the complaint is typically mailed to you at the address you gave the arresting officer or the court. If you are still not sure whether you have been charged, you could search court records at the courthouse, or you could contact the prosecutor’s office that handles cases in the city and county where you were arrested.

The Sheriff's Office in the county where you were charged may be able to help you clear up your warrant. Another option is to call or go to the court in the county where you were charged and ask how you can deal with the warrant.

NOTE: You may be taken into custody if there is a warrant for your arrest and you appear in person.

If you are not sure how you should handle your warrant, get legal advice from a lawyer.

Only the judge can order bail refunds. If the judge ordered that all or part of your bail should be refunded, you can contact the court to request a refund. Bail refunds are only issued by check and will be mailed to you in most cases, rather than given out in person. The bail refund check will be issued only to the named defendant, and you must bring photo ID to request your refund.

If the judge did not order a refund of the bail, you could call the Criminal Division in the county where your case is located to get more information about the case.

If you have been charged with a crime that involves the possibility of jail time, you can apply for a public defender before you make your first court appearance. You must fill out an application to help the court determine if you qualify for the public defender service. You can fill out the public defender (PD) application by completing the:

Online PD Application (allows you to type in information and submit directly to the court). Read the Quick Reference Guide (QRG) for Completing the Public Defender Application for more information.
Forms on the MN Judicial Branch website.

The court may ask the defendant to fill out a Statement of Rights form. The judge usually talks about constitutional rights and reviews the charges. The judge may ask the defendant if they want to enter a plea of guilty. If the defendant decides to plead not guilty or if no plea is entered, the case is then scheduled for another hearing (for example, a pre-trial or omnibus hearing, or a court trial in a petty misdemeanor case).

Not showing up for a hearing can cause problems for defendants and could result in the court issuing a warrant for your arrest. You may not be able to reschedule your hearing date.

If you cannot make it to your hearing, contact your attorney right away if you have one.

If you don't have an attorney, you should call the court in the county where your case is filed.

If the court does not agree to continue your hearing, you will be expected to appear. It is important to remember that a warrant will likely be issued if you fail to appear.

Only the judge on a case can dismiss a DANCO. If you are considered the victim of an alleged crime and are protected by a DANCO, you cannot directly ask the judge to dismiss the DANCO. You can contact the prosecutor’s office to see whether they are willing to ask the judge for the dismissal.

If you are the defendant and want to ask the judge to dismiss a DANCO, talk with your attorney if you have one. If you do not have an attorney, you are encouraged to get legal advice about making this request. Visit the Find a Lawyer Help Topic for legal advice resources.

You can contact the court in the county where the case was filed. Depending upon the type of mistake, court administration may be able to help you.

If you believe someone falsely used your identity to commit a crime, you can review the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Identity Theft information and work with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to file a Questioned Identity Initial Report Form.

Criminal Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

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Criminal Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a traffic ticket considered a crime?

I paid a traffic ticket and now the case says I pled guilty. How can I reopen the case?

How do I get a copy of my driving record?

What criminal court information is public?

If my case was dismissed, do I have a criminal court record?

I was arrested, but how do I know if I have been charged?

How do I know if there is a warrant for my arrest?

I have a warrant. What should I do?

How do I post (pay) bail or bond?

How can I get my bail money back?

Can I get a public defender?

How do I apply for a public defender?

What happens at the first court hearing in a criminal case?

How can I reschedule a court date or get a continuance?

What should I do if I can’t make it to my court hearing?

How can I ask for a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order (DANCO) to be dismissed?

I was the victim of a crime. How do I apply for restitution?

How can I find out if I have a criminal case history?

What can I do if I think there is a mistake on my criminal record?

How do I get a copy of a criminal court record from a Minnesota court?

I was told that the case would be removed from my record after a certain period of time. Why does it still appear?

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