Cass County Court Records

Cass County Court records are legal documents and other materials maintained by courthouses in the county regarding cases they handle. They provide vital information about incidents that occurred during adjudication cases.

Generally, court records document the entire litigation of a case, from its inception to subsequent adjudication. This promotes judicial transparency and accountability because court records can be reviewed to ensure that cases are handled properly without any predisposed bias. Court records are also a viable source of information utilized in legal research.

Typical information found in Cass County court records includes and is not limited to the litigant(s) names, the case’s details, calendars, register of actions, motions, submitted evidence, dockets, orders, and rulings.

Are Court Records Public in Cass County?

Yes. Under North Dakota Sunshine Law (N.D.C.C. §44-04-18) and North Dakota Constitution Article XI, Section 6, most government records, including court records, are considered public. As a result, court records are presumed part of Cass County Public Records and anyone can access these records through their custodians upon request.

However, there are several exceptions to the aforementioned laws and statutes that may limit or restrict public access to court records in Cass County. Some examples of these exceptions are outlined in North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 41, and they include:

• Court records prohibited by federal law, state law, court rule, or court order from being public
• A search or arrest warrant affidavit before the warrant is executed and returned to the issuing court.
• Applications for domestic violence protection orders
• Juvenile court proceedings
• Sealed records
• Adoption and paternity proceedings
• The property and debt listing of parties to a divorce.

Cass County Court Records Search

Interested persons can conduct Cass County court record searches through any of the following places or resources:

• The courthouse that handled the court case
• Cass County Clerk of District Court
• North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website
• Third-party aggregate websites

Cass County Court Records Search by Name

Name-based court record searches are facilitated by providing the name of an individual or business that is a case’s party. Government channels offer free and paid methods of conducting name-based Cass County court record searches. Some free methods include the public terminals available at courthouses in the county and remotely through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website.

Public terminals are available at Cass County District Court and most Municipal Courts for interested persons to conduct name-based searches for court records of cases handled at the courthouse. Through these terminals, individuals can view and print court records for free. For remote searches, individuals can use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website to perform name-based searches for cases heard by the District Court and Most Municipal courts in Cass County for free.

Alternatively, interested persons can visit the courthouse that handled a case to make an oral or written search request at the court clerk's office to inspect the court records connected to the case. A written request is usually required for lengthy requests or ones where further certifications are needed. Regardless, a written or oral request must contain information that identifies the desired case, such as the name of an individual or business involved in the case. Note that requesters are typically charged a fee ($10 in most cases) per name searched.

Cass County Courts

Cass County trial court system consists of two types of courts: Cass County District Court and six (6) Municipal Courts. The physical addresses and contact information of the courthouses of these courts are listed below:

Cass County District Court
Cass County Courthouse
211 9th St South,
P.O. Box 2806,
Fargo, ND 58108
Phone: (701) 451-6900
Fax: (701) 451-6939

Cass County Municipal Courts

Casselton Municipal Court
702 1st St N,
P.O. Box 20,
Casselton, ND 58012
Phone: (701) 347-4785

Fargo Municipal Court
402 Northern Pacific Ave,
P.O. Box 49,
Fargo, ND 58102
Phone: (701) 241-1316
Fax: (701) 241-1320

Kindred Municipal Court
31 5th Ave N,
P.O. Box 158,
Kindred, ND 58051
Phone: (701) 428-3115
Fax: (701) 428-9100

Reies Acres Municipal Court
4635 35th Ave N,
Reiles Acres, ND 58102
Phone: (701) 541-0035

Tower City Municipal Court
P.O. Box 55,
Tower City, ND 58071
Phone: (701) 749-2343
Fax: (701) 749-2344

West Fargo Municipal Court
800 4th Ave E, Ste 2,
West Fargo, ND 58078
Phone: (701) 433-5516
Fax: (701) 433-5319

Cass County Superior Court Case Search

North Dakota’s trial court system is made up of a district court and municipal courts. As a result, there are no superior courts in North Dakota or Cass County. Legal proceedings in Cass County are handled by either the County’s district court or municipal courts. Hence, requests for court records in Cass County should be directed to these courts.

Cass County Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over criminal and non-criminal municipal ordinance violations that occur within the municipalities they oversee. Record seekers can access court records of such cases through the Municipal Court that handled the case.

For instance, court records of cases handled by Fargo Municipal Court are accessible through the Court Clerk’s office. Record seekers can visit the Fargo Municipal Court clerk’s office to request a name-based search for the desired court record for a $10 fee per search. The $10 fee also covers the cost of a copy of court documents attached to the searched case. Public terminals are also provided at the Fargo Municipal Courthouse interested persons can use to view and print public court records of relevant cases for free. Fargo Municipal court records are also accessible online through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website.

Cass County District Court Records

Cass County District Court falls under the East Central Judical District of North Dakota. The District Court is a general jurisdiction court that handles most civil and criminal cases in Cass County. These include felony and misdemeanor charges for criminal cases and general civil suits, probate, domestic relations, mental health, and juvenile issues for civil cases. The District Court can also hear municipal ordinance violations if the defendant requests a jury trial.

Interested persons can access Cass County District Court records through the public terminals available at the district courthouse. These public terminals can be used to search for, view, and print public court records connected to cases handled by the district court. Alternatively, record seekers can query the district court clerk’s office to request copies of relevant court records for a fee. Record seekers can also access Cass County District Court records online through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website.

Cass County Criminal Records

In Cass County, there are certain types of criminal records local law enforcement agencies generate and maintain, such as Cass County Arrest records. These criminal records are subject to the North Dakota Sunshine Law. As a result, they are public and accessible to anyone upon request.

Interested persons can access Cass County criminal records maintained by local law enforcement agencies by submitting a criminal history record check request to the agency’s record division. Most agencies, such as the Fargo Police Department and West Fargo Police Department, provide a dedicated form requesters can use to facilitate their requests. Furthermore, requesters are usually charged a fee for their requests.

For instance, interested persons can request a local criminal record check from the Fargo Police Department in person, electronically, or by phone. The agency charges a $10 fee for local criminal history checks. For in-person requests, requesters can complete the agency’s criminal history check request form and submit it alongside the required fee to the agency’s lobby. On the other hand, Requesters can utilize the contact form provided on the agency’s criminal history check page for electronic submission. Requesters can also contact the agency at (701) 235-4493 for phone requests. Note that information provided in a local criminal records check is limited to the criminal records generated or maintained by the specific agency.

A countywide criminal record check may be conducted by contacting the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. However, it is uncertain if the county sheriff’s office offers criminal record check services. To find out if the Cass County Sheriff's Office offers these services, interested parties can reach the agency at:

Cass County Law Enforcement Center
1612 23rd Ave. N.
Fargo, ND 58102
Phone: (701) 241-5800
Fax: (701) 241-5805

Meanwhile, North Dakota statewide criminal records checks can be conducted through the State Attorney General Office’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Cass County Criminal Court Case Lookup

In Cass County, criminal cases can fall under the jurisdiction of the County’s District Court or Municipal Courts. The former has exclusive jurisdiction over criminal cases and the latter handles criminal and non-criminal violations of city ordinances. Fortunately, Cass County district court and municipal courts offer similar mediums for looking up criminal cases they handle.

Public terminals are provided at the Cass County District Court and most Municipal Courts that interested persons can use to look up and print court records of criminal cases handled by these courts. Record seekers can also query the clerk’s office of Cass County District Court or local Municipal Courts to look up relevant court records and request copies of records for a fee.

Interested persons can also utilize the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website to look up Cass County criminal cases online.

Get Cass County Civil Court Records

Cass County District Court has general jurisdiction over civil cases in the county. As a result, civil cases are typically handled by the district court. Hence, Cass County civil court records are obtainable through the County’s District Court. Interested persons use any of the following mediums to access civil case records through the Cass County District Court:

• Visit Cass County courthouse to look up and print civil cases court documents electronically through public terminals available at the courthouse.
• Request copies of court documents related to civil cases for a fee by querying the Clerk of District Court.
• Utilize the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website to access civil case records remotely.

Cass County Family Court Records

Cass County District Court has jurisdiction over family law cases. These include divorce, adoption, juvenile delinquency or dependency, guardianship, domestic abuse protection order, and child custody and support. Cass County Family court records are not entirely public. Some family law cases, such as child custody and support, divorce, and guardianship, are public, while others, most notably adoptions, are confidential.

Interested persons can access Cass County family court records from the county’s District Court through any of the following means:

• Use the public terminals available at the Cass County courthouse to electronically search, view, or request copies of public family court records.
• Query the Clerk of District Court and request copies of public family case records.
• Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website to access family case records remotely for free.

Cass County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage is a court judgement that legally dissolves a marriage. Like any other family case record in Cass County, dissolution of marriage records are accessible through the County District Court, as previously described.

Cass County Marriage and Divorce Records

Cass County marriage records and divorce records are maintained separately. Marriage records, such as marriage licenses, are accessible through the Cass County Finance Office. Meanwhile, divorce records are accessible through the County District Court.

Record seekers can request copies of Cass County marriage licenses online through the financial office’s certified-copies-of-marriage-license page. Requesters are charged $10 for each certified copy of a marriage license they request. Note that certified copies of a marriage license are considered confidential and only accessible by certain eligible persons, such as spouses named on the license. Furthermore, requesters must provide a marriage license number to identify the desired license. Requests for certified marriage licenses can also be made in person at the County Finance Office which is located in Cass County Courthouse at:

Cass County Courthouse
211 9th St. S., Fargo, ND
Phone: (701) 241-5600
Fax: (701) 241-5728

Meanwhile, anyone can access public information about Cass County marriage licenses through the North Dakota State Museum marriage records search portal. It is worth noting that Information about older marriage records (Between 1872 and July 1944) is accessible through the Cass County Marriage License Index provided by the North Dakota State University Archives.

On the other hand, Cass County divorce records are accessible through the public terminals available at the County District Court. Alternatively, record seekers can query the District Court Clerk’s office and request copies of divorce records for a fee. Meanwhile, remote searches for divorce records can be conducted through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website.

Cass County Birth and Death Records

The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (ND DHHS) is the custodian of most Cass County vital records, including birth and death records. These records are considered confidential. As a result, only certain eligible persons can obtain certified copies of these records. However, the general public can obtain informative copies of these records. Eligible persons who can obtain certified copies of Cass County birth and death records include:

Death Records:

• The decedent's relatives per NDCC 23.02-1. These include the decedent’s current or surviving spouse, parent or legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, or genetic sibling.
• An authorized representative
• A funeral director reporting the facts of death

Birth Records:

• The individual named on the record, provided they are 16 years or older
• The record subject’s parents

However, if the individual named on a birth record is deceased the following persons are eligible to obtain a certified copy of their birth records, provided they can present a certified copy of the deceased’s death record:

• An immediate relative of the decedent, such as their parent, child, grandparent, or grandchild.
• An authorized representative acting on behalf of the decedent.

Interested persons can request Cass County birth and death records through the ND DHHS in person, by mail, or online. Requesters must present a valid and unexpired photo ID when requesting a death or birth record. Examples of these photo IDs are outlined on the ND DHHS’s birthbymail and deathbymail pages. Furthermore, a certified copy of either a death or birth record is $15 and additional copies cost $10.

In-person requests are by appointment only. Interested persons can schedule an appointment by phone by calling the ND DHHS at (701) 328-2360. To request Cass County birth records online, requesters can visit the ND DHHS death page and select the “order online” option. Similarly, requesters can visit the ND DHHS birth page and select the “order online” option to request a Cass County birth certificate online.

For by mail request, requesters can complete the ND DHHS’s Birth Record Request Form or Death Record Request Form, depending on the record they want to request. The completed request form along with relevant fees (payable by check or money order made out to the "ND DHHS") and photocopies of required identification should be mailed to the ND DHHS at:

Department of Health and Human Services
Vital Records,
600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept 325,
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250

Cass County Probate Court Records

In Cass County, probate cases fall under the jurisdiction of the county’s district court. Like all other types of cases handled by Cass County District Court, probate case records are accessible through the county’s Clerk of District Court. Record seekers can order copies of public probate case records for a fee by querying the District Clerk’s Office. Public terminals are also provided at the district courthouse record seekers can use to view and print copies of probate case records electronically for free.

Alternatively, record seekers can access Cass County probate court records online through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry website.

Cass County Property Records

In Cass County, most property records are recorded and maintained with the County Recorder’s Office. These include deeds, mortgages, easements, construction liens, plats, restrictive covenants, and other real estate documents.

Cass County Recorder’s office offers two ways interested persons can access property records the office maintains; through public computers or the North Dakota Recorders Information Network (NDRIN). Three public computers are available at the County Recorder’s office that researchers can use to view public property records for free and request copies of records for a $1 per page fee. The county recorder’s office is located within Cass County Courthouse.

On the other hand, the NDRIN is an online subscription service that researchers can use to view and print property records maintained by the Cass County Recorder’s office and 49 other county recorders in North Dakota. To access the NDRIN, users can buy a $30 monthly subscription or a $7-day pass. Note that the cost for printing records through the NDRIN is $1 per page.

Cass County Court Records Online

Accessing Cass County court records through traditional government channels can be complicated; researchers must ascertain the court that handled the case and the court's process for requesting court records. To circumvent these complications, researchers can access and request Cass County court records through certain third-party aggregate websites like northdakotacourtrecords.us.

One of the primary advantages of third-party aggregate websites is their lack of geographical limitations. Hence, searches can be conducted simultaneously for court records of cases handled by different types of courts (e.g., district and municipal courts). Furthermore, the search criteria required to facilitate a court record search on most third-party websites is an individual's name.

However, most third-party aggregate websites usually charge users a fee or subscription to access search results. Additionally, the completeness and accuracy of court records obtained through most third-party aggregate websites are not guaranteed. Hence, researchers may need to compare results from third-party aggregate websites with those from official sources to verify the record’s accuracy.