Morton County Arrest Records

Arrest records are documents created when law enforcement officers apprehend and detain suspects in Morton County. They are official documents that serve as evidence that an arrest took place. More so, they provide vital information about the arrest, such as the crime for which a person was arrested, the name of the arresting agency/officer, and basic data about the arrested individual.

As outlined in the North Dakota Century Code 11-15-03, the Morton County Sheriff’s Office is mandated to arrest individuals found committing offenses and persons who have an active warrant commanding their arrest. This office is also responsible for the maintenance of all ensuing records related to such arrests. Notwithstanding, one may access the county’s arrest information and details on case outcome in Morton County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Morton County?

Yes. Morton County arrest records are public under the North Dakota Century Code Title 44 Chapter 4 (N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18). Per this law, interested persons have the right to view and copy arrest-related and other types of records maintained by public agencies or offices in the state.

Records not subject to this law are those sequestered by court rulings or other laws. Such records may only be released to a requester with a subpoena authorizing their access. Exempt records include juvenile arrest records, sealed or expunged records, records that contain sensitive information about ongoing investigations, victim information, and sensitive personal data.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

One should expect to find the following when inspecting public copies of Morton County arrest records:

• The arrested individual’s full name, home address, and date of birth
• The offense that resulted in the arrest and their classification
• The name of the arresting officer/agency
• Arrestee identification data, such as weight, race, and height
• Booking date and time
• Arrest date and time
• Bail information (if applicable).

Morton County Arrest Statistics

The NIBRS/UCR report published by the Office of the Attorney General provides an overview of crime and arrests made in North Dakota. According to its 2023 report, the total arrests reported by the Morton County Sheriff’s Office in the said year were 181, while the arrests per 100,000 population were 1,908.5. Offenses for which arrests were made include simple assault (11), drug/narcotic violations (21), DUIs (62), weapon law violations (4), burglary (1), and aggravated assault (1).

Find Morton County Arrest Records

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDORC) maintains records of arrested persons held at correctional facilities across the state. Interested persons can look up these records through the Resident Lookup website provided by this agency. Searches are typically done using an arrestee’s surname. Information displayed on this website includes the arrestee’s full name, photograph, detention facility, estimated release date, and identification number. Searches on this website are free.

For suspects in custody of the county sheriff’s department, direct inquiries to this office during business hours at

Morton County Law Enforcement Center
205 1st Avenue Northwest
Mandan, ND 58554
Phone: (701) 667-3330

Or visit the county’s detention facility at

Burleigh Morton County Detention Center
4000 Apple Creek Road
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: (701) 255-3113

Free Arrest Record Search in Morton County

Individuals arrested in Morton County are usually held at the Burleigh Morton County Detention Center. This agency maintains an online jail tracker that can be used to find information about persons held at the facility. The free resource covers crucial information about arrests, such as court dates, offense date, full name and photograph of arrestee, arresting agency, case number, bond type and amount, charges, and arrestee physical characteristics (such as sex, eye color, hair color, and age). Alternatively, one may explore free third-party websites dedicated to this purpose. While several third-party sources provide free arrest records, the information available is usually limited compared to paid searches.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

It varies. Depending on the circumstance surrounding an arrest, the associated record may stay on file indefinitely or for a specific number of years. For instance, felony records remain on file indefinitely. Although the court may order the expungement of certain records, such records are only hidden from the public view and still exist.

Expunge Morton County Arrest Records

When a person’s arrest record is expunged in Morton County, they are destroyed and cannot be traced to the arrestee. More significantly, expunged arrest records are not visible during background checks. However, North Dakota laws require that persons seeking to expunge or seal their criminal records meet certain eligibility criteria. For instance,

• The charges associated with the arrest must have been dismissed
• The suspect must not have been convicted of a felony offense involving intimidation or violence
• At least a specific number of years have elapsed since the arrestee was last convicted of any crimes (3 years for misdemeanors and 5 years for felonies)
• The arrestee must not be an offender ordered to register under section 12.1-32-15

Rule 3.4 (12-60.1-03) of the North Dakota Rules of Court outlines the properties of an expungement petition:

• It must be filed in the existing criminal case of the offense for which the arrest in question took place.
• It must contain the following: the petitioner’s full name and any aliases used at the time, their address, and reasons why the records should be expunged.
• Attached to the petition must be the petitioner’s complete criminal history record.

Whether the court will grant an expungement petition depends on several factors as outlined in NDCC 12-60.1-04. If the court grants the petition, the affected record shall be removed from public access, except when a requesting entity has a statutory obligation to conduct a criminal history background check on the arrestee.

Morton County Arrest Warrants

Under Chapter 29-30.3-01 of the North Dakota Century Code (otherwise known as the Uniform Extradition Act), an arrest warrant is “any document that authorizes a peace officer to take custody of a person”. Warrants are usually issued (by magistrates) when there is an affidavit or testimony that shows probable cause linking a person to a crime. In addition, an arrest warrant may be issued if a person escapes from detention or violates any term of bail, probation, or court order.

A peace officer is legally authorized to arrest a suspect without a warrant if an active warrant is issued in another state. After a warrantless arrest, the arrested person must be taken before the nearest magistrate, who shall issue an order to continue custody. Under the law, an arrest warrant must contain the name of a suspect, the basis for the warrant’s issuance, the name of the issuing magistrate, county, and state, the date of issuance, and the arrest order.

Do Morton County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants issued in Morton County remain active until the time specified on the warrant by the issuing authority elapses. However, the issuing authority may extend the validity of an arrest warrant if the suspect is not taken into custody within the specified time.