When you have a name and need to know what’s on record in Benson County, the records live in two separate systems: the Benson County Sheriff’s Office holds booking and custody records, while the North Dakota Courts public-access portal carries court filings and case dispositions. The Benson County Courthouse Clerk of Court — reachable at (701) 473-5345 — is the right contact for certified copies of court records and for filing a petition to seal. The Courthouse operates Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a midday closure; plan your visit or call accordingly.
If someone you know was just booked tonight, our Benson County inmate-search page has phone-first contact info.
If your person has a history in other states
A Benson County records search covers North Dakota filings only. If the person you’re researching has lived in Minnesota, Montana, or other neighboring states, a nationwide criminal background check can surface records from those jurisdictions in a single search. The preliminary scan is free; a full multi-state report requires creating an account.
Sponsored: Nationwide Criminal Background Check (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).
How to look up arrest records in Benson County
A phone call to the Benson County Sheriff’s Office at (701) 473-5340 is the fastest way to confirm a recent booking or request a records check — but the Sheriff’s records office is a distinct function from the Clerk of Court, and each holds different information.
The Sheriff’s Office handles booking records, custody status, and law-enforcement-generated reports. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone lines can be congested during peak morning hours; calling mid-afternoon tends to get through faster. Some records requests require a scheduled appointment — online booking isn’t available, so call ahead.
For court-side records — charges filed, case numbers, hearing dates, and dispositions — use the North Dakota Courts District Court Case Search. This statewide portal covers Benson County criminal and civil filings. You can search by name or case number at no charge. The portal also includes a case-search help guide if you run into navigation questions. Note that the portal reflects court-entered data; a booking at the jail may not appear in the court system until charges are formally filed.
For certified copies of court documents, contact the Clerk of Court directly at the Benson County Courthouse, (701) 473-5345. The Clerk’s office processes written records requests; ask about the current per-page fee and whether your request can be submitted by mail or must be made in person. The Courthouse observes the same 8:30 a.m.–noon / 12:30–4:30 p.m. weekday schedule. Some services may require an appointment — verify before driving.
If the person may be in state custody rather than the county jail, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation operates a statewide resident lookup that covers DOCR-managed facilities. This is separate from the Benson County jail roster. For current Benson County jail custody status, the Benson County jail inmate records search is the county-specific tool.
The North Dakota Courts data-access information page explains bulk and API access options for researchers who need records beyond what the public search portal provides.
Are Benson County arrest records public?
Arrest records sitting in the open, visible to anyone who searches — that’s the default in North Dakota, not the exception. Under NDCC 44-04-18.1, criminal justice records including arrest records are presumptively open to public inspection. The Benson County Sheriff’s Office and the North Dakota Courts system both operate under this framework.
Sealed records are the narrow carve-out. When a court grants a petition to seal under NDCC 12.1-32-07.2, the record is removed from public view. The Clerk of Court will not confirm the existence of a sealed case to a member of the public. Law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records for their own purposes, but a background check run by an employer or landlord will not surface them.
Juvenile records carry a separate protection. Arrests and adjudications involving minors are not public records under North Dakota law. The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation publishes juvenile detention standards that reflect this restricted-access framework. If you’re searching for a juvenile record, expect the Clerk to decline to confirm or deny its existence.
Victim-protection redactions apply in certain cases. Addresses, contact information, and identifying details for protected victims may be withheld from otherwise public documents. The record itself remains accessible; specific fields within it may be redacted.
Charges that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal remain in the public record unless the subject successfully petitions to seal them. Dismissal alone does not automatically remove a record from public view in North Dakota.
What’s in a Benson County arrest record?
A single arrest in Benson County can generate records in more than one system — and those records don’t always contain the same fields. The booking entry at the jail and the court filing are separate documents, created by different agencies at different points in the process.
The booking record, held by the Benson County Sheriff’s Office, typically includes: the subject’s full name and date of birth, booking date and time, the arresting agency, the charges as written at the time of arrest (which may differ from what’s later filed in court), and custody status. The jail roster at bensoncountyjailnd.org reflects current custody; historical booking data requires a direct records request to the Sheriff.
The court filing, accessible through the North Dakota Courts public-access portal and maintained at the Benson County Courthouse, contains the formal charging document, the case number assigned by the court, scheduled hearing dates, attorney of record (if one has appeared), and disposition once the case concludes. Disposition entries include outcomes like guilty plea, conviction after trial, dismissal, or acquittal. Not every arrest produces a court filing — the prosecutor may decline to charge, in which case no case number is created.
Docket entries on the court side are updated as the case moves through the system. A case that was filed weeks ago may show multiple docket entries for hearings, motions, and orders. The booking entry at the jail does not update to reflect court outcomes; you need both systems for a complete picture.
For Benson County’s mugshot release policy, call (701) 473-5340 and ask the Sheriff’s records office directly — the policy isn’t posted online.
How to expunge an arrest record in Benson County
Petitioning to seal an arrest record in Benson County is a routine legal procedure, and you can pursue it with or without an attorney — both paths are valid depending on your comfort with court paperwork.
The governing statute is NDCC 12.1-32-07.2, which authorizes the sealing of criminal records in North Dakota. Under this statute, eligibility generally requires either (a) no conviction on the underlying charge — meaning the case was dismissed, charges were dropped, or you were acquitted — or (b) a conviction with a sufficient waiting period and a clean record since. Dismissed and acquitted cases often have a more direct path to sealing than conviction cases, which require meeting additional criteria around the nature of the offense and elapsed time.
The document you need is a Petition to Seal. The North Dakota Courts system provides self-help resources for preparing court filings; the case-search help guide can orient you to how cases are structured before you draft your petition. File the completed petition with the Clerk of Court at the Benson County Courthouse — the originating county is where you file, so if the arrest happened in Benson County, that’s where the petition goes. Reach the Clerk at (701) 473-5345 to ask about the current filing fee and whether an indigency waiver is available if cost is a barrier.
Self-represented petitioners can complete this process without an attorney. The Clerk’s office can tell you which forms to use and confirm the filing fee, though staff cannot give legal advice. If your case involves a conviction rather than a dismissal, or if the record spans multiple counties, working with an attorney who handles criminal records matters in North Dakota is worth considering — not because self-petition is wrong, but because the eligibility analysis becomes more fact-specific.
After sealing, the record is removed from public databases including the North Dakota Courts public-access portal. Employers and landlords running standard background checks will not see it. Law enforcement agencies retain access. If you later apply for certain professional licenses or positions requiring security clearance, you may be required to disclose sealed records — the sealing order itself will specify what disclosure obligations remain.
The Benson County Courthouse hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Verify whether your filing requires an appointment before arriving.
Quick-contacts reference
| Resource | What it confirms | What it cannot confirm | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benson County Sheriff’s Office — jail roster | Current custody status; recent bookings | Court dispositions; historical bookings not in current roster | Call (701) 473-5340 for records requests |
| Benson County Courthouse — Clerk of Court | Certified court records; case filings; dispositions; petition to seal filing | Booking records; sealed cases (existence not confirmed) | Call (701) 473-5345 for fees and appointment requirements |
| North Dakota Courts District Court Case Search | Case numbers; charges filed; hearing dates; dispositions; attorney of record | Sealed cases; bookings not yet charged; juvenile records | Search free online; use case-search help guide if needed |
| DOCR Resident Lookup | Individuals in state-managed DOCR facilities | County jail custody; court records; dismissed cases | Search free online; for state-sentenced individuals only |
| Nationwide background check (affiliate) | Multi-state criminal history; records from neighboring states | Sealed records; juvenile records; real-time booking data | Preliminary scan free; full report requires account creation |
Sources used for this page, verified 2026-06-09:
- Benson County jail inmate records search — county-official custody roster for current bookings
- Benson County incarcerated records lookup — alternate county-official inmate lookup interface
- North Dakota Courts District Court Case Search and Payment Processing — statewide court filing and case search portal covering Benson County
- North Dakota Courts case-search help guide — navigation and search instructions for the public-access portal
- North Dakota Courts data access information — bulk and API access options for court records
- North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup — statewide lookup for individuals in state-managed correctional facilities
- North Dakota Juvenile Detention Standards (DOCR) — juvenile records access framework
- NDCC 44-04-18.1 — North Dakota open-records statute establishing default public status for criminal justice records
- NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 — North Dakota statute governing sealing of criminal records
Errors or outdated information? Submit a correction — we review and update within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions about Benson County arrest records
How do I find out what’s on my Benson County arrest record?
Your own arrest record in Benson County lives in two places. The court side is searchable for free through the North Dakota Courts District Court Case Search — search your name and look for any criminal case numbers associated with Benson County. For the booking side — what the Sheriff’s Office has on file — call (701) 473-5340 and ask about submitting a personal records request. For a certified copy of court documents, contact the Benson County Courthouse Clerk at (701) 473-5345.
Can a Benson County arrest record be sealed, and how do I start?
Yes. North Dakota law under NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 allows petitioning to seal arrest records. Dismissed cases and acquittals generally qualify; conviction cases require meeting additional eligibility criteria around waiting periods and subsequent conduct. File a Petition to Seal with the Clerk of Court at the Benson County Courthouse — call (701) 473-5345 to confirm the current filing fee and whether an indigency waiver applies. You can file on your own or with an attorney; both are accepted.