North Dakota, county records
Find the right office in Nelson County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.
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Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
County court
The U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota sits in Bismarck and Fargo and hears federal civil and criminal cases. Dockets are searched through PACER; state cases through the North Dakota Courts.
Open official site North Dakota Federal CasesState records
Search property and claim status by individual name or business through the ND State Unclaimed Property Division.
Open official site North Dakota Unclaimed PropertyVital records
Request birth and death certificates from the ND Dept. of Health.
Open official site North Dakota Birth RecordsState records
Find active and inactive corporations by name from the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Open official site North Dakota Business & Corporation SearchCounty court
Verify an attorney's licensing status with the ND Lawyers Directory.
Open official site North Dakota Lawyer LookupVital records
North Dakota Health and Human Services Vital Records sells certified death records in three versions: complete, facts of death, and informational. Order online, by mail or by appointment.
Open official site North Dakota Death RecordsVital records
Public search of the North Dakota marriage index.
Open official site North Dakota MarriagesVital records
Access divorce records or request divorce certificates from the ND Dept. of Health.
Open official site North Dakota Divorce RecordsLocal record guide
County profile
Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Nelson County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order throughout Nelson County, particularly in the unincorporated areas.
Police Departments. Law enforcement in Nelson County is primarily provided by Nelson County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments within Nelson County.
Law Enforcement & Arrests. Nelson County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 210 B Avenue West in Lakota, ND 58344, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Nelson County and provides support to municipal departments. Nelson County Jail, a small detention facility operated by the Sheriff's Office, houses pretrial detainees and sentenced misdemeanor offenders. Inmate information can be obtained by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly during business hours, as Nelson County does not currently maintain an online inmate roster system. Municipal law enforcement is provided by local police departments in incorporated cities: the Lakota Police Department serves the county seat, while other communities may contract with the Sheriff's Office or maintain part-time officers depending on municipal budgets and needs. Arrest records in Nelson County are considered public information under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 44-04, the state's open records law.
Arrest Records. Arrest records in Nelson County are maintained by Nelson County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request access to arrest records through the Sheriff's Office, following the guidelines set forth by the North Dakota Open Records Statute.
Jail & Inmate Records. The booking process involves photographing and fingerprinting the detainee, and records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office. Inmate information can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office, which may provide an online inmate lookup tool.
Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Nelson County are taken and retained by Nelson County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the arrest records and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office.
Abandoned mine records
Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.
From the old mine records
The mine records hold 1 named mine site inside the county, 0 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 82 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels.
A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. The PSC asks anyone building in a historic lignite mining town to ask the AML program first.
Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.
Straight answers
Open only the answer you need.
Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Nelson County Sheriff's Department or a city police department in Nelson County. Ask that agency for its record.
The North Dakota criminal history record comes from the North Dakota Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Name based or fingerprint based check on anyone: mail the signed request form with the full name and Social Security number or fingerprints, and a check or money order payable to ND Attorney General, or drop it off at the BCI office in Bismarck. Fee: $15 per Request for Criminal History Record Information.
Search the North Dakota Sex Offender Registry (Offender Search, North Dakota Attorney General), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Register with the county auditor or through the North Dakota Secretary of State. North Dakota has no online voter registration. North Dakota is the only state without voter registration; you vote with a valid form of ID after living in North Dakota for 30 days before Election Day.
Deeds and other recorded land documents in Nelson County are kept by the Nelson County recorder. Property values are set by the local assessor, and tax bills come from the county treasurer. Source: official state page.
Certified birth and death certificates for North Dakota come from the North Dakota Health and Human Services, Vital Records. Online through the Vital Records order site, or by mail with the form, fee and identification to Vital Records, 600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept 325, Bismarck, ND 58505-0250. Fee: $15.00 per certified birth record; $15.00 for the first certified death record and $10.00 for each added copy ordered at the same time.
Business entity filings are searched with the North Dakota Secretary of State. The Secretary of State says you may need added licenses depending on your business, and that city, county and state licensing or permit requirements may apply.
Same county
Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.