How to Search Ramsey County Warrants Online
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office runs the Online Warrant Search (OWS) at xnet.co.ramsey.mn.us/sheriff/ows. The disclaimer page at ramseycountymn.gov sets the scope and the safety rules. Users must accept the disclaimer before reaching the search form. The site warns that arrest warrants call for immediate apprehension and that incomplete or stale data may appear despite the Sheriff's update efforts.
The disclaimer page is shown below.
The disclaimer explains the ten-year scope, the agreement to use the data lawfully, and the public-service framing of the Ramsey County warrant search.
- Open the Sheriff's warrant disclaimer page.
- Read the safety warning and the scope statement.
- Click I Agree to reach the search form.
- Type a first name, last name, or both. Each field accepts up to 30 characters.
- Click Search. The results return matching active Ramsey County warrants.
- Verify the result by phoning the Sheriff or by checking the court file in MCRO.
Ramsey County Warrant Search Fields
The OWS form is intentionally narrow. The portal returns only people with active Ramsey arrest warrants issued in the last ten years. The form is shown at the link below. The live form page is at xnet.co.ramsey.mn.us/sheriff/ows.
The form uses two name fields and a single Search button to run the Ramsey County warrant search.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First name | Text | Optional | maxlength 30; size 25 |
| Last name | Text | Optional | maxlength 30; size 25 |
| Agreement | Link / button | Yes | Must accept disclaimer before reaching form |
| Search | Button | n/a | Submits the form |
The system does not accept date of birth, alias, court file number, or charge filters on the public form. A more detailed query needs a phone call to the Sheriff or a court-side MCRO search.
Scope of the Ramsey County Online Warrant Search
The OWS database covers only certain warrants. The Sheriff's disclaimer page lists what is in and out. Knowing the scope avoids false negatives. Some warrants are quashed but linger on the index for a short period; others are sealed under section 13.82 until the warrant is served.
- Active arrest warrants issued by Ramsey County District Court (Second Judicial District).
- Issued within the last ten years.
- Public information only; sealed or confidential warrant index data are excluded.
- Does not include warrants from other Minnesota counties.
- Does not include served, recalled, or otherwise resolved warrants.
- Does not include federal warrants; see the U.S. Marshals or U.S. District Court for those.
- Does not include civil bench warrants outside the listed categories.
Sample Ramsey County Warrant Record
The OWS result page lists warrant subjects in a short list format. The exact result columns are not published in the public disclaimer text, but a result typically returns a subject name plus identifying information that helps law enforcement work the warrant. The court-side record sits in MCRO Case Search and the Register of Actions, which is where the warrant order PDF is filed when the case type allows remote access.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Subject Name | Last name, first name as entered in the warrant index. |
| Warrant Type | Arrest warrant, bench warrant, or probation violation warrant. |
| Issuing Court | Ramsey County District Court, Second Judicial District. |
| Case Number | District Court file number tied to the warrant. |
| Charge / Cause | The underlying allegation, e.g., probation or pretrial violation. |
| Date Issued | Date the District Court judge signed the warrant. |
What to Do About an Active Ramsey County Warrant
The Sheriff's resolution page is the official guide. It says the best way to resolve an active warrant is to turn yourself in before 4 a.m., Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays. The early-morning intake minimizes the chance of staying in jail over the weekend. The first available court date depends on the type of warrant, the case status, and the issuing judge. Posting bail or bond may be possible if the court allows it.
The Sheriff's resolution guidance is at ramseycountymn.gov resolve-your-arrest-warrant.
The page details the early-morning surrender window and the calendar timing for Ramsey County warrants.
- Run the OWS to confirm an active Ramsey County warrant.
- Talk with an attorney or, if eligible, the Public Defender before turning yourself in.
- Turn yourself in at the Law Enforcement Center, 425 Grove Street, Saint Paul, before 4 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
- Plan for booking, fingerprints, and possible jail time before the next available court date.
- Post bail or bond if the court permits and arrange transportation home.
Who Issues a Ramsey County Warrant
District Court judges issue arrest warrants in Ramsey County. The Sheriff's Office does not issue warrants; it processes them under state statute and posts the public OWS. The court rules and the law-enforcement data statute set the boundaries on what becomes public. Warrant index entries can stay confidential until the warrant is served, depending on the public-purpose finding by the agency. Federal arrest warrants are handled by the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
The dataset metadata for the formal-charges feed sits at opendata.ramseycountymn.gov.
The formal-charges dataset is one of the feeds behind the Ramsey County booking and warrant data flow.
Related Ramsey County Booking Data
Warrant data sit next to the booking data on the open data site. The arresting-charges dataset is at opendata.ramseycountymn.gov. The detention facilities landing page at ramseycountymn.gov detention-correctional-facilities lists the Adult Detention Center, the Ramsey County Correctional Facility, and the Juvenile Detention Center.
The arresting-charges dataset metadata helps users see what arrest data flow into the Ramsey County warrant and booking records.
The county detention landing page is shown below.
The landing page links each Ramsey County facility tied to warrant and booking processing.
Bench Warrants and Failure-to-Appear Events
A Ramsey County bench warrant is signed by the judge when a party misses a court hearing. Traffic, criminal, and probate cases can all generate one. The MCRO Register of Actions shows the Warrant Issued event with the date. The OWS picks up the warrant when the agency feeds it into the public index. A bench warrant is usually quashed once the party appears, posts bond, or files a written request that the judge accepts.
The Sheriff's main page at ramseycountymn.gov sheriffs-office lists Sheriff Bob Fletcher, the 23rd Sheriff of Ramsey County, and the five divisions that handle warrants, bookings, and court security. Civil process and bench warrant service belong to Court and Security Services and Public Safety Services.
Public Access Framework for Ramsey County Warrants
Warrant records are part of the law-enforcement data class under Minnesota Statutes § 13.82. The statute treats arrest data, request-for-service data, and warrant indices as public unless a specific carve-out applies. Some warrant index entries stay confidential until the warrant is served unless the agency finds that a public purpose is served by disclosure. The Ramsey County Sheriff publishes its OWS under that statute and the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act at section 13.03.
Note: A clean OWS result does not prove no warrant exists; the database covers only Ramsey County District Court warrants issued in the last ten years.
Out-of-county warrants need a separate check. The Minnesota Judicial Branch does not run a single statewide warrant index for the public. Other Minnesota counties publish their own sheriff-side warrant lists. Federal warrants run through the U.S. Marshals Service.
Federal Warrants for People in Ramsey County
Federal arrest warrants are not on the Sheriff's OWS. The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota issues federal warrants. The U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Minnesota serves them. Federal cases use CM/ECF and PACER for case records, but active warrant data are not public. The most public-facing federal source is the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/Locate, which shows who is already in federal custody.
Types of Ramsey County Warrants
The OWS database returns several kinds of warrants. The label on the warrant matters for what comes next, so a quick guide helps users sort the result. The court record carries the actual order.
- Arrest warrant — signed when a judge finds probable cause for a new crime.
- Bench warrant — signed when a party fails to appear or violates a court order.
- Probation violation warrant — signed when a probation officer reports a breach.
- Pretrial violation warrant — signed when pretrial release conditions are violated.
- Body attachment — civil warrant for failure to appear in a civil contempt or witness matter.
- Search warrant — not on OWS; sealed until executed and returned.
The MCRO Register of Actions shows the warrant event with the date the District Court judge signed it. The Sheriff's index, by contrast, is a sheriff-side feed and can lag the court entry by hours.