Cass County ND Court Records Search: NDCRI, District Court, Municipal Records & PACER
Use this guide to search Cass County court records through the official North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, verify District Court and municipal results, find court calendars and judgments, request copies, and route appeals, federal cases, bankruptcy records, and criminal-history checks correctly.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not the North Dakota Court System, Cass County Clerk of District Court, Cass County government, Fargo Municipal Court, West Fargo Municipal Court, a law firm, PACER, BCI, or a Consumer Reporting Agency. This page is general information only and is not legal advice.
Responsible-use warning: a name match does not prove identity. A charge, complaint, citation, petition, lawsuit, warrant entry, or docket event does not prove guilt or liability. Do not use this page as an FCRA-regulated employment, tenant, credit, insurance, licensing, or background-screening product.
Cass County court records start with North Dakota’s statewide court system
Cass County District Court is part of North Dakota’s East Central Judicial District. Even though the court is physically located in the Cass County Courthouse in Fargo, the courts are a division of the State of North Dakota, not a county records office.
The official online starting point is North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, commonly called NDCRI. It provides public access to district court information and some municipal court cases, including search categories for Criminal/Traffic, Civil Family and Probate, Judgments Search, and Court Calendar.
Cass County Clerk of District Court main office phone.
Cass County court location lists Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
North Dakota lists this fee per name and kind of record for written clerk search results.
North Dakota lists court record copies at 10 cents per page as of July 1, 2025.
Cass County court record route finder
Select what you need. This helper runs only in your browser and does not ask for names, case numbers, dates of birth, driver license numbers, or payment data.
Search by complete case number or citation number when possible. If searching by defendant name, compare court, case number, filing date, party details, and the final disposition section before relying on the result.
Choose the correct Cass County court-record route
Do not assume every local record is a District Court case. Fargo and West Fargo municipal matters, appeals, federal cases, bankruptcy records, criminal-history record checks, and jail or police records use different official systems.
| Need | Correct source | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Felony or district criminal case | NDCRI Criminal/Traffic + Cass County Clerk of District Court | Select Cass County or State of North Dakota, then use criminal search by case number, defendant, citation number, attorney, or date filed. |
| Traffic citation or petty misdemeanor | NDCRI Criminal/Traffic or the specific municipal court | Use citation number when available. If the citation is Fargo or West Fargo municipal, confirm payment and hearing procedures with that municipal court. |
| Civil lawsuit | NDCRI Civil, Family & Probate | Search by case number, party name, business name, attorney, cross-reference number, or date filed. |
| Family, divorce, custody, or parenting case | NDCRI Civil, Family & Probate + clerk access limits | Search for public case information, but expect restrictions for confidential details, protected information, and sensitive documents. |
| Probate or estate case | NDCRI Civil, Family & Probate + Cass County Clerk | Search by case number, party name, decedent name, business name, attorney, or filing date, then contact the clerk for official copies. |
| Civil judgment | NDCRI Judgments Search | Search by individual or business name, then check later docket activity for satisfaction, appeal, stay, renewal, or related filings. |
| Upcoming hearing or court date | NDCRI Court Calendar | Search by case number, party, business name, attorney, judicial officer, or magistrate. Use date-range fields when required. |
| Fargo city ordinance, traffic, class B misdemeanor, or infraction | Fargo Municipal Court + NDCRI when available | Use NDCRI for searchable Fargo municipal records, then verify hearing location, payment, and records questions with Fargo Municipal Court. |
| West Fargo municipal case | West Fargo Municipal Court + NDCRI / municipal payment portal | Use official West Fargo Municipal Court resources for hearings, payments, bond, and certified-copy questions. |
| State appeal from Cass County | North Dakota appellate public portal | Use appellate case, party, calendar, document, or publication search, then compare lower-court case number and party names. |
| Federal or bankruptcy case | PACER, U.S. District Court District of North Dakota, or U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of North Dakota | Use PACER Case Locator if the federal court is unknown. Do not search county civil court for bankruptcy records. |
| North Dakota criminal-history record check | North Dakota Attorney General / BCI | Use BCI criminal-history procedures. A court-record search is not the same as a criminal-history record check. |
How to search Cass County records in NDCRI
NDCRI is the official North Dakota public search for court case information. It is free to use remotely, but it is not the official court record and does not certify search results. Contact the Cass County Clerk of District Court for official record needs, errors, copies, and written search responses.
Use the North Dakota Court System public access page or the NDCRI search page. Avoid commercial websites that look like government search portals.
Choose Cass County when you know the case is local. Choose State of North Dakota when you are not sure which county or municipal court handled the case.
Use Criminal/Traffic for criminal, traffic, petty misdemeanor, citation, attorney, or date-filed searches. Use Civil, Family & Probate for civil parties, businesses, attorneys, probate, and family cases.
Case number or citation number is usually safer than a name-only search. NDCRI help says dashes and leading zeros can be omitted in case-number examples, but users should still compare the returned record carefully.
NDCRI supports wildcard asterisk searching and Soundex. Wildcard searches require enough starting characters, and Soundex works best when names start with the same first letter.
Check register of actions, disposition, judgment, hearing entries, party role, and case type. North Dakota public access warns users to click the case hyperlink and consult the Disposition section for final outcome.
For official copies, certification questions, written record-search results, transcript questions, audio-recording access, or corrections, contact the Cass County Clerk of District Court.
Cass County court record fees, written searches, and copies
Remote NDCRI public searching is free, but clerk-provided services can have fees. North Dakota Court System data-access guidance lists a written record-search fee and a copy page fee. Certification, transcripts, audio recordings, and federal records have separate procedures or charges.
| Request | Official fee or rule reviewed | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| NDCRI public online search | Free remote public access for publicly accessible case information. | Use it for case locating, but do not treat the screen as a certified official record. |
| Written clerk record search | $10 for each name and kind of record, such as civil or criminal, when a written clerk response is requested. | Ask whether you only need to know if a record exists; North Dakota notes that simple existence confirmation may not require the same written-search fee. |
| Court record copies | North Dakota lists copies at 10 cents per page as of July 1, 2025. | Confirm page count and whether certification is needed before ordering. |
| Certified copy | Certification requirements and final amount should be confirmed with the clerk that holds the record. | Provide court, case number, party names, document title, and filing year. |
| Transcript or audio recording | North Dakota provides separate procedures for transcripts and audio recordings, with access limits for non-parties. | Ask whether the hearing was recorded and whether you are a party, attorney, or non-party requestor. |
| Federal PACER records | PACER pricing verified September 19, 2026: $0.10 per page, many documents capped at $3.00, $30 quarterly waiver threshold. A temporary increase to $0.12 per page and $40 waiver threshold is announced for January 1, 2027. | Use case number and date filters to reduce billable pages. |
Cass County clerk-service cost estimator
This is only a planning aid for common North Dakota court-record fees. The clerk’s current quote controls.
What NDCRI shows, what it does not show, and when to contact the clerk
NDCRI public search is limited to publicly accessible case search results, registers of action, civil judgments, and court calendars for courts that are currently inputting data into the system. It is not a full criminal history, not a certified court record, and not a complete copy of every document in every case.
- Criminal, traffic, and petty misdemeanor case information.
- Civil, family, and probate case information.
- Civil judgment searches.
- Court calendars and hearing listings.
- Some Fargo and West Fargo municipal matters in Odyssey.
- You need an official copy or certification.
- You need a written record-search response.
- A record is missing, restricted, sealed, or unclear.
- You need transcript or audio-recording access.
- You believe online case information has an error.
Official Cass County court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Use these official links as task routes, not just a link list. Each card explains what to check after the official page opens.
Use this as the main state court access hub for search, payment, and help links.
- Confirm you are on ndcourts.gov.
- Use the Case Search button for public records.
- Use county or municipal dropdowns for payments only when appropriate.
- Read the warning about restricted case information.
Use this for Cass County case records, judgments, and calendars.
- Select Cass County or State of North Dakota.
- Choose Criminal/Traffic, Civil Family & Probate, Judgments, or Court Calendar.
- Search by case number or citation number when available.
- Open the case hyperlink and read the disposition before relying on the result.
Use this if you do not understand search categories, results, or limitations.
- Open the topic that matches your search type.
- Review criminal, civil, judgment, calendar, and searching tips.
- Check whether your case type is publicly searchable.
- Contact the county clerk for case-specific meaning or errors.
Use this for official courthouse, clerk, phone, hours, parking, entrance, and courtroom instructions.
- Confirm the courthouse address and clerk phone.
- Check public entrance and parking instructions.
- Read courthouse rules before visiting.
- Call the clerk before traveling for copies or restricted records.
Use this for access rules, written record-search fee, copy fee, and confidential-record explanations.
- Read the public access overview.
- Review confidentiality examples and Administrative Rules references.
- Check written search and copy fee guidance.
- Use clerk procedures for records not available remotely.
Use this when a name has spelling variations, punctuation, or uncertainty.
- Review wildcard asterisk requirements.
- Review Soundex limits before using it.
- Check permitted characters in search fields.
- Search maiden or former names when relevant and lawful.
Use this for Fargo municipal record-search instructions and public terminal notes.
- Confirm whether your case is Fargo Municipal Court or District Court.
- Use the North Dakota Supreme Court public search link provided by the city.
- Check public terminal and copy-printing details.
- Verify current court location before appearing in person.
Use this for West Fargo municipal hearings, payments, bond, traffic, and court contact details.
- Confirm the address and office hours.
- Use the city’s official payment/search route when paying a fine.
- Call the clerk for certified-copy questions.
- Do not submit sensitive identifiers anywhere except an official court or payment system.
Use this for North Dakota Supreme Court appellate records.
- Search by appellate case, party, calendar, document, or publication.
- Compare lower-court case numbers to Cass County case numbers.
- Remember the newer appellate system went live April 8, 2024.
- Use Supreme Court opinions separately when needed.
Use this for federal district court location and contact details.
- Confirm the case is federal, not Cass County District Court.
- Use PACER for the docket and documents.
- Call the federal clerk for federal copy questions.
- Do not search NDCRI for federal court filings.
Use this for federal district, bankruptcy, and appellate records.
- Use Case Locator if the federal court is unknown.
- Use a case number if available to reduce fees.
- Review PACER pricing before opening documents.
- Use the specific court’s PACER site for the most current docket.
Use this when you need a North Dakota criminal-history record check, not just court dockets.
- Review name-based and fingerprint-based options.
- Check required identifiers and authorization requirements.
- Download the current request form.
- Mail the original signed form and required fee as instructed.
Cass County courthouse and municipal court locations
For official records, certified copies, written search results, transcript questions, hearing questions, or restricted case access, contact the office that holds the record. Call before visiting because courtrooms, municipal court locations, security rules, and payment procedures can change.
Cass County Courthouse
211 9th St. S.
Fargo, ND 58103
Mailing: P.O. Box 2806, Fargo, ND 58108
Phone: 701-451-6900
Hours listed: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Clerk’s office is listed on the second floor. The public entrance is on the east side of the courthouse, and public parking is listed at 9th Street and 3rd Avenue.
Fargo Municipal Court handles Fargo city ordinance criminal and non-criminal violations, including certain class B misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic violations.
As reviewed on September 19, 2026, the city page states Fargo Municipal Court is temporarily relocating to the second floor of the Fargo Civic Center, 207 4th St. N., beginning Monday, August 31.
Confirm current location and phone details on the Fargo Municipal Court page before appearing.
800 Fourth Ave. E., Suite 1
West Fargo, ND 58078
Phone: 701-515-5025
Fax: 701-515-5001
Open Court and hearings are listed for Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.
Use West Fargo’s official municipal page for current hearing, payment, bond, and certified-copy instructions.
Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse
655 1st Ave. North, #130
Fargo, ND 58102-4932
Phone: 701-297-7000
Use this route only for federal district court matters. Bankruptcy records use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and PACER.
Cass County appeals, federal cases, bankruptcy, and criminal-history checks
Trial-court dockets, appellate dockets, federal dockets, bankruptcy records, and criminal-history checks are separate systems. Use the right official source so you do not miss a record or rely on the wrong kind of result.
Use the North Dakota appellate public portal from the Supreme Court docket-search page. The newer appellate system went live April 8, 2024 and supports case, party, calendar, document, and publication searches, but not all historical data is searchable.
Federal civil and criminal cases use PACER and the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. The Fargo divisional courthouse is the closest federal district court location for Cass County users.
Bankruptcy is federal. Use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota and PACER, not Cass County civil or judgment search.
What to do if a Cass County court-record search returns no result
- Try Cass County and State of North Dakota.
- Use Criminal/Traffic for citations and criminal matters.
- Use Civil, Family & Probate for civil parties, businesses, probate, and family matters.
- Try case number, citation number, party name, business name, attorney, and filing date where appropriate.
- Use official wildcard or Soundex rules when spelling is uncertain.
- New records may not be updated until the end of the previous business day.
- Cass Odyssey coverage generally starts from November 2002.
- Restricted, sealed, confidential, juvenile, or protected records may not show remotely.
- Fargo or West Fargo municipal issues may require municipal court confirmation.
- Federal and bankruptcy records will not appear in NDCRI.
How to read Cass County case results without over-interpreting them
NDCRI results can show case type, parties, register of actions, judgments, dispositions, and calendars. A docket entry is a record of court activity, not a full legal explanation.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, debtor, creditor, decedent, personal representative, guardian, ward, appellant, and appellee are roles. A party role does not always mean wrongdoing.
Complaint, petition, summons, motion, order, judgment, dismissal, hearing, plea, sentence, warrant, and continuance entries must be read in sequence. One entry may not show the final result.
Open, closed, dismissed, guilty, not guilty, judgment, satisfied, stayed, or reopened entries can have different consequences. Contact the clerk or an attorney if the legal meaning matters.
Use Cass County court records carefully
- Do not identify a person from a common name alone.
- Compare case number, court, filing date, party role, attorney, and disposition.
- Do not assume a charge, citation, or complaint is a conviction.
- Do not assume a civil judgment shows current payment status.
- Do not harass, threaten, shame, or retaliate against anyone.
- Do not republish unnecessary sensitive information.
- Do not bypass sealed, restricted, juvenile, or confidential records.
- Contact the official court or BCI for corrections, sealed records, expungement, or official criminal-history questions.
Frequently asked questions about Cass County ND court records
What is the official way to search Cass County ND court records?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, also called NDCRI, through the North Dakota Court System public access page. Select Cass County or State of North Dakota, then choose Criminal/Traffic, Civil Family and Probate, Judgments Search, or Court Calendar.
Is NDCRI free to use for Cass County court records?
Yes. NDCRI remote public search is available free of charge for public case information. Fees can apply when you ask the clerk for written record-search results, copies, certified copies, transcripts, audio recordings, or other clerk-provided services.
Can I search Cass County court records by name?
Yes. NDCRI supports name searching, but North Dakota Courts warns that name searches are not always reliable because two people may share the same name, birth date, or other identifiers. Compare case number, court, filing date, party role, attorney, case type, and disposition before relying on a match.
Which court keeps Cass County District Court records?
Cass County District Court records are handled through the East Central Judicial District at the Cass County Courthouse in Fargo. The Clerk of District Court office is the main contact for official case-record questions, certified copies, and written search requests.
Does NDCRI include Fargo and West Fargo municipal cases?
NDCRI includes district court records and municipal court cases from certain areas. Fargo Municipal Court and West Fargo Municipal Court are listed among North Dakota municipal courts on the Odyssey public search system, but users should still confirm municipal payment, hearing, and certified-copy questions with the specific municipal court.
How current are Cass County NDCRI records?
NDCRI states that data is current through the end of the previous business day. A very new filing, payment, hearing update, or disposition may not appear immediately.
Are NDCRI results the official court record?
No. NDCRI public information is a service and is not considered the official court record. For official use, request records, written confirmation, certified copies, transcripts, or audio access through the appropriate clerk or court.
How much does a written Cass County court record search cost?
North Dakota Court System data-access guidance lists a $10 fee for each name and kind of record, such as civil or criminal, when a written clerk response to a record search is requested. The fee must be received before written results are provided.
Where do I search Cass County appeals?
Use the North Dakota appellate public portal from the Supreme Court docket-search page. The newer appellate system went live April 8, 2024, and supports case, party, calendar, document, and publication searches, but not all historical data is searchable there.
Where do I search federal or bankruptcy cases from Cass County?
Use PACER for federal court records. Cass County federal district matters route through the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, with a Fargo divisional courthouse. Bankruptcy records are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota and PACER.
Official-source review checklist
This guide was reviewed against official North Dakota Court System public access, NDCRI, NDCRI help pages, Cass County court location, Cass County government court page, data-access guidance, public-record access rules, Fargo Municipal Court, West Fargo Municipal Court, North Dakota appellate public portal, U.S. District Court District of North Dakota, U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of North Dakota, PACER pricing, and North Dakota Attorney General criminal-history resources. Review date: September 19, 2026.