Reviewed and updated October 11, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 11, 2026.
Ward County, North Dakota, has about 68,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Ward County District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of District Court, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Ward County public records, Ward County arrest records, Ward County warrants, Ward County inmate search, Ward County criminal records, North Dakota arrest records and North Dakota inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Ward County
In Ward County, the Ward County District Court hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
A city with a municipal court of its own tries the tickets written under its ordinances.
Divorces go to the District Court, and the file stays with the Clerk of District Court.
The Clerk of District Court keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the North Dakota Open Records Law.
Looking Up a Case from Ward County
For Ward County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at co.ward.nd.us/m/directory/department?did=168 (page title: Staff Directory, Clerk of Court), phone 701-857-6600, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on October 11, 2026.
Statewide, North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
The North Dakota court page SearchSystems verified is at ndcourts.gov/public-access.
What Reaches the Court from Ward County
Together, the four agencies in Ward County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 1,476 arrests to the FBI that year; the State's Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Ward County District Court.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at co.ward.nd.us/227/States-Attorney (page title: State's Attorney | Ward County, ND), phone 701-852-0111, Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Ward County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Ward County criminal records, Ward County divorce records, Ward County traffic tickets, Ward County DUI and Ward County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Ward County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Ward County and North Dakota. These court pages from its Ward County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- North Dakota Court System (ndcourts.gov)
Cities in Ward County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Ward County District Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its municipal court where it has one.
SearchSystems has a guide to the offices of these cities in Ward County, with the 2024 Census Bureau population:
- Minot (47,440)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Ward County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at co.ward.nd.us/m/directory/department?did=168, phone 701-857-6600. Statewide, North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Ward County?
The Ward County District Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Who keeps the court records in Ward County?
The Clerk of District Court. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in North Dakota?
Yes: North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry, the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
Is this the official Ward County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.