| Clerk of District Court | Richland County Clerk of District Court — Brittany Leadbetter |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Richland County Courthouse, 418 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton, ND 58075 |
| Phone | (701) 671-1524 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.10 per page for a paper copy from a state-employed clerk; electronic copies are free |
| Certified copy fee | $20 for a certified copy or abstract of a judgment, order, or other filed paper; $10 for each additional copy of the same document |
Richland County occupies the southeastern corner of North Dakota, where the Red River begins at the meeting of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers. Its seat, Wahpeton, sits directly across the river from Breckenridge, Minnesota, and the two towns function as one community — which is the single most important thing to know when looking for a court record here, because a case may have been filed on the Minnesota side in Wilkin County District Court rather than in North Dakota.
On the North Dakota side, every district-court record — felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil suits, divorce and custody, and probate — is held by the Richland County Clerk of District Court at the Richland County Courthouse, 418 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton. The county is part of the Southeast Judicial District, and the courtroom is on the third floor. As in every North Dakota county there is one trial court of general jurisdiction, so there is no separate probate or county court to check.
Wahpeton runs its own Municipal Court for city ordinance violations and tickets written by Wahpeton police. Its clerk's office is at 1900 4th St N, while court sessions are held in the Law Enforcement Center at 413 3rd Ave N — two different addresses, neither of which is the county courthouse. Parking tickets are handled by the Wahpeton Police Department rather than either court.
Search Richland County court records online
Clerk of District Court
Richland County Clerk of District Court — Brittany Leadbetter
- Cost
- Free index search at courthouse terminals and on NDCRI; statewide fee schedule applies for copies
- Coverage
- All district-court criminal, civil, family, and probate cases filed in Richland County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The North Dakota Court System's official county page lists the clerk, mailing address, hours, and phone. The county's own site (co.richland.nd.us) does not carry a separate clerk-of-court page.
Other courts
Wahpeton Municipal Court
- Coverage
- City ordinance violations and traffic tickets issued by Wahpeton police within city limits
- Records
- Traffic
Clerk of Court office and mailing address: 1900 4th St N, Wahpeton, ND 58075; phone (701) 591-2112. Court sessions are held in the Law Enforcement Center, 413 3rd Ave N (south-side entrance), with initial appearances Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and hearings Fridays from 1:15 p.m. Non-criminal citations must be paid or contested within 14 days. Parking tickets go to Wahpeton Police at (701) 642-7724. A separate city court, not part of the county district-court file.
What is available online
Case indexes for Richland County district-court cases are searchable through the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov by selecting Richland County or "State of North Dakota." Coverage includes criminal, traffic, civil, family, probate, and judgment records plus court calendars. Wahpeton Municipal Court cases also appear in NDCRI because North Dakota's municipal courts share the same statewide case management system, but the file for a city ticket is held by the municipal clerk. Cases filed across the river in Breckenridge, Minnesota, are in the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system, not NDCRI. Document images available online vary by case type; older, sealed, or sensitive filings require an in-person or mail request to the clerk of district court.
Which clerk has your record
In North Dakota, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the North Dakota page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Court | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount | Clerk of District Court for the county |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city (or the municipal judge where no clerk is appointed) |
Request records in person or by mail
Richland County clerk offices
Richland County Courthouse, 418 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton, ND 58075
Phone: (701) 671-1524
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time)
In person. Visit the Clerk of District Court at the Richland County Courthouse, 418 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The courtroom is on the third floor, reached by an accessible elevator; the accessible entrance is off 5th St N between the courthouse and the Law Enforcement Center. A public access terminal is available for searching the case index at no charge. Cell phones must be turned off in the courtroom, and purses, backpacks, food, and hats are not allowed while court is in session.
By mail. Write to the Clerk of District Court, 418 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton, ND 58075, with the case number or the parties' names and approximate filing year, the specific document you need, whether you want a certified copy, and payment or a request for a fee quote. North Dakota's statewide fee schedule sets $20 for a certified copy or abstract and $10 for each additional copy of the same document.
Online. Search the case index for free through NDCRI. Certified copies must still come from the clerk's office.
City tickets. For a ticket written by Wahpeton police, contact the Wahpeton Municipal Court clerk at 1900 4th St N, (701) 591-2112, rather than the clerk of district court. For a Breckenridge or Wilkin County, Minnesota case, contact the Wilkin County Court Administrator in Breckenridge.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.10 per page for a paper copy from a state-employed clerk; electronic copies are free |
| Certified copy | $20 for a certified copy or abstract of a judgment, order, or other filed paper; $10 for each additional copy of the same document |
Fees are set statewide by the North Dakota Court Fee Schedule under N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03 and are the same in every county for state-employed clerks; a few counties employ the clerk directly and may set limited local charges, so confirm before mailing payment. Figures above are effective July 1, 2025.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
North Dakota's judicial records are presumed open under Supreme Court Administrative Rule 41 (Access to Court Records), which implements the state's constitutional open-records provision for the courts. Several categories are removed from public search or never appear in the index at all:
The North Dakota guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search Richland County court records online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov and select Richland County, or "State of North Dakota" to search every county at once. It is free and covers criminal, civil, family, probate, and judgment records.
My case was in Breckenridge. Will it show up in Richland County records?
No. Breckenridge is in Wilkin County, Minnesota, across the Red River from Wahpeton. Cases filed there are in the Minnesota court system, searchable through Minnesota Court Records Online, not in NDCRI or the Richland County clerk's files.
Where is Wahpeton Municipal Court?
The clerk's office and mailing address are at 1900 4th St N, Wahpeton, and court sessions are held in the Law Enforcement Center at 413 3rd Ave N. Neither is the county courthouse, which houses the Clerk of District Court at 418 2nd Ave N.
Who keeps divorce and probate records in Richland County?
The Richland County Clerk of District Court. North Dakota's district court is the single trial court of general jurisdiction, so divorce, custody, probate, criminal, and civil cases are all filed there and held by one clerk.
Sources
- North Dakota Court System — Richland County — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/richland-county
- City of Wahpeton — Municipal Court — https://www.wahpeton.com/municipalcourt
- North Dakota Court System — Wahpeton Municipal Court — https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/wahpeton
- North Dakota Court System — Southeast Judicial District — https://www.ndcourts.gov/districts/southeast-judicial-district
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry (NDCRI) — https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/default.aspx
- North Dakota Court Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2025) — https://www.ndcourts.gov/Media/Default/district-courts/Court-Fees.pdf
- North Dakota Court System — About Us — https://www.ndcourts.gov/about-us
- North Dakota Court System — Public Access (District Court Case Search and Payment Processing) — https://www.ndcourts.gov/public-access
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry — Locations and Types of Searches — https://www.ndcourts.gov/public-access/help/types-of-searches
- North Dakota Attorney General — Requesting a Criminal History Record Check — https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/public-safety/criminal-history-records/requesting-a-criminal-history-record-check/
- North Dakota Supreme Court Docket Search — https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/docket-search
- North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 12-60.1 — Sealing Criminal Records — https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12c60-1.html
- North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 27-05.2 — Clerk of District Court Funding and Fees — https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t27c05-2.pdf
- North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 41 — Access to Court Records — https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-resources/rules/ndsupctadminr/41
- United States District Court for the District of North Dakota — https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all North Dakota counties.