How MN CRIME Scores Cases
MN CRIME uses a set of metrics to surface the most significant criminal court filings in Minnesota. All data originates from Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), the official public records system maintained by the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Charges are allegations — they do not indicate guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Newsworthiness Score
0 – 200MN CRIME's headline metric. Each case is scored algorithmically on a 0–200 scale based on the factors below. Cases above 100 are flagged as high-significance. Cases above 150 are rare and indicate very serious felony filings.
Charge severityFelony > gross misdemeanor > misdemeanor. First-degree charges carry more weight than lower degrees.
Number of countsMultiple charges of the same type increase the score. A single count of murder scores differently than five counts.
Criminal historyPrior felony convictions logged in the complaint add to the score — repeat offenders score higher.
Victim vulnerabilityCases involving minors, elderly victims, or victims with disabilities carry additional weight.
Weapon involvementCharges that specify use of a firearm or dangerous weapon add score points.
Public safety impactCharges with broad community impact (arson, terrorism, trafficking) are weighted up.
Sensitivity Level
Low / Medium / HighA content sensitivity flag applied to each case. High-sensitivity cases involve victims of sexual violence or minors and are handled with additional care in how they are surfaced and described.
LowStandard criminal cases — theft, DWI, property crimes, drug possession.
MediumCases involving violence, weapons, or domestic assault.
HighCases involving sexual violence, trafficking, or victims under 18. Defendant details may be partially redacted in public displays.
Filing Volume
Count per 30 daysThe number of new criminal complaints filed within the most recent 30-day window, broken down by charge category and county. This metric is used on Charge Type pages and county dashboards.
Monthly countComplaints filed in the trailing 30 days, refreshed daily.
County breakdownTop counties by filing volume — useful for identifying geographic hotspots.
Category trendsVolume changes by charge category over time.
County Coverage
All 87 countiesMN CRIME tracks criminal court filings across all 87 Minnesota counties, from Hennepin and Ramsey to smaller counties like Traverse and Koochiching. Data completeness varies — metro counties typically see faster data entry in MCRO.
Metro countiesHennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, Washington, Scott and Carver see the highest filing volumes and fastest data entry.
Greater MinnesotaOutstate counties are fully covered. Smaller counties may have 24–48 hour delays in new filing appearance.
Data gapsSealed cases, juvenile records, and cases under protective orders are not included in public data.
Data source: All MN CRIME case data is sourced from Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), a public records system operated by the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Data is refreshed daily. MN CRIME does not create, modify, or verify the accuracy of court records — it aggregates and scores them for public accessibility. For the authoritative record, always consult MCRO directly. See also: Minnesota Statutes.