Redaction Policy

Last updated: April 2026

MN CRIME publishes reporting and court-record summaries about criminal cases filed in Minnesota. This page explains what we will and won't do when someone asks us to remove or redact their coverage.

What we publish

MN CRIME reports on criminal complaints, charging documents and dispositions sourced from Minnesota court records. These are public records under the First Amendment and Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act. We publish facts drawn from those records and from our own reporting.

Expungement doesn't compel news deletion

A court order expunging a case applies to government records held by the courts and law-enforcement agencies. It does not require news outlets, databases or third-party websites to delete their own coverage or archives. Courts have repeatedly affirmed that requiring news organizations to scrub accurate reporting about past court proceedings raises serious First Amendment concerns.

That said, MN CRIME voluntarily reviews redaction requests. We take expungements, dismissals and case outcomes seriously, and we try to be fair.

What we will usually do

Add context to coverage when charges were dismissed, reduced, amended or resulted in acquittal.
Update coverage when a case is expunged, so the outcome is clearly documented.
Correct factual errors promptly when they're identified.
Review requests from minors, alleged victims, and individuals whose inclusion creates a serious safety risk, case by case.
Remove mugshots on request in most non-violent cases, without removing the underlying reporting.

What we generally won't do

Delete accurate reporting on an open case simply because the subject finds it embarrassing.
Remove articles solely because a case was later sealed or expunged by court order — expungement does not compel news deletion.
Remove publicly-filed case numbers, charges, or dispositional facts that appear on the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system.
Honor anonymous requests, requests made on someone else's behalf without authorization, or requests that ask us to remove coverage of third parties.

How to request a review

Open the Request redactionlink at the bottom of any defendant profile page. You'll be asked for:

Your name and email.
The defendant profile and, if known, the case numbers.
A short explanation of why you're asking.
Optional documentation (an expungement order, court notice, or similar).

A human reviews every submission manually. We typically respond within a few business days. If we act on your request, we'll reply once changes are made. If we can't, we'll explain why.

Legal process

Formal legal notices should go to contact@mncrime.com. Submitting the redaction form is not the same as serving legal process.

← About MN CRIME

Expungement doesn't compel news deletion

That said, MN CRIME voluntarily reviews redaction requests. We take expungements, dismissals and case outcomes seriously, and we try to be fair.

What we will usually do

Add context to coverage when charges were dismissed, reduced, amended or resulted in acquittal.

Update coverage when a case is expunged, so the outcome is clearly documented.

Correct factual errors promptly when they're identified.

Review requests from minors, alleged victims, and individuals whose inclusion creates a serious safety risk, case by case.

Remove mugshots on request in most non-violent cases, without removing the underlying reporting.

What we generally won't do

Delete accurate reporting on an open case simply because the subject finds it embarrassing.

Remove articles solely because a case was later sealed or expunged by court order — expungement does not compel news deletion.

Remove publicly-filed case numbers, charges, or dispositional facts that appear on the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system.

Honor anonymous requests, requests made on someone else's behalf without authorization, or requests that ask us to remove coverage of third parties.

How to request a review

Open the Request redactionlink at the bottom of any defendant profile page. You'll be asked for:

Your name and email.

The defendant profile and, if known, the case numbers.

A short explanation of why you're asking.

Optional documentation (an expungement order, court notice, or similar).

A human reviews every submission manually. We typically respond within a few business days. If we act on your request, we'll reply once changes are made. If we can't, we'll explain why.