Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
When you type a name, case number, or location into one of the sponsored search tools on our site, that input is handled by the third-party provider that runs the tool. We do not use that query to create a court record, and we do not certify any result returned by the vendor. For official Winona County records, use the Minnesota Judicial Branch or county office that actually holds the file, such as mncourts.gov/find-courts/winona, winonacounty.gov/283/Recorder, or winonacounty.gov/307/Sheriff.
Messages and Contact Submissions
If you send us a message, we keep it only long enough to respond or handle the request. We do not sell those messages. If the question belongs with a government office, we may point you to the office that holds the official record instead of trying to answer on behalf of that office.
Data We Gather Automatically
Every time a page loads, our servers may record basic technical information about the visit:
- The IP address assigned to your device
- Your browser type and version
- Your device type and operating system
- The pages you visited and how long you stayed
- The site that sent you here, if any
- General timestamps for page views and errors
Cookies
We use cookies to understand which Winona County pages get used most often and where users may be getting stuck. You can block cookies in your browser, but some site features may not behave the same if you do.
What We Do With This Data
- Keep the site available and loading quickly
- Send sponsored search queries to the correct provider
- See which Winona County pages are most useful
- Fix technical problems and broken links
- Show advertising that helps support the site
When you move from this site to official government pages, the county or state office controls the record. For example, the Winona County District Court handles certified court copies, the Recorder and Vital Records office handles marriage certificates and recorded documents, and the Sheriff's Office handles jail and warrant information. Those offices follow their own policies, not ours.
Links to Other Websites
We link to the Minnesota Judicial Branch, Winona County, and other outside sites throughout this website. Once you leave our pages, their privacy policy and access rules apply. Some of the main local links are the Winona County District Court page, the MCRO portal, the Recorder page, the Vital Records page, and the Sheriff page.
Official government sites may collect, store, or publish information under Minnesota law, including the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. ch. 13, and Minn. Stat. § 13.03. Their own rules control how they release public data.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal data. Some information may be available to the companies that help us run the site, to analytics services, to ad networks, or to law enforcement when a valid legal request requires disclosure.
How We Protect Your Data
We use standard security practices to protect the information we collect. No internet-connected site is perfect, though, so we cannot guarantee that a breach will never happen. We limit access to the information we keep and review the site when we find a technical issue.
Users Under 18
This site is meant for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If a minor's information is sent to us by mistake, we will remove it when we discover it.
Your Data Rights
- Ask for a copy of the information we keep about you
- Ask us to correct information that is wrong
- Request deletion of information we are able to remove
- Opt out of certain cookies or tracking tools through your browser settings
For government records held by Winona County or the Minnesota Judicial Branch, public access and data-practices questions are governed by Minnesota Government Data Practices Act provisions, including Minn. Stat. ch. 13 and Minn. Stat. § 13.03. Those rights apply to the official office that holds the record, not to this private site.
Updates to This Policy
We may revise this policy when the site changes or when the official Winona County and Minnesota Judicial Branch sources we link to change their public-access rules. When that happens, the updated policy will appear here with a new effective date.