Brown County Court Records Search
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Brown County, Minnesota, located in the south-central part of the state with New Ulm as its county seat, operates a unified district court that handles all civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic matters arising within the county. Court records generated by these proceedings are formal documentation maintained by the Court Administration office and are central to tracking legal outcomes, verifying case histories, and conducting background research.
If you're looking for court case information in Minnesota, there are several practical options. Records can be accessed in person at the Brown County Courthouse, through public access terminals on-site, or remotely through the state's online case search system. MinnesotaCourts.us can help you identify publicly available court case information and navigate Minnesota's judicial branch resources.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Brown County?
The Brown County District Court, part of Minnesota's Fifth Judicial District, handles all case types originating in the county. Court Administration oversees five operational divisions: Civil Case Filings, Family/Probate, Criminal/Traffic, Juvenile, and Small Claims.
Brown County District Court — Court Administration
Address: 14 South State Street, 3rd Floor, New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 441-7020
Jury Information Line: (507) 441-7019
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Note: Payments cannot be accepted at the service counter after 2:30 p.m. on the last working day of each month.
Court Administrator: Carol Weikle
For online searches, Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) is the primary statewide portal for public access to district court records. MCRO offers four distinct search tools:
- Case Search — search by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, or citation number
- Document Search — retrieve public documents in a specific case by case number
- Hearing Search — find scheduled hearings by party name, case number, or judicial officer
- Judgment Search — search docketed money judgments by debtor name
Note that public documents filed before July 1, 2015, have limited availability through MCRO. For older records, contact court administration directly.
Are Court Records Public in Brown County?
Court records in Brown County are generally open to the public under Minnesota's Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, which establish statewide standards for transparency and access. The rules permit any person to inspect and copy most court records, subject to a defined set of exemptions.
Under Rule 4 of the Minnesota Rules of Public Access, the following categories of records are not accessible to the public:
- Domestic abuse and harassment case records
- Records containing race and ethnicity data
- Medical and mental health records
- Judicial work product and deliberative materials
- Juvenile appellate case records
- Administrative warrants prior to execution
- Court services records
- Records in civil commitment, delinquency (felony, age 16+), and CHIPS cases (Child in Need of Protection or Services)
It is also worth noting that these public access rules do not apply to the Tax Court, the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals, the Office of Administrative Hearings, or the State Guardian ad Litem Board — those bodies operate under separate access frameworks.
Copies of records from confidential or sealed cases may still be obtainable in some circumstances, but additional documentation or a court order may be required.
Brown County Criminal Court Records
The Brown County District Court has original jurisdiction over all criminal matters filed in the county, including felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanors. Criminal court records — which include charges filed, plea entries, motions, orders, and sentencing documents — are maintained by Court Administration and are accessible through MCRO for most case types. Pending criminal, traffic, and petty misdemeanor cases can be searched directly through MCRO Case Search by entering the defendant's name or case number.
For statewide criminal history information beyond individual case records, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the Minnesota Criminal History System (CHS), a free public search tool provided by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The CHS database contains records of persons arrested for felony, gross misdemeanor, and certain misdemeanor offenses, and goes beyond what individual case searches in MCRO can provide.
Arrest records are held by law enforcement and are separate from court case records. The Brown County Sheriff's Office is the primary local agency for arrest-related information:
Brown County Sheriff's Office
Address: 15 South Washington Street, 2nd Floor, New Ulm, MN 56073
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 877, New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 233-6700
County Jail: (507) 233-6775
The Sheriff's Office website also provides links to Minnesota Court Records Online, the Minnesota Criminal History Search, and the Level 3 Predatory Offender registry for public reference.
Expunged criminal records are sealed from public access, including from MCRO, though the subject of an expunged record may request copies of their own sealed records from the BCA.
Brown County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Brown County cover disputes between private parties, including contract claims, property conflicts, personal injury actions, and harassment matters. The Small Claims division of Brown County District Court handles money disputes up to the statutory limit. All civil filings and related records are maintained by Court Administration, with most accessible through MCRO's Case Search and Document Search tools.
To request paper copies of civil court records, contact the Court Administration office in person or by phone at (507) 441-7020. Court record copy fees under Minnesota Statute § 357.021 are as follows:
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Paper copy of a court record | $5.00 |
| Certified copy of a court document | $14.00 |
| Exemplified copy | $14.00 per document |
| Exemplified + certified copy | $28.00 per document |
| Uncertified photocopy | No fee |
Court Administration can also provide guidance on court forms for self-represented litigants, available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch's forms library. Self-Help Centers, accessible through the Minnesota Judicial Branch website, can assist unrepresented parties in locating relevant resources. A Conciliation Court Virtual Assistant is also available online for small claims guidance.
Brown County Family Court Records
Family law proceedings in Brown County are handled by the District Court's Family/Probate division. The court's jurisdiction covers dissolution of marriage (divorce), legal separation, child custody and parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, paternity establishment, domestic abuse protective orders, adoption, and related matters.
Divorce case records are generally public and can be searched through MCRO unless sealed by court order. The filing fee for a dissolution of marriage in Minnesota under Minn. Stat. § 602.8105(1)(b) is set by statute; confirm the current amount with Court Administration. The Brown County Child Support Office assists with establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support orders and can be contacted through the county's main government website.
Domestic abuse and harassment records are explicitly exempt from public access under Rule 4 of Minnesota's public access rules and will not appear through MCRO or in-person inspection. Parties involved in those proceedings may obtain their own records directly from court administration with appropriate identification.
Marriage records are not held by the court — they are maintained by the Brown County Recorder's Office. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate, complete the Marriage Certificate Request Form and submit it to the Recorder in person or by mail. The fee is $9.00 per copy, with a $3.00 surcharge for credit or debit card payments. The Recorder's Office also participates in the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS), through which some marriage license information can be accessed online by searching either spouse's full name.
Brown County Recorder's Office
Address: 14 South State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 233-6653
Fax: (507) 233-6668
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday
Birth certificates cost $26.00 for the first certified copy and $19.00 for additional copies ordered simultaneously, per the Brown County fee schedule. A Birth Certificate Application must be submitted to the Recorder. Under Minn. Stat. § 144.225, birth records are not public until 100 years after the birth date; access before that point is restricted to the registrant (if 16 or older), parents or legal guardians, legal representatives, or persons with a court-recognized tangible interest. Death certificates cost $13.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, requested via the Death Record Application.
Brown County Probate Court Records
Probate and estate matters in Brown County fall under the District Court's Family/Probate division. The court handles decedent estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and protective placements. Probate records are generally public, and many can be searched through MCRO using the deceased person's name or the assigned case number.
To request copies of specific probate documents — such as letters of administration, will filings, inventory filings, or final orders — contact Court Administration directly:
Brown County Court Administration — Probate Division
Address: 14 South State Street, 3rd Floor, New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 441-7020
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Copy fees are $5.00 per page for paper copies and $14.00 for certified copies, consistent with Minn. Stat. § 357.021. To help staff retrieve records efficiently, provide the full name of the decedent or ward, the approximate year the case was filed, and the case number if you have it.
Self-represented parties handling probate matters can find court forms — including guardianship, conservatorship, and estate administration forms — through the Minnesota Judicial Branch's forms library. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office also maintains a Probate and Planning handbook covering conservatorships and guardianships under Minnesota law, which provides useful background for individuals navigating these proceedings without an attorney.