Cass County, Minnesota Court Records
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Cass County runs a unified district court system that processes traffic, criminal, civil, family, juvenile, probate, and conciliation cases under one roof. The Cass County District Court, part of the Minnesota Ninth Judicial District, operates out of the Cass County Courthouse in Walker and holds original jurisdiction over all case types filed in the county. Administrative support comes from the Cass County Court Administration Office, which manages case intake and case management and runs the public law library inside the courthouse.
If you're looking for court case information in Minnesota, MinnesotaCourts.us can help you locate publicly available case information statewide, including links to online tools, local court directories, and filing resources maintained by the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Cass County?
You have several official options for searching Cass County court records — from fully online systems to in-person and mail-based requests.
Online Search Tools
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal is the primary online resource for district court records statewide, including Cass County. MCRO offers four search functions:
- Case Search — Look up cases by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, or citation number. Results include a Register of Actions and publicly available case documents.
- Document Search — Retrieve specific public documents using a case number.
- Hearing Search — Find scheduled hearings by person name, case number, or judicial officer.
- Judgment Search — Search docketed money judgments by debtor name, including any satisfactions on record.
Documents filed before July 1, 2015 may have limited availability through MCRO. For older records, contact the Court Administration Office directly.
Public Access Terminals (PATs)
Public Access Terminals are available at the Cass County Courthouse for free in-person case searches. Printing fees may apply.
In-Person and Mail Requests
You can request copies of case documents in person or by mail through Court Administration:
Cass County District Court Court Administration
Address: Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 303 Minnesota Ave W, Walker, MN 56484
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3000, Walker, MN 56484
Phone: (218) 888-5150
Fax: (218) 547-1904
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
When submitting a request, include the full names of the parties involved, the approximate filing date, and a case number if you have one. Valid identification may be required for access to certain civil case documents.
Are Court Records Public in Cass County?
Court records in Cass County are subject to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) and the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch. Both frameworks start from the presumption that records are open unless a specific restriction applies. The MGDPA governs general government data, while the Supreme Court's Rules of Public Access specifically control access to judicial branch records, including case files held by court clerks.
Records Generally Open to the Public
- Criminal case filings, orders, judgments, and sentencing documents
- Civil case records, including complaints, motions, and verdicts
- Divorce decrees and dissolution orders (with redactions)
- Probate filings, estate inventories, and will records
- Monetary judgment records searchable by debtor name
- Conciliation court case outcomes
Records Restricted from Public Access
Under Rule 8, Subdivision 2 of the Rules of Public Access, the following categories are not available to the general public:
- Juvenile delinquency and child protection records
- Adoption case files
- Mental health and civil commitment proceedings
- Guardian and conservator account records
- Domestic abuse and harassment case records
- Sealed or expunged records
- Pre-sentencing investigation reports (PSIs)
- Grand jury proceedings
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security Numbers and financial account details
Uncertified copies of court records obtained through MCRO or courthouse terminals are free under Minn. Stat. 357.021, subd. 2(2). Certified copies of any instrument from a civil or criminal proceeding cost $14.00. Exemplified and certified copies cost $28.00. Report copies of 150 pages run $5.00, with larger reports billed at $25.00 per 50 pages.
Cass County Criminal Court Records
The Cass County District Court holds original jurisdiction over all criminal matters filed in the county — felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanor traffic offenses. Felony cases are tried before a district court judge; misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor matters are also handled at the district court level, often during regularly scheduled criminal docket sessions.
Searching Criminal Case Records
- Use MCRO Case Search to look up criminal cases by defendant name or case number. Results include the Register of Actions, hearing dates, and publicly available filed documents.
- For formal criminal background checks, MCRO is not the right tool. Use the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Public Criminal History Search instead — a free service from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Sheriff's Office Records
The Cass County Sheriff's Office Records Division maintains all initial, investigative, and criminal files generated by the Sheriff's Office. The division handles incident reports, evidence records, permit-to-carry and firearm purchase applications, alarm permit applications, and worthless check packets. Requests for Sheriff's Office materials are separate from court records requests and should go directly to the Records Division.
Arrest Records
Arrest records that resulted in criminal charges may appear as part of case files accessible through MCRO or at the courthouse. Arrest records that did not lead to prosecution are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and subject to separate data practices rules under the MGDPA.
Cass County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Cass County go to the District Court, which has original jurisdiction over all civil actions regardless of dollar amount. Smaller monetary disputes are routed to conciliation court — Minnesota's small claims process — while larger or more complex matters proceed in full district court.
Conciliation Court (Small Claims)
Minnesota's conciliation court handles civil money claims up to $20,000 (or $4,000 for consumer credit transactions). Filing costs $65.00 per party under Minn. Stat. 357.022. If a conciliation judgment is appealed to district court, the removal fee increases to $310.00 (or $410.00 with a jury trial request).
District Court Civil Filing Fees
| Case Type | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil Action First Paper Filed | $310.00 |
| Civil Action with Jury Trial Request | $410.00 |
| Motion or Response to Motion | $100.00 |
| Name Change | $310.00 |
| Eviction Action | $310.00 |
| Rent Escrow / Lockout / Emergency Tenant Action | $65.00 |
| Issuing All Writs | $55.00 |
All fees are authorized under Minn. Stat. 357.021 and the Minnesota Court Operations Policy.
Searching Civil Records
Civil case records — complaints, judgments, motions, and eviction actions — are searchable through MCRO Case Search. Money judgments can be located using the MCRO Judgment Search tool, which searches by debtor name and returns docketed amounts and any recorded satisfactions.
To request certified civil case documents, contact the Court Administration Office at (218) 888-5150 or visit the courthouse during business hours. Certified copies cost $14.00 per instrument.
Cass County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Cass County are processed by the District Court, which handles the full range of domestic relations cases. Court Administration takes family case filings through the same office as criminal and civil matters.
Types of Family Cases Handled
- Dissolution of marriage (divorce) with or without children
- Legal separation and annulment
- Child custody, parenting time, and visitation
- Child support establishment and modification
- Paternity actions
- Domestic abuse and harassment restraining orders
- Adoption proceedings
- Juvenile matters and child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) cases
- Name changes
Filing Fees for Family Cases
| Case Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) | $390.00 |
| Legal Separation or Annulment | $360.00 |
| Custody, Paternity, Parenting Time | $310.00 |
| Child Support First Paper | $360.00 |
| Child Support Motion to Modify | $50.00 |
| Adoption Child Born in U.S. | $385.00 |
| Harassment Restraining Order | $310.00 |
| Order for Protection (Petitioner) | $0.00 (no fee) |
| Criminal Expungement | $310.00 |
| Forms Packets Dissolution | $10.00 |
Victims of domestic abuse filing Orders for Protection are exempt from filing fees under Minn. Stat. 518B.01.
Divorce Records
Certified copies of divorce decrees are available from Court Administration. Plain (uncertified) copies of recent divorce records may also be found through MCRO. The Court Administration Office redacts sensitive information from publicly accessible divorce records, including Social Security Numbers, financial account details, medical records, child custody specifics, and domestic abuse allegations.
Marriage Records
Certified copies of marriage certificates are issued by the Cass County Auditor-Treasurer's Office for $9.00 per copy. You can request one in person or by mailing a check payable to Cass County Auditor-Treasurer, along with both parties' pre-marriage names and the date and location of the marriage, to:
Cass County Auditor-Treasurer Marriage Records
P.O. Box 3000, Walker, MN 56484
Physical: 303 Minnesota Ave W (Courthouse Annex, 2nd Floor), Walker, MN 56484
Phone: (218) 547-7260
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
If you're not sure which county issued the license, use the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) to identify the correct county of record before submitting your request.
Birth and Death Records
Cass County birth and death records are maintained by the Auditor-Treasurer's Office. Access to certified copies is limited to individuals with a tangible interest in the record, and applications must be signed before a notary public.
| Record Type | Certified Copy | Additional Copy | Uncertified Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | $26.00 | $19.00 | $13.00 |
| Death Certificate | $13.00 | $6.00 | $13.00 |
Download the Birth Certificate Application or the Death Certificate Application from the county website. Completed, notarized applications may be submitted in person, by mail, or through the county's online payment portal. Cass County vital records date back to 1897–1898; statewide access connects to birth records from 1935 and death records from 1997. For records from other states, the National Center for Health Statistics provides a state-by-state directory.
Cass County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Cass County are handled by the District Court, which administers estate proceedings, will filings, guardianships, conservatorships, trust accounts, and intestate succession cases. There is no separate probate court — all filings go through Court Administration.
Types of Probate Proceedings
- Formal and informal estate administration (testate and intestate)
- Deposit of wills for safekeeping
- Establishment of guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated adults
- Trust administration and annual trust account filings
- Escheat partition matters
Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, Trusts, Guardianships, Conservatorships First Paper | $310.00 |
| Deposit of Will for Safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust Accounts (Partial, Final, or Annual) | $55.00 |
All fees are authorized under Minn. Stat. 357.021.
Searching Probate Records
Active and recent probate case records are searchable through MCRO Case Search by party name, attorney name, or case number. Select the Family Probate or Mental Health case type filter to narrow results to probate matters. Older historical probate records — including estate indexes from the 1800s and early 1900s — may be found through the Minnesota Historical Society's court records collection.
Requesting Probate Documents
To obtain certified copies of probate instruments, contact Court Administration at (218) 888-5150 or visit the courthouse during business hours. Provide the decedent's full name, approximate date of death or case filing, and any known case number. The standard certified copy fee of $14.00 applies per instrument under Minn. Stat. 357.021, subd. 2(2). If you're unfamiliar with probate procedures, the Minnesota Judicial Branch self-help resources can be a useful starting point — or consider speaking with a licensed attorney before initiating estate proceedings.