Dodge County Court Records Search
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Dodge County, Minnesota is a rural county in the southeastern part of the state, with its county seat in Mantorville — home to the oldest continuously operating courthouse in Minnesota. A single District Court manages the county's entire trial court caseload, handling civil, criminal, family, juvenile, probate, traffic, and conciliation matters. Records from all these case types are maintained by the Court Administrator's office and are subject to Minnesota's public access framework, with specific categories protected from disclosure. Whether you're tracing a family estate, researching a civil judgment, or checking someone's criminal history, knowing which office holds the records — and how to request them — will save you considerable time.
If you're just starting your search in Minnesota, MinnesotaCourts.us can help you identify the right court and what access options are available. Minnesota also operates official online portals, public access terminals at district courthouses, and clerk's offices where you can search and retrieve records in person. The state's court case search tools cover most active and recent case types across all 87 counties.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Dodge County?
You can access Dodge County court records through three main channels: online through the state's judicial portal, in person at the courthouse, or through specific agency records departments.
Online Search Options
- Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) — The official state portal for searching district court case records. You can search by case number, party name, or date. MCRO provides case information, hearing dates, and monetary judgment data for public case types. Documents in formal probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust cases are also accessible through MCRO.
- Minnesota Appellate Courts Case Management System (P-MACS) — For appellate-level case records, P-MACS lets you look up cases that have been appealed beyond the district court level.
- Public Access Terminals — Computer terminals are available inside the Dodge County Courthouse for in-person case record searches during business hours.
In-Person Access
Dodge County District Court
Address: Dodge County Courthouse, 22 East Sixth Street, Mantorville, MN 55955
Phone: (507) 624-7010
Fax: (507) 635-6271
Court Administrator: Aimee McCormack
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Court staff can help you locate case files, verify case numbers, and process copy requests. Fees apply for certified and exemplified copies. The court is part of Minnesota's Third Judicial District, which serves 11 counties with 22 assigned judges.
Are Court Records Public in Dodge County?
Minnesota treats most court records as public. Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, governs the classification and accessibility of government records, including court filings. Court records are presumptively public under Minnesota statutes and court rules unless a specific statute, court rule, or court order restricts access.
Categories of Restricted or Confidential Records
The following types of records are not available to the general public in Dodge County:
- Juvenile proceedings and records involving minors
- Adoption files and sealed child custody records
- Child protection case records
- Medical records and mental health commitment files
- Wills deposited for safekeeping with the probate court prior to the death of the testator
- Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other sensitive personal identifiers redacted from publicly released documents
- Records involving sexual harassment proceedings
- Information that could compromise ongoing law enforcement investigations
Under Minnesota Rules of Public Access Rule 4, a court may restrict access to specific public case records only upon findings required by law, court rule, or established case precedent. If you need access to a restricted record, you'll generally need to obtain a court order authorizing disclosure.
Copy Fees
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Uncertified copy of any instrument | $0.00 |
| Certified copy of any instrument | $14.00 |
| Exemplified and certified copy | $28.00 |
| Exemplified and uncertified copy | $14.00 |
| Case management report (1–50 pages) | $5.00 |
| Case management report (50+ pages, per 50 pages) | $25.00 |
| Subpoena (per name) | $16.00 |
Dodge County Criminal Court Records
The Dodge County District Court handles all criminal matters filed in the county, including misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies. Criminal case files maintained by the Court Administrator include charging documents, arrest warrants, plea records, sentencing orders, and related filings. These records are generally accessible once charges are filed, subject to restrictions for sealed or expunged matters.
Searching Criminal Records Online
The MCRO case search portal allows public searches of criminal case dockets by party name or case number. Keep in mind that MCRO is intended for general case information and hearing data — it is not a background check tool. For comprehensive criminal history information, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the state's criminal history system, covering arrests for felony, gross misdemeanor, and certain misdemeanor offenses.
The BCA offers free public online searches of conviction data through the Minnesota Public Criminal History Search (CHS) at chs.state.mn.us. This tool requires the subject's first name, last name, and date of birth. A certified printed copy of a criminal record costs $8.00; certified background checks for non-profit or general statutory purposes carry fees of $8.00 and $15.00 respectively. Written requests to the BCA must include the subject's full name, date of birth, and must be signed, dated, and notarized.
Criminal Records at the Sheriff's Office
The Dodge County Sheriff's Office Records Department maintains incident reports, arrest records, and warrant information separately from the court file.
Dodge County Sheriff's Office – Records Department
Location: East wing of the Dodge County Courthouse, Mantorville, MN 55955
Phone: (507) 635-6200
Email: dcso.records@dodgecountymn.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (occasional closure 12:00–1:00 p.m.; call ahead to confirm)
To request records, complete the Data Release Request Form available on the county website. You can submit requests in person, by phone, or by email. Photo identification is required when requesting private data. Records currently under active investigation cannot be released, and fees may apply depending on the nature and volume of records requested.
Additional services at the Records Department include applicant fingerprinting by appointment (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; $15.00 per card using FBI card FD-258) and criminal offender registration for sex, arson, narcotics, and gang offenders (no fee).
Expungement
Criminal expungement petitions are filed with the Dodge County District Court. The filing fee is $320.00 (base fee $310 + $10 law library fee), per Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1). Once granted, expunged records are removed from public access but are not destroyed — they remain available to certain law enforcement and government agencies.
Dodge County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Dodge County is handled by the District Court, which covers claims of all amounts, equity matters, evictions, garnishments, housing cases, and judgment enforcement. Smaller monetary disputes may also be filed in Conciliation Court — Minnesota's small claims court — which generally handles claims of $20,000 or less (with a $4,000 limit for consumer credit transactions).
Civil Filing Fees — Dodge County District Court
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff/Petitioner – First Paper Filed (civil action) | $320.00 |
| Party Requesting Jury Trial at Same Time as First Paper Filed | $420.00 |
| Request for Trial by Jury (filed separately) | $100.00 |
| Motion or Response to Motion (civil or family) | $100.00 |
| Name Change Petition | $320.00 |
| Eviction Action | $320.00 |
| Rent Escrow, Lockout, or Emergency Tenant Remedies Action | $75.00 |
| Issuing all Writs / Filing Return | $55.00 |
| Conciliation Court – First Paper Filed | $70.00 |
| Conciliation Court – Removal to District Court | $320.00 |
How to File and Search Civil Records
Civil cases are filed with the Court Administrator's office at the Dodge County Courthouse. You can file in person or, where electronic filing is available, through the Minnesota courts' e-filing system. Case dockets are searchable through MCRO by party name for civil case types. Certified copies of civil instruments cost $14.00; exemplified and certified copies are $28.00.
Property Records
Property records — including deeds, mortgages, contracts for deed, liens, releases, plats, and right-of-way maps — are maintained separately from court case files by the Dodge County Recorder's Office.
Dodge County Recorder's Office
Address: 721 Main Street North, Mantorville, MN 55955
Phone: (507) 635-6250
Fax: (507) 635-6265
Email: dodge.recorder@dodgecountymn.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Director of Land Records: Ryan DeCook
The Recorder provides full abstracting services, tract searches, and title reports for a fee. Contact the office directly for current abstracting rates.
Dodge County Family Court Records
Family law matters — including dissolution of marriage, child custody and parenting time, child support, paternity, legal separation, annulment, orders for protection, and harassment restraining orders — are handled by the Dodge County District Court's family division. The Court Administrator manages case filings and records from initiation through final disposition.
Family Court Filing Fees
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dissolution of Marriage (with or without children) | $400.00 |
| Legal Separation or Annulment | $370.00 |
| Custody, Paternity, Parenting Time, Registrations | $320.00 |
| Child Support – First Paper Filed | $370.00 |
| Motion for Modification of Child Support | $50.00 |
| Motion or Response to Motion (dissolution/family) | $100.00 |
| Order for Protection (Petitioner) | $0.00 |
| Harassment Restraining Order – First Paper Filed | $320.00 (may be waived for certain acts) |
| Dissolution Forms Packet (with or without children) | $10.00 |
Divorce records are public and can be searched through the MCRO portal using party names. In-person requests for certified copies of divorce decrees can be made at the Court Administrator's office; certified copies cost $14.00 per instrument. Child custody and adoption case records are confidential and not accessible to the general public.
Marriage Records and Licenses
Marriage licenses and marriage certificates for ceremonies performed in Minnesota are administered through the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS). Applications must be started online through MOMS, but both applicants must then appear in person to sign the application, present valid identification, and pay the license fee. The standard fee is $125.00; applicants who provide a qualifying premarital education statement pay a reduced fee of $50.00. Licenses are valid for six months from the date of issuance.
Acceptable payment methods for marriage licenses: cash, check, or money order payable to Dodge County; credit cards are accepted with a $3.99 service fee.
Certified copies of existing Dodge County marriage certificates cost $9.00 each and may be requested by phone, mail, or email. Mail requests should include a completed certificate request form sent to: Dodge County Vital Records, 721 Main Street North, Mantorville, MN 55955.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death certificates are maintained by the Dodge County Recorder's Office and are subject to access restrictions. Birth records are not fully public — access is limited to authorized requesters as defined by the Minnesota Department of Health. In-person applicants must complete a Birth Certificate Application and present valid photo identification. Mail requests require a notarized out-of-office application form.
Death certificates are available to a broader class of requesters. The first certified birth certificate costs $26.00; additional copies of the same record ordered simultaneously are $19.00. Death certificates are $13.00 for the first copy, with $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. These fees align with the Minnesota Department of Health vital records fee schedule.
Dodge County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Dodge County are heard within the District Court's probate division. Cases include formal and informal probate of wills, intestate estate administration, appointment of personal representatives, trusts, court-ordered guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated adults, and guardianships for minors. The Court Administrator's office at the Dodge County Courthouse maintains all probate filings for the division.
Probate Case Access
Probate case records are generally public in Minnesota. The MCRO portal provides access to public documents in formal probate, other probate, guardianship and conservatorship, and trust case types. You can search by the decedent's name, case number, or filing date. In-person requests at the Court Administrator's office work best when you have the decedent's name and, if possible, the case number to help staff retrieve the file quickly.
Probate Filing Fees
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, Trusts, Guardianships, Conservatorships – First Paper Filed | $320.00 |
| Deposit of Will for Safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust Account (Partial, Final, or Annual) | $55.00 |
| Certified copy of probate instrument | $14.00 |
Note that wills deposited with the probate court for safekeeping during the testator's lifetime are not public records. They become accessible only upon the testator's death and the formal opening of a probate proceeding.
For historical probate records predating electronic indexing, the Minnesota Historical Society Library maintains microfilmed and digitized county court records, including older Dodge County estate and guardianship case files, searchable through the MNHS library catalog.
The Dodge County Court Administration office works closely with the county attorney, court services, human services, and the Sheriff's Department to ensure consistent processing of all case types, including probate. Staff can direct parties to relevant forms through the Minnesota Judicial Branch self-help resources and the conciliation court virtual assistant available on the Minnesota Courts website.