Hennepin County Court Records Search
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Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous county, home to Minneapolis and dozens of surrounding suburbs. Its court system operates under the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota and is organized into a single District Court with seven distinct divisions: Civil, Conciliation (small claims), Criminal and Traffic, Family, Housing, Juvenile, and Probate and Mental Health. Each division maintains its own records within the unified District Court system, with a centralized Records Center serving as the primary hub for public access to case files and document copies.
Court records in Hennepin County include case details, pleadings, motions, exhibits, hearing transcripts, dockets, court orders, and judgments. These materials are generated across every type of proceeding the court handles and serve as the official documentation of judicial activity in the county.
Residents searching for court records in Minnesota can begin through official court resources, clerk offices at the courthouse, public access terminals, and online tools. The Minnesota Judicial Branch website provides court-specific information for Hennepin County, and MinnesotaCourts.us is a resource that can help users identify publicly available court case information in the state. Official records searches, copy requests, and case lookup tools are all available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Hennepin County?
The primary tool for online case searches is Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), the public-facing version of the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS). MCRO allows searches by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, citation number, or attorney bar number and provides access to many public district court documents statewide, including Hennepin County cases.
For criminal matters specifically, pre-conviction criminal, traffic, and petty misdemeanor case information is not available through MCRO. That data is accessible only in person at the courthouse or by calling the Hennepin County Criminal Court directly at (612) 348-6000.
In addition to MCRO, free Minnesota Public Access Courthouse (MNPAC) terminals are available at all Minnesota courthouses. These in-person computers provide access to all case types except juvenile and allow users to search and view public documents without charge.
Records Center Locations and Hours
District Court Records Center (mail and drop box):
300 South 6th Street, #SK-0260
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0332
In-Person Submission:
Hennepin County Government Center
Room A260 Skyway Level, Administration (A) Tower
300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
How to Request Copies
There are three ways to submit a copy request:
- Credit card (online): Attach a written request or the Copy Request Form and submit it with credit card payment through the electronic filing system (EFS). Use your court file number if you are a party; non-parties use file number 27-CV-26-40000.
- Check (mail or drop box): Complete the Copy Request Form or write a request that includes your name, phone number, address, and email address. Attach a check made payable to the District Court Administrator and mail or drop it at the Records Center address.
- In person: Visit Room A260 at the Hennepin County Government Center during business hours.
The fee for each certified copy is $14.00. Plain copies can be printed free at courthouse terminals, and plain copy requests submitted with an email address will be returned by email at no charge. Certified copies are mailed to the requester.
Are Court Records Public in Hennepin County?
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minn. Stat. § 13.03) establishes the general framework for public access to government records in Minnesota. However, court records specifically are governed by the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch rather than the Data Practices Act. Under those rules, most filed court documents are presumptively public.
The following categories of records are restricted from public access in Hennepin County:
- Sealed or expunged records
- Records containing personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and medical records
- Adoption records and certain child protection matters
- Child custody proceedings involving minors
- Juvenile delinquency and status offense records
- Records involving victims of certain sexual and physical abuse crimes
- Grand jury proceedings
- Pre-conviction criminal, traffic, and petty misdemeanor case information (unavailable online; accessible only at the courthouse)
When a record is partially restricted, clerks redact the confidential portions and release the remainder. MCRO does not display street addresses for any party in a case. For adoption, child protection, and delinquency matters, requesters must work directly with the Hennepin County Juvenile Court rather than the general Records Center.
Hennepin County Criminal Court Records
The Criminal and Traffic Division handles misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony criminal cases in Hennepin County. It oversees pretrial hearings, arraignments, trials, and sentencing proceedings. The division operates from multiple courthouse locations throughout the county.
Criminal Court Locations
| Division | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Division 1 – Government Center | 300 South 6th Street, Room C-11, Minneapolis, MN 55487 | (612) 348-6000 |
| Criminal Division 1 – Public Safety Facility | 401 4th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415 | (612) 348-6000 |
| Criminal Division 2 – Brookdale | 6125 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 | (612) 348-6000 |
| Criminal Division 3 – Ridgedale | 12601 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55305 | (612) 348-6000 |
Online criminal case records for post-conviction matters are searchable through MCRO. For pre-conviction information, requesters must visit a courthouse public access terminal or call (612) 348-6000. To request a copy of a criminal case history by mail, complete the Court Document Copy Request Form and submit it with the $14.00 certified copy fee to the Records Center.
For statewide criminal history data, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the Minnesota Criminal History System (CHS), which contains arrest and conviction records for felony, gross misdemeanor, and some misdemeanor offenses. The Minnesota Public Criminal History Search portal is free to use and allows name and date-of-birth searches for public records.
To request another person’s criminal history directly from the BCA — including information beyond what is publicly available — a notarized Informed Consent Form signed by the record subject is required. The fee is $15.00, payable by money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or business check. Mail completed requests and payment to:
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
CHA Unit
1430 Maryland Avenue E.
St. Paul, MN 55106
Individuals requesting their own BCA record by mail must submit a signed and notarized written request with their full name, date of birth, any former names, a $8.00 fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the same address. Walk-in requests are processed Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For urgent criminal records checks, call the BCA directly at (651) 793-2400.
Hennepin County Civil Court Records
The Civil Division of the Hennepin County District Court hears a wide range of non-criminal disputes, including contract claims, personal injury lawsuits, property disputes, name changes, and implied consent matters. The Conciliation Division — commonly called small claims court — handles money claims of $15,000 or less, providing a simplified process for lower-value disputes. The Housing Division adjudicates landlord-tenant matters, housing code violations, and related residential issues.
Key Civil Court Locations
Civil Court:
300 South 6th Street, Room C-332
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Phone: (612) 348-6000
Housing Court:
300 South 6th Street, Room C-300
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Phone: (612) 348-6000
Civil case records are searchable online through MCRO or at courthouse MNPAC terminals. For civil judgment lookups specifically, the MCRO Judgment Search tool allows direct searches, and the Hennepin County District Court Judgments Department provides guidance on requesting certified civil judgment search results.
Copy requests for civil records follow the same procedures as all other Hennepin court records: submit a written request or the Copy Request Form with a $14.00 certified copy fee by mail, drop box, or in person. Plain copies printed at courthouse terminals are free of charge.
Hennepin County Family Court Records
The Family Division of the Hennepin County District Court handles divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, paternity, adoption, and domestic abuse matters. All proceedings in this division are conducted at the Family Justice Center.
Family Court:
Family Justice Center
110 South 4th Street, Room 600
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 348-6000
Family court records are generally searchable through MCRO with the same name or case number search approach used for civil and criminal records. However, certain family records are restricted. Adoption case files are confidential, and records involving minor children in custody proceedings may contain redacted information. Only parties with a demonstrated legal interest may access restricted portions.
Marriage and Divorce Records
Marriage certificates issued in Hennepin County are maintained by the Hennepin County Vital Records Office, not by the District Court. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage record, complete the marriage record application and submit it by mail, drop off, fax, or in person.
- Fee: $9.00 per certified copy; an additional $20.00 for expedited one-week processing; $9.50 extra for fax submissions
- Fax number: (612) 348-2010
- Mail address: Vital Records Office, Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th St, MC-026, Minneapolis, MN 55487-0026
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (calls answered 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
Divorce records, by contrast, are held by the Family Division of the District Court. To obtain certified copies of a divorce judgment or dissolution decree, complete the Copy Request Form and submit it with the $14.00 fee to the District Court Records Center.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death records in Hennepin County are not classified as public records and are subject to restricted access. Access is limited to the record subject or persons with a tangible legal interest under Minnesota law. Both certified and non-certified copies are available through the Hennepin County Vital Records Office.
Vital Records Fees
| Record Type | Certified Copy | Non-Certified Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate (first copy) | $26.00 | $13.00 |
| Birth certificate (each additional, same record) | $19.00 | — |
| Death certificate (first copy) | $13.00 | $13.00 |
| Death certificate (each additional, same record) | $6.00 | — |
Expedited processing within one week adds $20.00. Fax submissions carry an extra $9.50 fee. Applications for certified copies must be notarized. Walk-in applicants should schedule an appointment in advance or visit a Hennepin County service center location with a government-issued ID.
Hennepin County Probate Court Records
The Probate and Mental Health Division of the Hennepin County District Court handles estates of deceased individuals, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and civil commitment proceedings for mental health matters. Financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult (FEVA) cases are also filed in this division.
Probate/Mental Health Court:
Hennepin County Government Center
300 South 6th Street, Room C-400
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Phone: (612) 348-6000
Probate case records are searchable online through MCRO or at courthouse MNPAC terminals. Certified copies of probate documents cost $14.00 each and may be requested through the standard Records Center process — by mail, drop box, credit card via the EFS portal, or in person.
Court hearings for probate matters are typically scheduled within 45 to 60 days of receiving a petition. Formal estate commencing petitions are heard on Mondays; trust matters on Wednesday afternoons; and guardian/conservator hearings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All court-appointed guardians in Minnesota are required to use the MyMNGuardian (MMG) online application to file annual Personal Well-Being Reports, per a Minnesota Supreme Court order. Similarly, conservators must file annual reports using the MyMNConservator (MMC) platform.
When a minor ward’s restricted account reaches maturity at age 18, the beneficiary must file form PRO603 – Petition for Release of Funds with the court at no filing fee. Orders are typically issued the same business day or within one to two days of filing.