Lyon County Court Records Search
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Lyon County, Minnesota sits in the southwestern part of the state with its county seat in Marshall. The Lyon County District Court, operating as part of the Fifth Judicial District, maintains original jurisdiction over all legal matters arising within the county — from felony criminal cases and civil disputes to family proceedings, juvenile matters, and probate filings. Court records in Lyon County encompass the full range of documents generated during judicial proceedings, including case filings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts, evidence exhibits, and docket entries that chronicle each step of a case's progression through the court system.
Individuals researching court cases in Minnesota can draw on official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and online databases to locate records. MinnesotaCourts.us may help you find publicly available court case information maintained across the state's district courts. Official searches can be conducted through the court administrator's office, in person at courthouse terminals, or through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system depending on the type and age of the case involved.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Lyon County?
All Lyon County District Court records are managed by the Court Administrator's Office, located within the Lyon County Government Center in Marshall. The Court Administrator maintains civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic case records filed in the county.
Lyon County District Court
Address: 607 West Main Street, Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (507) 706-7050
Fax: (507) 532-1095
Court Administrator: Aimee Primus
There are three primary ways to search for Lyon County court records:
- Online via MCRO — The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal provides public access to Minnesota district court records. You can search by case number, citation number, attorney name, attorney bar number, or individual/business name. MCRO displays case information, hearing dates, and monetary judgment data for all Minnesota district courts, including Lyon County.
- In-person at the courthouse — Public access terminals are available at the Lyon County Government Center, allowing visitors to search and view court records electronically during regular courthouse hours.
- Written copy request — If you need physical or certified copies of court records, submit a District Copy Request form to the Court Administrator. This is the right method for obtaining certified copies, records from sealed or older files, or documents not available through the MCRO portal.
The Minnesota Judicial Branch Copy Requests page explains the available methods and requirements for obtaining copies, including additional steps for confidential or sealed case materials.
Are Court Records Public in Lyon County?
Court records in Lyon County are presumptively public under Section 13.84 of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, which classifies court records involving adult individuals as public data. This statute requires the Court Administrator to provide access to public court records upon request at reasonable times and locations. The broader Minnesota Data Practices Act (Chapter 13) governs how government entities collect, maintain, and share data, including court-generated information.
Beyond statutory requirements, the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch — adopted by the Minnesota Supreme Court — govern access to specific categories of court documents and identify which records are withheld from public view. Under Rule 4 of those rules, the following categories of records are not accessible to the general public:
- Domestic abuse and harassment records maintained by the court administrator, including Order for Protection case records where the petitioner's location is protected
- Sealed records, withheld from public access by specific court order
- Juvenile records, including delinquency proceedings and child protection matters
- Adoption records, which are closed to the public by statute
- Confidential or private data, such as records containing Social Security numbers, financial account information, or medical data that has not been redacted
The Minnesota Data Practices Act also provides that private or confidential court data may not be disclosed except when compelled by statute, released with the written permission of the data subject, or shared with court services departments or criminal justice agencies for authorized purposes. Requesters who believe access to a public record has been improperly denied may seek review through the court or the Minnesota Department of Administration.
Lyon County Criminal Court Records
The Lyon County District Court handles all criminal matters filed in the county — felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanors. Felony and gross misdemeanor cases are heard in District Court, while misdemeanor and traffic matters are also managed through the same court given Lyon County's single-court structure within the Fifth Judicial District.
Criminal court records — including criminal complaints, charges, pleas, motions, sentencing orders, and case dispositions — are maintained by the Court Administrator. These records can be searched through MCRO or requested directly at the courthouse.
Arrest records, incident reports, jail rosters, and crime reports are generated and maintained separately by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, not the District Court. The Sheriff's Office processes data requests through its Records Division under the authority of the Minnesota Data Practices Act. To request records from the Sheriff's Office, complete and submit the Sheriff Data Request Form to the Records Division.
Lyon County Sheriff's Office
Address: 611 West Main Street, P.O. Box 28, Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (general): (507) 537-7666
Phone: (records): (507) 929-6621
Fax: (507) 537-7428
Email: ElizabethSieber@co.lyon.mn.us (Records Designee)
The Sheriff's Office notes that certain records remain non-public or private depending on the stage of a case and the nature of the information requested. The Records Division can advise on what can be released in a given situation. The Sheriff's data requests page provides policy documentation and a quick reference guide for public and non-public data classifications.
Lyon County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Lyon County cover a broad range of non-criminal disputes, including contract claims, property disputes, tort actions, debt matters, labor law violations, landlord-tenant proceedings, and evictions. The Lyon County District Court has jurisdiction over all civil filings, with case values and complexity determining the procedural track.
Key civil filing fees at Lyon County District Court (per the official Lyon County District Court Fee Schedule):
| Case Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil action — first paper filed (plaintiff or defendant) | $320.00 |
| Civil action with jury trial requested at filing | $420.00 |
| Request for trial by jury (filed separately) | $100.00 |
| Motion or response to a motion | $100.00 |
| Issuing all writs / filing return | $55.00 |
| Subpoena (per name) | $16.00 |
Conciliation Court (Minnesota's small claims court) handles disputes up to $15,000. Filing fees at Lyon County:
| Claim Amount | Fee |
|---|---|
| All conciliation claims | $75.00 (Base $65 + Law Library Fee $10) |
For copies of civil court records, certified copies of instruments from civil proceedings cost $14.00 per document. Uncertified copies — whether printed from the courthouse computer system or scanned from paper files — are available at no charge, per Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2).
Civil case records can be searched through the MCRO case search portal by party name, case number, or attorney information. Not all documents in a case may be viewable online; physical copies of filings not yet imaged must be requested through the Court Administrator.
Court forms for civil and conciliation cases are available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch Copy Request Forms page, which includes Fifth Judicial District-specific forms for Lyon County requesters.
Lyon County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Lyon County — including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic abuse, and adoptions — are heard by the Lyon County District Court under its family division. All family case records are maintained by the Court Administrator at 607 West Main Street, Marshall.
Filing fees for family matters (per the Lyon County fee schedule):
| Proceeding | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dissolution of Marriage (divorce) with or without children | $400.00 |
| Legal Separation or Annulment | $370.00 |
| Custody, Paternity, or Parenting Time | $320.00 |
| Child Support — first paper filed | $370.00 |
| Motion to modify child support | $50.00 |
| Adoption petition — child born in U.S. | $395.00 |
| Domestic Abuse Order for Protection — respondent first filing | $0.00 (petitioner fee waived) |
| Harassment Restraining Order | $320.00 |
| Dissolution forms packet | $10.00 |
Family court records can be searched online through MCRO, though certain records — particularly those involving domestic abuse, Orders for Protection where location is protected, and juvenile or adoption matters — are restricted from public access under the Minnesota Rules of Public Access.
Marriage records are maintained by the Lyon County Recorder, not the District Court. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $9.00 per copy. To obtain a certified copy, complete the Marriage Record Certified Copy application (available through the Recorder's office) and submit it in person, by mail, or by fax. If you are unsure which county issued the original marriage license, the statewide Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) can identify the issuing county. New marriage license applications are also submitted online through MOMS before appearing in person to finalize. Current marriage license fees are $125.00 (full fee) or $50.00 with a qualifying educator's statement per Minn. Stat. § 517.08.
Lyon County Recorder
Address: 607 West Main Street, Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (507) 537-6722
Fax: (507) 537-7988
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (appointment recommended)
Birth and death certificates are also issued by the Lyon County Recorder. Birth certificates cost $26.00 for the first copy and $19.00 for each additional copy in the same order. Death certificates are $13.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy. You must demonstrate a tangible interest in the record and complete the relevant application forms available through the Recorder's office. Rush or fax orders require the application to be notarized and must include credit card information; same-day processing is available if received by 12:30 p.m.
Lyon County Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in Lyon County are handled by the Lyon County District Court, which has jurisdiction over all matters involving the administration of decedents' estates, the probate of wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. There is no separate probate court in Lyon County — the District Court manages these filings as part of its general jurisdiction under the Fifth Judicial District.
Probate filing fees at Lyon County District Court:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, Trusts, Guardianships, Conservatorships — first paper filed | $320.00 |
| Deposit of a will for safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust account filings (partial, final, or annual) | $55.00 |
Probate records are generally public court records to the extent they are not sealed or otherwise restricted. You can search them through MCRO using the decedent's name or the case number. For documents that require physical inspection or certified copies, contact the Court Administrator at (507) 706-7050 or submit a District Copy Request form.
Wills deposited for safekeeping with the court — filed before a probate proceeding is opened — are not public records until the probate case is initiated. Once a probate estate is opened, the filed will becomes part of the public case record accessible through standard court records request procedures.
The Lyon County Recorder's Office also maintains certain property-related probate documents, such as recorded instruments transferring title from an estate to heirs. Real estate professionals and others with ongoing research needs can access land records remotely through the Laredo or Tapestry paid access programs offered through the Recorder's Office. Questions about land records remote access can be directed to the Recorder at (507) 537-6722 or the land records phone line at (507) 537-0515.