McLeod County Court Records Search
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McLeod County, Minnesota maintains a unified court system that generates records across civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases. These records document case filings, hearings, judicial orders, and final dispositions, and serve as the official account of court proceedings in the county. Beyond their legal function, court records promote public accountability within the judicial system and may establish precedents relevant to future cases. Typical public information found in McLeod County case records includes case numbers, case types, filing dates, party names, presiding judge, and court details.
For those looking to search court records in Minnesota, several access points are available — from visiting the courthouse directly, to using public access terminals on-site, to submitting written requests to court administration. MinnesotaCourts.us can also help users locate publicly available court case information across the state’s district court system.
How to Look Up a Court Case in McLeod County?
The McLeod County District Court is the sole trial court in the county, with original jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic cases. All court functions are administered from a single courthouse location.
McLeod County District Court
Address: 830 11th Street East, Glencoe, MN 55336
Main Phone: (320) 864-1281 or (320) 864-1513
Fax: (320) 864-5905
Court Administrator: Karen V. Messner — (320) 864-1285
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Closed holidays)
Online Search — Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
The primary tool for remote access to McLeod County case records is the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal, operated by the Minnesota Judicial Branch. MCRO provides four search tabs:
- Case Search — Access a specific case’s Register of Actions and public documents. Search by party name, business name, attorney name, case number, citation number, or attorney bar number.
- Document Search — Locate specific filed documents across cases.
- Hearing Search — View scheduled court hearings.
- Judgment Search — Find civil judgments by party name (fee: $5.00 per name certified).
Note that MCRO contains limited information for cases filed before July 1, 2015.
In-Person Access
Visitors to the McLeod County Courthouse can use public access terminals at the courthouse to search case records electronically on-site at no charge. Alternatively, they may contact the court administrator’s office directly. Court staff route inquiries by the respondent/defendant’s last name across specialized division phone lines:
| Case Type | Last Name Range | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Civil / Family (A–E) | A–E | (320) 864-1545 |
| Civil / Family (F–O) | F–O | (320) 864-1280 |
| Civil / Family (P–Z) | P–Z | (320) 864-1539 |
| Criminal (A–L) | A–L | (320) 864-1282 |
| Criminal (M–Z) | M–Z | (320) 864-1283 |
| Probate Estates | All | (320) 864-1278 |
| Child Protection / Adoptions (A–K) | A–K | (320) 864-1760 |
Are Court Records Public in McLeod County?
Minnesota law establishes a strong presumption that court records are open to the public. The Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch govern disclosure, providing that records are accessible unless specifically exempted by a court order or applicable state or federal statute.
Rule 4 of those Rules enumerates categories of records that are not accessible to the general public. In McLeod County, the following types of records are restricted or inaccessible:
- Domestic abuse and harassment petition records
- Court service records (probation files)
- Juvenile appeal case records
- Medical records submitted in court proceedings
- Responses to petitions for criminal expungement
- Identifying information of minor victims
- Adoption case records and proceedings
- Juvenile protection proceeding records
When a record contains a combination of public and restricted information, court staff redact the confidential portions before providing access to the remainder. Individuals who believe they have a legal right to access a restricted record may petition the court for an order granting that access.
Law enforcement records — such as arrest reports and jail booking data — are governed separately under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. Under Minn. Stat. § 13.85, jail booking information is classified as public data, and under Minn. Stat. § 15.17, government records must generally be made available to the public upon request.
McLeod County Criminal Court Records
The McLeod County District Court handles all felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor criminal cases filed in the county. Criminal court records include charging documents, plea records, pretrial motions, sentencing orders, and case dispositions.
Searching Criminal Court Records
Criminal case records can be searched through the MCRO Case Search portal by party name or case number. In-person searches are also available through public access terminals at the courthouse, or by contacting the criminal division directly:
- Last names A–L: (320) 864-1282
- Last names M–Z: (320) 864-1283
Arrest Records — McLeod County Sheriff’s Office
Local arrest records maintained by the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office are accessible to the public under Minnesota data practices law. The Sheriff’s Office publishes a current In Custody List on its website, with booking information classified as public data under Minn. Stat. § 13.85.
To request specific arrest records or incident reports, submit a records request through one of the following methods:
- Printable Form: Download, complete, and mail or deliver in person the Sheriff’s Records Request Form
- Online Form: Submit a request directly through the Sheriff’s online records request portal
McLeod County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 830 11th Street East, Glencoe, MN 55336
Anonymous Tip Line (24 hours): (320) 864-4524
For statewide criminal history information, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the state’s criminal history repository. Criminal conviction information is publicly available through both MCRO and the BCA.
McLeod County Civil Court Records
The McLeod County District Court handles all civil actions, including contract disputes, property matters, evictions, conciliation (small claims), and judgment enforcement. Civil records are maintained by the court administrator’s office and searchable through MCRO.
Filing Fees — McLeod County Civil Cases
Under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, the following fees apply to civil filings at the McLeod County District Court:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| First Paper Filed (Plaintiff or Defendant) | $315.00 |
| Request for Jury Trial at Time of Filing | $415.00 |
| Motion or Response to Motion | $100.00 |
| Issuing Writs / Filing Return | $55.00 |
| Conciliation Court (Small Claims) First Paper | $70.00 |
| Eviction Action | $315.00 |
| Name Change | $315.00 |
Copy Fees
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Uncertified copy | $0.00 |
| Certified copy of any instrument | $14.00 |
| Exemplified and certified copy | $28.00 |
| Case management system report (1–50 pages) | $5.00 |
| Case management system report (50+ pages, per 50) | $25.00 |
Payment for certified copies may be made by credit card, check, or money order payable to “District Court Administrator”. For guidance on submitting copy requests, the Minnesota Judicial Branch provides a Ways to Request Copies guide covering in-person, mail, and fax options.
Conciliation Court
McLeod County’s conciliation court (small claims) handles monetary disputes within the jurisdictional dollar limit. Filing fees are $70.00 for the first paper filed. If a party appeals a conciliation court decision to the district court, the filing fee increases to $315.00 (or $415.00 with a jury trial request).
McLeod County Family Court Records
All family law proceedings in McLeod County — including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic abuse, and harassment restraining orders — are filed with the McLeod County District Court. These case records are generally public, with some specific exceptions for protective order petition details and certain domestic abuse records.
Divorce Records
Dissolution of marriage cases are searchable through MCRO by party name or case number. The filing fee for a divorce (with or without children) is $395.00, authorized under Minn. Stat. § 357.021 and § 518.005. Legal separation and annulment filings carry a fee of $365.00. Dissolution forms packets are available from the court for $10.00.
For custody, paternity, or parenting time matters filed separately, the first paper filing fee is $315.00, with motions or responses costing $100.00 each.
Domestic Abuse and Harassment
Orders for Protection (OFP) filings carry no fee for respondents, and petitioners are also fee-exempt under federal and state law (34 U.S.C. § 10450). Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) first filings are $315.00 (fee may be waived for certain alleged acts). Respondents filing a motion in an HRO case pay $100.00.
Marriage Certificates
Certified copies of marriage certificates issued in McLeod County can be obtained through the McLeod County Vital Statistics Department (administered through the Auditor-Treasurer’s office). As of current rates, the fee is $9.00 per copy, with a fee increase to $10.00 effective July 1, 2025. Submit a written request including the groom’s full name, bride’s maiden name, and marriage date, along with payment by check payable to McLeod County Auditor-Treasurer:
McLeod County Auditor-Treasurer
McLeod County Government Center
520 Chandler Avenue North, Glencoe, MN 55336
Marriage license applications can be submitted online through Minnesota’s marriage license application portal or in person at the Government Center. License fees are $115.00 without pre-marital counseling ($125.00 effective July 1, 2025) and $40.00 with 12 hours of documented pre-marital counseling ($50.00 effective July 1, 2025).
Birth and Death Records
Vital records are maintained by the McLeod County Vital Statistics Department and are relevant to many family court matters, such as establishing parentage or documenting a death in guardianship or estate cases.
To request a birth certificate, eligible individuals must complete the Minnesota Birth Record Application form. Birth certificates are restricted documents — only the record subject, parents named on the record, legal heirs (with a supporting death record), or legal guardians (with court documentation) may obtain them. The fee is $26.00 for the first certified copy and $19.00 for each additional copy of the same record. In-person requests require a valid photo ID. Mail and fax requests must be notarized. Send completed applications to:
McLeod County Government Center
Attn: License Center
520 Chandler Avenue North, Glencoe, MN 55336
Fax: (320) 864-3268
Death certificates carry no public access restrictions. The fee is $13.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy. Requests follow the same in-person, mail, and fax procedures using the Minnesota Death Record Application form, submitted to the same Government Center address. Records are available dating back to 1870.
McLeod County Probate Court Records
The McLeod County District Court has original jurisdiction over all probate matters, including formal and informal estate administration, will validation, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, involuntary civil commitments, and name changes. The probate division of the court administrator’s office handles these case files.
Filing Fees — Probate and Related Matters
| Matter | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, Trusts, Guardianships, Conservatorships (first paper) | $315.00 |
| Deposit of a Will for Safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust Account Filing (partial, final, or annual) | $55.00 |
| Motion or Response to Motion | $100.00 |
Contacting the Probate Division
Probate division contacts vary by matter type and party name:
- Estates: (320) 864-1278
- Guardianships/Conservatorships, last name A–K: (320) 864-1545
- Guardianships/Conservatorships, last name L–Z: (320) 864-1278
- Commitments, last name A–K: (320) 864-1539
- Commitments, last name L–Z: (320) 864-1278
Searching Probate Records
Public documents in formal probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust cases are searchable through MCRO, which provides access to public orders, judgments, and case documents. The MCRO home page confirms that probate case documents are among the record types available through the portal. In-person access is available through courthouse public access terminals during regular court hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), and certified copies of probate instruments may be requested from court administration at $14.00 per certified copy under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2).