Nobles County Court Records Search
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Nobles County is a southwest Minnesota county anchored by Worthington, the county seat. All judicial proceedings here — criminal, civil, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic — run through a single trial court, and the District Court Administrator maintains the official records those proceedings produce. Whether you're tracking an active case, researching a judgment, vetting a business partner, or tracing family history, knowing where Nobles County records are held and how to request them is the essential first step.
If you need to search for court case information in Minnesota, options include the clerk's office, public access terminals at the courthouse, and official online case lookup tools. MinnesotaCourts.us can help you locate publicly available case information and understand how the state's judicial branch is organized.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Nobles County?
Every court case in Nobles County — civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic — falls under the original jurisdiction of the Nobles County District Court, part of the Fifth Judicial District. The District Court Administrator's office at the Nobles County Justice Center holds all case files, dockets, judgments, and court documents.
Nobles County District Court
Address: Nobles County Justice Center, 1530 Airport Road, P.O. Box 547, Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: (507) 295-5170
Fax: (507) 372-4994
Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Staff available by phone: until 4:30 p.m.
In-person requests at the court counter are accepted during counter hours, and staff can help locate records when you provide enough identifying information. For mail requests, write to the court administrator at the address above and include as many of the following as possible:
- Full case number or file number
- Full name of all parties (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent)
- Attorney name or bar number
- Filing date or hearing date
The Fifth Judicial District Copy Request Form is the standard form for requesting copies of court records from Nobles County proceedings and should accompany all mail requests. More information on the copy request process is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.
For online searches, the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal offers around-the-clock access to public district court records statewide, including all Nobles County cases. MCRO supports four search modes:
- Case Search — find cases by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, citation number, or bar number
- Document Search — retrieve individual documents with a known case number
- Hearing Search — look up scheduled or past hearings by party, judicial officer, or case number
- Judgment Search — locate monetary judgments by debtor name
Are Court Records Public in Nobles County?
Minnesota law sets a strong default presumption that government-held records are public. Under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) requires that government data — including most court records — be accessible to any member of the public for inspection and copying. Rule 8 of the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to the Records of the Minnesota Judicial Branch reinforces this presumption further.
That said, certain categories of records are restricted or exempt from disclosure. The following record types are not publicly available in Nobles County:
- Juvenile court records — protected under state law governing minors
- Adoption records — sealed by statute
- Records identifying victims of sexual offenses — withheld to protect personal safety
- Family court custody records — access is limited to parties and their legal representatives
- Court personnel records — exempt as internal employment data
- Judicial work product — including drafts, notes, and internal deliberations
- Attorney-client privileged communications contained in filings
- Sealed and expunged records — restricted by court order or statutory operation
The MGDPA also authorizes Nobles County to charge fees for providing copies, as set out under Minn. Stat. § 13.03. You have the right to inspect data free of charge before deciding whether to request copies. To initiate a formal request for county government data, use the Nobles County Public Data Information Request Form, available on the county website.
Nobles County Criminal Court Records
The Nobles County District Court handles all criminal matters in the county, from petty misdemeanors and traffic infractions through gross misdemeanors and felonies. Criminal case indices and most associated public documents are searchable through the MCRO portal. Certified copies of criminal court instruments cost $14.00 per document under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2); uncertified copies carry no charge.
For arrest records, incident reports, and criminal history information maintained by law enforcement rather than the court, contact the Nobles County Sheriff's Office:
Nobles County Sheriff's Office
Address: 1530 Airport Road, Suite 100, Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: (507) 295-5400
Fax: (507) 372-5977
Dispatch: (507) 372-8430
Email: rkruger@co.nobles.mn.us
The Sheriff's Office covers all unincorporated areas of the county as well as numerous smaller communities. If you need arrest records, police incident reports, or clearance letters, contact the Sheriff's records unit in writing or by phone to confirm availability and applicable fees. A current inmate listing for the Nobles County Jail — located at 1530 Airport Road, Suite 200, Worthington, MN 56187 — is publicly accessible on the county website.
For statewide criminal history information, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains a free public criminal history search tool. The BCA's system includes conviction data that is public for 15 years following completion of any sentence. More detailed or certified background check results are available from the BCA at fees set by Minnesota statute; direct questions about background check options to the BCA at (651) 793-2400, option 7.
Nobles County Civil Court Records
Civil proceedings in Nobles County — contract disputes, small claims, personal injury actions, evictions, and property-related litigation — are all heard by the Nobles County District Court. The District Court Administrator maintains the official civil case files, and you can access records in person at the Justice Center counter, by mail using the Fifth Judicial District Copy Request Form, or online through MCRO.
Filing fees for civil matters in Minnesota are set by Minn. Stat. § 357.021. Key civil filing fees applicable to Nobles County cases include:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff/Petitioner – First Paper Filed (Civil) | $310.00 |
| Party requesting jury trial at time of first filing | $410.00 |
| Request for jury trial (after first filing) | $100.00 |
| Motion or response to a motion | $100.00 |
| Issuing writs / filing return | $55.00 |
| Subpoena (per name) | $16.00 |
| Eviction action | $310.00 |
| Conciliation (small claims) – First Paper Filed | $65.00 |
Minnesota's conciliation court (small claims) hears disputes up to $15,000. The $65.00 filing fee applies at the initial stage under Minn. Stat. § 357.022. If a party later appeals a conciliation court judgment to district court, the standard $310.00 civil first-paper fee applies.
Uncertified copies of civil case documents are available at no charge. Certified copies cost $14.00 per instrument, and exemplified copies — which carry both a judicial officer's signature and the court administrator's verification — cost $14.00, or $28.00 if both exemplified and certified authentication is requested.
Nobles County Family Court Records
Family law cases in Nobles County — divorce, child custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, and domestic abuse proceedings — are filed in and decided by the Nobles County District Court. The Court Administrator maintains all family case files, and the same copy fee structure that applies to civil cases governs family court record requests.
Minnesota district court filing fees for family matters include:
- Dissolution of marriage (divorce), with or without children: $390.00
- Legal separation or annulment: $360.00
- Child custody, paternity, or parenting time: $310.00
- Child support (petitioner/respondent, first paper): $360.00
- Motion to modify child support: $50.00
- Order for Protection – Petitioner's first paper: $0.00 (fee waived for victims)
- Dissolution forms packets: $10.00
Divorce records are held by the District Court Administrator and are generally restricted to the parties named in the proceedings and their immediate family members or authorized legal representatives. You can search for divorce case information through the MCRO case search portal using party names or the case number.
Marriage records in Nobles County are maintained by the Nobles County Recorder, Traci Gyberg:
Nobles County Recorder
Address: 315 Tenth Street, P.O. Box 757, Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: (507) 295-5268
Fax: (507) 372-8235
Email: recorder@co.nobles.mn.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (marriage license applicants must arrive by 4:00 p.m.)
To request a copy of a marriage record, complete and submit the Request for Copy of Marriage Record form in person or by mail. Marriage records cost between $9.00 and $15.00 depending on the type of document requested. You'll need to provide the full names of both parties, the date of the marriage, and the location where it took place. Any person 18 years of age or older may request marriage records with a valid ID. The Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) also offers a free statewide online index for verifying marriage record information across all 87 counties.
Birth and death records are also managed by the Nobles County Recorder, which holds local death records dating back to 1870. To request a certified birth certificate, complete the Minnesota Birth Record Application and submit it in person or by mail to the Recorder's office. A death record application form is similarly required for death certificate requests. Most birth records are restricted to the person named, their parents, and immediate family members. Certified death certificates are available only to the surviving spouse, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, or persons with a demonstrated tangible interest under Minnesota Statute § 144.225.
Nobles County Probate Court Records
The probate division of the Nobles County District Court handles all estate administration proceedings, will filings, guardianship appointments, and conservatorship matters for county residents. The Court Administrator maintains these records alongside all other district court filings, and they are searchable through MCRO and accessible in person or by mail at the Justice Center.
Filing fees for probate matters in Nobles County follow the statewide Minnesota schedule:
| Probate Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships – First Paper Filed | $310.00 |
| Deposit of a will for safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust account reports (partial, final, or annual) | $55.00 |
| Motion or response to a motion in a probate case | $100.00 |
Most probate case records are restricted to persons named in the probate document or their duly authorized legal representatives. To request specific probate case documents, use the Fifth Judicial District Copy Request Form and include the case file number, the name of the decedent or ward, and the case docket number. You can submit requests in person at the court counter during business hours, by mail, or by fax to the District Court Administrator. When searching MCRO for probate cases, selecting "Probate or Mental Health" as the case category under the advanced search options will narrow your results and help you locate the correct filing more efficiently.