Wabasha County Court Records Search
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Wabasha County sits along the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota, with the city of Wabasha as the county seat. Its court system runs through a single district court that handles the full range of judicial proceedings — felony prosecutions, civil disputes, divorce filings, probate administrations, and juvenile matters. Records from those proceedings are managed by the District Court Administrator, while vital records and property instruments are maintained separately by the County Recorder. Both offices are your main points of contact when researching Wabasha County court records.
If you're starting a records search in Minnesota, you can visit the courthouse in person, submit a request through the clerk's office, or use the public access terminals located inside county courthouses. The Minnesota Judicial Branch also makes case data available through online tools, and MinnesotaCourts.us can help you navigate court resources and locate case information across the state's judicial districts.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Wabasha County?
All civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic cases in Wabasha County are heard by the Wabasha County District Court, part of the Third Judicial District. Court Administrator Abigail Hall Gilmore oversees the court's official records function, and her office is the first place to go for records requests.
Wabasha County District Court
Address: Wabasha County Courthouse, 848 17th Street East, Suite 4, Wabasha, MN 55981
Phone: (651) 412-8627
Fax: (651) 565-8214
Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Additional direct-line contacts include the Traffic Division at (800) 657-3611, the Court Reporter at (651) 412-8633, and the Law Clerk at (651) 412-8634.
In-person requests are handled at the courthouse counter during business hours. For mail requests, write to the court administrator at the address above and include as much identifying information as you can:
- Full name of each party (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent)
- Case or file number, if known
- Filing date or hearing date
- Attorney name or bar number, if applicable
For remote access, the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal provides free, around-the-clock access to public district court records statewide, including all Wabasha County cases. MCRO offers four search options:
- Case Search — search by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, citation number, or bar number
- Document Search — retrieve specific filed documents by case number
- Hearing Search — look up upcoming or past hearings by party name, judicial officer, or case number
- Judgment Search — locate monetary judgments by debtor name
Public access terminals are also available inside the Wabasha County Courthouse for on-site case lookup without a remote subscription.
Are Court Records Public in Wabasha County?
The Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch establish that most court records held by Wabasha County court officials are accessible to the public. Anyone may make an oral or written request to inspect or copy these records during regular office hours, without needing to explain why they want them. This access framework reflects Minnesota's broader commitment to judicial transparency.
That said, the rules also identify specific categories of records that are withheld from public access. Rule 4 of the Minnesota Court Rules lists the following restricted record types in Wabasha County:
- Domestic abuse and harassment records — including Orders for Protection and related filings
- Grand jury proceedings — not accessible to the general public
- Adoption records — sealed by statute
- Juvenile court records — protected under laws governing minors
- Video recordings of child abuse victims
- Pre-sentence investigation reports
- Records identifying sexual offense victims
- Attorney work product — privileged communications and drafts
- Records containing trade secrets submitted in litigation
Beyond these categorical restrictions, Rule 8, subdivision 2 of the Public Access Rules also limits what records may be accessed remotely through MCRO — meaning some records viewable at the courthouse are not available for online retrieval. When a public document contains restricted personal identifiers — such as Social Security numbers or financial account numbers — court staff apply redactions before releasing copies.
Wabasha County Criminal Court Records
The Wabasha County District Court holds original jurisdiction over all criminal matters in the county, including felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and traffic offenses. Criminal case indices and 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 are available at no charge.
Arrest records, incident reports, and criminal history information maintained by law enforcement are handled separately through the Wabasha County Sheriff's Office:
Wabasha County Sheriff's Office
Address: 848 17th Street East, Wabasha, MN 55981
Phone: (651) 565-3361
Fax: (651) 565-3843
Email: cstruwe@co.wabasha.mn.us
The Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement, serves civil and criminal processes, and provides record information to the public. If you need incident reports or criminal history records, contact the Sheriff's records division directly, since fees and procedures vary by record type. For civil fingerprinting needed for background checks, employment, or licensing, appointments can be scheduled through the Wabasha County Jail by calling (651) 560-1004.
For statewide criminal history information, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) operates a free public criminal history search. The BCA's Criminal History System (CHS) contains records of individuals arrested for felony, gross misdemeanor, and certain misdemeanor offenses statewide, with conviction data remaining public for 15 years after the completion of any sentence. Criminal history fees vary by the type of check requested; direct questions about available options to the BCA at (651) 793-2400, option 7.
Wabasha County Civil Court Records
Civil matters in Wabasha County — contract disputes, personal injury lawsuits, property disputes, evictions, small claims, and landlord-tenant cases — are all processed through the Wabasha County District Court. The District Court Administrator maintains official civil case files, which can be searched in person at the courthouse, through MCRO online, or via a mailed written request.
The Wabasha County District Court fee schedule governs all civil filing costs. Key fees for civil proceedings include:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff/Petitioner – First Paper Filed (Civil Action) | $310.00 |
| Party requesting jury trial at same time as first filing | $410.00 |
| Request for jury trial (after initial 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 |
| Rent escrow / lockout / emergency tenant remedies | $65.00 |
| Conciliation court (small claims) – First Paper Filed | $65.00 |
Minnesota's conciliation court (small claims) handles disputes involving $15,000 or less. If a party appeals a conciliation court decision to district court, the standard $310.00 first-paper civil filing fee applies.
Copy fees for civil documents are: certified copies cost $14.00 per instrument; exemplified and certified copies cost $28.00; uncertified copies are free. Scanning fees of $25.00 apply for each 50 pages requiring staff to dismantle a court file. Court forms for civil matters are accessible through the Minnesota Judicial Branch Forms & Instructions page.
Wabasha County Family Court Records
Family law proceedings in Wabasha County — dissolution of marriage, child custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, domestic abuse protective orders, and name changes — are filed and decided by the Wabasha County District Court. The complete Wabasha County family court fee schedule is as follows:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dissolution of marriage (divorce), with or without children | $390.00 |
| Legal separation or annulment | $360.00 |
| Custody, paternity, or parenting time – First Paper Filed | $310.00 |
| Child support – First Paper Filed (petitioner/respondent) | $360.00 |
| Motion to modify child support | $50.00 |
| Order for Protection – Petitioner's first paper | $0.00 (fee-free for victims) |
| Harassment Restraining Order – First Paper Filed | $310.00 (may be waived) |
| Dissolution forms packet (with or without children) | $10.00 |
| Adoption petition – Child born in U.S. | $385.00 |
Divorce records are held by the District Court Administrator. You can use the MCRO case search portal to locate divorce filings by party name or case number. While divorce records are generally accessible, certain sensitive details within those filings — such as financial account numbers — are subject to redaction.
Marriage records from April 29, 1865 to the present are maintained by the Wabasha County Recorder for licenses issued in Wabasha County. Certified copies of marriage records cost $9.00 each and can be requested in person or by mail. The Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) provides a free statewide online index for locating marriage records and confirming which county holds the original license.
Wabasha County Recorder
Address: 625 Jefferson Avenue, Wabasha, MN 55981
Phone: (651) 565-3623 (Main)
Email: recorders@co.wabasha.mn.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Birth and death certificates are also issued through the Recorder's office, which holds Wabasha County vital records from 1870 to the present. Fees for vital records are:
| Record Type | First Copy | Each Additional Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Certified birth certificate | $26.00 | $19.00 |
| Certified death certificate | $13.00 | $6.00 |
To request a birth certificate, complete the county Birth Record Request Form and submit it in person or by mail with valid identification and payment. Death certificate requests require a completed death records request form. Certified death records are restricted to the surviving spouse, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and personal representatives of the deceased, or others who can demonstrate a direct legal interest under Minn. Stat. § 144.225. Non-certified birth records can be obtained without proving a tangible interest; certified copies require demonstration of eligibility.
Wabasha County Probate Court Records
The probate division of the Wabasha County District Court handles all estate administration, will filings, guardianship appointments, conservatorships, and matters involving the distribution of a decedent's assets. The District Court Administrator maintains all probate case files, and you can find proceedings through the MCRO case search portal by filtering for probate case types.
Filing fees for probate matters are set by Minn. Stat. § 357.021:
| Probate Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships – First Paper | $310.00 |
| Deposit of will for safekeeping | $27.00 |
| Trust account reports (partial, final, or annual) | $55.00 |
| Motion or response to a motion | $100.00 |
Most probate records for settled estates are publicly accessible in Wabasha County. To request specific documents, call the District Court Administrator's office at (651) 412-8627 during business hours, or send a written request by mail to the courthouse at 848 17th Street East, Suite 4, Wabasha, MN 55981. Include the case file number, the name of the decedent or ward, and the docket number where available. Statewide probate court forms are available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms page, which includes petitions, objections, and other standard filings used in Wabasha County proceedings. Certified copies of probate instruments cost $14.00 each; uncertified copies are free of charge.