Washington County Court Records Search
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Washington County sits in eastern Minnesota along the St. Croix River, with its county seat in Stillwater. The county’s district court — part of Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District — processes filings across six divisions: civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate/mental health, and juvenile. Court Administration, housed in the Washington County Courthouse, manages the day-to-day non-judicial operations of the court and serves as the central office for record requests and case inquiries.
For those seeking court records anywhere in Minnesota, the state judiciary maintains several resources that can be accessed through official clerk offices, in-person courthouse terminals, and web-based search tools. MinnesotaCourts.us can assist users in finding publicly available case information across the state’s district courts. The guide below walks through how to locate specific types of Washington County court records, what fees apply, and which records carry access restrictions.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Washington County?
Washington County operates a single courthouse location for all district court divisions. Court Administration staff can assist with record inquiries in person, by phone, or by mail.
Washington County Courthouse
Address: 14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082
Phone: (651) 413-8030
Fax: (651) 430-1345
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Court Administrator: Deb Lepper
Division direct lines
| Division | Phone |
|---|---|
| Civil / Conciliation / Probate | (651) 413-8131 |
| Criminal / Traffic Violations Bureau | (651) 413-8133 |
| Family / Juvenile | (651) 413-8132 |
| Court Records (general) | (651) 413-8030, option 6 |
| Fine Payments | (651) 413-8133 |
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
The fastest way to search from outside the courthouse is through Minnesota Court Records Online, a free statewide portal maintained by the judicial branch. MCRO offers four search tabs:
- Case Search — look up cases by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, citation number, or attorney bar number. Results display the Register of Actions, party information, charges, dispositions, and financial data. Optional filters include case status, date of birth, filing date, county, and case category.
- Document Search — retrieve publicly available case documents by entering a case number. Access to documents filed before July 1, 2015, is limited; older documents may require a direct request to Court Administration.
- Hearing Search — view scheduled hearing dates by case number, party name, attorney, or judicial officer.
- Judgment Search — search by debtor name for docketed money judgments, including satisfaction details.
Documents not accessible through MCRO include those in civil commitment, domestic abuse, harassment, delinquency (felony age 16+), and child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) cases.
In-person courthouse terminals
Computer terminals in the courthouse provide broader access than MCRO, including the ability to view records that may not be posted online. Paper files can also be reviewed at the courthouse if the record has not been digitized.
Ordering copies
Uncertified copies of court documents are free. Certified copies cost $14.00 per document, as set by Minn. Stat. §357.021. To request copies by mail or in person, complete the Request for Court Document(s) form and submit it to:
Court Administration Records Room
14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 3802
Stillwater, MN 55082-3802
Phone requests can be made by calling (651) 413-8030 and selecting option 6.
Are Court Records Public in Washington County?
Minnesota court records carry a strong presumption of public access. Minn. Stat. §13.90 vests the Minnesota Supreme Court with rulemaking authority over data generated by the judiciary. The court’s Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, Rule 2, declares that court records are presumed open unless a specific exemption applies.
Rule 4 of the same framework lists the categories of case records that are not accessible to the public. These restricted categories include:
- Domestic abuse records (under Minn. Stat. §518B.01) and harassment restraining order records (under Minn. Stat. §609.748) that have not yet been served on the respondent
- Court services records such as counseling assessments, sentencing recommendations, custody evaluations, and psychological evaluations
- Judicial work product, notes, and draft memoranda
- Medical records filed in civil commitment and other cases, including genetic information
- Juvenile appeal case records from proceedings that are themselves non-public
- Wills deposited for safekeeping during the testator’s lifetime
- Death certificates (unless formally admitted into evidence)
- Criminal expungement response petitions containing private or confidential data
- Administrative warrants (until the search or inspection is completed)
- Motions to enforce or quash administrative subpoenas
- Images containing sexual content, nudity, or depicting minors
- Images of driver’s licenses and passports
- Information identifying minor victims in certain sexual offense cases
- Race census data collected from court participants
A court may further restrict access to otherwise public records in a specific case, but only upon making the findings required by applicable law, court rule, or precedent. Recordings of courtroom proceedings are not treated as public records in the same way as documents; the transcript, rather than the audio or video recording, serves as the official court record and is the only form in which proceedings may be disseminated.
Washington County Criminal Court Records
Criminal prosecutions in Washington County are initiated by the County Attorney’s Office and adjudicated by the district court’s criminal division. Traffic matters that do not require a court appearance are handled separately by the traffic division. The criminal/traffic division can be reached at (651) 413-8133.
Searching criminal case records online
On the MCRO Case Search page, select “Criminal” or “Traffic” under the case category filter and specify Washington County to narrow results. The system displays charges, hearing dates, dispositions, and financial information for publicly accessible cases.
Law enforcement records
Criminal records held by law enforcement — including arrest reports, incident reports, and booking information — are maintained by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments, not by the court. The Sheriff’s Office provides several online tools:
- Warrant Search — search active arrest warrants by first or last name
- Daily Jail Booking Report — lists current detainees with charges, arresting officer details, and arrest dates
- Inmate Roster — shows current jail population with booking dates and estimated release times
To request copies of law enforcement reports, contact the Sheriff’s Records Unit at (651) 430-7600 or by email at WCSO-RecordsReq@co.washington.mn.us. Requests can also be submitted through the Sheriff’s NextRequest portal.
Sheriff’s Office fee schedule
| Record Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Reports (including accident reports) | $1 per 10 pages |
| Background check (per person) | $5 |
| Clearance letter (per person) | $5 |
| Query reports | $5 |
| CD (audio/photos) or body-worn camera photos | $10 per CD |
| Digital squad video DVD | $20 per DVD |
| 911 voice audio CD | $10 |
| 911 research time | $20 per hour |
| Booking photo | Free |
Reports connected to ongoing investigations, cases with pending charges (obtainable only through the prosecuting attorney), and juvenile information (restricted to a parent or guardian) will not be released. Predatory offender information is available through the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Criminal record expungement
Filing for criminal expungement in Washington County costs $325 ($310 base fee plus $15 law library fee), authorized by Minn. Stat. §357.021, subd. 2(1).
Washington County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Washington County is divided between the district court’s civil division and its conciliation (small claims) division. Conciliation court handles disputes involving $20,000 or less (with a $4,000 cap for consumer credit transactions). The civil division manages all other non-criminal matters, including collections, landlord-tenant disputes, forfeitures, personal injury, and contract cases.
Filing fees (selected)
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil action — first paper filed (plaintiff or defendant) | $325 |
| Civil action with jury demand at time of first filing | $425 |
| Motion or response to a motion (civil or family, excluding child support) | $100 |
| Conciliation court — first paper filed | $80 |
| Removal (appeal) from conciliation to district court | $325 |
| Removal with jury demand | $425 |
| Eviction action | $325 |
| Subpoena (per name) | $16 |
| Writ issuance / filing return | $55 |
| Name change | $325 |
All fees are established by Minn. Stat. §357.021 and §357.022, plus a $15 law library surcharge (Minn. Stat. §134A.09 and §134A.10) included in most filings. The complete Washington County District Court fee schedule is published on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.
Searching civil case records
Civil case records are searchable through MCRO by selecting “Civil” under case category. In-person terminal access at the courthouse provides additional detail for older or non-digitized files. Copies follow the same process described above — uncertified copies are free, and certified copies cost $14 per document.
For help with conciliation court claims, the Minnesota Judicial Branch offers a Conciliation Court Virtual Assistant and general guidance on conciliation court procedures.
Washington County Family Court Records
The family division of the Washington County District Court handles dissolution of marriage (divorce), legal separation, annulment, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, and domestic abuse matters. The family/juvenile division phone line is (651) 413-8132.
Dissolution of marriage (divorce)
Filing a dissolution of marriage (with or without children) costs $405 ($340 base fee plus $50 statutory surcharge plus $15 law library fee), under Minn. Stat. §357.021 and §518.005, subd. 6. Legal separation and annulment filings cost $375. A child support modification motion costs $50. Dissolution form packets (with or without children) are available for $10.
Divorce case records can be searched through MCRO by selecting the appropriate family-law case category. Certified copies of divorce decrees and other family filings follow the standard $14 certified-copy fee.
Child custody, support, and paternity
Custody, paternity, parenting time, and registration filings each carry a $325 first-paper fee. Child support motions are $50. Certain family law records — particularly those involving child adoption and support — contain information that is not accessible to the general public under the Rules of Public Access.
Adoption
Adoption petitions cost $400 for a child born in the United States ($310 base plus $75 other fee plus $15 law library fee) and $325 for a child born in a foreign country. All adoption case records are restricted from public access under Minn. R. Adopt. P. 7.
Domestic abuse and harassment
Petitioners filing for an Order for Protection pay no fee. Respondents pay $100 for a motion or response. Harassment restraining order (HRO) petitions carry a $325 fee, although the fee may be waived for certain alleged acts. Domestic abuse and harassment records are not publicly accessible until a court order has been served on the respondent.
Marriage certificates
Marriage records are classified as vital records in Minnesota and are handled by the county’s Property Records and Taxpayer Services department, not the court. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $10 each. Requests can be made in person at the Government Center (14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082) or at any of the county’s license and service center locations. To order by mail, complete the Copy of Marriage Record form and send it with a check payable to Washington County to:
Washington County Vital Records
14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 6
Stillwater, MN 55082
Birth and death certificates
Birth and death records are available through the same vital records office. Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. §144.225) restricts access to individuals who have a qualifying relationship to the record subject — including the named individual, their spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings, legal guardian, conservator, or attorney. Government representatives, persons with a court order, and those with notarized authorization from an eligible party also qualify.
Fees are $26 for the first birth certificate ($19 for each additional copy in the same order) and $13 for the first death certificate ($6 for each additional copy). Requests can be submitted at three locations:
- Government Center (records from 1870): 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
- Cottage Grove Service Center (births from 1900, deaths from 1997): 13000 Ravine Parkway South, Cottage Grove, MN 55016
- Headwaters Service Center (births from 1900, deaths from 1997): 19955 Forest Road North, Forest Lake, MN 55025
All three can be reached at (651) 430-6000. Mail requests should include a completed birth certificate application or death certificate application, valid identification, and payment by cash or check payable to Washington County.
Washington County Probate Court Records
The probate/mental health division of the Washington County District Court oversees estate administration, wills, trusts, guardianships for minors and incapacitated adults, conservatorships, and civil commitment proceedings. The probate division shares the civil phone line at (651) 413-8131.
Filing fees for probate matters
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships — first paper filed | $325 |
| Will deposited for safekeeping | $27 |
| Trust accounts (partial, final, or annual) | $55 |
| Certified copy of probate document | $14 |
All fees are authorized under Minn. Stat. §357.021.
Searching probate records
Probate case information is available through MCRO by selecting the appropriate case category. Documents filed on or after July 1, 2015, are generally accessible online. For earlier records, contact Court Administration or visit the courthouse to use the public terminals or review paper files.
Key access restrictions
Wills deposited with the court for safekeeping under Minn. Stat. §524.2-515 are not public during the testator’s lifetime. Upon proof of the testator’s death, the existence of the will may be disclosed, and the court may deliver it to the appropriate probate proceeding. Mental health and civil commitment records carry significant restrictions under both the Rules of Public Access and the Special Rules for Commitment and Treatment Act proceedings. Medical records filed in commitment cases are not accessible to the general public.
Guardianships and conservatorships
Petitions to establish a guardianship or conservatorship are filed through the probate division. Initial filing costs $325. After appointment, the guardian or conservator must file inventories and accountings with the court. These filings, once accepted, become part of the public case record (subject to any redaction of restricted identifiers under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 11).
For general guidance on probate procedures in Minnesota, the judicial branch publishes a Probate, Wills, and Estates help page covering common questions about estate administration, the role of personal representatives, and required filings.