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Hennepin Criminal & Traffic Division

Hennepin County District Court »

The Criminal Court handles cases in two locations in downtown Minneapolis, and in two suburbs (Brooklyn Center and Minnetonka.) It includes Treatment Courts focused on specific case types such as DWI, drug offenses, and cases involving military veterans.

Related: Violations Bureau & Hearing Office
 
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Criminal Division Launches Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES) effective December 30, 2024

The Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES) is a way to share digital exhibits with the court and parties. MNDES allows users to easily submit, store, and access digital exhibits (audio, video, documents, and images) in a consistent manner. MNDES is a simpler, more secure way of managing digital exhibits than by email, network drives, or digital storage devices, and allows exhibits to be easily accessed for both remote and in-person hearings.

The use of MNDES in criminal trials is required starting Monday, December 30, 2024. Submitting exhibits via MNDES will become mandatory statewide on January 1, 2025, per Supreme Court Order ADM09-8010. Parties must continue to follow all Court Rules concerning exhibits, including sending the exhibits to other parties involved in the case.

Hennepin County District Court will provide online training on a weekly basis starting Friday, November 22, at 11 a.m. Fill out this form to sign up for a training session.

For additional information and access to MNDES, please visit the Exhibits and Evidence Help Topic.


Warrant Helpline has a New Phone Number

Hennepin County District Court has updated its Warrant Helpline number that allows adult defendants to get information about their warrant and possibly schedule a court hearing to take care of their case.

Effective June 24, 2024, the new number for the program is (612) 540-6485.


Did you miss court? Need to clear your warrant?

Hennepin County Criminal Court has a warrant helpline where you can call or email to get information about your warrant and schedule a court hearing to take care of your case. Your warrant will stay active until you go to court, which means you could still be arrested even though you have scheduled court over the phone. This service gives you an opportunity to schedule a date to take care of it. If you have an attorney, you or your attorney can call and schedule court. 

Warrant Helpline: (612) 540-6485

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, but you can leave a voicemail after hours and we will call you back.

You can also Email Us and we will respond within 1-2 business days.
 
Please note: Not all cases will be eligible to schedule court over the phone. 

Warrants not eligible:

  • Warrants for missing a trial,
  • Warrants for certain probation violations,
  • Complaint warrants, or
  • Warrants for failure to appear at the Workhouse/Adult Correctional Facility.

If your warrant is not eligible for a court date, you will need to turn yourself in at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility (“Jail”) located at 401 4th Avenue South in downtown Minneapolis.  


Criminal Expungement has a New Phone Number

We now have a new phone number for the Criminal Expungement Scheduling Line. To schedule a criminal expungement hearing, call (612) 540-7096 or visit the Self-Help Center in person. Learn more about criminal expungement »

All Hearing Officer Appointments are Remote

Need to see a Hearing Officer? All appointments are now held remote.

Golden Valley cases move to Brookdale

Starting on January 1, 2024, all hearings for criminal cases charged by the city of Golden Valley will be heard at the Brookdale courthouse. This is for all Misdemeanor and Gross Misdemeanor cases. Hearings for Golden Valley are held in person, except for Payable Arraignment hearings that are held remote via Zoom. Please contact the Court if you have questions about where to go for your court hearing at (612) 348-6000.

Learn about Hearing eReminders and how to sign up!

image of a fingerprint
 

Need fingerprints?

Some criminal court cases require you to get fingerprinted before you go to court (Minnesota Statute § 299C.10s1). You may now get fingerprinted at the Public Safety Facility downtown Minneapolis at 401 South Fourth Avenue in Room 133.01 (map). Get fingerprinted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The office is closed from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

Bring a copy of your court notice and a photo I.D. to speed up the process. Not sure if you need fingerprints? Call us at (612) 348-6000 or click on the chat button above.


Image of a clerk at a public counter with a court user approaching


Video: Get Tips on How to Handle a Ticket in Hennepin County

Got a ticket or citation? Watch this video to hear about your options.

Interested in learning about the Criminal Justice System?

Learn more about the courts and the justice system in this Criminal Justice 101 video, produced by the Hennepin County government partners.   

Request for Continuance by Email

Attorneys and self-represented defendants who want to reschedule a court hearing may submit a Request for Continuance.  Learn more »

Criminal & Civil Signing Judge Hours

9 a.m. - noon | 1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Monday - Friday, closed legal holidays
The Criminal and Civil Signing Judge courtroom is closed and the Signing Judge will not be available to walk-in customers.  All signing matters will be handled remotely (by phone, email, or through other means). Staff for the Signing Judge may be contacted at (612) 543-9200.

Hennepin Criminal Court Main Address:
Hennepin County Government Center
300 South 6th Street, C-11
Minneapolis, MN 55487 Map »
Phone: (612) 348-6000

Email the Criminal Division
Email Request for a Continuance

Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Closed holidays

Going to Court »
parking, maps, transit, more...

ADA Accommodation

The two downtown court locations handle all felony charges issued in Hennepin County. They also handle all misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal and traffic charges issued in Minneapolis, Three Rivers Park District (area in Hennepin County), and Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory. Several Suburban jurisdictions hold their court hearings downtown, including: Bloomington, Metropolitan Airport Commission (MAC), and Richfield. 

Hennepin County Government Center
300 South 6th Street
Skyway Level
Minneapolis, MN 55487 Map »

Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 4th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415 Map »
 
Suburban Criminal Courts
The suburban courts are responsible for processing all non-felony traffic and criminal cases for the cities in their jurisdictions. They also process all traffic violation tickets, respond to public questions on criminal matters, and provide a hearing officer who conducts hearings on traffic and petty misdemeanor matters. Other types of cases, such as civil, family law, small claims, etc., are not filed in the suburban courts, but are handled in other Court Divisions.

Brookdale Regional Service Center
6125 Shingle Creek Parkway
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 Map »

Ridgedale Regional Service Center
12601 Ridgedale Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305 Map »

 

Criminal Mental Health Court

Grace Spearman, Coordinator
Contact Criminal Mental Health Court Staff

 

Drug Court

Laurin Olson, Coordinator
Contact Drug Court Staff

 

DWI Court

Laurin Olson, Coordinator
Contact DWI Court Staff

 

Veterans Court

Grace Spearman, Coordinator
Contact Veterans Court Staff

Call the Warrant Helpline at (612) 540-6485

Hennepin County Criminal Court has a warrant helpline where you can call or email to get information about your warrant and schedule a court hearing to take care of your case. Your warrant will stay active until you go to court, which means you could still be arrested even though you have scheduled court over the phone. This service gives you an opportunity to schedule a date to take care of it. If you have an attorney, you or your attorney can call and schedule court. 
 

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, but you can leave a voicemail after hours and we will call you back.

NEW! You can Email Us and we will respond within 1-2 business days.

Suburban Criminal Courts

The Brookdale and Ridgedale Suburban Court locations are open and holding in-person hearings.  The only hearings being held remote are the Payable Arraignment calendars.

The suburban courts are responsible for processing all non-felony traffic and criminal cases for the cities in their jurisdictions. They also process all traffic violation tickets, respond to public questions on criminal matters, and provide a hearing officer who conducts hearings on traffic and petty misdemeanor matters. Other types of cases, such as civil, family law, small claims, etc., are not filed in the suburban courts, but are handled in other Court Divisions.

Criminal justice partners who want to view Suburban Court assignments can refer to the following calendars:

Suburban Court Calendar 04/01/2024 to 06/28/2024
Suburban Paybale Case Calendar 04/01/2024 to 06/28/2024

Suburban Court Calendar 07/01/2024 to 09/30/2024
Suburban Payable Case Calendar 07/01/2024 to 09/30/2024

Suburban Court Calendar 10/01/2024 to 12/31/2024
Suburban Payable Case Calendar 10/01/2024 to 12/31/2024

Phone Contact for all divisions
(612) 348-6000 (Criminal/Traffic)
 

Division 2 - Brookdale

6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy.
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Map

Serves these municipalities: 
Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Corcoran, Crystal, Golden Valley, Greenfield, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Robbinsdale, Rogers, as well as parts of Dayton, Hanover, Rockford, and St. Anthony in Hennepin County.
 

Division 3 - Ridgedale

12601 Ridgedale Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Map

Serves these municipalities: 
Deephaven, Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Independence, Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD), Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Orono, Plymouth, Shorewood, Spring Park, St. Bonifacius, St. Louis Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata, and Woodland.
 

Division 4 - Downtown

Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 4th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Map

Hennepin County Government Ctr.
300 South 6th Street
Skyway Level
Minneapolis, MN 55487 
Map

Serves these suburban municipalities: Bloomington, Metropolitan Airport Commission (Minneapolis/St.Paul International Airport), and Richfield cases go to the downtown Minneapolis court locations.

The Criminal Division operates several non-traditional courts that focus on a particular case or violation type and have specific calendars. This helps to reduce delays and process those cases more efficiently. These courts are operated in collaboration with our justice and community partners. All of these Treatment or hybrid Courts are currently housed at the Division 1 location, at the Hennepin County Government Center.

What can Treatment Court do for me?

The court has prepared several resources where you can learn more about Treatment Court. Learn more through the following video and flyers.

Treatment Court overview video
Criminal Mental Health Court
Drug Court
DWI Court
Veterans Court
 

Triage Screening Process

Hennepin County Treatment Courts uses a triage screening process for defendants who are referred to any type of Treatment Court to determine eligibility. Triage screening is conducted by a panel of social workers and probation officers. There is a brochure which gives useful information about Treatment Courts and outlines what to expect during the Triage Process. This Treatment Courts Referral Informational Handout also outlines the process in more detail.

Criminal Mental Health Court is a court that serves defendants charged with a criminal offense who are struggling with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders. It is a 12-18 month voluntary program that promotes stability and sobriety through the cooperation and collaboration of the courts, the mental health system, and corrections. This comprehensive care model allows for a rapid response to unmet needs of participants by removing barriers and providing access to mental health services. The program couples judicial reviews with intensive probation supervision, including input from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals led by the judge.

The Fourth Judicial District Court and Hennepin County implemented the Criminal Mental Health Court in 2003 with the mission to promote public safety by addressing the unmet mental health needs of criminal defendants.

Judge Sarah S. West presides over Criminal Mental Health Court every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom C-857 at the Hennepin County Government Center.

For more information contact:
Grace Spearman, Coordinator
Email the Mental Health Court » 
Drug Court is a voluntary, minimum 12-month, post-conviction program, involving the coordinated efforts of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, law enforcement, social services, probation, and treatment specialists to quickly identify and intervene in order to break the cycle of chemical dependency and crime.

The Fourth Judicial District Court and Hennepin County implemented Drug Court in 1997, and revised the program in 2007, with the mission to increase public safety, improve chemical health, and reduce crime by targeting the population of adult, non-violent, chemically dependent, felony property and drug offenders, who are at high risk to reoffend.

The judge is the central figure in a team effort to keep participants engaged in treatment, to reward progress for meeting goals, and to sanction noncompliant behavior. Drug Court participants receive ongoing judicial supervision from the court, are placed under intensive community supervision, undergo frequent drug testing and engage in long-term chemical dependency treatment. In addition, Drug Court assists participants in enhancing life-skills which may include such services as: job training, education, family counseling, etc. Drug Court encourages participants to take control of their own recovery, but it also has clear and definite requirements which if broken are swiftly dealt with by the judge.

Judge Sarah S. West presides over Drug Court. If you are interested in observing Drug Court, hearings take place every Monday at 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom #C-853 in the Hennepin Co. Govt. Center.

For more information, please contact:
Laurin Olson, Program Coordinator
Email the Drug Court » 
 
Resources:
DWI Court is a voluntary, minimum 18-month, post-conviction program involving the coordinated efforts of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, law enforcement, social services, probation, treatment specialists, and victim advocates to quickly identify and intervene in order to break the cycle of chemical dependency and drunk driving.

The Fourth Judicial District Court and Hennepin County implemented DWI Court in 2007, with the mission to increase public safety and reduce the number of alcohol related traffic deaths and injuries by effectively partnering our justice system and community resources to focus on the specific issues of repeat DWI offenders.
 

The judge is the central figure in a team effort to keep participants engaged in treatment, to reward progress for meeting goals and to sanction noncompliant behavior. DWI Court participants receive ongoing judicial supervision from the court, are placed under intensive community supervision, undergo frequent drug testing and engage in long-term chemical dependency treatment and attend community support groups. In addition, participants may participate in cognitive-behavioral groups, mental health counseling and psychiatric services. DWI Court encourages participants to take control of their own recovery, but it also has clear and definite requirements which if broken are swiftly responded to by the judge.

Judge Sarah S. West presides over the DWI Court. If you are interested in observing DWI Court, hearings take place every Thursday at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom C-857 in the Hennepin County Government Center.

For more information, please contact:
Laurin Olson, Program Coordinator
Email the DWI Court » 

Resources:
American flag hanging from ceiling in the Hennepin County Government CenterVeterans Court is a court that serves veterans charged with a criminal offense who are struggling with addiction, serious mental illness, and/or co-occurring disorders. It is a 12-18 month coordinated program that promotes sobriety, recovery, and stability involving cooperation and collaboration with the traditional problem solving court partners, with the addition of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care, the Veterans Benefits Administration, County Veterans’ Services, and volunteer veteran mentors. The program couples judicial reviews with intensive probation supervision including input from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals led by the judge.

The Fourth Judicial District Court and Hennepin County implemented Veterans Court in July 2010 with the mission of promoting public safety by assisting and supporting veterans and their families through a coordinated response, through collaboration with the veterans’ service delivery system, community based services, and the criminal justice system.

Judge Sarah S. West presides over Veterans Court every Monday at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. in Courtroom C-857 at the Hennepin County Government Center.

For more information, please contact:
Grace Spearman, Coordinator
Email the Veterans Court »
 

Related Links

Online

Minnesota Court Records Online - MCRO is the public, online version of the MN Court Information System (MNCIS), where you can search court records online.

NOTE: There are limits to case information online which are described in the MN Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch. Online records do NOT include street addresses for parties, or information on pre-conviction criminal, traffic, and petty misdemeanor cases. Pre-conviction criminal information is only available at the courthouse or by calling the Hennepin County Criminal Court at (612) 348-6000.


At the Courthouse

Most Hennepin Court records are available electronically at the courthouse. There are computers available to search for case records and view documents at the District Court Records Center on the Skyway Level of the Hennepin Co. Govt Center in the A-Tower and at the suburban courthouses. To request copies of a document from a court file, you may visit the District Court Records Center or one of the suburban courthouse locations. Plain copies can be printed for free at all courthouse locations. There is a $14 fee for a certified copy of a court document.


By Mail

You can request a copy of a Hennepin County criminal court record (e.g, case history) through the mail for a fee (see Criminal and Miscellaneous fee categories). To submit a record request, please fill out a Court Document Copy Request Form and send it to the court along with any necessary fee to the court address listed on the form.

Please visit our main Records Center page for more details on how to find Hennepin Court Records, get copies, and for hours and court locations.

FAQs on Case Information & Records »
IMPORTANT! 
You should talk to a lawyer and get advice on how laws and rules may affect your situation. The information here is NOT a substitute for legal advice. Read What Court Staff Can and Cannot Do for You.
 

Statutes & Court Rules

The following is a list of some of the laws and rules that relate to criminal cases in District Court. See also Laws, Rules & Legal Research and the Criminal Law Guide (MN State Law Library).
 

Minnesota Statutes:

Minnesota Court Rules:

Minnesota General Rules of Practice:

You can help get with legal research at the MN State Law Library, the Hennepin County Law Library, and other law libraries throughout Minnesota. County law libraries are open to the public, and hours will vary.

Signing Judge Information

Who is the daytime signing judge? Check the Daily Judicial Assignment Roster. Look for “Signing Judge” in the Session Assignment column.
 
Daytime Signing Judge Phone: (612) 543-9200 (9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and 1:30 - 4:15 p.m.)
The Criminal and Civil Signing Judge courtroom is closed and the Signing Judge will not be available to walk-in customers.  All signing matters will be handled remotely (by phone, email, or through other means). Staff for the Signing Judge may be contacted at (612) 543-9200.

Sending 626A and Other Warrants that cannot be submitted using the BCA eCharging queue to the Signing Judge
Instructions here: 4th Review of Tracking and PRTT Warrants by Daytime Signing Judge
 

eFilling Search Warrants

Executed Criminal Search Warrants Public Administrative File Numbers