Hennepin Civil Division

Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES)

 

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 is mandatory for all case types 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.

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

The Fourth District Civil Court Division includes Civil Filing, Conciliation, Judgments, and Housing. They are located in the C-Tower of the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis. The main in-person customer service area is the Civil Filing Counter on the third floor. The Civil Division handles a range of civil case types from complex contract and personal injury cases, to administrative default cases. Our mission is to provide excellent customer service to all court users, including the public, parties, justice agencies, and the media.

Conciliation Court and Housing Court are also part of Hennepin Civil Court.

Civil judges handle a "block" of cases, and the cases are initially assigned to civil judges on a random basis. For the following types of cases, once a case has been assigned, that judge handles the case all the way to the final disposition: 

• Appeals from administrative agency
• Appointment of Trustee
• Assessment appeal
• Change of name
• Civil other / miscellaneous
• Class action lawsuit
• Consumer credit
• Conciliation appeal
• Condemnation
• Discrimination
• Employment
• Forfeiture Malpractice
• Mechanics lien
• Minor settlement
• Personal injury
• Product liability
• Property damage
• Quiet title
• Receivership
• Replevin
• Sexual harassment
• Welfare appeal
• Wrongful death 

The court sends a "Notice of Judge Assignment" (or Reassignment) only to the first attorney for a party listed on the Certificate of Representation. That attorney is responsible for notifying all other attorneys representing the party. The filing attorney (or party) is responsible for notifying all attorneys (or parties) not listed on the Certificate of Representation.

Filing a notice to remove the assigned judicial officer must comply with MN Rule of Civil Procedure 63.03 and MN Statute § 542.16. If the notice to remove complies with the law, the case will be reassigned randomly to another judicial officer. The court will then send a "Notice of Judge Reassignment" to the attorney (or party) listed on the Certificate of Representation.

District Court staff screen temporary restraining orders (TROs), injunctions and other emergency requests prior to accepting a filing and assigning a judge. If an emergency request needs immediate assignment, the matter is assigned to a civil judge located in the Hennepin County Govt. Center. That judge (or judicial staff) will then handle the scheduling of the case.
 
Summons and complaints (or verified complaints) are required for lawsuits, along with supporting documents relating to the request for an emergency filing (motions, affidavits, etc.). For other case types that do not require a summons and complaint, a petition, notice of motion and motion, and supporting documents will suffice, as long as there are supporting documents that justify immediate assignment of a judge.

MN Court Rule 113.02 Consolidation of cases within a judicial district:   a motion asking that two or more cases pending in a single Judicial District be assigned to one judge must be made to the Chief Judge of the District in which the cases are pending, or the Chief Judge's designee.
 
In the Fourth Judicial District, the presiding judge of Civil Court hears contested motions and reviews stipulations on these cases. The best practice used when ordering consolidation and assignment is to assign all cases to the judge who has the earliest case (by file date).

Judges hear post-disposition matters on their assigned cases as long as they still work in the civil division. They generally do not hear post-disposition matters in civil cases after they have been assigned to another area of the court.

Please see the Standing Order on the Temporary Reinstatement of Driving Privileges and License Plates in Implied Consent Cases.

When filing an Implied Consent Petition, a petitioner may request a judicial stay of the balance of the driver's license revocation and license plate impoundment periods pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 169A.53, subd. 2(c) pending resolution of the Implied Consent Hearing. The judicial stay may be granted provided the petitioner meets certain criteria. To request temporary reinstatement, please follow these steps:
 
Step 1.  Draft a letter addressed to Chief Judge Kerry W. Meyer requesting that the balance of the petitioner’s driver's license revocation and/or license plate impoundment periods be stayed pending resolution of the Implied Consent Hearing. This letter must include the petitioner’s:

• Full name;
• Date of birth;
• Driver’s license number; and
• License plate number, if applicable.

Requests that do not include that information will take additional time to process.

Step 2.  Electronically file the letter through the eFile & eServe system (eFS.)  When filing the letter, you must email a courtesy copy to the Chief Judge to ensure that your request is received. Follow these instructions to courtesy copy the Chief Judge. 

Step 3. Add yourself as a Service Contact if you have not already done so. Once the Judge issues an order, eFS will send a copy of the order to the email address you entered for the service contact. Orders will not be faxed to attorneys.

The petitioner’s driver’s license must be revoked before the Judge can issue an order staying the balance of the driver’s license revocation period. Attorneys may check whether their client’s license has been revoked by visiting the MN Driver & Vehicle Services webpage.
 
Judge Meyer's staff catalogs all requests as they are submitted and reviews each request daily to determine if it meets all of the criteria for consideration by the Judge. If the petitioner’s request to stay the balance of the revocation period is denied, an Implied Consent Hearing will be scheduled immediately and the date of the hearing will be stated in the order.

If you file an Implied Consent Petition with the Court, you can request that your driver's license and license plate be temporarily reinstated until the date of your Implied Consent Hearing.  You will only be granted temporary reinstatement if your circumstances meet the judge’s criteria. 
 
To request temporary reinstatement, please follow these steps:
 

1. Write a letter addressed to Chief Judge Kerry W. Meyer requesting that the balance of your driver's license revocation and/or license plate impoundment periods be stayed pending resolution of the Implied Consent Hearing. The letter does not need to be typed, but it must include your:
   1. Full name
   2. Mailing address
   3. Email address (if you have one)
   4. Date of birth
   5. Driver’s license number
   6. License plate number (if applicable)
   7. Case number of your Implied Consent case if you have it (27-CV-XXXX)

Requests that do not include this information will take additional time to process.
 

2. Make two copies of the letter. Deliver or mail one copy to Civil Filing at Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, C-332, Minneapolis, MN 55487.
3. Deliver or mail the other copy to Chief Judge Kerry W. Meyer's chambers at Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487.

The judge cannot reinstate your driver’s license until Driver and Vehicle Services has revoked it.  You may check whether your license has been revoked by visiting the Driver & Vehicle Services webpage. Once on the site:

1. Select “More Driver Services” underneath Driver Services
2. Select “Driver’s License Status Lookup”
3. Enter in your Minnesota Driver’s License Number

The chief judge's staff catalogs all requests as they are submitted and reviews each request daily to determine whether it meets all of the criteria for consideration by the judge. If your request is denied, an Implied Consent Hearing will be scheduled immediately and the date of the hearing will be stated in the chief judge's order.

Some civil lawsuits started in Minnesota District Courts end up in "default" and can be processed by the court "administratively," i.e., without a judge. A case ends up in default as described in MN Rule of Civil Procedure 55.  See the Civil Actions Help Topic for more detailed information.  A civil case in default may be processed administratively only if the following requirements are met:

• the defendant(s) were served a Summons and Complaint;
• the time for defendant(s) to answer has passed;
• plaintiff(s) received no response from defendant(s); and
• the case type is the kind that may be processed administratively.

Case types that may be processed administratively:

• Confession of judgment
• Contract for deed
• Goods sold and services rendered
• Loan agreements in default
• Past due unpaid rent or lease agreements
• Promissory notes (need original note)
• Recovery of NSF (non-sufficient funds) checks
• Stated Account
• Unpaid taxes to State of Minnesota

The following Case Types may NOT be processed administratively and will be randomly assigned to a judge. If a case is assigned to a judge, the court will send a Notice of Judicial Assignment to all parties.
 

• Auto accidents
• Civil theft
• Conversion of Funds
• Fraud or misrepresentation
• Future damages
• Mechanics liens
• Personal injuries
• Property damage
• Replevin - return of property
• Unspecified dollar amounts
• Wages, salary, and commission

To ask that a judgment entered by default on an administrative basis, the following documents must be filed with the court along with the required filing fees:

• Summons and Complaint;
• Affidavit of Service of Summons and Complaint;
• Affidavit of No Answer, Non-Military Service, Identification, Amount Due and Costs and Disbursements (also known as a five-part affidavit);
• Supporting documents and exhibits to prove up your case; and
• Proof of service of the Notice and Request for Hearing to Determine Attorneys' Fee Award pursuant to MN Rules of Gen. Practice 119, if applicable. NOTE: The Notice and Request for Hearing to Determine Attorneys' Fee Award can only be served AFTER the party has defaulted.

After these documents are filed, the court clerk will review the court file for documentation that supports the judgment amount requested, and for documentation that supports any requested attorney’s fees. If additional documentation or information is required, the court will notify the party who asked to finish the case by administrative default. Once everything is submitted and reviewed, judgment can be entered administratively, and the court will send a Notice of Entry and/or Docketing of Judgment to the parties.

The Judgments Department processes court orders that direct the entry of judgment, as well as stipulations and orders for dismissal and orders granting summary judgment. This office also handles writs of execution, transcripts of judgments, and "taxation of costs" hearings.
 

How do I appeal a judgment?

Visit the Appeals Help Topic to learn about the appeals process.
 

What is the telephone number for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office?

You can call the Sheriff's Office at (612) 348-3800, and visit the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office website for more information.
 

How do I get a copy of a judgment or other documents in a court case?

For a fee ($5 for each name searched), the court will search for a specific name in the civil judgments records. Judgment search requests can be made in person at the Judgments Office. You may also search for judgment records online using Judgment Search - Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO). To get copies of other kinds of court records, please visit the District Court Records Center.
 

What are the court filing fees?

Please view our Fees tab.
 

How do I collect a civil judgment from the debtor?

Even if you win a judgment in court, it is not always easy to get paid. The parties can make an agreement about paying the judgment, including making payments or settling on a lower amount to satisfy the judgment. Once the judgment is paid in full or to the creditor's satisfaction, then the creditor completes a Satisfaction of Judgment form. One of the parties files that form with the court so the court records show the judgment was paid. If the creditor does not cooperate in signing a Satisfaction of Judgment form, the debtor can file a Motion to Satisfy Judgment form.
 
If the debtor does not pay the creditor after the judgment has been "docketed" in District Court and the time to appeal has expired, the creditor may take steps to enforce the judgment. The court is not a collection agency and cannot help you locate assets of the other party. Garnishment of a debtor's wages or bank accounts may be an option to enforce a judgment, and another option might be to file a lien against real estate owned by the debtor. Talk to a lawyer to get advice on options to collect on a judgment.
 
Enforcing a judgment may involve additional fees. These fees may be added to the original judgment by filing an Affidavit of Increased Costs form with the court and can be collected if the debtor's assets can be found.
 

How do I enforce a civil judgment when the debtor won't pay me?

Please go to the Judgments Help Topic to learn the options and procedures for enforcing a civil judgment.
 

How long does a judgment last?

A judgment can be enforced for ten (10) years from the date it was entered. It can also be "renewed" if not satisfied (paid) within the 10 years. To enforce a judgment that was not paid during the 10 year time frame, you have to start a new lawsuit before the end of the 10 year period, based on a claim for failure to pay a judgment. See Minn. Stat. § 541.04 A lawsuit is started by serving a Summons and Complaint on the judgment debtor. You should talk to a lawyer to get advice on how to prepare the papers and handle the case. Court staff cannot give legal advice.
 

How can I get a copy of my credit report? Is there a way to fix an error on a report?

This Credit Report Legal Fact Sheet explains how to get a copy of your credit report and correct errors that may appear on it. It also includes contact information on credit bureaus and a sample copy request form.

Learn more about Debt Collection, Judgments & Consumer Law on LawHelpMN.org.

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Foreign judgments may be filed at the Judgments Department on C-3 (Third floor) of the Hennepin County Government Center or mailed to:
Hennepin County District Court
Judgments, C-3
300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0332
 
To open a foreign judgment case, the following must be filed:

• A certified copy of the judgment from the out-of-state or out-of-country court.
• An Affidavit of Identification of both the debtor and creditor.
• Filing fees for foreign judgments
• There is a 20-day stay from the date of filing to the date of judgment.

For further information, please refer to the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act in the MN Statutes §§ 548.26 - 548.33.

Judgments are good for ten years from the date of entry. Pursuant to MN Statutes § 541.04 and § 548.09, judgments entered may be renewed for another ten years. The renewal process must be commenced prior to the expiration of the judgment.

Court staff cannot give legal advice about renewing your judgment. Please consult with an attorney. You could also visit the Legal Access Point Clinic at the court's Self-Help Center.

Hearing on Taxation of Costs

To schedule a hearing date and time, please call the Judgments Office at (612) 348-6000.
 

Objecting to Taxation of Costs

If either party disagrees with the costs awarded, refer to Rule 54.04 of the MN Rules of Civil Procedures.
 

Allowable Costs

Administration may award the following costs in an administrative hearing:
 

1.  Administrative fees (Minn. Stat. § 357.021) for the court administrator, sheriff, other
public officers, and jurors (Minn. Stat. § 357.13).

a. Certificate as to existence or non-existence of judgments docketed.
b. Docketing judgment fee.
c. Execution/filing fees for:
  i. Writs of attachment,
  ii. Injunction,
  iii. Habeas corpus,
  iv. Mandamus,
  v. Quo warranto,
  vi. Certiorari, and
  vii. Other writs.
d. Filing fee.
e. Jury fee.
f. Motion fee.
g. Satisfaction of Judgment (includes partial satisfaction, assignment of judgment) fee. Minn. Stat. § 549.02.
h. Subpoena fees.
i. Transcript of Judgment fee (for filing and docketing a judgment from another court).

2. Certified copy fee (for any documents or papers filed or recorded in any public office). Minn. Stat. § 357.31.

3. Deposition costs (if used or cited to in a court proceeding), (includes witness and party/agent depositions, and includes video fees).

4. E-filing fee.

5. Exhibit expenses (if used or cited to in a court proceeding). Minn. Stat. § 357.315.

6. Medical records. Minn. Stat. § 357.315.

7. Notary costs. Minn. Stat. § 357.317.

8. Service of process fees (whether paid to a sheriff or private process server). Minn. Stat. § 549.04.

9. Statutory costs. Minn. Stat. § 549.02.

10. Witness fees (only if witness testified at trial or other evidentiary proceeding).
a. Expert witness appearance fee (Minn.Gen.R.Prac. 127), plus .28 cents/mile
(Minn. Stat. § 357.22).
b. Non-Expert witness flat fee of $20/day, plus .28 cents/mile (Minn. Stat. §
357.22).
 

Non-Taxable Costs by Administration

Administration may NOT award the following costs in an administrative hearing on taxation of
costs:*

1. Attorney’s fees.
2. Attorney travel expenses (ex: for attorney attending deposition).
3. Bond fees.
4. Deposition expenses if not used or cited in a trial or other court proceeding.
5. Discovery costs.
6. Exhibit expenses if not used or cited to in a court proceeding.
7. Expert fees for expert that does not testify at trial or other evidentiary proceeding. Expert fees must not include preparation or experiment expenses. Minn.Gen.R.Prac 127.
8. Independent Medical Examination (IME).
9. Investigative services.
10. Mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) costs. Minn.Gen.R.Prac 114.11.
11. Photocopy expenses (unless related to exhibit copies distributed during a court proceeding).
12. Pre-trial or trial preparation expenses.
13. Special Master fees.
14. Transcript expenses.
15. Taxes.
16. Telephone costs.


*Nothing in this [list] shall be construed as a limitation on judicial discretion when requests for costs and disbursements are made before (or reviewed by) a District Court Judge.

Argument is not permitted at the administrative hearing: if either party disagrees with the costs awarded administratively, please refer to Rule 54.04 of the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure. Similarly, argument on whether the requesting party is the "prevailing party" within the meaning of the law is not appropriate for the administrative hearing, but should be made before a District Court Judge pursuant to Rule 54.04(e) of the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure.