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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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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information

All visitors to any court location are required to:

  • Wear a face covering
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance.

Do not enter the building if you have had any COVID-19 symptoms.

Service Impacts

To continue operations consistent with public health guidance and in a manner that prioritizes health and safety, the Minnesota Judicial Branch is extending its limitation of in-person activities in court facilities for 45 days effective February 1, 2021: 

  • Remote Hearings: All hearings will be conducted remotely to the extent possible. Exceptions may be granted for in-person proceedings under limited circumstances.
  • Criminal Jury Trials: No new jury trials will begin before March 15, 2021, unless the Chief Judge grants an exception. Exceptions shall be granted for criminal cases that meet three criteria - speedy trial, in-custody defendant, and felony or non-felony person crime - unless a trial cannot be held safely due to local conditions.
  • Public Service Counters: The following public service counters are open:
    • Hennepin County Government Center, Hearing Office, Skyway Level in C-Tower (limited general service available)
    • Public Safety Facility
    • Please see the COVID-19 Information Guide for service options or call (612) 348-6000 with any questions
  • ​Self-Help Center services are available by phone and email.​

If you have a court case scheduled in Hennepin County District Court call (612) 348-6000 to determine if your case will be heard or scheduled to a future date.  You may also contact the court by email and use the dropdown menu to select the appropriate county.

If you think you may have an outstanding warrant, call the Warrant Hotline at (612) 543-9768.

You will be required to follow Minnesota Department of Health social distancing guidelines while in the courthouse.
Learn more about safety measures all courthouses are following to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by visiting the Reopening webpage. Learn more about how courts have responded to COVID-19 by the Emergency webpage.

Local court operations changes are available on the COVID-19 Information Guide. Instead of coming to court with your questions about Hennepin County cases, please call the phone numbers in the Information Guide so we can avoid all unnecessary traffic at our courthouse facilities. Additional details are available in the COVID-19-related Courtroom Practices Guide.

Learn about Hearing eReminders and how to sign up!


Warrant hotline graphic providing phone number 612-543-9768 for the new service
Did you miss court? Need to clear your warrant?

Hennepin County Criminal Court has a warrant hotline where you can call 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 Hotline: (612) 543-WRNT (9768)

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.
 
Please note: Not all cases will be eligible to schedule court over the phone. 

Warrants not eligible:

  • Warrants for missing a trial,
  • Warrants for a probation violation or conditional release violation,
  • 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.  
 

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 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The office is closed from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 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) 348-2040 or click on the chat button above.



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 by email.  Learn more »

Criminal Expungement Hearings
To schedule a criminal expungement hearing, call the Expungement Scheduling Line at (612) 348-8305, or visit the Self-Help Center in person. Learn more about criminal expungment »

Criminal & Civil Signing Judge Hours
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon | 1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Monday - Friday, closed legal holidays
Hennepin County Government Center
Hennepin Criminal Court Main Address:
Hennepin County Govt. Ctr.
300 South 6th Street, C-11
Minneapolis, MN 55487 Map »
Phone: (612) 348-2040
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 »
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ADA Accommodation

Criminal Courts in downtown Minneapolis
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 Ctr.
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 Ctr.
6125 Shingle Creek Parkway
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 Map »

Ridgedale Regional Service Ctr.
12601 Ridgedale Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305 Map »
 


Treatment Courts Contact Information: 

 

Criminal Mental Health Court

Shayla Russell, Coordinator
(612) 348-6302
Contact Criminal Mental Health Court Staff


Drug Court

Laurin Olson, Coordinator
(612) 543-4764
Contact Drug Court Staff


DWI Court

Laurin Olson, Coordinator
(612) 543-4764
Contact DWI Court Staff

 

Veterans Court

Shayla Russell, Coordinator
(612) 348-6302
Contact Veterans Court Staff

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Suburban Criminal Courts

The Brookdale and Ridgedale Suburban Court locations are open as of August 2, 2021.
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 01/03/2022 to 04/01/2022
Suburban Payable Case Calendars 01/03/2022 to 04/01/2022

Division 2 - Brookdale
6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy.
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
(612) 348-2040 (Criminal/Traffic)
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
(612) 348-2040 (Criminal/Traffic)
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 Government Ctr.
300 South 6th Street
Skyway Level
Minneapolis, MN 55487 
(612) 348-2040 (Criminal/Traffic)
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.

Covid-19 Court Service Impacts

Treatment Courts (DWI/Veterans/Mental Health/Drug)
  • Generally, all in-person review hearings are canceled.
  • In-custody hearings will only be held if it is determined an “on-the-record” hearing needs to take place.
  • There will be one in-custody calendar each week for all four Treatment Courts, at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
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.

Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is evaluated by the Criminal Mental Health Court Team on a case-by-case basis. General requirements include:
 
  • Charged in Hennepin County with a non-violent felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor offense
  • Hennepin or Ramsey county resident
  • Diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or intellectual development disorder
Judge Lisa K. Janzen 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:
Shayla Russell, Coordinator
(612) 348-6302
Email the Mental Health Court » 
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. 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 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
(612) 543-4764
Email the Drug Court » 
 
Resources:
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. 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.

Eligibility Guidelines:

 

  • Hennepin County resident
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Second Degree Gross Misdemeanor or first-time Felony level charge
  • Hennepin County arrest and charged
  • Diagnosis of moderate or severe substance use disorder
  • Must complete an orientation and screening, voluntarily agree to participate in the program, and be approved by the DWI Court team

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
(612) 543-4764
Email the DWI Court » 

Resources:
American flag hanging from ceiling in the Hennepin County Government Center Hennepin County Veterans 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.

Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is evaluated by the Veterans Court Team on a case-by-case basis. General requirements include:
 
  • Service in the U.S. Armed Forces;
  • Charged in Hennepin County with a non-violent felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor offense;
  • Residence in Hennepin County, or in close proximity to the court (metro area); and
  • Diagnosed with a treatable behavioral, mental health, or chemical health issue.
Judge Lisa K. Janzen 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:
Shayla Russell, Coordinator
(612) 348-6302
Email the Veterans Court »
 

Related Links

Online

MNCIS - MPA Remote 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) 348-2040.


At the Courthouse

Most Hennepin Court records are available electronically at the courthouse. To request copies of a document from a court file, you may visit the District Court Records Center on the B-Level of the Hennepin Co. Govt Center, or one of the Suburban Courthouse locations. There is a $8 fee for a copy of a court document, and a $14 fee for a certified copy of a court document. People can also search records online using MNCIS computers at the suburban courthouses and at the B-Level District Court Records Center.


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 fees). To submit a record request, please fill out a Court Document Copy Request Form and send it to the court along with the 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.)

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