Overview
Housing Court is a specialty court with three referees handling cases involving landlord and tenant disputes. A landlord can bring an action to remove or “evict” a tenant from a rental property, and tenants can file court actions to enforce their legal rights as tenants. Housing Court is generally governed by Minn. Stat. Chapter 504B and the Housing Court Rules (MN General Rules of Practice).
Parties in Housing cases may be eligible for free legal advice from volunteer attorneys or for no-fee mediation, in which a disinterested third party trained in conflict resolution facilitates discussion between landlord and tenant to resolve their issues.
Submitting exhibits via MNDES is the easiest way to provide digital exhibits to the court. You must also follow Court Rules concerning exhibits, including sending the exhibits to other parties involved in your case.
For additional information and access to MNDES, please visit the Exhibit and Evidence Help Topic.
Parties in Housing cases may be eligible for free legal advice from volunteer attorneys or for no-fee mediation, in which a disinterested third party trained in conflict resolution facilitates discussion between landlord and tenant to resolve their issues.
Housing Court Launches Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES)
In January 2024, Housing Court began using the Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES) , which is a way to share digital exhibits with the court and parties in a case without the need for physical copies. 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.Submitting exhibits via MNDES is the easiest way to provide digital exhibits to the court. You must also follow Court Rules concerning exhibits, including sending the exhibits to other parties involved in your case.
For additional information and access to MNDES, please visit the Exhibit and Evidence Help Topic.
Tenant Resources
Apply for Adult Representation Services.
Landlord Resources
Remote Hearing Information
Notice
Court staff can provide forms and basic information about Housing Court processes. Court staff cannot give legal advice. Court staff are not responsible for the outcome of your case.Contact the Self-Help Center for assistance filling out forms or for more detailed procedural guidance. If you are unsure what or whether you should file, seek legal advice from a legal advice clinic or find a lawyer on your own.