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Records Center (Hennepin)

Hennepin County District Court »
 
The centralized Records Center provides public access to court records online, in person, and by mail.
Quick Links:

Search court records online with MCRO »

Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) provides online access to Minnesota state district (trial) court records and documents. For the first time ever, MCRO provides online access to many public district court documents. 

MPA Courthouse is a different program used on computers that the public can use at the courthouse to view case information. These free public access computers are available at all Minnesota courthouses to search all case types (except Juvenile), and to view documents filed in cases that are classified as public.

View the Contact Us tab on this page to see our Record Center locations.

Records Center Public Access Terminals are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Copy Requests: There are multiple ways to pay and submit a request. Requests must include your name, phone number, address, and email address. Certified copies will be mailed back to you. Plain copies can be emailed if you provide an email address in your written request. 

Credit cards - Attach your written request or Copy Request Form and submit it with your credit card payment through the electronic filing system (EFS) using your court file number if you are a party. If you are not a party use court file number 27-CV-24-40000. 
Checks – Checks attached to written requests or the Copy Request Form may be mailed or placed in the drop-box located at the Hennepin County Government Center, Skyway Level.
 
4th District Court Records Center
300 South 6th Street, #SK-0260
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0332

If you have an urgent need to run a criminal records check, contact the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at (651) 793-2400.
 
For court records involving adoption, child protection and delinquency, visit our Juvenile Court page.
  • There is a Copy fee of $14 for each certified copy, which you must pay when you submit your request. Make check or money order payable to: District Court Administrator.
Hennepin County Government Center
Room A260 Skyway Level, Administration (A) Tower
300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487

Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
 

Judgment Search

You may request a civil judgment search in person at the Judgments Office, or by filling out and sending us a Judgment Record Search Form. There is a $5 fee for each name searched and certified. You may also search for judgements using the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) - Judgement Search tool. 
 
 

Q: How can I find records for other courts in Minnesota?

A: Visit the Access Case Records page on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website or contact the local District Court.
 

Q: How can I get an "authenticated" or "exemplified" copy of a court document?

A: Fill out and send us a Court Document Copy Request Form and check the box for "Other/Comments" Part C. On the blank in the form, tell us what type of document you need. You must include payment for the copy fee along with your completed request form. Visit the Court Fees tab for more information on fees.
 

Q: How long does a judgment last?

A: A civil 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 timeframe, 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 (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.
 

Q: How far back in history do Minnesota court records exist?

A: The management of court records is controlled by the Records Retention Schedule for the MN Judicial Branch and the law at Minn. Stat. § 138.17 on keeping and destroying public records.

Probate and Mental Health records date back to 1864. The records require permanent retention, and they may be stored in different media, including old roll film and many forms of microfiche based on technology available at the time.
 

Q: How do I get copies of birth, death or marriage records?

A: The court does not maintain these records. Go to:

Q: Where can I find naturalization (citizenship) records?

A: Minnesota naturalization records can be found at the MN Historical Society, located at 345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, MN. Years ago, the naturalization process used to involve two sets of documents: applicants filled out a Declaration of Intention to become citizens (first papers), and then they received their final papers, where citizenship was granted. In the 1940s, the power of granting citizenship was transferred to the Federal District Courts, and applications were handled by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Today, applications for U.S. citizenship (naturalization) are processed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
 

For questions about specific case types, go to:

The Court Reporter Unit in the Fourth Judicial District is responsible for scheduling and assigning court reporters to proceedings so that they can record what is said in the courtroom. A court reporter may be present in the courtroom during the proceeding, or we may use audio equipment to record what is said in the courtroom from a remote location. We also handle requests for written transcripts of proceedings. Note: Not all court proceedings are recorded where a transcript would be available.

A Transcript is the Official Court Record

According to Rule 4, subd.3 of the MN Rules of Public Access and the District Court's standing Order Relating to the Official Court Record, the official court record is a written transcript of a proceeding, and audio recordings of court proceedings are not to be disseminated or released. Written transcripts of court proceedings are prepared upon request. The requesting party pays a fee directly to the court reporter before she or he prepares the transcript. The first time someone requests a transcript of a proceeding there is a set rate for preparing the original written transcript and one copy.

Note on Conciliation Court cases: If you want to have a judgment from Conciliation Court transcribed to the District Court level, you must contact Conciliation Court. Please go to the FAQs on Conciliation Court tab, and then select The Judgment sub-tab and scroll down to read How to Transcribe a Judgment to District Court.

Transcript Fees

There is a fee for written transcripts that is paid directly to the court reporter before she or he prepares the written transcript. Transcript rates are set by the MN Judicial Council. If you are low income and have a fee waiver order (IFP) in your case, you can file a Supplemental Fee Waiver form (#IFP103) to ask the court to waive the transcript fees. A judge must approve the fee waiver before the written transcript can be prepared. If the judge denies your request and you still want a transcript, you must pay the fee before the transcript can be prepared.

Fees listed are by case type, and the rates listed are per page.

  • Civil, family, probate, mental health, child protection, and sexual psychopathic personality/sexually dangerous person (SPP/SDP): $5.75
  • Criminal and juvenile delinquency: $4.25
  • Case with current Order for In Forma Pauperis (IFP) and Supplemental Fee Waiver (#IFP103): Fees are paid by the court
  • “Expedited” transcript request (needed immediately): Rate is negotiated between the court reporter and the requesting party.

Transcript Request 

To request a transcript, complete the Transcript Request Form.  If for some reason you are unable to access this site you can contact us below, but please note that this may delay the process. 


4th Judicial District Court
Hennepin County Govt. Center
300 South 6th Street, #C859
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Phone: (612) 596-2870
Email us »

We respond to requests within one business day, and a court reporter will contact you as soon as possible regarding the fee. Court reporters shall provide transcripts electronically and will file transcripts into MNCIS. Paper transcripts will not be provided by court reporters.

Court Reporter Resources

Walk-in Services

  • Public access computers (self-service) - view court records online using MPA Courthouse, which offers more detailed case information than Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) over the internet.
  • Copies (certified or plain) of court documents, including: Divorce Decrees, Judgments, Name Change Orders, Convictions. Copy fees apply.
  • Case history searches

Locations

The main District Records Center has moved to a new location in the Hennepin County Government Center located in Room A250 on the Skyway Level in Administration (A) Tower behind Security Screening.

Case types available at this location:
Civil, Criminal, Family, Housing, Mental Health, and Probate

District Court Records Center (Mailing address)

Hennepin County Govt. Center
300 South 6th Street, #B-100 
Minneapolis, MN 55487  Map »
Phone: (612) 348-6000

Family Court

Family Justice Center
110 South 4th Street
Room B-17 (lower level)
Minneapolis, MN 55401 Map »
Phone: (612) 348-6000

Case types at this location:
Annulment, Child Support, Custody, Divorce, Domestic Abuse, and Paternity

Juvenile Court

Juvenile Justice Center
590 Park Avenue, 1st Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55415 Map »
Phone: (612) 322-6999

Case types at this location:
Adoption, Child Protection, Delinquency

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