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Ramsey Criminal & Traffic Division

The Criminal & Traffic Division is composed of six offices.  

Ramsey County Criminal Court Records Information »

(651) 266-1999

For fine payment, call the Minnesota Court Payment Center.  From a metro area phone number  ( 612, 651, 763, 952) or International phone numbers call (651) 281-3219.
All others call 1-800-657-3611.

Minnesota Judicial Branch - Pay Fines and Citation Information

Kellogg Courthouse
15 West Kellogg Blvd, Room 130
St Paul MN 55102

Law Enforcement Center 
425 Grove St.
St Paul MN 55101
No customer service counter or hearing officer available at this location. 
 
Suburban Courthouse
2050 White Bear Avenue
St Paul MN 55119
    

 

Paying Fines

  • Online
​Minnesote Judicial Branch - Pay Fines and Citation Information 
  • On the phone
​​For fine payment, call the Minnesota Court Payment Center.  From a metro area phone number (612, 651, 763, 952) or international phone number call 651-281-3219, all others call 1-800-657-3611. Appear at the Kellogg Courthouse or Suburban Courthouse
  • Mail​
Minnesota Court Payment Center
PO Box 898
Willmar MN 56201


 

If you fail to pay or appear in Court:

  • A warrant may be issued for your arrest.
  • Late penalties may be assessed.
  • The failure to appear will be considered a guilty pea and waiver of your rights including the right to trial for certain offenses.
  • The Department of Public Safety and/or the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may be notified of your failure to pay or appear, and/or conviction, depending on the offenses(s).  These agencies may suspend your driver’s license or DNR license. 
  • The unpaid amount may be referred to collections.
If you cannot pay the fine in full by the due date, contact the MN Court Payment Center (CPC) to talk about your options.
  • Moving Violation
    •  A late notice is sent to the address listed on the ticket. 
  • Parking Violation
    • A late notice is sent to the address of the registered owner. 
A convenience fee (sometimes called a transaction fee) is a fee charged for submitting you payment electronically using the phone or web response system.  The fee amount will be displayed before you submit your payment.  This fee is charged by a third party payment processor, Heartland Payment Systems,  and not by the Minnesota Judicial Branch.  This fee may change over time.  The current amount is displayed on the Minnesota Court Web Payment homepage. 

Contesting a Ticket

If you would like to talk to someone before paying your fine, or if you want to enter a Not guilty plea and have a trial, follow these steps:
Contact the Court Payment Center to schedule a Hearing Officer appointment.
Minnesota Judicial Branch - Pay Fines and Citation Information 
 

Appear before the Hearing Officer. 

  • Most Hearing Officer appointments are held on Zoom.  You will receive an email with your appointment information.  
    • Five minutes before the hearing, click on the link in the email and you will be connected to the appointment waiting room.
  • You will need a photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, library card, or school ID.  A birth certification is not valid form of photo ID. 
Valid proof of insurance
  • Card issued by insurance company,
  • Letter from insurance company, or
  • Copy of insurance policy.
Have the following with you if needed for the charges on your ticket:
  • Crash report from law enforcement agency that issued citation.
  • Proof that equipment violation has been corrected.
  • Proof (a picture) that front and back license plate violations have been corrected.
A juvenile offender, under 18 years old at the date and time of offense, must appear with a parent or legal guardian.
 
Someone other than the registered owner may meet with the Hearing Officer to discuss a parking ticket. 
 
Many citations require a meeting with a hearing officer.
Please contact the Court Payment Center for additional information.
 
A Hearing Officer is authorized by the Court to hear payable cases. The Hearing Officer can explain options you may have to settle the ticket other than paying the fine. Depending on the facts of your case and your violation history, some of the options they may be able to offer include:
 
  • a reduced fine amount;
  • a payment plan to pay the citation over time; and
  • a continuance for dismissal with payment of prosecution costs

For Saint Paul

For Information about Snow Emergencies, visit  City of St. Paul Snow Emergencies
 

For all other cities in Ramsey County

Visit Minnesota.gov

Appearing in Court

If any of the offenses you are charged with requires a court appearance, the date, time, and location will be mailed to you at the address on the complaint. This is usually the address you've given the law enforcement officer at the time you were detained. It can take some time for the complaint to reach the court offices and be scheduled, especially if you were released pending further investigation. If, after two weeks, you don't receive notification of your court date, call (651) 266-1999 to inquire about the status of your charge and about the court date.
If there is a reason you can't appear at your scheduled court hearing you must either:
  • Contact your attorney if you have one and ask him or her to help you.
  • Contact the court at (651) 266-1999 if you don't have an attorney. You must contact the court as soon as you know you can't appear. Depending on the circumstances, a continuance may or may not be granted. There are specific policies about how far in advance you make the request and/or providing proof that you can't appear. The decision may be referred to the prosecutor or to the presiding judge.

There are several things that may happen.

  • An arrest warrant can be ordered
  • You may lose any bail or bond that you posted
  • The charge may be certified to your driving record
  • Your license to drive a motor vehicle may be suspended.
  • Your Department of Natural Resources (DNR) license may be suspended
If you are charged with an offense that may result in jail time, you can apply for a public defender.  Apply when you make your first appearance in court. You will need to fill out an application form to determine if you are eligible. Be sure to be on time for your court appearance—public defender applications forms are provided at the beginning of the court session.

Your Driving Record and Your License to Drive

If you plead guilty to an offense that is considered certifiable under MN Statute, the Court will notify Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services of the offense.  Payment in any amount is considered a plea of Guilty.

Contact the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services 

If reinstatement depends on payment of a fine, do not assume that reinstatement is automatic.   You are not reinstated until Driver and Vehicle Services tells you that you are.

Towing

Contact the Law Enforcement agency that towed the vehicle for information. 

Administrative Procedures for Unusual Situations

If you received a citation for expired meter and you have a receipt showing that the meter space* (space-marker number) was paid for at the time of the citation, provide your meter receipt and citation (or photocopies of each) to the Court for review. Contact the Court Payment Center at (651) 281-3219 five business days after providing the documentation to check on the status of your citation.  Outside the metro area, call 1-800-657-3611. To provide proof:

  • Mail it to: Ramsey District Court, Violations Bureau Room 130, 15 West Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

*Note: If you paid for the wrong meter space (space-marker number), you will need to schedule a Hearing Officer appointment to contest the citation

Submit proof of insurance with a copy of the citation to the Court Payment Center.

Minnesota Judicial Branch - Pay Fines and Citiation Information: How do I Show Proof of Insurance. 
 


Step 1:  Report the sale to Drive and Vehicle Services 

Step 2: Notify the Court
Provide the court with documentation showing the vehicle sale information. At minimum, this documentation needs to include your name, date of sale, vehicle information including plate number, make, model, and VIN.

Step 3: Confirm
Contact our office at (651) 266-1999 five business days after providing the documentation to check on the status of your citation(s).
Note: This process only covers tickets issued in Ramsey County.

(651) 266-1999

Kellogg Courthouse
15 W. Kellogg Blvd Room 130
St. Paul, MN 55102

Law Enforcement Center
425 Grove Street
St. Paul, MN 55101

Suburban Court
2050 White Bear Avenue
Maplewood, MN 55109

Overview of Criminal Traffic Court

For information about a case, call the Criminal and Traffic Court at (651) 266-1999. 

If you would like to view or obtain a copy of a court document, call the Records Office at (651) 266-8237. Be prepared to provide the case number or the defendant's name and the date of birth.

If you are calling about several different cases or want a complete record of offenses for an individual, you will need to search the records on your own. Public access terminals are available at the Kellogg and Suburban Courthouses. 

If you received a citation (a ticket), you may be able to pay a fine without going to court.  If court is not required, you may still contest your citation.  If the any offense on the citation requires court, you must appear on the time, date, and location of your Summons.

The Department of Public Safety offers support and resources for victims of crime on their Crime Victim Support page.

Scheduling

If your hearing is within the next 7 days, consult the Alpha Roster to see when and where your court appearance is scheduled. If you are unable to find the case or if it is more than 7 days away, call our office at (651) 266-1999 for the information.

If it's necessary to notify you of a first appearance or a change in a court date from a previously scheduled time, you will receive a notice in the mail. To avoid missing an appearance, keep the court informed of your correct mailing address by calling (651) 266-1999.

Note: in certain circumstances, a complaint will be filed as an arrest warrant and no court date will be mailed. In such a case, you will need to turn yourself in. See the Warrants and Bail section below for more information.

If you have an attorney, ask them to make the request. If you don’t have an attorney, contact the court at (651) 266-1999 for instructions.

If you miss a court appearance, a warrant for your arrest may be ordered. For traffic offenses, the judge may order a warrant, suspension of your driver's license, and/or certification of the offense to your record. You may also lose any bail or bond you have posted. If you have already failed to appear, call the court at (651) 266-1999 to find out what happened.

Legal Representation

If you are charged with an offense that may result in jail time, you can apply for a public defender.  Apply when you make your first appearance in court. You will need to fill out an application form to determine if you are eligible.  Be sure to be on time for your court appearance—public defender applications forms are provided at the beginning of the court session.

If a public defender has already been appointed to represent you, visit the Public Defender website for contact information.  You will need to provide the name of the person you wish to contact.

You may choose to hire an attorney.  For attorney referral, visit the Find a Lawyer help topic on this Judicial Branch website.  

Yes, but keep in mind that you are required to know and follow all the rules of law and court procedure that an attorney would follow.
For more information, visit the Representing Yourself in Court help topic.

Appearing in Court

Court appearances are arranged in sessions, in which several cases are scheduled at the same time. A court session typically lasts half a day (morning or afternoon). It's important to be on time. In some court sessions, you or your attorney may have an opportunity to speak with the prosecutor before court begins.

If you plead guilty, you may be sentenced immediately. In some situations, the judge may order an investigation prior to sentencing you. If this is ordered, you will need to follow the instructions you receive and reappear later for sentencing.

If you plead Not Guilty, your trial will be on another day and a court date will be scheduled. The next appearance is typically a hearing for you, the judge, the prosecutor, and your attorney (if you have one) to meet to discuss legal issues and the merits of the case. If the matter cannot be resolved at that time, a trial will be scheduled.

State statutes dictate which violations are payable and which ones require a court appearance.

Witnesses and Subpoenas

If you have an attorney, have your attorney obtain and arrange for service of the subpoena. If you are representing yourself, contact the court at (651) 266-1999 for assistance.
 

Follow the instructions on the subpoena. You must appear on the date, time, and location specified, bring any documents named in the subpoena, and be prepared to testify under oath.

If you are an interested party who hasn't been subpoenaed, and if the trial/hearing is not closed to the public, you may attend. If you have been subpoenaed to testify, there may be restrictions. You should contact the party who issued the subpoena. If there is a No Contact Order in effect, all of the terms of the Order still apply.

Paying Court-imposed Fines

If the court imposed fines, you may use one of the methods below to pay your fine:
  • Online
  • Call our automated payment line.  Call (651) 281-3219.  If you are calling from outside the metro area, call 1-800-657-3611.
    NOTE: If you are calling from a phone number with area codes 612, 651, 763, or 952, the (800) number WILL NOT WORK. If you are calling from a phone number with an international area code (including Canada), you must use the (651) number listed above.
  • Appear in person at the Main Office location listed at the top of this page.
  • By mail: Minnesota Court Payment Center, P.O. Box 898, Willmar MN 56201.  Do not mail cash.
 If none of the offenses you are charged with requires a court appearance, you may go directly to Online Fine Payment.  For more information about your options, visit the Violation Bureau tab on this page.
If you need more time than you were orginally ordered to pay a Court-imposed fine, call (651) 266-1999 to talk about your options. 
The debt may be referred to a collection agency, your driver's license may be suspended, and/or you may be summoned back to court. If you have failed to pay a fine, call (651) 281-3219 or (800) 657-3611 (if you are outside the metro area) to find out what happened and what you need to do.

Warrants and Bail

The most common reasons for arrest warrants are failure to appear at a court hearing and violation of the terms of a sentence you received.  Call our office at (651) 266-1999 for specific information.

Every warrant comes with terms on which you may be released. A bail amount may be specified, supervision may be ordered or the warrant may require that you remain in custody until your trial or until the terms of your release are reviewed at a hearing.
For information on the amount of bail and conditions of release, visit the Ramsey County Arrest Warrant Search or call the Warrant Office at (651) 266-9320.

For Ramsey County warrants, turn yourself in at the Law Enforcement Center, 425 Grove Street, St. Paul, MN  55101. Go to the Jail Entrance (open 24 hours) before 4:00 a.m. if you wish to be heard on the next available court calendar. You will be taken into custody, booked, and fingerprinted.  For more information, visit the Turning Yourself In page of the Ramsey County Sheriff's website.
If you are interested in contacting an inmate, picking them up upon their release, or posting their bail or bond, contact the Ramsey County Adult Detention Services Unit at (651) 266-9350.

If you are interested in contacting an inmate, picking them up upon their release, or posting their bail or bond, contact the Ramsey County Adult Detentions Services Unit at (651) 266-9350.

Bail is cash you post as a guarantee of your future appearances. Once the case is closed, your bail is either refunded to you or applied to any money owed.

Bond is a guarantee of your appearance offered by a bonding company. The bond is purchased by you or on your behalf from a bonding company and is not refunded or applied to any money owed.

Important: If you fail to appear for any scheduled hearing, you risk losing the entire bail or bond. The court may order that it be forfeited. If your bond is forfeited, the bondsman might keep any cash or property that you put up as a guarantee of your appearance.
The court isn't allowed to recommend any particular bonding company, but there is a Statewide List of Approved Bail Bond Agents.
Once the case is resolved, bail is either refunded to the defendant or applied to any money owed.

Other Questions

Call the Ramsey County Probation Office at (651) 266-2300.

(651) 266-1999

Main Office:  15 W. Kellogg Blvd Room 130, St Paul, MN 55102

Expungement is the process of going to court to ask a judge to seal a court record.

MN Judicial Branch Help Topic: Criminal Expungement
   How do I expunge my criminal record?
   How do I get my criminal history?

Either bring the following documents to:
Room 130 of the City Hall/Courthouse
15 West Kellogg Blvd
Saint Paul, MN 55102

or mail them along with the appropriate fees.  Blank forms are available at this location or you can download them:
Documents may be eFiled if you sign up for eFiling and the case meets certain requirements.  If you would like to eFile, call our office at the number above to see if your case qualifies.  As of July 1, 2016, the use of eFS is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem, in all court cases filed in all 87 Minnesota counties.
Ramsey Court Criminal Expungement Clinic
Volunteer Lawyers Network, Ramsey County District Court, and Ramsey County Law Library offer a free legal clinic for unrepresented parties the fourth Thursday of every month from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Ramsey County Law Library located on the 18th floor of the Ramsey County Courthouse. 
Treatment CourtsThe specialty courts often known as Treatment Courts or Drug Courts have evolved into a complex of several different types of court-monitored programs focused on serving certain sectors of the population who may have specific issues navigating the Criminal Justice system.  The goal of these courts is to alleviate the stresses on law enforcement, social services, and government by helping these individuals to break a cycle of arrest, conviction, release, and re-arrest.

The treatment courts offered in Ramsey County are part of a statewide network.  For more information about these courts statewide, visit the Treatment Courts page.  For a national perspective, visit the Drug Courts page of the National Institute of Justice.

If you feel your case is eligible for one of the courts below, please speak to your attorney, the prosecutor, or the judges at your next court appearance.  To request a treatment court referral packet, email Treatment Courts using the contact information below.
 

Contact

Ronalea Lemke, Treatment Court Supervisor
(651) 266-8168
Email Treatment Court »


 

Mission

To enhance public safety through a court supervised program designed to assist repeat DWI offenders and restore them as law-abiding members of our community.  A collaborative and strengths-based approach is used to support participants while holding them accountable.
 

Eligibility

  • 18 years of age or older
  • 3 or more DWI's in a lifetime
  • Ramsey County resident preferred (out of county resident considered on a case by case basis)
  • Ramsey County arrest and charged with a gross misdemeanor or felony
  • Diagnosis of moderate to severe substance use disorder
  • Willingness and availability to participate
  

 

 

Mission

To increase public safety by reducing recidivism among those whose criminal behaviors are attributable to mental illness.  Through court supervision and the coordination of mental health and other social services, the Court supports a psychiatrically stable and crime-free lifestyle among its participants.

 

Eligibility

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Ramsey County resident preferred (out of county considered on a case by case basis)
  • Ramsey County arrest and charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony level offense.
  • Diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI)
  • Legally competent
  • Willingness and availability to participate


Mission

To enhance public safety by reducing criminal activity and assist substance abusers to become drug/alcohol free, productive, and law-abiding citizens.
 

Eligibility

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Ramsey County resident preferred (out of county considered on a case by case basis)
  • Ramsey County arrest and charged with a Felony offense
  • Diagnosed with a moderate to severe substance use disorder
  • Willingness and availability to participate

 


Mission

To promote public safety through enhanced supervision and individual accountability.  The purpose of the program is to assist and support veterans by creating a coordinated response through collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), community-based services, and the criminal justice system.
 

 

Eligibility

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Served in the U.S. Armed Services
  • Ramsey County resident preferred (out of county considered on a case by case basis)
  • Ramsey County arrest and charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony level offense
  • Diagnosis of a treatable mental health, behavioral health and/or moderate to severe substance use disorder
  • Willingness and availability to participate

(651) 266-8237

Kellogg Courthouse: 
15 W. Kellogg Blvd Room 72
St. Paul, MN 55102

Suburban Court: 
2050 White Bear Avenue
Maplewood, MN 55109

Public Computers and Counter staff are available at these locations.
 

A certified copy of a court document or record has been signed by a court clerk and embossed with the state seal while a plain copy has not.  Some offices require certification as protection against fraud.  An exemplified copy contains additional signatures by the Court Administrator and a judge.  Courts sometimes require exemplification to admit a copy into evidence.  Check the Fee Schedule for the cost of certified, exemplified and plain (non-certified) copies.

(651) 266-1999

For fine payment, call the Minnesota Court Payment Center.  From a metro area phone number  ( 612, 651, 763, 952) or International phone numbers call (651) 281-3219.
All others call 1-800-657-3611.
Minnesota Judicial Branch - Pay Fines and Citation Information 

Suburban Court:
2050 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109

Ramsey County Suburban Court handles criminal and traffic cases charged in the fifteen cities of suburban Ramsey County as well as the State Fair grounds. 
The cases heard in the Suburban Court include petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges. Court calendars heard in the Suburban Branch include arraignments, pre-trials, court trials and the first day of jury trials.

Fines from any offense filed in the Second District can be paid at the cashier window.

Administrative Hearing Officers are available to hear any case filed in the Second District that does not require an appearance in court.
Contact the Court Payment Center to schedule a hearing Officer appointment.