Going to Court in Hennepin County

To protect the public and court employees, courthouses have metal detectors like those at airports and other government buildings. Under Minnesota law, it is a crime for a person in a "courthouse complex" to possess a dangerous weapon, ammunition or explosives. The law applies to court employees as well as members of the public. Licensed peace officers on duty and on official business are exempt. See MN Statutes § 609.66 subd. 1(g).

Please do NOT bring any item that could be used as a weapon to any courthouse. Those items will not be allowed in areas beyond screening checkpoints, and illegal weapons will be confiscated. There may be a line a the security checkpoint, so please allow yourself enough time to get to a court hearing or other appointment in the courthouse.

Prohibited Items

If you bring an item to the courthouse that could be used as a weapon and you enter the weapons screening checkpoint, security officers will give you the option to remove the item from the courthouse or security will put it in a "disposal" box.

Dangerous items confiscated by Security will NOT be returned to you. Examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

• Firearms;
• Cutting tools or bladed instruments of any size;
• Electronic incapacitation devices, such as stun guns, tasers, etc.;
• Personal protection sprays such as chemical mace, pepper spray and any other protective chemical aerosol; and
• Any other items that appear to be designed or used as weapons, and that are capable of inflicting serious bodily harm.

Cameras and Electronic Recording Devices