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Hennepin Records Center

The centralized Records Center provides public access to court records online, in person, and by mail.

Transcript Requests

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) 356-5249
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.

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25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

(651) 297-7651

mn.gov/law-library