Minnesota's appellate courts include the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The Minnesota Court of Appeals handles appeals from the district courts while the Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court, having final say on matters of state law and procedure.
Learn more about how to access court records and how to make copy requests to Minnesota District Courts.
In Minnesota, district courts handle family law cases regarding legal issues involving domestic and family relationships, like adoption, divorce, child custody, and child support.
In Minnesota, housing cases are usually handled in civil district court. However, Hennepin and Ramsey Counties have special housing courts. All of these courts focus on resolving problems between landlords and tenants fairly and quickly.
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Learn more about traffic violations and how to contest a citation and or pay a ticket.
In Minnesota, district courts handle a variety of non-criminal, civil cases. The cases may involve things like contracts, property, personal injury, housing issues, name changes, harassment restraining orders, judgments, and more.
In Minnesota, district courts handle criminal cases brought by prosecutors. These cases involve crimes against people or the public. Crimes are grouped into different levels: felonies, gross misdemeanors, and misdemeanors, each with different maximum penalties. Criminal district courts also handle petty misdemeanors, which are minor offenses and not considered crimes.
In Minnesota, district courts handle juvenile cases where a child under 18 is accused of breaking the law, from curfew violations to serious crimes. These cases follow special rules that are different from adult criminal court. Most hearings are private, unless the child is over 16 and charged with a serious offense. Juvenile court also handles CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) cases. These involve children who may be abused, neglected, truant, runaway, or otherwise need help. The goal is to keep children safe, either at home or in foster care, and reunite families when possible.
In Minnesota, district courts handle probate cases about wills, estates, and trusts. It also helps protect people who may need a guardian or conservator because they are unable to take care of their finances or personal care due to illness or disability. Mental health courts focus on helping adults with serious mental illness get treatment instead of going through the regular criminal court system.
Find legal information and resources for money, debt, and property issues like car title problems, forfeiture, impoundment, judgments, and more.
Minnesota has a several treatment courts that focus on specific issues and populations, such as Adult Drug Courts, DWI Courts, Family Dependency Treatment Court, Juvenile Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court. These courts focus on underlying causes and seek alternatives to historical sentencing practices.
Learn more about the systems and applications used by the Minnesota Judicial Branch including: Court statistics and reports; Examiner Resource Application (ERA); Guardian and Conservator Registry; Guide and File; Hearing eReminders; Interpreter Resource Management Application (IRMA); Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO); Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES); MyMNConservator (MMC); and MyMNGuardian (MMG).