All courthouses in the state are generally open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Parking and other specific information can be found on each court’s web page.

Important Information

• Security: Many courthouses have security checkpoints, which include metal detectors. Allow yourself extra time to get through security!
  • Hennepin County: Reporters should enter through the A tower, which often has a shorter security line, then cross over to the Court tower using a "bridge floor" (Floor 5 + every three floors above it, marked by blue buttons in the elevator car).
• Seating: Seating in courtrooms is first-come, first-seated.
• Cell phones: Many courthouses do NOT allow cell phones past the security checkpoint; others do not allow cell phones in the entirety of the courthouse. When in doubt, contact the Court Information Office.
• Laptops: Most judges do NOT allow reporters to use laptops in the courtroom. If you need special accommodations to use a laptop, contact the Court Information Office.
• Social Media/Websites: Reporters may NOT post to social media or websites while inside any courtroom.
• Cameras: See “Camera Access in District Courts,” below.

Decorum

• Entering/Leaving a courtroom: Unless a judge says otherwise, reporters may enter and leave a courtroom (including virtual courtrooms) during any proceeding, as long as it is done with minimal distraction.
  • In high-profile cases or any time there is limited in-person seating, courts may restrict coming and going during a proceeding. In these cases, information will be relayed to interested media in advance.

Interviews

• Judges: Per the Code of Judicial Conduct, judges may not speak with media about a case.
• Attorneys: Reporters should contact the attorneys directly to inquire about interviews or press conferences.
• NOTE: All Interviews must be conducted AWAY from doorways or high-traffic areas so as not to impede the flow of traffic in the courthouse.

Recording devices are allowed in Minnesota District Courts under the conditions prescribed in Rule 4 of the General Rules of Practice.

• Media using cameras or audio equipment are expected to be fully aware of ALL details contained in the Rule.
• A summary of the Rule, and how it applies to certain types of proceedings, is located in the Media Resource Center.
  

How to request camera coverage

• Submit a notice of coverage at least seven days before the proceeding to:
  
  • The court administrator
  • The media coordinator
  • The Court Information Office
  • The Fourth Judicial District Office of Public Affairs when submitting notice in Hennepin County District Court. 
    
    • NOTE: When covering Hennepin County District Court, please refer to the Memo of Understanding Governing the Usage of Cameras and Recording Devices in Fourth District Court Facilities. Notices may be submitted in person, by U.S. Mail, by fax,
      or by email. Contact the Court Information Office for contact information for each court.
  • Notices may be submitted in person, by U.S. Mail, by fax, or by email. Contact the Court Information Office for contact information for each court.
    

What to write on the Notice of Coverage

• The type of coverage: video, photos, audio, livestream online, live broadcast on television, etc.
• The equipment that will be used: video camera, audio recording device, etc.
• Any specific requests: __________  .
  

When/how you will be notified by the court

• The Court Information Office or the Hennepin County District Court Public Affairs Office will notify media about all coverage requests.
• If camera coverage is approved:
  
  • Remote hearings: Media may record the hearing from their desktop computer. If allowed, media may also livestream the proceeding or broadcast it live on TV.
  • In-person hearings:
    
    • Only ONE video camera, TWO still cameras, and ONE audio recording device may cover any proceeding.
    • Media must coordinate pooling arrangements; the Court Information Office does not coordinate pools.
    • If media cannot agree on a pooling arrangement, no coverage will be allowed.
      

Camera logistics for in-person hearings

• Media should arrive at least 30 minutes before the hearing. Leave time to get through the security check.
• Judges determine camera placement in the courtroom.
  
  • For sentencings, they typically are placed in the jury box.
• Microphones are typically placed on the judge’s bench and any podium that the parties may be speaking from.
• You MUST receive approval from the Court Information Office to shoot anywhere inside a courthouse or the Minnesota Judicial Center.

Each district court posts a calendar of its public proceedings on its web page every morning. The other online option for accessing all calendars in the state is through Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), which also provides access to many public Minnesota state district court records and documents.

Some district courts have several locations, for example:

Hennepin has six locations, including:

• Main court at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis where most felonies are heard
• Public Safety Facility, where felony first appearances are held
• Juvenile Justice Center
• Family Justice Center
• Two suburban locations.
  

Ramsey County has five locations, including:

• Main courthouse in downtown St. Paul
• Juvenile and Family Justice Center
• Law Enforcement Center
• Commitment Court for civil commitment proceedings
• Maplewoodsuburban court, which handles petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and gross misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases charged in the 15 cities of suburban Ramsey County and the State Fair grounds.
  

For information about attending a remote hearing, go to MCRO. See “Accessing District Court Case Records” below for more information about accessing remote hearing information in case records.

Civil Cases

• Generally involve disputes between people or institutions, such as businesses or governmental bodies.
• Involve property or personal rights, landlord/tenant disputes, auto or personal injury accidents, product warranties, adoptions, divorces, wills, and guardianships.
• Begin when one or more of the parties brings suit or files a complaint in court that begins a lawsuit.
• Are decided based upon a preponderance of evidence.
  • This means the party who brought the suit (plaintiff) must prove his or her case by presenting evidence that is more convincing to the judge or jury than the evidence presented by the opposing party (defendant).
• Typically are either:
  • Court trials, where the judge issues the verdict
  • Jury trial, with a verdict issued by a jury comprised of six jurors.
• Often result in settlements before the cases reach court or proceed through a trial.
  • Settlements usually do not state that one of the parties was “right” or “wrong.”
  • Parties do NOT have to settle the entire case.

Criminal Cases

• Generally initiated by the government, which files charges against individuals or corporations accused of committing crimes.
  • A prosecuting attorney (usually a city or county attorney, or a representative from the State Attorney General’s Office) prosecutes the charges against the accused person (defendant) on behalf of the government (plaintiff).
  • The prosecutor must prove the defendant is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
  • The defendant does NOT have to prove his or her innocence.
  • Defendants are ultimately found “guilty” or “not guilty.”
    • There is no such thing as a finding of “innocent” in Minnesota’s courts.
• Crimes
  • Felonies: The most serious crimes, punishable by prison. Felonies include murder, arson, assault, larceny, burglary, rape, kidnapping, and the sale of illegal drugs.
  • Gross misdemeanors: Gross misdemeanors include less serious crimes, such as second or subsequent DWI (driving while intoxicated) violations and the sale of tobacco to children.
  • Misdemeanors: These include charges of disorderly conduct, prostitution, tampering with a motor vehicle, trespassing, littering, writing bad checks, and making harassing phone calls.
  • Petty Misdemeanors: These include most traffic and parking violations, which are punishable by a fine that can be paid online.
• Typical Criminal Court Process
  • The defendant will make a first court appearance on the charges.
  • The court will then usually hold an omnibus hearing, which is a pre-trial hearing that can address motions and other issues.
  • The defendant typically enters a “not guilty” or a “guilty” plea.
    • A “not guilty” plea results in a jury or court trial.
      • If the verdict in the trial is “guilty,” the case proceeds to sentencing.
      • If the verdict is “not guilty,” the defendant is acquitted.
    • If the plea is “guilty,” there may a plea agreement. Regardless, the case would then move to sentencing.
• Pre-Trial Considerations
  • In criminal cases, pre-trial considerations often include competency.
  • A defendant may be found Incompetent if they lack to ability to rationally consult with counsel, understand the proceedings, or participate in the defense due to mental illness or cognitive impairment.
  • There could be a related evidentiary hearing in the case. Hennepin County District Court, for example, typically has a related calendar on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. to hold such hearings.
• Sentencing
  • The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission establishes sentences in Minnesota—not judges.
  • When sentencing, judges must consider both the severity level of the conviction offense and the defendant’s criminal history score.
    • A defendant’s criminal history score is NOT public record, unless it is shared in open court.
  • It is NOT correct to simply add up the charges and their maximum attendant sentences and say, “The defendant faces up to XX years in prison.”
    • This is because a defendant’s criminal history score plays a role in what their actual maximum sentence might be.
• More Information
  • For more guidance on criminal cases, as well as other case types, watch the National Center for State Courts access to justice explainer video series.

Glossary of Court-related Terms

Court Rules of Criminal Procedure