| District Court Administration | Hennepin County District Court Administration |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487 (District Court Administration and Records Center, Room A250/B-100, Skyway Level). Juvenile Justice Center: 590 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415 |
| Phone | (612) 348-6000 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Court Contact Center staffed during business hours) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | No fee for an uncertified (plain) copy of a court document (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)) |
| Certified copy fee | $14.00 per document, certified or exemplified (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2) and 2(14)) |
Hennepin County, anchored by Minneapolis, is Minnesota's largest county and its Fourth Judicial District runs the busiest trial court in the state. Every case type — felony and misdemeanor criminal, civil, family, probate, housing, mental health, and juvenile — is filed with the same office, the District Court Administrator, rather than being split between separate clerks the way some other states do it.
The county's centralized Records Center, on the Skyway Level of the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis, is the place to search case files in person, order copies, and use MPA Courthouse, an in-building public-access terminal that shows more case detail than Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) does over the internet. Juvenile cases (adoption, child protection, delinquency) are handled separately at the Juvenile Justice Center on Park Avenue, not at the Government Center.
A common point of confusion is expecting one search to cover everything: MCRO is a good starting point for civil, criminal, family, and probate case information filed statewide, but juvenile and certain confidential case types never appear there, and older paper files may only be searchable in person at the Records Center.
Search Hennepin County court records online
District Court Administration
Hennepin County District Court Administration
- Cost
- Free case search; no fee for plain copies, $14 per document for certified copies
- Coverage
- All Fourth Judicial District case types filed in Hennepin County, including civil, criminal, family, housing, mental health, and probate
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Court Administrator is Sara Gonsalves. Records Center staff can search case history and provide certified or plain copies.
Other courts
Hennepin County District Court Records Center — Contact & Locations
- Cost
- Free walk-in case search; copy fees apply
- Coverage
- In-person case search using MPA Courthouse terminals and copy requests for civil, criminal, family, housing, mental health, and probate cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Main Records Center is in Room A250/B-100 of the Government Center, Skyway Level; juvenile matters (adoption, child protection, delinquency) are handled at the Juvenile Justice Center, 590 Park Avenue.
What is available online
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) covers most Hennepin County civil, criminal, family, and probate cases statewide, with documents available for cases filed on or after July 1, 2015 in most case types. Inside the Government Center, the MPA Courthouse public terminals show more detailed case information than MCRO does remotely. Domestic abuse, harassment, CHIPS, and serious juvenile-delinquency cases are not in MCRO regardless of filing date; those files must be reviewed at the courthouse or the Juvenile Justice Center.
Which clerk has your record
In Minnesota, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Minnesota page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Court (10 judicial districts) | Felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount, including business and property disputes | District Court Administrator of the county |
| Conciliation Court (small claims division of District Court) | Small claims up to the statutory limit; Individual and business disputes without an attorney | District Court Administrator of the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Hennepin County clerk offices
Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487 (District Court Administration and Records Center, Room A250/B-100, Skyway Level). Juvenile Justice Center: 590 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 348-6000
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Court Contact Center staffed during business hours)
In person. Visit the Records Center on the Skyway Level of the Government Center (Room A250/B-100) to search case history on a public terminal and request plain or certified copies at the counter for civil, criminal, family, housing, mental health, and probate cases. For juvenile matters — adoption, child protection, or delinquency — go to the Juvenile Justice Center at 590 Park Avenue instead.
By mail. Send a request to the District Court Records Center, Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, #B-100, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Include the case number if known, the parties' names and approximate filing year if not, the specific document needed, and whether you need a plain or certified copy, along with a check or money order made payable to "District Court Administrator."
Online. Search MCRO for case information and many documents at no cost. If the case type or document you need is not available there, a Records Center request is the next step.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | No fee for an uncertified (plain) copy of a court document (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)) |
| Certified copy | $14.00 per document, certified or exemplified (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2) and 2(14)) |
Base fees are set by Minn. Stat. § 357.021 and published in the Minnesota Court Fees catalog; individual counties may add a law library fee on top of the state base fee, so the total at a specific courthouse can be slightly higher. Confirm the county total before mailing payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Minnesota court records are open to the public under the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, but several categories are not available in any public search:
The Minnesota guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Are Hennepin County court records available online?
Yes, through Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) for most civil, criminal, family, and probate cases, and through the in-person MPA Courthouse terminals at the Records Center for more detailed searches. Juvenile and certain confidential case types are not searchable online.
Where do I go for a Hennepin County divorce or custody file?
The District Court Administration Records Center at the Government Center handles family case records the same as any other civil matter; there is no separate family court clerk in Hennepin County.
How do I get a certified copy of a Hennepin County criminal case record?
Request it at the Records Center in person, or by mail to the address on the court's Records Center contact page. Certified copies are $14 per document under the state fee schedule.
Are Hennepin County juvenile records public?
No. Juvenile delinquency, CHIPS, and adoption records are confidential by rule and are handled at the Juvenile Justice Center, separate from the main Records Center; they are not available through MCRO.
What is MPA Courthouse and how is it different from MCRO?
MPA Courthouse is a public-access terminal available only inside the Government Center Records Center that shows more detailed case information than the public internet version of Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO).
Sources
- Hennepin County District Court — https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin
- Hennepin County District Court Records Center — Contact Us — https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/records-center-hennepin/contact-us
- Hennepin County District Court Fees — https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/fees
- Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) — https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch
- Hennepin County District Court — Contact Us — https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/contact-us
- Minnesota Judicial Branch — About the Courts — https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts
- Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) — Overview — https://mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro
- Minnesota BCA Public Criminal History Search — https://chs.state.mn.us/
- Minnesota Appellate Courts Case Management System (P-MACS) Public Search — https://macsnc.courts.state.mn.us/ctrack/publicLogin.do
- Clerk of the Appellate Courts — https://mncourts.gov/clerk-of-appellate-courts
- Minnesota Courts — District Court Fees — https://mncourts.gov/Help-Topics/Court-Fees/District-Court-Fees.aspx
- Minnesota Courts — Copy Requests — https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request
- Minn. Stat. Chapter 609A — Expungement — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609A/full
- Minn. Stat. § 357.021 — Court Administrator Fees — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/357.021
- United States District Court, District of Minnesota — https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Minnesota counties.