Minneapolis Court Records
Minneapolis court records are filed and maintained at the Hennepin County District Court in downtown Minneapolis. The court handles civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases for all residents of the city and Hennepin County. You can search case records online through the free Minnesota Court Records Online system, or visit the courthouse in person at 300 South Sixth Street to use the public access terminals and get copies. The Records Center is in Room A250 on the Skyway Level of the A-Tower. Staff can pull files and make copies on the same day you visit.
Minneapolis Overview
Minneapolis District Court Records
The Hennepin County District Court is the trial court for Minneapolis. It sits in the 4th Judicial District, which is one of ten districts in the state. The court has divisions for civil, family, criminal, juvenile, and probate matters. All case files are kept by the Court Administrator, and most are open to the public under Minnesota law.
The main courthouse is the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis. The Records Center is on the Skyway Level of the A-Tower, in Room A250. That is where you go to request copies of court records. If you need family law records, the Family Justice Center at 110 South 4th Street, Room B-17, handles those cases. Juvenile records are at the Juvenile Justice Center at 590 Park Avenue, 1st Floor, but access to those files is more limited under state law.
| Court | Hennepin County District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 South Sixth Street Minneapolis, MN 55487 (Records Center: Room A250, Skyway Level, A-Tower) |
| Phone | (612) 348-6000 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin |
The Government Center is in the heart of downtown near the light rail. You will go through security to enter. Bring a valid photo ID. The courthouse also has service centers in Brookdale, Ridgedale, Southdale, and Maple Grove for people who live in the suburbs.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office runs its own public case search tool at hennepinattorney.org. You can search by defendant name, case number, attorney, or citation number. This tool focuses on adult felony cases handled by the county attorney. It is separate from the court's own records system and can be useful when you want to know the status of a prosecution.
How to Search Minneapolis Court Records
You have two main options: search online through the state's free system, or go to the courthouse and use the public access terminals there. Online access is faster for a quick case status check. In-person access gives you more detail and lets you get copies the same day.
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) is the state's free public case search at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. It covers all Hennepin County District Court cases. You can search by person name, business name, attorney name, case number, or citation number. Results show party names, case type, current status, and docket entries. For cases filed after July 1, 2015, you can also download public court documents in PDF format at no charge. Some case types have restricted documents online, such as civil commitment and domestic abuse matters.
At the courthouse, free public access terminals (MNPAC) give you more detail than the online system. Staff in Room A250 can pull case files and make plain copies at no charge, or certified copies for $14 per document. You can also pay court fines and fees online at webpay.courts.state.mn.us. There is a $2.34 convenience fee for online and phone payments. The Court Payment Center phone number is (651) 281-3219 for the metro area.
The screenshot below shows the Hennepin County Attorney's case search portal, which is one of several tools for finding Minneapolis court records online.
The Hennepin County Attorney case search lets you look up adult felony cases by name, case number, attorney, or citation number.
Note: MCRO shows planned maintenance on Sundays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, so the system may be unavailable during those hours.
Minneapolis Police Records
The Minneapolis Police Department keeps records going back to 1990. You can request police reports, arrest records, traffic accident reports, and 911 call records. The Records Information Unit is at 505 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415. There is also a MPD office at Minneapolis City Hall, 350 Fifth St. S., Room 130.
Walk-in hours at the Records Information Unit are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you need to call, phone lines are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 11:00 AM and again from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. The City Hall office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also make requests online through the city website at minneapolismn.gov.
Arrest records from the MPD contain public information about adult offenders. To request one, you need the full name and date of birth of the person. The department does not release arrest data for juveniles. It also does not include court dispositions, information from other agencies, or nonpublic data. The MPD follows Minnesota Statute 13.82 when deciding what data to release. You can request an arrest record online and the department will email it to you.
Arrest record requests and other police data requests are handled through the city's online portal. The screenshot below shows the main police records and data requests page.
The MPD records page lets you submit requests for police reports, arrest records, accident reports, and 911 transcripts online.
Note: The department may take up to 10 business days to respond to data requests, depending on the size and complexity of the request.
Criminal History in Minneapolis
For a full background check on someone in Minneapolis, you use the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). The BCA keeps a statewide criminal history database that covers all Minnesota courts. The public search tool is the Criminal History Search (CHS) at chs.state.mn.us. It is free to use and shows convictions and some other case data.
The BCA system is more complete than MCRO for criminal history because it pulls data from all courts in the state, not just Hennepin County. If you need a certified criminal history report for official purposes, the BCA can provide one for a fee. Their office is at 1430 Maryland Ave East, St. Paul, MN 55106. The CHS portal handles most requests online. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, certain criminal history data is public, though some fields are restricted to law enforcement only.
The Hennepin County District Court also has a self-help center at the Government Center that can point you to the right tool for your specific search. Call (612) 348-6000 with questions.
Minneapolis Court Fees and Payments
Certified copies of court records cost $14 per document at Hennepin County District Court. Plain copies made at the courthouse are free for self-service. If you need a copy mailed to you, contact the Records Center in Room A250 to ask about current rates and procedures.
Court fines and fees can be paid online at webpay.courts.state.mn.us. The system accepts Visa, MasterCard, and electronic bank transfers. There is a $2.34 convenience fee added to all online and phone payments. You need the citation or case number to process a payment. If you prefer to pay by mail, send a check or money order to the Minnesota Court Payment Center, P.O. Box 898, Willmar, MN 56201. To pay by phone, call the Court Payment Center at (651) 281-3219 for metro area cases, or 1-800-657-3611 from outside the metro.
The Hennepin County District Court page on the MN Courts website has current fee schedules and information about fee waivers for those who cannot afford to pay. The Minnesota Judicial Branch at mncourts.gov also has a self-help center phone line at (651) 435-6535, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
Note: Court fees can change, so it is always a good idea to confirm the current amounts with the court before you make a trip or send a check.
Public Records Access in Minneapolis
Minnesota has strong public records laws. Most court records are open to the public under Minnesota Statute 13.03, which governs access to government data. Court records that are public include civil case filings, judgments, criminal court records for adults, probate filings, and most traffic and misdemeanor records. Some records are private or restricted by law, such as juvenile records, adoption files, and certain family court orders.
MCRO covers public documents in all major and minor criminal and civil case types, formal probate, guardianship, conservatorship, trust cases, and most family case types. Documents filed after July 1, 2015 are generally available online. Older records from July 2005 to June 2015 have limited online availability, mostly judgments and court-generated orders. Records from before 2005 are typically only accessible in person at the courthouse.
The Minneapolis Police Department also releases public data under Minnesota Statute Chapter 13, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. This covers what police data is public, what is private, and how you can request it. The city posts regular public data reports including police statistics, use-of-force reports, and other transparency data at the MPD records page.
The MN Courts page for Hennepin County lists all courthouse locations, phone numbers, hours, and services available for Minneapolis court records.
Hennepin County Court Records
Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County. All Minneapolis court records go through the Hennepin County District Court. The county page has more detail on the court system, courthouse locations, online search tools, and records access for all cities and towns in the county.
Nearby Cities
Other cities in the Hennepin County area also have court records pages. These cities share the same district court and many of the same resources as Minneapolis.