Find Court Records in Mower County
Mower County court records are maintained at the Mower County Justice Center in Austin, part of Minnesota's Third Judicial District. The court handles all civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic cases filed in the county. You can search records online for free through the Minnesota Court Records Online system, visit the Justice Center in person, or request records by mail. Most records are public under Minnesota law, and Mower County is the largest county by population in this section of southeastern Minnesota.
Mower County Overview
Mower County District Court
The Mower County District Court is at the Mower County Justice Center, 201 1st Street NE, Austin, MN 55912. The main phone for the court is (507) 509-7013, with some sources also listing (507) 437-9465. The court is part of the Third Judicial District, which covers a large portion of southeastern Minnesota. Court hours are the standard Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Mower County District Attorney's Office is located nearby at 201 2nd Avenue NE, Austin. If you need to contact the prosecuting attorney's office about a criminal case, that is the address. The court and the District Attorney are separate offices. For court records, case documents, and certified copies, contact the court administrator at the Justice Center.
Mower County records go back many years. Birth and death records date to 1870, marriage records to 1865, and divorce and court records to 1900. Probate records begin in 1856. The county recorder holds land records with abstract Grantor/Grantee indexes starting from 1945 and images of abstract real estate documents from January 3, 1930. Torrens Grantor/Grantee indexes are available from January 1992 with images from 1991.
The court publishes a daily court calendar, posted at 7:00 p.m. the prior evening for the next day's activities. It is updated hourly beginning at 7:00 a.m. on the day of hearings. This daily posting schedule differs slightly from the weekly format used by some other Minnesota counties.
| Court | Mower County District Court - Third Judicial District |
|---|---|
| Address |
Mower County Justice Center 201 1st Street NE Austin, MN 55912 |
| Phone | (507) 509-7013 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Website | mncourts.gov/find-courts/mower |
Mower County District Court Website
The Mower County District Court page on mncourts.gov gives you contact details, court hours, and links to case search tools and self-help resources for the Austin courthouse.
Use this page to confirm current hours and phone numbers for the Mower County Justice Center and to access forms or case search links.
How to Search Mower County Court Records
The free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system is the fastest way to search Mower County cases. Search by name, case number, or citation. The system shows party names, case types, filing dates, full docket histories, and current status. Documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are generally viewable online in digital form. MCRO is available 24 hours a day and requires no login.
The court publishes a daily court calendar. It is posted the evening before at 7:00 p.m. and updated hourly on the day of hearings starting at 7:00 a.m. This is useful if you need to check when a hearing is set for a specific case in Mower County.
For in-person record access, visit the Justice Center at 201 1st Street NE in Austin during business hours. A public access terminal is available for free use. To get copies, contact the court at (507) 509-7013. Certified copies cost $14. Uncertified copies are free. Exemplified and certified copies are $28. For mail requests, send a written request to: Mower County District Court, 201 1st Street NE, Austin, MN 55912. Include case number, party names, and specific documents needed. Include payment for copies.
Under Minn. Stat. § 13.03, government data in Minnesota is presumed public unless classified otherwise. Most civil and criminal court records in Mower County are open to any member of the public. Juvenile records and certain family court documents have restricted access and are not available through public systems.
You can pay traffic fines and court fees online at the Court Web Payment portal. Phone payments are accepted at (800) 657-3611. Have your case number or citation ready.
MCRO - Minnesota Court Records Online
The MCRO portal is the free statewide case search system for Mower County and all 87 Minnesota counties. No account is needed to search.
Search Mower County cases by name, case number, or citation. Results show full docket history, case status, and links to viewable documents for cases filed from July 2015 onward.
Criminal Records and the BCA
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains the state's criminal history database, separate from the MCRO court records system. It covers statewide arrest and conviction data. Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, arrest data collected by law enforcement is public in Minnesota. If you need arrest or conviction history beyond what appears in a specific court file, the BCA is the right place to check. Combining a BCA search with MCRO gives the fullest view of a person's public record in Minnesota.
The Mower County Sheriff's Office and Austin Police Department both handle local law enforcement records. For incident reports or arrest records specific to Mower County, contact the relevant law enforcement agency directly. The court administrator's office at the Justice Center handles all court case records from 1900 to the present, with probate records going back to 1856.
Pay Mower County Court Fines Online
The Court Web Payment system lets you pay Mower County traffic fines and other court fees online without going to the Austin Justice Center.
Have your case number or citation ready before you start. Phone payments are also available through the Minnesota Court Payment Center at (800) 657-3611.
Legal Help in Mower County
LawHelpMN is a free resource with plain-language guides, court forms, and civil legal aid information for Minnesota residents. The Minnesota Judicial Branch website has self-help guides and free forms for most case types. Both are useful starting points if you are handling a court matter without an attorney in Mower County.
For attorney referrals, the Minnesota State Bar Association has a lawyer referral service. Legal aid organizations in southern Minnesota may provide help to qualifying residents at low or no cost. The Third Judicial District, which covers Mower County, offers remote hearing options for some case types. Contact the court at (507) 509-7013 to ask about your options. The Justice Center in Austin is open weekdays and has a public terminal for self-service record searches.
Cities in Mower County
Austin is the county seat of Mower County and the location of the district court at the Justice Center. No cities in Mower County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All court filings for the county are processed at the Mower County Justice Center in Austin.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Mower County. Each has its own district court. Mower County also shares its southern border with Iowa. If you are unsure which county your case is in, check where the matter took place.