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Washington County, Minnesota Court Records

Legal proceedings may be initiated in Washington County, Minnesota, to claim financial recompense for civil damages or injuries, compel the court to issue an injunction banning or permitting a specific action, or determine a person's culpability under the law for an alleged criminal violation. When such proceedings are filed within Washington County, the District Court presiding over the matter is responsible for entering a final ruling according to state law. Correspondingly, the Court Administrator is charged with maintaining accurate documentation throughout the duration of the litigation up until the final disposition of the court.

Records in the Court Administrator's custody are precisely all formal filings of the case, as well as the specialized indices/metadata and official documents generated by the judiciary. Interestingly, court files frequently comprise external records submitted by the litigating parties as evidence or attachments to substantiate their claims. Some common examples are vital statistics certificates (e.g., birth or death certificates), corporate business filings, property records, and law enforcement arrest or incident reports.

Are Washington County Court Records Public?

Yes. Washington County court records are widely open to the public who wish to inspect or copy them. The State of Minnesota facilitates this transparency through the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, which permits anyone to request a court record from the office of the administrative custodian.

Public access, however, does not imply unfettered access. Specific records are protected from public viewing under federal statutes, state law, common law, judicial order, legal privilege, and judicial rules. With confidential records, only legally authorized parties, such as those involved in the case or possessing a court order, may view corresponding information.

Examples of restricted court records include

  • Unexecuted administrative inspection warrants and search warrants
  • Adoption files
  • Medical records
  • Child protection (CHIPS) files
  • Juvenile delinquency and Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile (EJJ) court records
  • Sealed commitment proceeding records
  • Domestic abuse victim impact statements

The Minnesota judiciary's website displays a comprehensive PDF of case records restricted from public access. A list of confidential court records is also codified in Minn. R. Public Access Judicial Branch 4.

What Information is Available in Washington County Court Records?

Minn. R. Public Access Judicial Branch 3 defines court case records as "all records of a particular case or controversy." The legal implication is that court files in Washington County contain all information, documents, and other materials generated or filed during litigation. Although the precise contents of a court file can vary by the type and duration of the underlying case, the following are common record components:

  • The full names of the litigants and their representing attorneys
  • The initial filing date, the court of jurisdiction, and the court's physical location
  • The presiding judicial officer
  • The unique case file number
  • The register of actions (ROA), defined as a list or register of the title, origination, activities, proceedings, and filings in each case (Rule 8, Subd. 2(a))
  • Court calendars, which compile all cases to be heard or tried in court
  • Court indices
  • Final judgments, decrees, and other case disposition information

Washington County Court Records Search

Here's how to locate and view/copy court records in Washington County, Minnesota

Online Access

Remote access to Washington County court records is provided through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO). Many court documents-mostly documents filed on or after July 1, 2015-are available through the MCRO system, except for public documents for which no remote access is ordinarily provided (Minn. R. Public Access Judicial Branch 8). Examples are

  • D-16 (delinquency felony cases involving a juvenile at least 16 years old)
  • CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services), and
  • Orders for Protection/Harassment proceedings.

Equally restricted from remote access are highly sensitive data fields within registers of actions, calendars, indexes, and judgment dockets, such as Social Security, employer identification, telephone, and financial account numbers.

MCRO can be accessed with various parameters, such as a litigant's name, an attorney's name, a case number, or a debtor's name. Usage is entirely free; there is no charge for documents accessed and downloaded through the system.

In-Person Access

Each Minnesota district courthouse provides free electronic access to statewide public case records via public access terminals. Members of the public can, therefore, visit the Washington County District Courthouse during normal business hours to research local cases for free. The Court Administrator's office also handles case inquiries within the courthouse building.

Courthouse visitation may be preferred when seeking the following information:

  • Cases filed before July 1, 2015 (since remote digital access is limited)
  • Public documents inaccessible through MCRO
  • Certified copies
  • Confidential records
  • The official court record (defined in Rule 4, subd. 3 as the "written transcript of a proceeding")

Phone Access

The Court Administrator's office can be reached by phone at (651) 413-8030, press option #6, to request copies of court records. Copies can be delivered by mail or email (only plain copies can be emailed to the requester) or picked up at the county courthouse. There is no charge for a plain copy, but certified copies cost $14 each. All processing fees must be settled in full at the time of the request. Note that while phone requests are often completed immediately, voluminous requests may require additional processing time.

Mail Access

Individuals can complete the Request for Court Document(s) form in writing and mail it to the following address:

Court Administration Records Room

P.O. Box 3802

14949 62nd Street North

Stillwater, MN 55082-3802

Most mail requests are resolved within five business days but require the full payment of all document fees by check or money order.

Note: Where the objective is to retrieve a court transcript, step-by-step guidelines should be obtained from the state judiciary's 10th District Request for Transcript of Hearings page.

Fees for Court Records in Washington County

The Minnesota Judicial Branch's District Court Fees webpage outlines fees established per statute or judicial policy for the making, certifying, and compiling of court records. Record inspection, as stated in Rule 8, subd. 8, remains free to the public.

Assessed fees include

  • Uncertified/Plain Copy: $0
  • Certified Copy: $14.
  • Copies of Reports From Case Management System (1 to 50 pages): $5 per report.
  • Copies of Reports From Case Management System (50+ pages): $25 per 50-page incremental block or part thereof
  • Exemplified and Certified Copy: $28.
  • Exemplified and Uncertified Copy: $14.

Washington County Courthouse Locations

Washington County belongs to Minnesota's 10th Judicial District, alongside seven other counties in the Northeast Twin Cities Metro Area. The county has only one trial court tier: the District Court. This tribunal maintains exclusive, original jurisdiction over all case proceedings (civil, family, criminal, etc.) initiated under state law or local ordinance within the region. The court is administratively divided into six distinct divisions to manage its caseload efficiently:

  • Traffic
  • Criminal
  • Civil and Conciliation (Small Claims Court)
  • Family
  • Juvenile
  • Probate/Mental Health

Washington County District Court

Washington County Courthouse

14949 62nd Street North

P.O. Box 3802

Stillwater, MN 55082

Phone: (651) 413-8030

Criminal Records Access in Washington County

Criminal records generated in Washington County can be accessed through the judiciary and law enforcement. Persons seeking court-based access can navigate to the Minnesota Court Records Online system, visit any Minnesota district courthouse to look up statewide criminal cases, call the Court Administrator's office at (651) 413-8030, or write the Court Administrator using the Request for Court Document(s) form, as detailed previously. Washington County criminal court files pertain only to prosecutions heard within the county; they are not comprehensive statewide records.

When seeking statewide criminal history data, the correct custodian is the Minnesota Department of Safety (DPS), Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). The BCA compiles information about individuals arrested for felony, gross misdemeanor, and some misdemeanor offenses from state and local criminal justice agencies.

However, the data available to the general public through the BCA is mostly conviction data. Arrest data, cases that did not result in a conviction, convictions whose sentences were completed over 15 years ago, and juvenile criminal history information are confidential to the general public.

Public-facing BCA records can be obtained via the online Minnesota Public Criminal History Search (CHS) portal for free. Persons seeking their own records for personal use can follow the instructions outlined on the BCA's Background Checks page. Generally, it involves submitting a data request to the BCA online, by mail, or in person. This check costs $8, which is separate from the fingerprinting service fee of $10 per card. (see other background check fees).

Washington County Probate Records

The Probate & Mental Health Division of the Washington County District Court maintains exclusive jurisdiction over legal actions involving the administration of a deceased person's estate, the administration of court-supervised trusts, and the establishment of formal guardianships and conservatorships for minor children and incapacitated/incompetent adults. Documents and other case materials generated by the court and litigants during these proceedings are collectively referred to as probate records.

Probate records are accessible through the MCRO system, in person at the Washington County Courthouse, or by written or phone request to the Court Administrator's office. Requesters should note that exemptions apply to confidential data, such as medical evaluations and wills deposited for safekeeping during the testator's lifetime.

Washington County Family Court Records

Family or domestic relations cases are heard in the Family Division of the Washington County District Court. This specialized division hears matters such as divorce (marriage dissolution), domestic abuse, child custody, paternity, child support, adoption, and visitation. The records, including decrees and motions, produced as a result of these proceedings are referred to as the family court records.

Family court records in Washington can be reviewed online (MCRO), in person, by mail, or by phone request, as explained in the previous "Washington County Court Records Search" heading. When seeking certified copies, the mail-in, phone, and in-person channels should be utilized, as such copies are not disseminated through the MCRO system, nor are MCRO search results considered certified.

Federal Court Records in Washington County

Legal actions originating within Washington County do not stem solely from state law or municipal ordinances. Occasionally, civil and criminal cases cross into federal jurisdiction or involve federal questions, placing them under the purview of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. 28 U.S. Code § 103 designates the court's Third Division, which operates from the St. Paul divisional office, as the proper venue for federal cases from Washington County.

Options for viewing or copying case information generated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota include

  • Access the Online Public Access to Court Records (PACER) System: PACER is a nationwide index covering all U.S. courts. Registration is required to use the portal, and users are liable for the resulting charges, although PACER remains free under certain circumstances. Generally, a 10-cent-per-page search fee applies, capped at $3 per document (the fee increases to 12 cents per page starting January 1, 2027). Further, users are not charged if they do not exceed $30 in a billing quarter (the limit increases to $40 starting January 1, 2027).
  • Access the Online New Cases Report: A rolling register of newly initiated civil and criminal cases in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, on each business day.
  • Visit the Federal Clerk's Office: The Clerk's Office is open between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for case record inquiries. While Washington County federal cases are assigned to the Third Division in St. Paul, case access can be obtained district-wide in any of the four staffed divisional offices (St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, and Fergus Falls).

Self-service searches are available for free at public electronic terminals within each courthouse, but print commands executed at these computers cost 10 cents per page. Furthermore, certain statutory fees apply for certified copies, archived file extractions, and other record-related services provided directly by the Clerk's Office staff.

Washington County Court