Ramsey County, Minnesota Court Records

The Minnesota Court Rule 3 defines court records as any recorded information a court or judicial administrator collects, creates, receives, keeps, or issues to the public. The Ramsey County district court is the custodian of these records. Members of the public may access court records online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the courthouse. They may also find case information in other public documents, such as vital records, arrest information, and federal case files.

Are Ramsey County Court Records Public?

Yes. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) requires that all government data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by a public entity be public, unless otherwise stated by law. The Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch support this by ensuring all courts in the state make court records open to the public. Therefore, anyone can submit requests to access court records online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the Ramsey County district court during business hours.

However, not all court records are available to the public. Minnesota Court Rule 4 specifies that some court records are closed, including medical records, juvenile proceedings, administrative warrants, judicial work product and drafts, and responses to petitions for criminal expungement. Additionally, domestic abuse and harassment documents and wills deposited for safekeeping while a testator is still alive are deemed confidential.

What Information is Available in Ramsey County Court Records?

A typical Ramsey County court record reveals the following information:

Case number, filing date, case title, case type, case location, and case status
The plaintiff, defendant, and attorney’s full names and addresses
Case event dates, description, and downloadable documents
Financial details, including transactions, receipt number, total payments and credits, and transaction dates.
Charges, disposition, disposition date, level of charge, level of sentence, statute, offense date, prosecuting agency, and law enforcement agency.

Ramsey County Court Records Search

Individuals may access court records via the following methods:

Online Access: Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) provides free access to many public Ramsey County court records. It has several search tabs available to users to view case information:
- Case Search : This tab allows users to search for court cases by name, case number, citation number, or attorney bar number.
- Document Search : This tab allows users to search for public court documents by case number.
- Hearing Search : This tab provides information on hearings scheduled in a court case using a person’s name, business name, judicial officer, case number, attorney name, or attorney bar number.
- Judgment Search : This tab allows users to search by debtor name.
In-Person Access: Record seekers can visit the district court to view court records from the public access terminals. They may also obtain copies of court records from the records staff for a fee.
Mail and Phone Requests: The district court also receives court record requests by phone at (651) 266-8237 and by mail. Requesters will need to provide sufficient information to facilitate the search.

Fees for Court Records in Ramsey County

The Ramsey County district court does not charge a fee for uncertified copies of court records (Minn. Stat. § 357.021). However, obtaining certified copies costs $14.00 per document. Copies of court reports generated from the case management system up to 50 pages cost $5, and those over 50 pages cost $25.00. Exemplified and certified copies of court records cost $28.00, while exemplified and uncertified copies cost $14.00.

The Ramsey County Department of Health Vital Records office provides birth, death, and marriage records to interested persons. The fees for these vital records vary:

Marriage records: $10 per copy.
Noncertified copies of birth and death records: $13 per copy.
Certified copies of birth records: $26 per first copy and $19 for each additional copy
Certified copies of death records: $13 for the first copy, and $6 for each additional copy

Ramsey County Courthouse Locations

The Minnesota Second Judicial District oversees the general operation of the Ramsey County District Court. The courthouse is located at the address below:

Ramsey County Courthouse

15 W. Kellogg Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (651) 266-8266

Criminal Records Access in Ramsey County

Several state and county law enforcement agencies maintain criminal records. Citizens who want state-wide access to criminal history records may find them at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). The BCA issues criminal history records through the Criminal History System (CHS). Individuals who specifically want Ramsey County criminal history arrest reports by mail or in person at the Sheriff’s Office.

The Ramsey County District Court Criminal & Traffic Division is the custodian responsible for criminal court records. These records are available online through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal at no charge. The search parameters are by name, the attorney’s name, citation number, the case number, or the attorney’s bar number. The division can provide access to copies of criminal records by mail, phone at (651) 266-8237, and in person for a fee. If the request is from an agency, the division accepts requests by email. The processing time is 5 business days. The agency should indicate the court file number and the specific document(s) in the request.

Ramsey County Probate Records

The Ramsey County Probate Court has jurisdiction over estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. Most probate records are available to the public. Anyone may view probate records online through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) or visit the Records Office to use the public access terminals. Older probate records may not be available online, so requesters may have to submit a request in person, by phone at (651) 266-8237, or by mail. The clerk charges a fee for copies of probate records, payable by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. Those seeking confidential probate records may need to verify their identity or obtain a judge’s order for access.

Ramsey County Family Court Records

The Ramsey County Family Court handles cases such as divorce, child custody issues, parenting time schedules and disputes, paternity cases, and child support establishment and modification. Actions for divorce, child custody, and child support are public cases, while paternity cases are confidential. All documents of confidential cases remain confidential, but some documents in public cases can be deemed confidential.

Individuals can find most public family court records online on the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal at no charge. Users can find case information by name, the attorney’s name, the case number, or the attorney’s bar number. The courthouse also has public access terminals where customers can access free public family court records. The courthouse provides the most complete access to electronic public family case records compared to the MCRO.

Those who want copies of family court records can also get them at the courthouse from the records staff or by mail. Copies of confidential family court documents are available only to case parties and their attorneys. Eligible individuals must submit a valid photo ID.

Federal Court Records in Ramsey County

Ramsey County falls under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The Public Access to Court Records (PACER) tool is the best database for finding federal court records online. A registration is required to access the portal. Additionally, users must pay a $0.10 per-page fee to access case information and a $3 per-document fee. Individuals can also visit the clerk’s office to obtain copies of federal court records. Requests can be made from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk charges $0.50 per copy of federal court records and $12 per certified copy.