Minnesota Court Locations and Records: Find the Right Office Fast
FamilyCourtHelp is an independent educational platform. It is not a court, law firm, government agency, or government partner. We organize and link to publicly available resources published by courts and government agencies. Official requirements may change. Always confirm current requirements with the applicable court or clerk.
Family cases in Minnesota are heard in the District Court, usually in the Family Court. Divorce and custody are heard in the District Court; metro counties run a Family Court calendar. Minnesota's 87 counties are grouped into 10 judicial districts.
The clerk's office is a different thing from the court itself. The clerk accepts filings, keeps the record, and collects fees, while judges and hearings belong to the court. For a filing question, the clerk is the right first call. The official Minnesota directory and case record search are below.
Official Minnesota court locators
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Find Minnesota courts (locate your district court) (Minnesota judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://www.mncourts.gov/Find-Courts.aspx
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) (Minnesota courts): Look up existing case records. Access is listed as free and the system is organized statewide. https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch
Minnesota state courts website (Minnesota judicial branch): The official home of the Minnesota court system, with statewide rules, news, and links to every court. https://www.mncourts.gov
Minnesota eFile and eServe (eFS) (Tyler Technologies): E-filing works in all 87 Minnesota counties. It is optional for people without a lawyer, but once you e-file one document in a case you must keep e-filing for the rest of that case. https://efilemn.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp
Minnesota court self-help resources (Minnesota courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Minnesota family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.mncourts.gov/Help-Topics.aspx
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO): No account for public search. The public sees the case index/register of actions; confidential family and juvenile content is restricted under the MN Rules of Public Access. https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch
Open the MCRO / Case Search portal
Search by party name or case number
Parties to a case can register for expanded access
Official link data for Minnesota was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
Which court hears family cases in Minnesota?
Family cases in Minnesota are heard in the District Court, usually in the Family Court. Divorce and custody are heard in the District Court; metro counties run a Family Court calendar. Minnesota's 87 counties are grouped into 10 judicial districts.
Can I look up an existing Minnesota case online?
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) is the official search. No account for public search. The public sees the case index/register of actions; confidential family and juvenile content is restricted under the MN Rules of Public Access.
Is the clerk the same as the court?
No. The clerk of court accepts filings, keeps records, and collects fees. Judges and hearings belong to the court itself. For filing questions, start with the clerk's office.
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