Minnesota runs one statewide trial court system, not 87 separate county ones. Whether you need a traffic ticket settled in Baudette or a custody order entered in Edina, your case goes to a Minnesota district court operated by the state judicial branch. This page explains how that system is built, how our listings fit into it, and what to do before you go.

How the Minnesota Judicial Branch Organizes Trial Courts in 87 Counties

Minnesota has three levels of state court. District courts are the trial courts. The Minnesota Court of Appeals reviews their decisions, and the Minnesota Supreme Court sits at the top. Both appellate courts are based at the Minnesota Judicial Center in St. Paul. Narrow specialty bodies, such as the Minnesota Tax Court and the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals, handle their own subject areas.

Every county has a district court, and that is what most people mean by a county courthouse. Our listings use names like Norman County Court and Mower County Court because that is how many residents still say it. Formally, Minnesota merged its old county and municipal courts into the district courts during the 1980s. The legal name today is District Court, followed by the county.

The 87 counties are grouped into ten judicial districts. The Second District is Ramsey County alone, and the Fourth is Hennepin County alone. The other eight cover several counties each. Dakota County sits in the First District, St. Louis County in the Sixth, and Anoka County in the Tenth. Norman, Clearwater, Beltrami and Lake of the Woods counties belong to the Ninth District in the northwest. Each district has a chief judge who manages assignments and local administration.

The state now pays for judges and court staff, a shift from the older model in which each county funded its own court. Counties still own most courthouse buildings and run the sheriff, county attorney, probation and recorder offices that work alongside the court. That split explains why one errand sometimes means two buildings or two counters.

The counter you will actually visit is the court administrator's office. Staff there accept filings, collect fees, schedule hearings and keep the case file. They can explain forms and deadlines, but they cannot give legal advice or tell you how to argue your case.

Metro Courthouses and Rural Chambers: How Minnesota Courts Differ by Region

In the Twin Cities area, volume drives everything. Hennepin County, home to Minneapolis, runs its main court out of the Hennepin County Government Center downtown. It also spreads work across suburban locations. Our database lists the Brookdale County Court at 6125 Shingle Creek Parkway in Brooklyn Center and the Southdale County Court at 7009 York Avenue South in Edina, both reachable at 612-348-2040. Suburban sites often hear a narrower set of cases than downtown, so confirm that your matter is scheduled there before you drive. The Hennepin County page shows the full set of local offices.

Dakota County works the same way on a smaller scale. The Western Dakota County Court at 14955 Galaxie Avenue West in Apple Valley, 952-891-7256, serves the southwest metro. The county also has a courthouse in Hastings, the county seat, so check the notice you received for the exact address. Ramsey County, home to St. Paul, forms the Second District by itself. Its main courthouse is downtown, and you can find more on the Ramsey County page.

Greater Minnesota is different. St. Louis County is the largest county in the state by area, and its courthouses are spread between Duluth and the Iron Range. The Duluth listing, at 100 North 5th Avenue West, answers at 218-726-2460. Confirm which courthouse hears your case before a winter drive, since the distances between them are long.

Smaller counties show another pattern. The Norman County Court at 16 3rd Avenue East in Ada (218-784-5458) and the Lake of the Woods County Court at 206 8th Avenue Southeast in Baudette (218-634-1451) serve small populations. In many rural districts, judges travel among several courthouses, so hearings for a given county may be set on particular days. The administrator's office is usually open more often than a judge is on the bench. Call first to learn when your type of hearing is calendared. The Beltrami County Court at 600 Minnesota Avenue Northwest in Bemidji (218-333-4120) is another northern listing worth knowing if you live in that part of the state.

Which Minnesota Court Handles Which Problem

Because one trial court handles nearly everything, the real question is which process fits your situation. These are the matters residents most often bring to the court administrator:

Before You Visit a Minnesota Courthouse: Records, Fees and What to Bring

Start online. Minnesota Court Records Online lets you search public case information by name or case number, which helps you confirm a hearing date or a judgment. Some files, including juvenile and adoption cases, are confidential and will not appear.

Bring a government photo ID, the notice or summons that brought you in, and your case number. Expect security screening at the door. Arrive early, because parking and entry lines at metro courthouses can eat into your time.

If you cannot afford filing fees, ask the court administrator for a fee waiver application. A judge decides based on your income and any public benefits you receive. Interpreters are provided at no cost to parties in court proceedings, and you can request disability accommodations by contacting the administrator before your hearing date.

Many Minnesota courts have held some hearings by video since 2020. Your notice will say whether your hearing is in person or remote, and the administrator can confirm if you are unsure.

Finally, write down names, dates and times as you go. Counter hours are typically weekdays during business hours, but holidays and local closures vary, so call the number on your listing before you leave. Browse the listings on this page by county or city to find the office nearest you.

Courts in Minnesota operate under a unified state judicial system that handles everything from traffic infractions and small claims disputes to major felony trials and civil litigation. The Minnesota Supreme Court serves as the highest state court with authority over all state court matters.

Courts locations are available in 95 cities across Minnesota. They are spread across 87 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Chaska, Moorhead, Bagley, reflecting areas where county seats and urban centers house multiple court divisions to handle high caseloads.

Residents of Minnesota should know which court has jurisdiction over their matter — whether it is a municipal, district, circuit, or superior court — before filing documents or appearing for a hearing.

Courts by Counties

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Residents of Minnesota who need to access court services should identify the correct court for their matter, check the court's website for filing fees, forms, and procedures, and consider using the court's self-help resources if they are not represented by an attorney.

Browse Courts by county across Minnesota to find the nearest location.

Courts in Northern and Greater Minnesota: Weather, Distance and Venue

Geography shapes court visits in Minnesota more than most residents expect. From Bemidji to Baudette, winter storms can close roads, and a missed hearing still needs a prompt call to the administrator. Do not assume the court knows why you did not appear. Ask about rescheduling the same day, and write down the name of the person you spoke with.

Your case belongs to the county where the dispute arose or where a party lives, not to the nearest courthouse. A matter assigned to the Freeborn County Court in Albert Lea (411 South Broadway Avenue, 507-377-5153) usually cannot be handled at the Mower County Court in Austin (201 1st Street Northeast, 507-437-9465), even though the two cities are close. Always confirm the county on your paperwork before you travel.

Tribal courts are separate from the state system. The Red Lake and White Earth nations, among others, operate their own courts, and Minnesota district courts do not supervise them. Which court has authority depends on the case type, the parties and federal law, so ask the administrator if you are unsure where to file.

Rural counties also tend to have smaller staffs, so a single clerk may handle many tasks. If you need something time-sensitive from the Aitkin County Court (209 2nd Street Northwest, 218-927-7350) or the Clearwater County Court in Bagley (213 Main Avenue North, 218-694-6177), call ahead and ask what documents the clerk needs to see.

Frequently Asked Questions About Courts in Minnesota

Handle it in the district court for the county where the violation happened. Your ticket names that court and lists your options. Most Minnesota traffic violations are petty misdemeanors, so you can pay the fine, or plead not guilty and request a hearing. For example, a ticket written near Apple Valley points to the Dakota County court system, and one near Austin points to the Mower County Court. Check the deadline printed on the ticket, because missing it can add penalties and affect your license. Many courts offer hearings by video, so ask whether yours can be remote. If you are unsure of the process, call the administrator's number on your listing before the due date.

Minnesota conciliation court, the state's small claims process, handles claims up to $15,000. Disputes over consumer credit transactions are capped at $4,000. You can file without a lawyer, and the court administrator's office provides the forms. File in the county where the defendant lives or where the claim arose, and expect to pay a filing fee unless a judge grants a waiver. Winning a judgment does not mean the money arrives automatically. If the other side does not pay, you must take further collection steps, and the administrator can explain which forms apply. Gather receipts, photos, contracts and texts before your hearing.

Yes. Minnesota has no separate county courts today. The state folded its county and municipal courts into the district courts in the 1980s, but many people still say county court, and our listings follow that habit. When you see Beltrami County Court in Bemidji or Anoka County Court at 325 East Main Street in Anoka, you are looking at the local district court office. Locations like Brookdale in Brooklyn Center and Southdale in Edina are additional Hennepin County district court sites. Paperwork you receive will say District Court, State of Minnesota, and the judicial district number.

Use Minnesota Court Records Online, the judicial branch's public search tool. You can search by party name or case number and see the case type, filings and upcoming hearings. Some records are confidential, including juvenile delinquency and adoption files, so a missing case does not always mean it does not exist. If the online record is unclear, call the administrator for the county where the case was filed, such as the Crow Wing County Court in Brainerd at 218-824-1310. Certified copies of orders and judgments come from that same office, and a copying fee may apply.

Ask the court administrator for a fee waiver application, which Minnesota courts handle under the in forma pauperis process. A judge reviews your income, expenses and whether you receive public benefits, then decides whether to waive filing fees and some other costs. Submit the request along with your filing, not after. In criminal cases, you may qualify for a public defender, and you should request one at your first appearance. Legal aid organizations across the state also help low-income residents with housing, family and benefits problems. Interpreters are free of charge for court proceedings, so language is never a reason to skip a hearing.

File a petition for an order for protection with the court administrator in the county where you live, where the abuser lives, or where the abuse happened. There is no filing fee. A judge can review an emergency request without the other person present and then sets a full hearing. Domestic violence advocates at local programs can help you complete the forms and plan for safety. Bring any evidence such as photos or messages, though you can still file without them. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. Courthouses such as the Norman County Court in Ada (218-784-5458) or the Southdale location in Edina (612-348-2040) can tell you how to file.