Search Ramsey County Court Docket
Ramsey County court docket records are publicly accessible through the Minnesota Court Records Online portal and at the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul. As Minnesota's second most populated county and home to the state capital, Ramsey County handles a large and varied caseload each year. You can search court docket records for free online, request certified copies from the records office, or visit in person to review files during business hours.
Ramsey County Overview
Ramsey County District Court Details
The Ramsey County District Court is the sole county in Minnesota's Second Judicial District. The court is based in St. Paul at 15 W. Kellogg Blvd. Court Administrator Heather Kendall oversees the court's operations. The records office is located in Room 72 of the courthouse and handles copy requests and record inquiries separately from the main court administration line. The Second Judicial District handles a full range of case types including civil, criminal, family, juvenile, probate, housing, and conciliation court matters.
| Main Address | 15 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102 |
|---|---|
| Main Phone | (651) 266-8266 |
| Records Office | Room 72, (651) 266-8237 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Judicial District | Second Judicial District |
| Court Administrator | Heather Kendall |
Each court division has its own direct phone number. Civil court filings can be reached at (651) 266-8253. Criminal court staff are at (651) 266-1999. Family court is (651) 266-2842. Juvenile court is (651) 266-5115. Probate, housing, and conciliation court share the (651) 266-8230 line. The jury office can be reached at (651) 266-8200.
The Ramsey County District Court directory on mncourts.gov provides current contact details and links to all court divisions.
This screenshot shows the Ramsey County court listing on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.
How to Find Ramsey County Court Docket Records
MCRO at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us is the primary tool for searching Ramsey County court docket records online. It is free and does not require an account. You can search by person name, business name, case number, citation number, or attorney. The system returns case records from across Minnesota, so always filter by Ramsey County to narrow results. Each case result shows the register of actions, which lists every filing, hearing, and court order in chronological order.
MCRO includes four search tools. Case Search is the starting point for most lookups. Document Search lets you pull public court documents by case number. Hearing Search shows what is scheduled in court for a given case or person. Judgment Search is for finding civil money judgments entered against a debtor in Ramsey County. The judgment search is often used by creditors, employers, or individuals checking whether a lien exists against them or someone else.
In-person access is available at the courthouse records office in Room 72. Public access terminals (MNPAC) are also available at the courthouse during business hours. These terminals give broader access than MCRO, including records that predate the 2015 cutoff for online document availability.
The Second Judicial District page describes the structure of the district that serves Ramsey County, including judge rosters and court administration contacts.
This image shows the Second Judicial District page on mncourts.gov, which covers Ramsey County exclusively.
Ramsey County Court Docket Contents
Each Ramsey County court docket entry contains the case number, the names of all parties, the case type, and the register of actions. The register of actions is a time-ordered list of every event in the case. You can see when documents were filed, when hearings occurred, what orders the judge issued, and how the case resolved. For criminal cases, you'll find charge information, plea records, sentencing details, and any probation or supervision conditions that were ordered.
Civil dockets in Ramsey County cover a wide range. Contract disputes, personal injury claims, evictions, and landlord-tenant matters all appear in the civil docket. Family court dockets cover divorce filings, child custody orders, child support, paternity, and protection orders. Probate dockets show estate proceedings, guardianships, and conservatorships. Housing court handles residential evictions and rental disputes, which are processed separately from general civil cases in Ramsey County.
The Ramsey County court system also has a historical record collection. Civil case files from 1858 to 1902 are held by the Minnesota Historical Society. For records in that range, contact the Society at (651) 259-3300 rather than the courthouse.
Copy Fees for Ramsey County Court Records
Uncertified copies of Ramsey County court records are free, following the legislative change that took effect July 1, 2023. Certified copies cost $14.00 per document. A certified judgment search, per name, costs $5.00. These fees follow the schedule set in Minn. Stat. § 357.31. If you need an exemplified and certified copy, the fee is $28.00. Exemplified copies carry the highest level of authentication and are used when you need a court record accepted in another jurisdiction.
To request copies from the records office, go to Room 72 or call (651) 266-8237. Mail requests should go to the records office at 15 W Kellogg Blvd, Room 72, St. Paul, MN 55102. Include the case number, party names, a description of the document you need, and payment by check or money order. The Minnesota court fees page on mncourts.gov has the full statewide fee schedule for reference.
The Ramsey County government website has information about county services, including links to court-related resources.
The Ramsey County government website offers additional resources and contact information for residents seeking court-related services.
Legal Access Rules and Expungement
Access to Ramsey County court records is governed by the Minnesota Rules of Public Access, not the Government Data Practices Act. Minn. Stat. § 13.90 establishes this framework. Most court records are public by default, but some are sealed, confidential, or otherwise restricted. Juvenile records, civil commitment records, domestic abuse protection orders, and harassment restraining orders are not accessible through MCRO's remote public search.
The expungement process under Minn. Stat. § 609A allows individuals to petition to seal criminal records in qualifying cases. Once expunged, those records no longer appear in public docket searches. If you are looking for a case that you believe was filed but cannot find it online, it may be sealed, expunged, or only accessible through an in-person request. Call the court at (651) 266-8266 for help locating specific records.
For criminal background checks, do not rely on MCRO. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension provides official background check services at chs.state.mn.us. The BCA uses fingerprint-based identification, which is more reliable than the name-based searches in MCRO.
Nearby Counties
Ramsey County borders several counties in the metro area. Each has its own district court and separate court docket records. Links to neighboring county pages are below.