Ramsey County Court Records Office
Minnesota's court structure is centralized at the District Court level. In Ramsey County, District Court administration and the Court Records Office perform the practical record functions that many states place with an elected clerk. The Minnesota Judicial Branch names Heather Kendall as Court Administrator for Ramsey County District Court. The records counter is in Room 72 of the main courthouse and is the official local source for certified, exemplified, and plain copies from Ramsey County District Court cases.
The office is also the key fallback when online access is incomplete. The court records page states that public access terminals are available in the office to access and view cases and documents. It also says some cases or documents can only be accessed in a courthouse, and older records may not be online. That warning should control any serious records search. MCRO is useful, but the local records office is still needed for certified records and many courthouse-only materials.
District Court Records Center
Court Administrator: Heather Kendall
15 West Kellogg Boulevard, Room 72
Saint Paul, MN 55102
651-266-8237
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The records office image comes from the official Ramsey County District Court Records Office page.
The Room 72 page is the core source for local copy channels, payment methods, and terminal access.
Ramsey County Clerk-Style Services
The Court Records Office provides record access, but it does not replace every county office. Court case files, divorce files, criminal records, traffic case records, probate files, civil files, family files, and certified court documents use District Court administration. Birth, death, and marriage records use Ramsey County Vital Records instead. County administrative, sheriff, and jail data may use the Ramsey County data practices request channel when the record is not a court case document.
- Provides certified, exemplified, and plain copies from Ramsey County District Court case files.
- Offers public access terminals for cases and documents that may not be available online.
- Handles mail, phone, and in-person copy requests for District Court records.
- Directs requesters to the correct county or court when a file was not filed in Ramsey County District Court.
- Processes agency certified criminal record requests when the agency includes the file number and requested documents.
The court divisions image comes from the official Ramsey County court divisions page.
The division map helps explain why one records office may field copy questions for civil, criminal, traffic, family, juvenile, and probate matters.
Request Ramsey County Certified Copies
A certified copy is a court copy authenticated by court administration. It is often needed for legal proof, agency filings, name changes, immigration packets, appeal preparation, or another court case. A plain copy may be enough for personal review. An exemplified copy has additional authentication and may be needed in special legal contexts. The safest request identifies the case number, the parties, the exact document, and whether the copy should be plain, certified, or exemplified.
- Search MCRO or your paperwork for the full Ramsey County case number, such as a number beginning with 62-CR, 62-CV, 62-FA, 62-PR, or 62-CO.
- Identify the exact documents needed, such as a decree, order, judgment, complaint, disposition, or letters.
- Choose the request channel: mail to Room 72, call 651-266-8237, or visit the records counter in person.
- Confirm the current fee and payment method before expecting release of copies.
- For nonpublic documents, be ready for identity verification, statutory authority, party status, or a judge's order.
Ramsey County Request Fields
The court records page does not publish a single universal request form in the research file. It does provide enough instruction to identify what a good request must include. Criminal and traffic requesters should be ready with a case number or defendant name and date of birth. Agencies asking for certified criminal records must include the court file number and the specific documents requested, and should allow up to five business days for processing.
| Field or item | Type | Required | Ramsey County note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court copy request channel | Mail, phone, or in person | Yes | Use Room 72, 651-266-8237, or mail to the records office. |
| Specific documents requested | Text or list | Yes | Name the order, decree, judgment, complaint, or other document. |
| Court file number | Text | Strongly recommended | Required for agency certified criminal record requests. |
| Party or defendant details | Text | Recommended | Criminal and traffic requesters should have defendant name and date of birth if case number is unknown. |
| Copy type | Choice | Yes for copy requests | Plain, certified, or exemplified. |
| Payment | Payment | Yes if copies requested | Payment must be made before copies are provided. |
| Identity or court order | Conditional proof | Required for nonpublic documents | Access may depend on identity, authority, or judge order. |
Ramsey County Copy Payments
The local records page confirms payment methods but did not capture current copy dollar amounts in the research file. The safe approach is to ask the Records Center for the current amount before mailing payment or ordering by phone. The payment channel matters. Mail requests use check or money order. Phone requests use credit or debit cards. In-person requests may be paid by cash, check, money order, credit card, or debit card.
| Item | Fee or payment note | Source caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Plain court copy | Current amount not captured | Confirm through the court fee page or Room 72. |
| Certified court copy | Current amount not captured | Payment required before release. |
| Exemplified court copy | Current amount not captured | Use only when that authentication is needed. |
| Mail payment | Check or money order | Send only after confirming total if unsure. |
| Phone payment | Credit or debit card | Call the District Court Records Center. |
| In-person payment | Cash, check, money order, credit or debit card | Available at the records counter. |
| Agency certified criminal request | Allow up to five business days | Include file number and specific documents. |
Ramsey County Data Requests
Court records and county data requests are related but not identical. The District Court Records Office is the channel for certified Ramsey County District Court records. The county's data practices page is the channel for county-held administrative, sheriff, jail, and other government data when it is not a certified court file. Ramsey County states that government data must be easily accessible under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and is public unless state or federal law makes it nonpublic.
The data practices image comes from the official Ramsey County Data Practices Requests page.
Use that county process for county data requests, not for certified District Court copies.
The state law image comes from the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
That statute governs many county data classifications, while judicial case record access also follows court access rules.
Ramsey County Nonpublic Records
Some court records are public at the courthouse but limited online. Others are nonpublic by rule, statute, or court order. MCRO does not display Domestic Abuse Order for Protection and Harassment Restraining Order case types on the internet, and juvenile records are generally confidential with limited public access for certain felony cases involving older juveniles. Public civil commitment documents are also not available in MCRO. Party street addresses and some comment fields are removed from remote records.
The juvenile access image comes from Minnesota Statutes section 260B.171.
That statute is a reminder that not every court file can be released through an ordinary public copy request.
Official copy rule: MCRO helps locate cases, but the District Court Records Office is the certified-copy source for Ramsey County District Court files.