Search Edina Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records for Edina are filed and maintained at Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis, not at the city. Edina is in Hennepin County, and all criminal cases arising within the city are processed through the county court system. The Edina Police Department handles arrests and keeps incident reports, but those are police records, separate from the court records held at the county courthouse. You can search Edina criminal court records for free through Minnesota Court Records Online, or visit the courthouse directly.

Hennepin County District Court

All Edina criminal cases are handled at Hennepin County District Court in downtown Minneapolis. This is the court of record for the 4th Judicial District. It processes felonies, gross misdemeanors, and misdemeanors from across the county. Edina is adjacent to Minneapolis on the southwest side, making the courthouse relatively close for in-person visits.

On-site public access terminals at the courthouse let you search MCRO at no cost. Walk-in service at the Court Administrator's counter is available during business hours. No appointment is needed for routine records inquiries. Most requests can also be handled remotely through MCRO and the online copy form.

Searching MCRO for Edina Court Records

The Minnesota Court Records Online system is the fastest free way to find Edina criminal court records. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us and select Hennepin County. You can also start from mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro. Search by name or case number. Results show the charges, hearing dates, case status, and dispositions for each case.

Case documents from filings on or after July 1, 2015 are free to view and download as PDFs. Older records need a written request. Hennepin County is Minnesota's most populous county, so name searches can return many results. Use a date of birth or case number to get a more precise result. MCRO posts the court calendar each morning and updates it throughout the day.

MCRO Portal Screenshot

The Minnesota Court Records Online portal is the main tool for searching criminal court records from Edina and all other Minnesota cities.

MCRO covers all 87 Minnesota counties and is available at no cost for basic case searches. Documents filed from July 1, 2015 are available to view online.

Edina Police Department

The Edina Police Department handles law enforcement for the city. It makes arrests, writes incident reports, and documents crimes within city limits. Police records are not the same as criminal court records. You request police reports from the police department. You request court case files from Hennepin County District Court. These are separate agencies that hold separate records.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office handles county enforcement and has jurisdiction throughout the county. The sheriff's office is at hennepinsheriff.org. The Edina city attorney handles city-level prosecution at edinamn.gov/departments/city-attorney.

How to Get Copies of Court Records

For Edina criminal court records, start with MCRO for cases filed after July 1, 2015. Download documents free. For certified copies, contact Hennepin County District Court. Certified copies are $14 per document. Uncertified copies are free since July 1, 2023. Use the online copy request at mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request, or submit in person or by mail at the Minneapolis courthouse.

Mail requests should include the case number, party name, and a list of specific documents. Processing takes a few business days for standard requests. Records from before MCRO's coverage period may require additional retrieval time. The court administrator can tell you what's immediately available versus what may take longer.

BCA Criminal History Database

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database covering all counties, including Hennepin County cases from Edina. A BCA search costs $8 and requires the full legal name and date of birth. Conviction records go back 15 years. Access the search at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/criminal-history-search.aspx.

BCA results show convictions only. Dismissed charges, pending cases, and not-guilty verdicts won't appear. For the full picture of a case including all charges filed and their outcomes, use MCRO or contact Hennepin County District Court. The BCA is a good quick-reference tool but not a substitute for case-level records from the court.

Expungement in Edina

Edina criminal cases are expunged through Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis. Minnesota has two paths for clearing a criminal record. Automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015 covers petty misdemeanors and cases closed without conviction under certain conditions. All other offenses require a petition under Chapter 609A and a court hearing.

The courts' guide at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement covers eligibility, required forms, and what happens at a hearing. Legal aid organizations serving Hennepin County can help with petitions for those who qualify. The self-help center at the Hennepin County courthouse is also open to the public.

Government Data Practices Act

Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 governs what government records are public in the state. Most criminal court records are public. Some data is private, including juvenile records, victim contact information in certain case types, and records sealed by court order. The full statute is at revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/13.

City of Edina departments also hold records subject to this law. For city-held data, contact Edina City Hall or the city attorney's office at edinamn.gov/departments/city-attorney. Court records require a separate request to Hennepin County District Court. Both offices follow Chapter 13, but each manages only its own records system.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities in Minnesota also file criminal court records with their respective county district courts.