Minneapolis Criminal Court Records
Minneapolis criminal court records are filed and maintained at the Hennepin County District Court in downtown Minneapolis. The city of Minneapolis does not keep its own criminal court records. All felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor cases arising from arrests in Minneapolis go through Hennepin County District Court. You can search for case information online for free through the Minnesota Court Records Online system. The Minneapolis Police Department handles local arrests, and the City Attorney's Office prosecutes certain misdemeanor cases, but the official court record for any criminal case lives at the county courthouse on South 6th Street.
Minneapolis Overview
Hennepin County District Court
All criminal court records for Minneapolis cases are at the Hennepin County District Court. This is the court of record for felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor cases filed by the county attorney, city attorney, and state prosecutors. The court handles arraignments, bail hearings, pretrial proceedings, trials, and sentencing. It is part of Minnesota's 4th Judicial District.
| Address | 300 South 6th St, Minneapolis, MN 55487 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (612) 348-6000 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| District | 4th Judicial District |
| Court Info | mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin |
Public access terminals at the courthouse let you search the MCRO case system on site. Walk-in service is available at the Court Administrator's counter during regular business hours. No appointment is needed for routine records inquiries.
Searching Records Through MCRO
The Minnesota Court Records Online system is the best free way to search Minneapolis criminal court records. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us and select Hennepin County. Search by the defendant's name or case number. Results show charges, case status, hearing dates, and dispositions. Documents from cases filed on or after July 1, 2015, are available to view and download in PDF format at no cost.
Hennepin County has one of the largest criminal dockets in Minnesota. Searches may return multiple results for common names, so use a case number when you have one. The court calendar posts at 7:00 AM each weekday and updates every hour throughout the day. If you want to track a case, hearing eReminders through MCRO can notify you of upcoming court dates.
Note: Juvenile case records and cases sealed by court order do not appear in the public MCRO search. These records are restricted under Minnesota law.
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department handles arrests within city limits. It is the primary law enforcement agency for criminal matters in the city. Police reports and arrest records are a different category from court records. You request them from the police department, not from the court.
The MPD is at 350 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55415. General non-emergency contact is through 311 at (612) 673-3000. The City Attorney's Office, which prosecutes certain misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor cases, is at the same address. You can reach them at (612) 673-2010. The MPD also publishes crime statistics regularly at minneapolismn.gov/government/government-departments/mpd/about-mpd/crime-statistics/. For police department information, visit minneapolismn.gov/government/government-departments/mpd/.
If you were a victim of a crime and need support, the MPD Victim Services unit provides assistance. Find it at minneapolismn.gov/government/government-departments/mpd/victim-services/.
Screenshot: MCRO Case Search Portal
The Minnesota Court Records Online portal is where you search for Minneapolis criminal court cases. The screenshot below shows the MCRO search interface used by the public.
This portal covers all Minnesota counties. Select Hennepin County when searching for Minneapolis cases. Results appear quickly for most name searches. Use the case number when available to get the most precise result.
Diversion Programs and Specialty Courts
Minneapolis and Hennepin County offer several alternatives to traditional prosecution. These programs can affect what appears in a person's court record. If a case was diverted, it may not result in a conviction, and the person may be eligible for expungement sooner.
Programs available in Minneapolis include adult diversion, juvenile diversion, mental health court, drug court, and veterans court. The City Attorney's Office runs some diversion programs. Find more information at minneapolismn.gov/government/government-departments/city-attorney/diversion-programs/. The city attorney's main page is at minneapolismn.gov/government/government-departments/city-attorney/. Cases that go through diversion may still have a court filing that appears in MCRO, even if no conviction results.
Requesting Records from the City
Minneapolis maintains its own records office separate from the county court. City records include police reports, government correspondence, and city agency documents. These are not the same as criminal court records. To request city records, use the process at minneapolismn.gov/government/records-requests/.
For police report copies, contact the MPD directly. The 311 service at (612) 673-3000 can help route your request. The city follows the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act at Minn. Stat. Chapter 13, which governs what data is public and what is private. Most police report data is public, but some information, such as the identity of confidential informants and certain juvenile data, is classified as private.
BCA Criminal History Search
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database. A BCA search covers all Minnesota counties. It costs $8 per search and requires the person's full legal name and date of birth. Results show conviction records up to 15 years back. The BCA search is at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/criminal-history-search.aspx.
BCA results show convictions only. Dismissed charges and acquittals do not appear. For a full case history including all charges filed regardless of outcome, search MCRO or request records from Hennepin County District Court. In a large city like Minneapolis, the BCA database may return multiple records for people with common names, so verify identity using the date of birth field.
Expungement of Minneapolis Criminal Records
If a criminal case arose in Minneapolis, the expungement petition is filed at Hennepin County District Court. Minnesota offers automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015 for petty misdemeanors and certain cases closed without conviction. Other offenses require a petition under Chapter 609A and a hearing before a judge.
The full expungement guide is at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement. It explains eligibility, forms, and the hearing process. Legal aid organizations serving Minneapolis and Hennepin County can assist if you cannot afford a private attorney. The Hennepin County courthouse also has self-help resources available at the public counter.
Getting Copies of Court Records
To get copies of Minneapolis criminal court records, start with MCRO for documents from cases filed after July 1, 2015. Those are free to download. For certified copies or older records, contact Hennepin County District Court. Certified copies cost $14 per document. Uncertified copies from the court are free. Submit copy requests online at mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request, in person, or by mail. Court fee schedules are at mncourts.gov/help-topics/court-fees/district-court-fees.
Hennepin County District Court
All criminal court records for Minneapolis are filed and maintained at Hennepin County District Court. Visit the county page for full court details, search options, and nearby resources.