Houston County Criminal Court Records

Houston County criminal court records are maintained at the District Court in Caledonia, a small city in the far southeastern corner of Minnesota along the Mississippi River bluffs. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial District and handles the full range of criminal cases filed in the county. You can search records for free online or visit the courthouse directly to access case files and request copies.

Houston County District Court

The District Court is at 304 S Marshall St, Caledonia, MN 55921. Call the Court Administrator's office at (507) 725-5800. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The courthouse handles all criminal case filings, hearings, and records for Houston County.

Houston County is one of the smaller counties in the 3rd Judicial District by population, but it sees a full range of criminal matters. Cases involving DWI, drug offenses, assault, theft, and related charges all pass through the Caledonia courthouse. The court processes cases at the felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor levels. All records from these proceedings are public unless restricted by statute or court order.

Using MCRO to Search Houston County Records

Minnesota Court Records Online, or MCRO, is available at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. The search is free and open to everyone. You can look up cases using a person's name, case number, or a citation number from a traffic ticket or charging document.

Search results show the parties to the case, charges filed, current status, and scheduled hearing dates. If the case was filed on or after July 1, 2015, many court documents are also available to read and download directly from MCRO at no cost. The system's court calendar updates at 7:00 AM each morning and continues to refresh every hour during the day.

A public access terminal inside the Caledonia courthouse gives you the same MCRO tools in person. Court staff can help if you have trouble locating a specific case or understanding the search results. Some cases will not appear in public searches. Expunged records, juvenile cases, and files sealed by order of the court are not publicly viewable.

Copy Requests for Court Records

Uncertified copies of Houston County criminal court records are free as of July 1, 2023. You can download them directly from MCRO for cases filed after July 2015. For older records or when you need physical paper copies, contact the court directly.

Certified copies carry a $14 fee per document. These are needed when you must prove the authenticity of the document, such as for legal proceedings, government applications, or formal verification. To get certified copies, visit the Caledonia courthouse in person, send a written request by mail, or use the state's online request process at mncourts.gov/help-topics/copy-request.

When requesting by mail, include the defendant's name, case number, year filed, and a clear description of which records you need. Include payment for certified copies. The court fee schedule is listed at mncourts.gov/help-topics/court-fees/district-court-fees.

Houston County Sheriff's Office

The Houston County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. Visit their page at co.houston.mn.us/departments/sheriff for department contacts and information on local law enforcement services. The sheriff's office may provide access to jail roster or booking information.

Arrest records generated by the sheriff's office or local police are separate from court records. After charges are filed with the District Court in Caledonia, those charges become court records and are accessible through MCRO. The sheriff's booking data stays with the sheriff's department and is not part of the court file.

For general county services and government contacts, visit co.houston.mn.us.

BCA Criminal History Search

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension offers a statewide criminal history search for $8 per person. The BCA database covers felony and gross misdemeanor convictions from across Minnesota going back 15 years. If you want to know whether someone has a criminal history beyond Houston County, this is the resource to use. Access it at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca.

MCRO gives you case-by-case details for Houston County court filings. The BCA gives you a broader look at statewide conviction history. Both are useful tools, and they work best used together when you need a full picture of someone's criminal record in Minnesota.

Expungement in Houston County

Minnesota law gives people with certain criminal records a way to seal those records through expungement. Two tracks exist. Automatic expungement under Minn. Stat. 609A.015 applies to qualifying low-level offenses after waiting periods pass, with no filing needed. Petition-based expungement under Chapter 609A requires filing a petition with the Houston County District Court, serving it on the relevant agencies, and attending a hearing in Caledonia.

When the court grants expungement, the record disappears from public MCRO searches and most government databases. The process and eligibility details are at mncourts.gov/help-topics/criminal-expungement. Contact local legal aid or a private attorney if you need help filing.

Access Rights Under Minnesota Law

Minn. Stat. Chapter 13, the Government Data Practices Act, establishes that most criminal court records are public. Any person can request access to Houston County court records without providing a reason. The court must provide the records or cite a legal basis for any restriction.

Restrictions apply in defined circumstances: juvenile cases, victim information shielded by statute, active investigation data, and expunged records are not public. Everything else is open. You do not need to hire an attorney or file special paperwork to request a public court record. A request at the clerk's window or through MCRO is all you need for most cases.

3rd Judicial District

Houston County is part of Minnesota's 3rd Judicial District, covering nine counties in the southeastern part of the state. District administration is based in Rochester, but each county court operates independently. More information about the district's structure, judge roster, and court locations is at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/District/3.aspx.

The Houston County court page on mncourts.gov lists current contact information, hours, and links to case search tools for the county.

The court directory page is the best starting point for anyone looking to access Houston County criminal records or contact court staff.

Nearby Counties

Counties neighboring Houston are also in southeastern Minnesota and maintain their own criminal court records through the same state systems.