Ramsey County Civil Court Records

Ramsey County civil court records are on file at the District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. The court is part of the 2nd Judicial District and is the second-busiest court system in the state. You can search civil court records online through Minnesota Court Records Online or contact the Records Center directly by phone, mail, or in person. The court maintains multiple locations in St. Paul and Maplewood. This page covers how to find and get copies of Ramsey County civil court records.

Ramsey County District Court

The Ramsey County District Court operates out of three locations. The main courthouse sits at 15 W. Kellogg Blvd in downtown St. Paul. A suburban location in Maplewood at 2050 White Bear Ave handles some matters for the eastern part of the county. The Juvenile and Family Justice Center at 25 W. 7th St. in St. Paul handles family and juvenile cases. For most civil court record requests, the main courthouse is where you go.

The District Court Records Center manages civil case files for Ramsey County. They can be reached by phone at (651) 266-8237. You can also contact them by mail at the District Court Records Center, Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd Room 72, St. Paul, MN 55102. Phone requests can be paid with credit or debit card. Mail requests require a check or money order. In-person visits accept cash, check, money order, or credit and debit cards.

The Ramsey County District Court page on mncourts.gov has court locations, contact info, and direct links to the MCRO case search for Ramsey County civil records.

The page includes location details for the main courthouse in St. Paul and the Maplewood suburban court, along with access to the county's court records portal.

Searching Ramsey County Civil Court Records

Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) is the main tool for searching Ramsey County civil court records online. The system is free and runs around the clock. Go to publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us to start. You can search by name, case number, or attorney. MCRO shows docket entries, case status, party names, and public documents for civil cases filed after July 1, 2015.

Ramsey County also has a dedicated court records page at mncourts.gov/find-courts/ramsey/court-records. This page provides direct access to county-specific resources and tools. For in-person searches, each of the three courthouse locations has public access terminals. These terminals let you view records that may not show up in the remote MCRO system, including documents from older cases.

To search older records, contact the Records Center directly at (651) 266-8237. Phone searches are efficient for quick lookups. Staff can tell you what documents exist and what the copy fee will be before you commit to an order. Having the full names of parties and an approximate case year speeds things up considerably.

Civil Cases in Ramsey County District Court

Ramsey County handles a high volume of civil cases as the home of Minnesota's capital city, St. Paul. Civil cases in this court cover the full range of disputes: contract claims, personal injury lawsuits, property disputes, debt collection, landlord-tenant matters, and civil harassment cases. The court also handles civil commitment proceedings and other specialty civil matters. Each case type has its own procedures under Minnesota law.

Small claims cases go through the conciliation court division. Ramsey County's conciliation court handles disputes up to $20,000 and is designed for people who do not have an attorney. Rules are simpler, and hearings move faster. The state conciliation court overview is at mncourts.gov. Cases above the $20,000 limit follow the full civil procedure rules under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 540.

Civil case files in Ramsey County are generally public records. The file can include complaints, answers, motions, hearings notices, court orders, and final judgments. Some documents may carry restricted access if they contain protected information such as financial account numbers or Social Security numbers. Standard civil filings remain open to anyone who asks.

Ramsey County Law Library Clinics

Ramsey County offers five free legal clinics through its Law Library each week. These clinics are one of the more useful resources for people with civil legal questions in St. Paul. Each clinic focuses on a different area of law, and attorneys volunteer their time to help people understand their options.

The clinics run on a regular weekly schedule. The Conciliation Court Clinic meets Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Housing Court Clinic also runs on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Family Court Clinic is offered Mondays and Wednesdays by phone from noon to 2:00 p.m. The Criminal Defense Clinic meets the first and third Thursdays of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The Criminal Expungement Clinic meets the fourth Thursday each month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. These are free and do not require advance signup for most sessions.

The Law Library itself is a good resource for legal research. It is open to the public and has access to legal databases and court forms. Under Minnesota Statutes section 484.94, licensed attorneys can apply for government-level access to electronic court records. Self-represented individuals rely on MCRO and the public terminals for their record searches.

Copy Fees and How to Get Documents

Ramsey County follows Minnesota's standard court fee schedule. Regular copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $16.00 per document. Exemplified copies, which carry additional authentication, cost $28.00. All downloads through MCRO online are free. There is no charge for viewing records on the public terminals at any courthouse location.

In-person requests are the fastest way to get copies. Visit the Records Center at Room 72 in the main courthouse with your request. Staff can make copies while you wait. For phone requests, call (651) 266-8237 and pay by credit or debit card. For mail requests, send a written request with the case details to District Court Records Center, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd Room 72, St. Paul, MN 55102. Include a check or money order for the estimated fee.

Cities in Ramsey County

Ramsey County is one of Minnesota's most densely populated counties. All civil cases from cities across the county go through the Ramsey County District Court.

Other communities in Ramsey County include Maplewood, Roseville, Shoreview, Arden Hills, Little Canada, North St. Paul, White Bear Lake, and others. All civil court records for these areas are filed at the Ramsey County District Court.

Nearby Counties

Ramsey County is bordered by several other Minnesota counties. Each has its own district court for civil filings.