Court Administration in Washington County

About Washington County Court Administration

Minnesota does not elect a district clerk for trial court records. Instead, court files and filings are managed by Court Administration under the Minnesota Judicial Branch. The county page calls this office Court Administration and notes that it carries out the non-judicial functions of the District Court. The Judicial Branch lists Deb Lepper as the Washington County Court Administrator.

The office serves the public, judges, attorneys, and agencies. The county states that the Washington County 10th District Court processes filings for civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate, and juvenile matters, and Court Administration handles the records and customer service side of all of it.

Court Administration is different from Property Records and Taxpayer Services, which handles marriage, property, and vital records. Many people search county clerk when they mean one office or the other.

The distinction matters for a records request. A court file, such as a criminal case, a divorce, or a probate matter, comes from Court Administration. A marriage certificate, a property record, or a tax document comes from Property Records and Taxpayer Services. A sheriff incident report comes from the Sheriff's Office through a data request. Sending the request to the right office the first time saves a wasted call. The County Attorney, who prosecutes cases, is not the clerk and cannot give legal advice or hand out case copies.

What Court Administration Does in Washington County

Court Administration handles the work that keeps cases moving without deciding them. Its core duties include jury management, court finances, fine collection, case flow management across all case types, and records management. The office also provides customer service for records and copy requests. Each division has its own phone line at the courthouse.

For a court file, call Court Records and press option 6. For a traffic fine, the Criminal and Traffic line is the right choice.

Behind the phone lines, the office manages the jury pool, tracks court finances, and keeps each case file in order from opening to disposition. Court Administration also collects fines and restitution and manages the flow of cases on the calendar. None of this is judging; the staff do not decide cases or give legal advice. They make sure filings reach the right division, records stay accurate, and the public can get copies of what is public.

How to Request a Certified Copy

Online records from MCRO are not certified. When a court will accept only a certified copy, order it from Court Administration. A certified copy can be made only from a document in a Washington County file. The steps below cover a typical request.

1. Find the case number if you can, through MCRO Case Search.
2. Call Court Records at 651-413-8030, option 6, or visit the courthouse counter.
3. Tell staff the case number, party names, and the exact document you need.
4. Ask for a certified copy and confirm the $14 fee and accepted payment.
5. Pick up the copy or arrange delivery; most requests are filled while you wait.

Larger requests that involve multiple files or microfilm can take longer than a same-day pickup.

Records Request Form Fields

Whether you call or visit, the office needs the same basic details to find a record. The table below lists what to have ready for a court copy request.

For a mailed request, include payment and a return address, and call ahead to confirm the current fee.

Court Administration Fees

Copy fees are set by the state and charged by Court Administration. Filing fees vary by case type and come from the Minnesota Judicial Branch schedule. The table below lists the common copy fees.

Confirm the current filing fee on the Minnesota Judicial Branch fee schedule before you file a case.

Common Court Forms and Self-Help

The Tenth Judicial District runs a Self-Help Center for people without a lawyer. It offers Zoom appointments and phone help on weekdays, plus walk-in hours at the Washington County Courthouse first-floor Court Administration window on Thursday and Friday. Staff can review forms for completeness in areas like conciliation court, landlord and tenant, name change, and family matters, but they cannot give legal advice.

The center lists statewide forms for dissolution, custody, conciliation court, guardianship, and more. Call 763-760-6699 to confirm walk-in hours before a visit, since staffing can change.

Mail and Online Filings

Court Administration can be reached by mail at the Washington County Courthouse, 14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082. Many records are available online through MCRO, and the office fills in-person and phone requests during business hours. Remember that MCRO results are not certified, so a certified copy still comes from this office.

For legal help beyond forms, contact a lawyer, the public defender if eligible in a criminal case, or a legal referral service.

One point trips people up often. A document downloaded from MCRO is a public copy, not a certified one, and a court, an employer, or an agency may not accept it for an official purpose. The court does not certify MCRO records or search results. When a certified copy is required, the request goes back to Court Administration, which can certify a document from a Washington County file for $14. Knowing this before a deadline saves a return trip to the courthouse.

Related Washington County Resources

Court Administration connects to the rest of the site. For online case search, use Washington County court records. For hearing dates, see court dockets. For the courts and judges, see the District Court page. For marriage and property records, see public records.