How to Search Washington County Court Records
The state's main court portal is Minnesota Court Records Online, often called MCRO. It has four search tabs: Case Search, Document Search, Hearing Search, and Judgment Search. Case Search looks up cases by party name, business name, case number, citation number, attorney name, or bar number. Document Search pulls public PDFs once you have a case number. Hearing Search lists scheduled court dates. Judgment Search looks up docketed money judgments by debtor name. The Minnesota Judicial Branch runs the portal and warns that online records are not the official, certified court record.
Pick the tab that fits the task. Have a full name and date of birth ready for a name search. Keep a case or citation number handy for a pending criminal file, since name search is blocked on cases with no conviction yet. Use the Washington County filter to keep results local. The Judicial Branch MCRO overview explains the search tabs and what posts online.
The county's own records hub sits on the Washington County website for non-court files like marriage, property, and jail records. The steps below walk through a normal court records search.
- Open MCRO Case Search and accept the terms after reading the warnings about unofficial records and remote access limits.
- Pick the right tab. Use Name for party searches, Case Number when you have one, or Citation Number for traffic and minor cases.
- Open Court Locations, choose County, and check Washington so results stay local.
- Set the case category. Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate or Mental Health boxes start checked. Uncheck what you do not need.
- Enter Last Name and First Name for a party search. Add a middle name, date of birth, or filing date to narrow common names. Use Sounds Like when spelling is uncertain.
- Click Search, then open a case to read the Register of Actions, hearings, and public documents.
- If a case does not appear, check whether it is pending criminal, sealed, juvenile, or only on a courthouse terminal.
For a certified copy, MCRO will not do. Certified copies come from Washington County Court Administration at 651-413-8030, option 6.
The Washington County Judicial System
Minnesota has a unified trial court. Each county has a District Court, and Washington County District Court hears every type of state trial matter for the county. Washington is part of the Tenth Judicial District, which also covers Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, and Wright counties. The district has 45 judges and is the second largest of the state's ten districts. Appeals from District Court go to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, with final review by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
The court calendar runs out of the county courthouse on the Government Center campus at 14949 62nd Street North in Stillwater. Court Administration sits in the same building. Deb Lepper is the Washington County Court Administrator. The main court line is 651-413-8030. The Tenth District is led by Chief Judge Hon. Elizabeth H. Strand, with Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer serving as District Administrator. The district office in Ramsey supports the courts but does not hear cases; the county District Court does.
Case flow: Washington County District Court › Minnesota Court of Appeals › Minnesota Supreme Court
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County District Court | Unified trial court for Washington County | Civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate, juvenile |
| Tenth Judicial District | District-level court administration | Trial-court support across Washington and seven nearby counties |
| Minnesota Court of Appeals | Intermediate review for state cases | Most appeals from District Court |
| Minnesota Supreme Court | Highest state court | Discretionary and direct review, court rule-making |
Probate, family, and traffic matters are divisions inside District Court here, not separate courts. The District Court page on this site breaks down each division and the judges who serve the county.
Washington County Courthouse and Sheriff Offices
Two campuses handle most county justice work, and they sit side by side. The courthouse on 62nd Street North hosts hearings and Court Administration. The Law Enforcement Center next door holds the Sheriff's Office, the jail, and the County Attorney. People dealing with a criminal case often move between both buildings in one trip.
Washington County Courthouse
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-413-8030
Washington County Jail
15015 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-430-7900
Washington County Sheriff's Office
15015 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-430-7600
Court Administration hours run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The mailing address for court filings is Washington County Courthouse, 14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082. The historic 1870 courthouse in downtown Stillwater is a county landmark, not the place to file or pull a modern record.
Types of Court Records Available in Washington County
Washington County District Court files cover the full range of state trial work. MCRO sorts each case into one of four broad categories: Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate or Mental Health. Traffic and juvenile cases sit inside those groups. Family files include divorce, custody, child support, paternity, and protective orders. Probate covers estates, guardianship, conservatorship, trusts, and civil commitment.
Different offices hold different parts of the public record. The court holds case files. The Sheriff holds arrest, jail, and warrant data. Property Records and Taxpayer Services holds marriage license applications and certificates. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs the state's public criminal history background check.
- Criminal and traffic records : charges, pleas, sentences, citations, and bail; arrest records and traffic court records have their own pages.
- Civil records : lawsuits, conciliation court, evictions, name changes, and money judgments.
- Family and divorce records : dissolution, custody, child support, and paternity; remote document access is limited.
- Probate records : estates, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust files under the Minnesota Probate Code.
- Jail records : the current active inmate roster for the Washington County Jail.
- Warrant records : active arrest warrants posted by the Sheriff's public warrant search.
The court does not show everything online. Domestic abuse and harassment orders, juvenile delinquency, child protection, and civil commitment files do not display on MCRO. Some public records exist only at a courthouse public access terminal.
What a Washington County Court Record Shows
A public Washington County court file holds a set of fields that track how the case moved through court. Most fields show up in both the result list and the case detail screen on MCRO. Washington County case numbers usually start with the county code 82, then the case type, the filing year, and a sequence number, such as 82-CR for criminal or 82-FA for family.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Court-assigned ID, such as 82-CR-YY-#### for a Washington County criminal case. |
| Case Caption | Parties to the case, like State of Minnesota vs. Defendant or Petitioner vs. Respondent. |
| Filing Date | Date the case was opened in District Court. |
| Case Category | Civil, Criminal, Family, or Probate and Mental Health. |
| Case Status | Active or inactive in search; the case page shows a fuller status. |
| Register of Actions | Date-stamped docket of every event and filing. |
| Hearings | Date, time, location, and judicial officer when listed. |
| Charges or Cause | Criminal counts with statute and level, or the civil cause of action. |
| Disposition | Outcome on each charge or claim, such as conviction, dismissal, or judgment. |
| Sentence or Judgment | Sentence for a criminal matter or the money judgment amount in a civil case. |
Street addresses, Social Security numbers, and many comment fields are left out of the public view. Family cases show only court-prepared orders, opinions, and notices online. The full case file and certified copies stay with Court Administration.
Public Access Laws for Washington County Court Records
Minnesota starts with a public-by-default rule, but it splits the rules in two. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act covers data held by county offices like the Sheriff and Property Records. Court records sit under the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, which the Supreme Court adopts. That split matters in Washington County. A sheriff incident report runs through a county data request, while a court document runs through MCRO or Court Administration.
Key Statutes:
Minn. Stat. § 13.03 : Presumes government data are public and allows reasonable copy fees.
Minn. Stat. § 13.82 : Classifies law enforcement data, including arrest and warrant index data.
Minn. Stat. § 13.90 : Says judiciary records follow court rules, not the Data Practices Act.
Minn. Stat. § 260B.171 : Limits public access to juvenile court records.
Minn. Stat. § 259.61 : Seals adoption hearings and adoption court files.
The Minnesota Data Practices Office publishes a plain-English guide to government data rights. Note: public access does not erase identity rules, so the county may ask for a valid photo ID before it hands out private data on a named person.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Several record types stay closed by statute or court rule. Juvenile delinquency and child protection files are limited under Minn. Stat. § 260B.171. Adoption files are sealed under Minn. Stat. § 259.61. Civil commitment proceedings fall under Chapter 253B, and those public documents are not available remotely. Domestic abuse and harassment orders are kept off the internet because of federal rules.
To seal a criminal record, a person files for expungement under Chapter 609A. The Judicial Branch Criminal Expungement help topic explains eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition steps. A sealed file drops out of public view, though some agencies keep access under statute. Expungement is never allowed in cases that require predatory offender registration.
Specialty Courts in Washington County
Minnesota runs a set of statewide treatment court programs. The Judicial Branch uses Treatment Court as an umbrella term for Adult Drug Court, DWI Court, Family Dependency Treatment Court, Juvenile Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court. Each one uses a team of judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, probation, and treatment providers, with a focus on accountability, sobriety, and supervision rather than jail alone.
Inside the jail, Washington County offers related programs that serve court-involved people. Canvas Health provides chemical dependency assessments and treatment. The jail also runs GED prep, cognitive skills, anger management, and reentry help. A sentencing judge can order work release or electronic home monitoring for inmates who meet the criteria. Call Court Administration at 651-413-8030 to confirm which treatment court tracks are open before relying on any single program name.
Washington County Sheriff and Jail Information
The Washington County Sheriff's Office runs the county's jail roster and the public warrant search. Sheriff Dan Starry leads the office, which has served the county through many roles over the years. The jail is a 228-bed direct supervision facility that opened in June 1993, holding both pretrial and sentenced inmates plus a small juvenile holding unit. The Sheriff's Office and jail share the Law Enforcement Center at 15015 62nd Street North in Stillwater.
For daily searches, use the active inmate roster for current custody and the warrant search for active arrest warrants. Public criminal history checks run through the state BCA, not MCRO. The county serves a large and growing population, which shapes the court calendar and jail counts. The county demographics page lays out the numbers behind that growth.
Census figures put the 2025 county population near 286,895, which makes Washington the fifth most populous county in Minnesota. Note: the Sheriff's Office does not issue warrants; District Court judges issue them, and the Sheriff enforces them.
Federal Courts Serving Washington County
Federal cases from Washington County are heard by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Many local litigants use the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 316 North Robert Street in St. Paul. Federal court covers federal crimes, civil rights suits, Social Security appeals, bankruptcy, and other federal questions. These records are searched through PACER, not MCRO.
Federal prosecutions in the area are handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota. Its public page lists news, divisions, and contacts for the federal side of criminal and civil work.
The St. Paul office runs at 316 N. Robert Street, Suite 404, and the main St. Paul line is 651-848-1950. The office contact page lists direct lines for the Minneapolis and St. Paul locations.
The U.S. Marshals Service handles federal custody and court security in the district. Its courthouse location page lists the St. Paul federal courthouse address and hours.
For docket access, register with PACER and pick the District of Minnesota. Federal records are separate from any Washington County District Court file.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Marriage license applications and certified marriage copies come from Washington County Property Records and Taxpayer Services in the Government Center at 14949 62nd Street North. The license fee is $125, or $50 with qualifying premarital education. Certified marriage certificate copies are $10 each, and the county holds marriage records from 1870 to present. Divorce files are family records of Washington County District Court. Probate matters live in the District Court Probate Division. The marriage and divorce records page and the probate records page carry the full process.
- Petitioner
- The filing party in family, probate, and many civil matters.
- Testator
- A person who made a will.
- Personal Representative
- The probate fiduciary who settles an estate.
- Conservator
- A court-appointed manager of another person's finances.
- Guardian
- A court-appointed decision maker for another person's care.
Marriage license applications are taken only at the Government Center, even though certified copies can be picked up at several county service centers. The Family Court line for divorce questions is 651-413-8132.
Washington County Records Fees
Court fees and county fees come from two schedules. The state sets court filing and copy fees through the Minnesota Judicial Branch. The county sets its own fees for marriage, property, and Sheriff data. MCRO downloads cost nothing.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| MCRO public document download | $0 |
| Plain (uncertified) court copy | $0 |
| Certified copy of a Washington County court document | $14 |
| Marriage license | $125 |
| Reduced marriage license with premarital education | $50 |
| Certified marriage certificate copy | $10 |
Certified court copies can be made only from a document in a Washington County file. Court filing fees vary by case type; check the Minnesota Judicial Branch fee schedule before you file. Call Court Records at 651-413-8030, option 6, to confirm a copy charge.
How to Interpret a Washington County Court Record
Reading a case file gets easier with a short glossary. Plaintiff means the person who filed a civil claim. Defendant is the party who must respond, on the civil or the criminal side. Petitioner files in many family and probate matters; respondent is the other party. The Register of Actions is the dated list of every event in the case. A motion is a written request for an order. An order is the judge's directive. A disposition is the outcome on a claim or charge.
Charges and convictions are not the same thing. An arrest record shows that police booked a person, while a conviction is a final court judgment of guilt. MCRO blocks name search on pending criminal cases, including those continued for dismissal, so a missing result does not always mean a clean record. For a full background check, use the Minnesota BCA Public Criminal History portal instead of the court tool.
Important: An arrest does not mean guilt. People are innocent until a court enters a conviction.
Accuracy, Updates, and Record Limits
Online records are not the official court record. The Minnesota Judicial Branch warns that some events take time to post and that some documents post only at a courthouse public access terminal. The Sheriff's warrant page adds its own warning: there can be delays between court action and updates to the warrant system, so no one should act on a result alone. Verify any court date, charge, or release before relying on it.
To correct a record, contact the office that created it. For court files, that is Court Administration at the Washington County Courthouse. For arrest, jail, or warrant data, that is the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Errors found in MCRO should be reported to local court administration.
Note: Confirm any case status, charge, or release date with Court Administration or the Jail Division before you use it in a legal filing.
History of Washington County Courts
Washington County is one of Minnesota's original nine counties, and Stillwater is the county seat. The county sits on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro along the St. Croix River. Its early growth came from territorial settlement, lumber, and river trade in the St. Croix Valley. The county history page traces that story from the territorial era forward.
The first Washington County sheriff was appointed in 1849, the year Minnesota became a territory. Ground was broken in 1867 for a courthouse on a bluff over downtown Stillwater, and the building opened in 1870. It served county government for more than a century before the county moved to a new government center about one mile south in 1975.
The 1870 Historic Courthouse is now cared for by the county Parks Division and used for preservation and community events. It is a striking building, but court filings, records, and hearings all happen at the modern Government Center campus.
Self-Help and Legal Aid for Washington County
The Tenth Judicial District runs a Self-Help Center for people without a lawyer. It offers Zoom and phone help, 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 cases, but they cannot give legal advice. Call 763-760-6699 to confirm hours before a visit.
Criminal defense for those who qualify flows through the Washington County Public Defender at 651-351-3700, 1825 Curve Crest Blvd. #202, Stillwater. Prosecution is handled by County Attorney Kevin Magnuson, sworn in January 3, 2023, whose office sits in the Law Enforcement Center. The County Attorney prosecutes felonies and township misdemeanors; city attorneys handle many city cases. Prosecutors do not represent private individuals or give legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Washington County court records online?
Use MCRO Case Search. Pick the Name or Case Number tab. Open Court Locations, choose County, and check Washington. Set the case category and search. Pending criminal cases need a case or citation number, since name search is blocked until conviction.
How do I get a certified copy of a court document?
Request it from Washington County Court Administration. Certified copies are $14 and can be made from a document in a Washington County file only. Plain copies are listed as no charge. Call 651-413-8030 and press option 6 for court records.
Where is the Washington County Courthouse?
The courthouse is at 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082, on the Government Center campus. The main court line is 651-413-8030. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The historic 1870 courthouse is a landmark, not the records office.
How do I search jail inmates?
Use the official Washington County active inmate roster. It lists name, jail ID, booking date and number, an estimated release date when set, and days in custody. It does not show mugshots, charges, or bond. Call the jail at 651-430-7900 with questions.
Can I run a background check through MCRO?
No. MCRO warns it should not be used for background checks. For public Minnesota conviction history, use the Minnesota BCA Public Criminal History system instead. MCRO is a court-record tool with name-search and remote-access limits.
More questions are on the Washington County Court Records FAQ page.