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Carver County, Minnesota State Court Records

Carver County court records are official documents that capture the history and outcome of legal proceedings. In Carver County, they are created by the Carver County District Court administrator's office and cover various case types, including probate filings, traffic violations, civil disputes, criminal cases, and family matters. This office is also responsible for their maintenance and public availability.

In a broader scope, court records connect to a range of other public records maintained by other public offices. For instance, a criminal case file often connects to arrest records maintained by the county sheriff's office, as well as criminal history records maintained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). On the civil side, divorce, adoption, and probate records frequently reference vital records, like death certificates and marriage certificates, which are maintained separately by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Are Carver County Court Records Public?

Yes, under the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, Carver County court records are public. However, a denial of access may occur if a requested record is exempted from public access by other state law or court rule or the record custodian determines that a nondisclosure best serves the circumstances at hand. In any case, the court administrator (otherwise known as the "court clerk") must notify the requester of the reason for the denial and it must be in writing.

Under Rule 4 of the aforementioned rules, the following case records are not public:

  • Domestic abuse and harassment records
  • Court services records
  • Judicial drafts
  • Medical records
  • Wills
  • Identifying information about minor victims of sexual assault
  • Records sealed by court order
  • Images of driver's license or passports
  • Social security numbers

What Information is Available in Carver County Court Records?

The following are some of the most common contents of a Carver County court record:

  • Names of case participants
  • Name of the attorneys or judge(s) on the case
  • Presiding courthouse name
  • Case number or citation number
  • Case status and type
  • Charges of claims filed
  • Court hearing dates
  • Judgment or final disposition

Carver County Court Records Search

A key part of performing a Carver County court record search is having identifying information about the sought-after record. In any case, a person must at least know the last name of a case party or the case number assigned to the case. Other relevant information includes the date when a case was filed, the name of an attorney, or a case participant's date of birth. With these, you may proceed to make a record search through any of the following methods:

Online Access

The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) online application exists for online court case searches for all courthouses in the state. This tool, provided by the Minnesota Judicial Branch, can also be used to search specifically for judgments, hearings, and public case documents.

Performing a case search returns the register of actions (case details) and all public documents filed in relation to the case. In addition to the party name and case number, this site also allows users to search for cases using a business name, an attorney bar number, a debtor name, or a citation number.

In-Person Access

In-person record requests are recommended if the requested record is not available online or a person needs certified copies. Fee payment options for in-person requests are cash, check, money order, or debit/credit cards. County residents should complete a copy request form and submit it to the Court Administrator's office at

Carver County Court Administration

604 East 4th Street

Chaska, MN 55318

Business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday (closed on holidays)

Mail and Phone Requests

Alternatively, call the court administrator at (952) 361-1420 to request a record or inquire about mail requirements. For records requested over the phone, payments are by credit or debit card. Mail-in requests should be directed to Carver County Court Administration, 604 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318. Copy fees can be paid via money order or check.

Fees for Court Records in Carver County

Under Subdivision 6, Rule 8, of the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch, a court record custodian may not charge a fee for record viewing. However, a reasonable copy fee is required. This fee typically covers the costs of making, certifying, and compiling the copies. Fees are calculated by the court administrator's office based on the number of pages and the copy type, as well as other factors like the resources and manpower required to fulfill the request.

Standard copy fees are as follows:

  • Uncertified (plain) copies are free
  • Certified copies: $14.00
  • Exemplified copies: $14.00
  • Copies generated from case management systems: $5.00 (and $25.00 per 50 pages)
  • Exemplified and certified copies: $28.00

Carver County Courthouse Locations

Carver County has a single courthouse-Carver County District Court-which has original jurisdiction in all civil, family, probate, juvenile, traffic, and criminal cases filed in the county. Interested persons can contact the court at:

Carver County Justice Center

Carver County Court Administration

604 East 4th Street

Chaska, MN 55318

Phone: (952) 361-1420

Fax: (952) 361-1491

Criminal Records Access in Carver County

Public access to criminal history records is sanctioned by Minnesota Statutes § 13.87, Subd. 1(c). At the county level, criminal case records are available for free on the MCRO website. Individuals can search for a criminal record by providing the defendant's name or the case number in the appropriate fields. Alternatively, they may request records from the court administrator's office by phone, mail, or in person.

State-level criminal record checks are performed using the Minnesota Public Criminal History Search portal. This service is also free and is provided by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Allowed search criteria include party name, case number, citation number, and attorney name. Note that these websites only exist for informational purposes and documents obtained therefrom cannot be used for official purposes. For official or certified copies, contact the administration and expect to pay statutory copy fees.

Carver County Probate Records

Probate records encompass records for various case types, including estate settlements, trusts, wills, conservatorship, and guardianships. These cases are heard in the Carver County District court and the court administrator is in charge of all ensuing records. Probate court records are public under state law and can be accessed through the state's MCRO portal or from the court administration's office. Note that statutory fees apply.

Carver County Family Court Records

The Carver County District Court hears all family law matters, such as adoption, divorce, child custody, child support, domestic abuse, spousal support, and marriage dissolutions. Like other court records, family records are public, unless they contain sensitive information, such as medical records, financial disclosures, or information about minors. Record seekers may search for public family records online via the MCRO portal.

Alternatively, they may submit a request to the court administration office. This is mostly useful if the sought-after record/document is not publicly available or access is limited to certain parties. Certified copies of family court records are available at the administrator's office for a $14.00 fee. However, certified copies of family records are often restricted to case parties, immediate family members, legal representatives or attorneys, and individuals with a demonstrated legal interest.

Federal Court Records in Carver County

Federal law cases that originate from Carver County are handled at the Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse (Minneapolis) or the Warren E. Burger Federal Building (St. Paul). Both courthouses fall under the United States District Court, District of Minnesota. Records from this court are maintained and accessible through thePublic Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), a public portal that allows users to search and retrieve federal court documents.

Creating a PACER account is free, though document access is billed at $0.10 per page, with any single document capped at $3.00. Searches require a case number or party name and search results can be filtered by specifying the county or city where the case was filed.

Carver County Court