Mille Lacs County Court Records

Mille Lacs County court records contain information about civil and criminal litigation handled in the county’s courts. They are created by the clerk of court when cases are filed and are updated as new documents, such as orders, petitions, motions, and appeals are created. Court records may exist in various formats, including photographs, paper, recordings, and microfilm.

The maintenance of Mille Lacs court records is a vital part of the judicial process, although it serves other important functions, including the preservation of legal history, aiding judicial research and analysis, and establishing legal precedence. Also, people may require these records for personal research and genealogical research.

Are Court Records Public in Mille Lacs County?

Yes. Court records are subject to provisions under Section 13.06 of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), which states that records maintained by public agencies are public. Per this law, court record custodians must make them available for inspection or copying upon request by interested individuals. Note that judicial administrative records are not regulated by the MGDPA.

Moreover, certain court records may be exempt from access under other statutes or a temporary classification, usually to protect a person’s privacy rights or ensure the physical protection of a potentially vulnerable person named on a record. Examples of non-public court records are:

• Sealed case documents
• Dismissed warrants
• Sensitive personal information like social security numbers
• Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
• Attorney-client privileged information
• Expunged records
• Trade secrets contained in supportive documents filed with the court clerk.

Mille Lacs County Court Records Search

An important step towards finding court records is gathering information about the case of interest, most importantly, party names and the court case number. With these, a person may proceed to search for records:

• Physically at the court clerk’s office
• Online Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal
• Through third-party websites.

Mille Lacs County Courts

Mille Lacs County only has a district court with jurisdiction over all criminal, civil, probate, juvenile, family, and traffic cases. This court has multiple divisions, each handling specific case types. Tax-related appeals and petitions are handled by the Minnesota Tax Court for all counties across the state. Find addresses and contact information for both courts below:

Mille Lacs County District Court
Mille Lacs County Justice Center
225 6th Avenue Southeast
Milaca, MN 56353
Phone: (320) 362-3200
Fax: (320) 983-8384

Minnesota Tax Court
245 Minnesota Judicial Center
25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 539-3260
Fax: (651) 297-8737

Mille Lacs County Criminal and Civil Records

Criminal and civil cases filed in Mille Lacs County are handled by the county's district court. Civil cases arise when private individuals or organizations approach the court to help them resolve a dispute, whereas criminal cases occur when a person is charged to court by the government for an action deemed harmful to society. The clerk of court files records for both case types and is therefore responsible for preserving them and also making them available to requesters.

Provided a record exists and the associated case is not exempt from public access, the general public can access it if they know its case number or a case party's name. One may also need to know the date when a case of interest was filed to aid their records’ easy retrieval. With these details handy, a person can approach the court clerk’s office during business hours and file a record request. Fees may be required for this service, especially if a requester needs personal copies.

Alternatively, searches can be done online through the Minnesota Court Records Online platform. In addition to the details listed above, people can refine search results by specifying the case type, status, and a subject’s date of birth. However, requests for criminal history information such as Mille Lacs county arrest records may be directed to the county’s law enforcement agencies.

Mille Lacs County Marriage Records

Marriage records are part of Mille Lacs County vital records and are kept by the county recorder. Interested parties can look up Mille Lacs County Marriage records online via the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) or in person at the recorder’s office during business hours. The MOMS website also allows people to order copies of their Mille Lacs County marriage certificates.

Mille Lacs County Divorce Records

Divorces are filed at the Mille Lacs District Court and all associated records are managed by the court clerk. A person may query the clerk’s office or use the MCRO website for a record search.

Mille Lacs County Birth Records

Mille Lacs County birth records are selectively "public", limiting access to select parties. Furthermore, the number of persons privy to a person’s Mille Lacs birth certificate depends on whether the record bearer was birthed by married parents (wider access) or single mothers (increased restrictions). The county recorder maintains these records and may issue copies to eligible requesters.

Interested parties should complete a Birth Certificate Application and submit it to the aforementioned office with the applicable fees. This birth certificate application also notes eligible requesters. Mille Lacs County birth certificates are available at $26.00 for the first copy and $19.00 for additional copies requested at the same time. Birth records serve several purposes, including administration of a subject’s estate, protecting personal or property rights, and genealogy tracing.

Mille Lacs County Death Records

Mille Lacs County death records are kept by the county recorder. They are used to document death events and usually include the deceased’s name, death date, and manner and cause of death. The recorder’s office issues certified copies at $13.00 for the first copy and $6 for subsequent copies ordered at the same time. Interested parties should see the requester eligibility requirements on the Death Certificate Application.

To request records, complete the aforenamed application and submit it at the recorder’s office with the appropriate fee. Allowed payment methods include checks, money orders, and credit cards. Money orders and checks are payable to Mille Lacs County. Death records are usually required for the administration of a deceased person’s estate.

Mille Lacs County Probate Court Records

Probate matters are filed at the Mille Lacs County District Court. Common examples of probate cases include estate administration and guardianship. Interested parties may obtain public probate case information through the MCRO portal or in person at the court clerk’s office.

Mille Lacs County Property Records

The Mille Lacs County Recorder’s Office records and preserves real estate records for real properties located in the county, such as mortgages, liens, deeds, and other real estate records. These records allow people to ascertain property ownership and also conduct background research before purchasing a piece of property.

Mille Lacs property records usually cover information about property ownership, location, size, taxation, and legal encumbrance. Contact the Recorder's Office at:

635 2nd Street Southeast
Milaca MN 56353.
Phone: (320) 983-8205
Email: recorder@millelacs.mn.gov.

Mille Lacs County Court Records Online

The MCRO website is the officially recognized resource for online county court records lookup. Cases handled in the Minnesota Supreme Court and Court of Appeals are available through the Minnesota Appellate Courts Case Management System (P-MACS). Third-party websites also exist for record searches.

Private information service providers usually offer this service for commercial purposes. Data on these websites are sourced from courthouses and other sources. Despite being largely commercial, many free options, such as Minnesotacourtrecords.us exist. To find a record, a user will need to enter the case number or a party name.

Note that information on third-party websites is not updated in real-time, as new documents are filed at the court. As such, users are advised to verify information obtained against official copies.