Rice County Court Records

A Rice County court record is an official document, transcript, or file created or held by a county court. These court records usually comprise details about all types of court legal cases, such as civil, family law, criminal, probate, and other legal matters that occur in county-level courts.

They encompass a variety of information, including case number, filing date, case type (criminal, civil, family law, and probate, etc.), court location, and judge details, among others (Rule 8 of the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch).

Local courts maintain these records for different reasons. Court records act as an official document of all court proceedings, including witness testimonies, evidence presented, and judicial rulings. They also offer a straightforward account of judicial proceedings, making sure the decisions and actions are available for inspection. These records also permit case parties to review ongoing or past proceedings, ensuring a fair trial. Furthermore, all Rice County Court records also constitute the Minnesota Court Records.

Are Court Records Public in Rice County?

Yes. Rule 8 [Subd. 1] of the Minnesota Rules of Public Access To Records Of The Judicial Branch requires that original copies of court records are available to members of the public for inspection upon request from the custodians. The law, however, requires that inquirers make these requests within normal business hours.

However, certain types of records are made inaccessible to the members of the public for inspection by law or court order. Notably, these court records that are restricted or expunged from the public include:

• Records of domestic abuse and harassment.
• Juvenile appeal cases
• Race records
• Medical records, among several others.

Rice County Court Records Search

Researchers can conduct a Rice County court record search at the following places:

• The office of a court clerk.
• The originating courthouse where it was filed.
• An e-portal managed by the court.
• The Minnesota Court Records online search portal (MCRO)
• A reputable third-party website.

Rice County Courts

In Rice County, Minnesota, only one main court handles all forms of county-level cases. Below are the details of the courthouse in Rice County:

Rice County District Court
#218 NW Third Sreet,
Suite 300,
Faribault, MN 55021
Fax: (507) 332-6199
Phone: (507) 497-7134

Rice County Criminal Records

Some types of Rice County criminal records are available for inspection by members of the public. These records include:

• Arrest records
• Adult criminal convictions
• Court case records (including case dockets and files)
• Warrants
• Sentencing details (this includes prison time, community service, rehab programs, or probation terms)
• Bail and bond details (including bail amounts, whether the defendant has been discharged on bond, and bond conditions, if available).

Interested researchers can visit the office of the courthouse where the case was filed to request a criminal court record in person. Researchers will need to contact the court at least two weeks before the appointment to book an appointment with the office. Then, on the day of the appointment, inquirers must carry along a valid ID card, the crucial details of the requested case in search (such as the name of the case party or case number), and any required fees for access and duplicates.

In Rice County, various government agencies maintain criminal records, depending on the kind of record and the stage of the legal proceeding. Researchers can obtain criminal records at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) website. Inquirers will need to provide a fee for every search, as well as the defendant's full name and date of birth. One may also request the criminal records by mail or in person at:

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1430 Maryland Ave. E.
St. Paul, MN 55106
Phone: (651) 793-2400

Alternatively, the Rice County Sheriff's Office also handles local law enforcement records, such as incident reports, jail records, and arrest records. This department handles the custody of persons in the Rice County Jail and holds details on local criminal activity. One may visit the office of the Sheriff's Department to obtain criminal records at:

Rice County Sheriff's Office
118 3rd St. NW
Faribault, MN 55021
Phone: (507) 332-6000

In addition, the Rice County District Court handles various types of legal cases within the county, including criminal cases. This court handles court records associated with criminal proceedings, such as charges, case filings, outcomes, and hearings. Researchers may visit the District Court office at the address below to request criminal records in person.

Rice County District Court
#218 NW Third Street,
Suite 300,
Faribault, MN 55021

Get Rice County Civil Court Records

In Rice County, inquirers may visit the courthouse to acquire access to civil court records within the county. However, researchers must contact the courthouse much earlier to verify if the records are available. Researchers may view electronic documents at the courthouse or pay for plain original copies at the court clerk's office.

Requesters who cannot visit the courthouse by themselves can also access civil court records online via the MCRO online search portal. To do so, one should follow the instructions below:

• Visit the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.
• On the navigation menu, click on "Access Case Records".
• On the next page, click on "Minnesota District (Trial) Court Case Search".
• Click on the link showing "Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)"
• Tap on the "Access MCRO" button on the right
• On the next page, choose the case search type (Name, case number, citation number, or attorney)
• Provide the first and last name of the case party, as well as the exact date of birth or range.
• In "Case Category", only select "Civil"
• Choose the case status (active, inactive, or all)
• In "court location", choose a county, scroll down, and only select "Rice"
• Click on the "Find" button.
• Select the given case record from the search results and proceed to payment.

Rice County Marriage Records

Marriage records are held by the Rice County Recorder's Department, which handles a variety of court records, including Marriage cases. Interested members of the public can obtain marriage records by visiting the office of the County Recorder to query them in person. Inquirers must carry a valid ID, the names of either of the case parties, and the nominal fees as required by the office clerk. It is worth noting that all physical requests must be made during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) from Monday through Friday.

Rice County Government Services Building
#320 Third St. NW,
Faribault, MN 55021
Phone: (507) 332-6114
Fax: (507) 332-6092

Optionally, one may submit a request via mail at RCRecorder@ricecountymn.gov to obtain marriage certificates from the Rice County Recorder's Office.

Rice County Divorce Records

In Rice County, Minnesota, the County District Court collates and maintains different types of family law records, including divorce records. One may visit the office of the District Court to request access to original copies of divorce certificates within the county. It is essential to note that the office only processes requests during regular business hours from Monday through Friday. As stated above, requesters must ensure to carry along the full names of the case parties or the date of filing, together with the fees for access and duplication.

Rice County Courthouse
#218 NW Third Street.,
Suite 300,
Faribault, MN 55021

Rice County Birth and Death Records

Rice County birth and death records are held by the County Recorder's Department, which handles the issuance and registration of certified copies of both birth and death certificates for events that took place within the county. Interested members of the public can contact the Recorder's Office by phone at (507) 332-6114 or in person at the address below:

Rice County Government Services Building
#320 3rd Street NW,
Faribault, MN 55021

Rice County Probate Court Records

In Rice County, the District Court is the agency responsible for maintaining probate court records, among many others. Thus, interested members of the public can access probate court records online by doing the following steps:

• Visit the MCRO online search portal.
• Select the "Access Case Records" link
• Click on the "Access MCRO" option
• On the next page, click on the "Name" search option
• Provide the necessary details, full name, and date of birth.
• In "Case Category," select "Probate or Mental Health"
• Choose the "case status"
• In "Court locations," choose a county and select Rice County.
• Click on "Find".

Alternatively, requesters can also visit the District Courthouse to perform the search in person. Inquirers should ensure they carry the fees for access and copies, together with a valid ID. The office staff will offer assistance where requested.

Rice County Property Records

Property records are official records that offer details regarding real estate properties. They typically include information like ownership history, tax assessments, mortgages, deeds, property descriptions, liens, and other legal documents connected to the property.

To find Rice County property records, one should visit the Recorder's Office to make the request in person. Researchers should contact the court before the visitation day to confirm the records' availability.

Rice County Court Records Online

Members of the public can obtain Rice County court records on official and third-party sites. Third-party sites like Minnesotacourtrecords.us are operated by firms that collate public records from different government databases, including courthouses, and provide them to the general public.

Using third-party search portals has various benefits. One such is that they have more user-friendly and intuitive interfaces than government-operated repositories, offering a more straightforward way for researchers to look up records. Some platforms provide mobile-optimized sites or apps for users to look up records using their tablets or smartphones conveniently.

On the other hand, some third-party sites are comparatively more expensive than government-operated search portals. Also, some of these platforms may provide outdated record information; thus, researchers must validate the information from government repositories for more reliable information.