Minnesota Public Records

Whether you’re searching Minnesota public records for ancestors on a family tree or need a record for a legal or other issue, you can access them through Minnesota Judicial Branch. Minnesota, an open records state, will only release certified copies of some records to authorized recipients such as an immediate family member who can show cause as to why they need the record or a legal representative. You can also search through the state’s archives if the information you need is old. Some public records must be requested through the county in which the event occurred. To find out more information about the specific record you want or need, contact the following office:

Minnesota Judicial Branch
25 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Phone: (651) 297- 7582

Be prepared to offer the person’s full name and date of birth – and a record number if possible. It also helps if you know the county in Minnesota where the event took place.

Also be prepared to pay a search fee that varies according to the type of record you need. Even though the state of Minnesota complies with the Freedom of Information Act which allows public access to some records, there are privacy laws which prevent some from viewing certain information – such as juvenile records. You may also have to wait quite a while for a response, since most states, including Minnesota, are overwhelmed with requests for public records.

MN Public Records

Internet search sites can also provide you with the record(s) you need. They are fee-based, but if no record is found, you don’t pay for the search. You’ll likely receive a faster response and the information will be more accurate than going through a state-based search. Also, data tends to be more up-to-date than going through the state because the Internet search engines can search further and wider in a shorter amount of time. All you need to do is submit some information about the person whose record you’re search for and let them do the rest. You’ll receive a full report, usually in a matter of moments, sent to your private email address. Professionals are employed at these Internet search sites and they know how to cross reference other states – so that if the information isn’t found in Minnesota, a record may appear from another state. Private Citizens are now using these sites more and more to check the backgrounds of people in their lives. You can’t depend on anyone to tell the truth anymore. Our society is too transient and it’s too easy to forge documents. Now, you can get the truth you need or the information that will help you in a legal situation or plug in that missing puzzle piece to a family tree. Click on the link to discover how a private, online search site can help you find Minnesota public records.