Look Up Free Hennepin County Divorce Records (Minnesota)

Look up Hennepin County divorce records free of charge when searching for basic information about marriages dissolved here. Certified copies of divorce papers and other court documents may have a nominal fee associated with them, but basic record searches cost nothing to citizens seeking them.

This resource explores helpful options for those looking for information about divorces that took place in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

How To Track Down Hennepin County Divorce Records for Free

Individuals who want to view divorce records in Hennepin County can utilize the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) website.¹ This website is free to use and offers a Case Search function and a Document Search function, features that may be useful for people needing information about divorce cases.

The Case Search feature supports searching for cases by name, while the Document Search requires a case number.²

To use the Case Search tool, simply:

• Enter the name of one of the people involved in the divorce
• Select “Family” for the case category
• Add any other known details, such as date of birth
• Choose “County” and select Hennepin County
• Click Search

The search tool will bring up a list of matching cases, showing the names of the people involved, the date of the case filing and the case type, such as “Dissolution without Child.” Clicking “View Case Details” will open up a page with more information about the case, including details about both parties involved and their legal representatives, copies of the judgment and any documents relating to the case.

Where documents are publicly available, a Download button will be visible, allowing the searcher to download a copy of the document as a PDF file.

Individuals can request certified copies of court documents by noting the case number and then filling out a document request form.³ Certified copies cost $14 per instrument, but fees may be waived for certain eligible individuals.

The MCRO offers information about cases dating from July 1, 2015 onward. Only a limited number of cases before then have been recorded in the system.

To access information about older cases, contact the 4th District Record Center. The center is also able to provide information about more recent cases.

The 4th District Record Center offers public access terminals and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Requests can also be made in writing to:

4th District Court Records Center
300 South 6th Street, #SK-0260
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0332

The record center can send responses via post or email. Searchers are asked to specify their preferred method of contact as part of the request. Payments can be made by credit card using the electronic filing system or by enclosing a check with the request.

As with online requests, there is a $14 fee per instrument for certified copies.

Browse Hennepin County Divorce & Dissolution Records via Local Cities

Divorce records are managed by the county courts in Minneapolis. Individuals looking for information about a divorce that took place in Hennepin County should contact those courts directly:⁴

Minneapolis City Clerk
City Hall
350 5th Street S., Room 304
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Phone: 612-673-2216
Email: [email protected]

Minnetonka City Hall
14600 Minnetonka Blvd.
Minnetonka, MN 55345

Phone: 952-939-8200

Bloomington City Clerk
1800 West Old Shakopee Rd.
Bloomington, MN 55431

Phone: 952-563-8729
Email: [email protected]

Brooklyn Park City Clerk
6301 Shingle Creek Pkwy.
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

Phone: 763-569-3300

Plymouth City Clerk
Plymouth City Hall
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447

Phone: 763-509-5000
Email: [email protected]

In some cases, it may be possible to obtain copies of historic divorce information from local libraries or clerks of court. However, this is typically limited to historical information that has not been digitized or recent divorce filings not yet entered into the centralized computer systems. Older divorce documents may be stored as microfiche and might not be indexed.

Where possible, it can be worthwhile to contact local clerks, as they may be able to offer better customer service and faster turnaround times. Processing times for record requests can be 10 days or longer, and there are additional fees for rush requests.

Visiting a clerk or records office in person is a good option for those who need copies of certificates or other documents quickly or for those who require assistance with their searches.

How To Search for Divorce Records via the Minnesota Judicial Branch (Statewide Lookup)

In some circumstances, a divorce may occur in a neighboring county or elsewhere in the state, making it necessary to search for records across the entirety of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Case Records Online (MCRO) search tool’s results are not limited to Hennepin County. Use this to request general details about divorce hearings that occurred in other parts of the state.

To do this, simply complete the same search function described in the previous section. However, select “State” instead of “County” when setting the search scope.

After conducting a statewide search using the case search tool, users can note the case number and the court where the divorce hearing took place. They can then reach out to the court in question to request certified copies of the case documents if required.

Only cases from mid-2015 onward have been added to the case search tool. For records predating this, searchers must contact the district court directly. A complete list of district courts is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.⁵ The Minnesota Historical Society also holds district court judgment books for cases prior to 1982.

Those who do not wish to perform an online search can request divorce information by mail. Users need to be aware that certified copies cost $14, and payment can be made by debit/credit card or a check or money order made payable to the “District Court Administrator.”

In-person requests must be made at the specific county clerk where the divorce occurred.

Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 64499
St. Paul, MN 55164

Phone: 651-201-5970
Email: [email protected]

Copies of request forms are available on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.⁶ There is currently no central statewide database for older divorce records, so requests would need to be made individually to each of the district courts.

Are Divorce Records Open to the Public in Hennepin County?

Divorce records in Hennepin County are a matter of public record, according to Minnesota statute 13.03.⁷

Anyone can find information about divorce records that indicate whether a marriage was terminated. However, divorce decrees and copies of divorce certificates may be restricted to those with a legitimate need for that information, such as one of the parties involved in the divorce or their representatives.

Citizens may also be able to obtain uncertified copies of decrees directly from the district courts, which can be a valuable resource for those researching their family tree. After all, a decree typically includes information about the names and ages of the parties involved and details about any children or assets from the marriage.

Minnesota abolished common law marriage in 1941, so any long-term relationships that started after that date wouldn’t need to go through a common law divorce process if they ended. This can make it challenging to track down information about unmarried couples, even if they lived together for a long time.

If a married couple pursued a divorce, their records would be available thanks to public records laws. However, only an authorized individual is able to access certified or exemplified copies of court documents to utilize them for official purposes.

If the couple applied for divorce outside of Minnesota, it may be necessary to use a third-party service to perform a broader divorce index search.

VitalChek is endorsed by the government, and many agencies throughout the country supply information to its databases, making it a convenient way to search public records databases.⁸ However, it’s best to be aware that there’s a processing fee for using this service, even if a searcher isn’t requesting certified records.

Anyone can search Hennepin County divorce records free of charge and without having to provide proof of identity or disclose a reason for the search.