Stearns County Divorce Records

Hello! We are glad you are here. We aim to give you the best help with your Stearns County Divorce Records search. Our page has lots of facts for you.

If you want to start your search for Stearns County Divorce Records right now, you can visit https://minnesotaofficialrecords.com/stearns-county-divorce-records/. This site can help you look for the records you need. It is a good place to start if you know what you are look-ing for and want to act fast. They offer ways to seek out these public files.

Understanding Stearns County Divorce Records

Stearns County Divorce Records are official court documents. They show that a marriage has ended. These files are kept by the court. Most parts of these records are open to the public. This means you can ask to see them. You can get copies too. It is good to know what is in them. They have names of the two people. They show dates of the court case. The main file is the divorce decree. This is the judge's final order.

Some parts of a divorce file may be kept private. This is to keep folks safe. Info like bank account num-bers might be hid. Things about kids may also be kept out of view. This helps keep kids safe too. The law in Minnesota says what can be seen. It also says what must be kept from view. So, when you ask for Stearns County Divorce Records, some parts might not be shown to all.

How to Access Stearns County Divorce Records

You have a few ways to get Stearns County Divorce Records. You can go to the court. You can send mail. You might find some info on the web. Each way has its own steps.

In-Person Requests

You can visit the Stearns County Court Administration to ask for divorce records. Their office is in the Stearns County Courthouse.

• Address: Stearns County Courthouse, 725 Courthouse Square, Room 134, St. Cloud, MN 56303. (Some sources list 705 Courthouse Square). It's best to verify the exact room for records requests upon arrival or by phone.

• Business Hours: They are open Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. These hours are for most court tasks. It is smart to call them first. This can save you a trip.

• Phone Number: You can call them at (320) 656-3620. Use this line for questions. Ask about what you need to bring.

• What to Expect: At the court, you can use public access spots. These are free to use. You can look for case files. Staff may help you if you know case facts. You may need to show ID. There are fees for copies. Ask staff for the cost. They can tell you how to pay.

Bring as much info as you can. Names of the peo-ple in the case help lots. The year of the di-vorce is also key. If you have a case num-ber, that is best. This will make the search go fast. The staff will guide you on how to fill out a form if one is used. They can tell you how long it will take to get the cop-ies. Some cop-ies you can get the same day. Oth-ers may take more time if the file is old or stored off site.

Mail Requests

To get Stearns County Divorce Records by mail, you need to send a note. Write to the Stearns County Court Administration. Their mail stop is at the same court house address.

• Mailing Address: Stearns County Court Administration, 725 Courthouse Square, Room 134, St. Cloud, MN 56303.

• What to Include:

  • Your full name and how to reach you.

  • The names of the peo-ple in the di-vorce. Give first and last names.

  • The date of the di-vorce, or the year if you know it.

  • The case num-ber, if you have it. This helps a lot.

  • Say if you want a plain copy or a true (certified) copy.

  • A check or mon-ey or-der for the fee. Call them first to find out the cost.

• Forms: Check the Minnesota Judicial Branch website for copy request forms. Look under "Request for Copies." Using the right form helps. It makes sure you give all they need.

It will take some time to get files by mail. The court staff have to find the file. They make the cop-y. Then they send it to you. If there is a fee, they must get that too. Make sure your check is for the right sum. If not, it can add more wait time. Send your note with all you know to help them find the right Stearns County Divorce Records for you.

Online Access via MCRO

Some Stearns County Divorce Records information can be found online. You can use the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system. This is a tool from the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

• Website: You can find MCRO by searching for "Minnesota Court Records Online" or visiting the MCRO portal directly.

• What you can find: MCRO lets you look for cases. You can search by names of peo-ple. You can use a case num-ber. You may see case facts. This can list court dates and what was filed. Some pa-pers filed with the court might be there to view. This is good for a quick look. You can see if a case is there.

• Limitations: Not all files are on MCRO. Old cases may not be there. Some files are not shown for safe-ty or pri-va-cy. For a full or true (certified) copy of the Stearns County Divorce Records, you most like-ly still need to ask the court house direct-ly by mail or in per-son. MCRO is good to find case num-bers. It helps check names and dates. This info can help you when you ask the court for the full file.

You must read and agree to the terms on the MCRO site to use it. It is a state site. It covers all courts in the state, not just Stearns Coun-ty. This is a great tool for first steps in your search.

Types of Divorce Records and What They Contain

When you ask for Stearns County Divorce Records, you may get a few types of files. The main one is the Divorce Decree.

Divorce Decree

A Divorce Decree is the final court order. It is signed by a judge. This paper makes the divorce real by law.

• It states the names of the two peo-ple.

• It has the date the judge signed it.

• It lists the terms of the di-vorce. This can be things like how things they own are split. It can cover child help if they have kids. It may say who the kids live with.

• A Certificate of Dissolution is a short form of the decree. It shows you are divorced. It has less private info. It can be used to show you are divorced or if a name was changed. (See MN Judicial Branch Divorce/Dissolution page for terms).

This is the most sought file from Stearns County Divorce Records. It proves the split took place.

Full Case File

A full case file has more than just the decree. It holds all the pa-pers filed in the di-vorce case.

• This can be the first pa-per filed to ask for the di-vorce.

• It can have the an-swer from the oth-er per-son.

• It can have lists of what each per-son owns.

• It may have or-ders from the judge made while the case was on-go-ing.

• Some of this info can be very per-son-al. That is why some parts may be kept from view to the pub-lic.

You can ask for all or parts of the case file. The cost may be more for more pa-ges.

Understanding Record Availability and Restrictions

Most court files in Minnesota are open to the pub-lic. This is part of the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch. But, there are rules.

What Information is Public?

For Stearns County Divorce Records:

• Names of the peo-ple.

• Case num-ber.

• Dates of court events.

• The fi-nal de-cree (though some parts might be blacked out).

• Or-ders from the judge.

This means you can see proof of the di-vorce. You can see what the judge de-cid-ed on key points.

What Information May Be Restricted?

Some info in Stearns County Divorce Records is not open to all. This is to keep peo-ple safe.

• Bank account num-bers.

• So-cial Se-cu-ri-ty num-bers.

• Info about young kids, such as their full names or where they go to school.

• Re-ports from child care stud-ies, if any.

• Health care facts.

• Things said in talks to try to set-tle the case out of court.

Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 (Government Data Practices) and Chapter 518 (Marriage Dissolution) guide what is pub-lic. They also say what is kept pri-vate. Court staff will check these rules. They do this when you ask for Stearns County Divorce Records. They make sure no pri-vate facts are let out by mis-take. If a file is sealed by a judge, it is not pub-lic at all with-out a new court or-der.

Fees and Forms for Record Requests

When you ask for Stearns County Divorce Records, there are fees. You may need to fill out a form.

Copy Fees

The cost for cop-ies can change. It is best to call the Stearns County Court Administration at (320) 656-3620. Ask them for the most up to date fee list.

• Fees can be per page.

• There may be a set fee for a true (certified) copy of a Divorce Decree.

• There may be fees to look up old files if they are not easy to get to.

• You can pay fees in per-son at the court house. They may take cash or checks. Ask what types of pay-ment they take.

• If you send a note by mail, use a check or mon-ey or-der. Make it out to "Stearns County Court Administration" or as they tell you.

Request Forms

A form can help make sure you give all the info the court needs.

• You can get forms at the Court Administration Service Center. This is at 725 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, MN 56303.

• The Minnesota Judicial Branch website is a key place for court forms. Look for "Forms" or "Copy Requests." The specific form for asking for copies from a court file should be there. Using this form can speed up your ask.

• The Stearns County website might also list forms on its Court Administration page or the Self-Service page.

Fill out the form with care. Give all names, dates, and case num-bers you know. This will help staff find the Stearns County Divorce Records you need.

Historical Divorce Records

Some Stearns County Divorce Records are very old. These may not be at the court house.

• Stearns County District Court keeps its own case files from 1946 to now. (Source: Stearns County Court Records Research & Searches)

• For civil case files, which include di-vorce files, from 1858 to 1949, you should check with the Minnesota Historical Society.

  • Address: 345 Kellogg Boulevard W., St. Paul, MN 55102.

  • Phone: (651) 259-3300.

  • Website: You can search the Minnesota Historical Society website (www.mnhs.org) for how to ask for these old files.

If you need a di-vorce file from be-fore 1946, start with the Historical Society. If they do not have it, then check back with the Stearns County District Court. They say they do have some old-er files on hand too. These old files are key for fam-i-ly tree work or to learn local his-to-ry. They show how life was in the past.

Related Contacts and Resources

Here are some key spots for help with Stearns County Divorce Records and related law topics.

Stearns County Court Administration

• Main Office for Divorce Records

• Address: 725 Courthouse Square, Room 134, St. Cloud, MN 56303

• Phone: (320) 656-3620

• Fax: (320) 656-3626 (Courthouse) or (320) 656-6335 (Courts Facility)

• Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Website: Stearns County Court Administration

Minnesota Judicial Branch

• State Court System Information and Forms

• Website: www.mncourts.gov

• Self-Help Centers: They have help for folks who do not have a law-yer. Check the Self-Help Centers page for how to get help by phone, e-mail, or in per-son. Stearns County is in the Seventh Judicial District.

• Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO): publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us

Minnesota State Law Library

• For Legal Research Help

• Website: mn.gov/law-library/

• They have guides on topics like "How to Find a Divorce Decree." This can give you more tips.

These spots can help you find Stearns County Divorce Records. They can also help you learn more about the law. Good luck with your search!