Chippewa County Court Administrator Office
Minnesota handles trial-court case records through District Court Administration rather than a separate elected district clerk. In Chippewa County, the Minnesota Judicial Branch identifies Lindsay Listul as Court Administrator for Chippewa County District Court. The office is the local contact for certified court documents, public terminal access, courthouse-only record questions, and calendar issues when an online posting does not answer the question.
District Court Administration is not the same office as the Chippewa County Recorder. Court Administration handles civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, traffic, judgment, and mental-health case records filed in District Court. The Recorder handles marriage licensing, marriage copies, land records, Torrens registrar work, military discharges, vital records, and genealogy-accessible county records.
This distinction prevents many wrong-office requests. A certified divorce decree, criminal complaint, probate order, civil judgment, or traffic disposition belongs with Court Administration. A certified marriage record, marriage license question, deed, mortgage, satisfaction, abstract, or Torrens title question belongs with the Recorder.
Chippewa County District Court Administration
Court Administrator: Lindsay Listul
629 N. 11th Street
Montevideo, MN 56265
320-269-7774
Fax: 320-269-7733
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Chippewa County Court Administrator Duties
The Court Administrator's office supports the local District Court file, not the sheriff's roster or Recorder's land books. A request for a filed complaint, register of actions, certified judgment copy, divorce decree, probate order, or traffic case copy belongs with Court Administration when MCRO does not provide what is needed.
- Maintains local District Court case records and helps with courthouse access.
- Provides certified and exemplified court copies when available under access rules.
- Answers local questions about public calendar entries and missing online records.
- Routes public access to courthouse terminals for records not remotely available.
- Receives filings and fees for District Court matters as directed by court rules.
The MCRO Case Search remains the first online lookup path for many public Chippewa County case records. It is free but unofficial, so copies used for legal proof should be requested from Court Administration.
Request Chippewa County Certified Copies
Certified copies are useful when a person needs an official court document rather than an online printout. MCRO terms state that online records are not certified and are not the official court record. A certified copy must come from the local court administration office that holds the file.
- Search MCRO by party name, case number, citation number, or attorney to identify the case.
- Write down the case number, party names, case type, and document title if the online register of actions shows it.
- Call Chippewa County Court Administration at 320-269-7774 to confirm availability, access status, fee, and pickup or mail options.
- Submit the request in person or by mail as directed by Court Administration, with the required copy fee.
- Use courthouse access for public records that are not remotely available through MCRO.
Note: Do not assume a record is sealed just because it is missing from MCRO; some public records are courthouse-only.
Chippewa Court Request Details
The research did not identify a separate Chippewa-specific court copy request form with extractable fields. When Court Administration asks for request details, include enough information to identify the case and document without guessing at confidential facts.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Best if known | Use MCRO or prior court papers to avoid name-match errors. |
| Party names | Yes | Include full names and role if known, such as plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent. |
| Document type | Yes | Examples include decree, order, judgment, complaint, register of actions, or probate order. |
| Copy type | Yes | State whether plain, certified, or exemplified and certified copy is needed. |
| Requester contact and delivery method | Yes | Provide phone, mailing address, and whether pickup or mail is requested. |
Chippewa County Court Copy Fees
The Chippewa County District Court fee schedule lists copy and filing fees for local District Court work. The same schedule also lists probate, civil, dissolution, and expungement fees, so requesters should match the fee to the case type before payment.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified copy of any instrument from a civil or criminal proceeding | $14 |
| Exemplified and certified copy | $28 |
| Uncertified copy of an instrument from a civil or criminal proceeding | $0 |
| Case-management report, 1-50 pages | $5 |
| Case-management report, each 50 pages or part after that | $25 |
| Civil first paper filed | $310 |
| Dissolution or divorce filing | $390 |
| Criminal expungement filing | $310 |
Chippewa County Court Forms
Most Minnesota court forms are statewide Judicial Branch forms rather than county-only forms. Probate forms, divorce forms, public defender applications, expungement materials, and other court forms should be matched to the case type before filing in Chippewa County District Court.
- MCRO overview - public case, document, hearing, and judgment search information.
- Public defender application - online application for eligible Minnesota criminal and juvenile delinquency cases.
- Chippewa District Court fees - local filing and copy fee schedule.
The official 2026 Eighth Judicial District appointment page is not a local copy-request form, but it helps confirm Chippewa County's place inside the Eighth Judicial District.
The 2026 Eighth Judicial District appointment notice provides district context for the regional court system that includes Chippewa County.
That regional context is useful when court materials refer to Eighth Judicial District administration instead of only the Montevideo courthouse.
Chippewa Court and Recorder Channels
For court case records, start online with MCRO, then contact Court Administration for certified copies, courthouse-only material, or older files. The courthouse address is also the mailing address for the local court office when Court Administration directs a requester to send a copy request by mail.
The Chippewa County Recorder is the separate office for marriage records and county recording work. The Recorder's Office is in Suite 4 at 629 N. Eleventh Street in Montevideo, phone 320-269-9431, fax 320-269-7168, and open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The county says a drop box by the East main doors may receive documents, abstracts, birth and death applications, or paperwork for courthouse offices, and it is checked in the morning and around noon.
Recorder boundaries matter. Marriage license and marriage copy questions go to the Recorder, while divorce decrees, probate orders, criminal case documents, and civil judgments go to District Court Administration.
The Recorder also offers online real-estate records through iDoc Market and free historic aids through county-linked tract indexes and plat maps. Those land-record tools can help title or genealogy research, but they do not replace MCRO or Court Administration for District Court case records.
For in-person research, the Recorder notes that office records date back to the 1860s. Court case research still follows the District Court path, so users comparing family history, land transfers, marriage records, and probate filings may need both offices.