Find Probate Court Records in Ramsey County

Ramsey County probate court records are filed at the Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul, the county seat and Minnesota's capital city. The court manages estate, guardianship, conservatorship, trust, and determination of descent cases for all county residents. You can search records free through Minnesota Court Records Online, call the probate division directly, or visit the courthouse in person. This page explains how to find records, what they include, what things cost, and where to get help.

Ramsey County District Court Contact Information

Ramsey County District Court is part of Minnesota's Second Judicial District, which serves Ramsey County exclusively. The courthouse is at 15 W. Kellogg Blvd. in downtown St. Paul. Room 170 handles probate matters. Court Administrator Heather Kendall oversees court administration for the district.

The probate direct line at (651) 266-8145 connects you to staff who handle estate, guardianship, and trust filings. If you need to check on a case, confirm a hearing date, or ask about records access, that is the right number to call. Parking is available near the courthouse in downtown St. Paul.

Check the Ramsey County court page for current hours, calendar updates, and self-help center information. The page also links to county-specific probate forms.

The court page lists contact details, hours, and links to resources specific to the Ramsey County District Court.

How to Search Ramsey County Probate Records

Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us is the primary tool for searching Ramsey County probate court records online. It is free to use. Search by name or case number. To filter by probate cases, select "Probate or Mental Health" from the case type list. MCRO returns the register of actions, which is a log of every document filed and every order entered in the case.

Full document access through MCRO is generally available for cases filed on or after July 1, 2015. For cases from 2005 to 2015, you can see judgments and key orders but may not see every filed document. Records before 2005 are not available online. For older records or certified copies, contact Room 170 at the courthouse or call (651) 266-8145.

Ramsey County also makes county-specific probate forms available through the court's help topic page. The Ramsey County Probate Forms page has forms for informal probate, formal probate, special administrator appointments, creditor filings, and determination of descent. Note: those forms are designed for Ramsey County. If you are filing in a different county, you must edit the forms to match your county and judicial district before filing.

Note: Some older case files may have been sent to off-site storage. Call ahead to confirm availability before making a special trip to the courthouse.

Ramsey County Probate Fees

Ramsey County has the highest law library assessment in the state, which puts the total first-paper filing fee at $325. That breaks down as a $310 base fee plus a $15 law library charge. Other Minnesota counties typically charge $10 or $12 for the library portion, so Ramsey is slightly higher. Depositing a will for safekeeping without opening a full estate case costs $27. Filing a motion in an active case is $100.

Certified copies of any probate document cost $14 each. Uncertified copies are free. Scanning and fax services cost $25 per group of up to 50 pages. Subpoenas are $16 per name. Forms packets of up to 10 pages are provided at no charge; packets over 10 pages cost $5. All fees are set by the state and apply uniformly across the Second Judicial District.

The Ramsey County fee schedule on the state courts site lists every current fee. Check it before you file to know exactly what to bring.

The fee schedule page covers all filing costs, copy fees, and service charges for Ramsey County District Court probate cases.

Types of Probate Cases Filed in Ramsey County

The Ramsey County District Court handles the full range of probate and related civil proceedings. Estate cases are opened after a person dies and assets need to be transferred to heirs or creditors paid. Most estates go through informal probate, which does not require a hearing. Formal probate involves a judge and is used for contested wills, disputed claims, and other complex situations.

Guardianship and conservatorship cases are also common. A guardianship gives one person the authority to make personal decisions for another who cannot make them independently. A conservatorship does the same for financial decisions. Both require ongoing court oversight, including annual reports. The files generated by these proceedings are public records in most circumstances.

Determination of descent is another type of case handled at Ramsey County District Court. It is used when real property needs to be transferred to heirs but no full probate is necessary. A petition is filed, and the court issues an order confirming who the heirs are and what property passes to them. Trust proceedings, including petitions to modify or terminate trusts, are also filed in probate court. The Minnesota courts probate help topic covers each type of case in more detail.

Starting a Probate Case for a Ramsey County Estate

To begin probate in Ramsey County, you need the will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and a rough inventory of the estate. Download forms from mncourts.gov/getforms/probate or use the county-specific versions at the Ramsey County probate forms page. File at Room 170 of the Ramsey County Courthouse. Pay the $325 filing fee at the time of submission.

Informal probate is faster. No hearing is set. The court reviews your paperwork and issues letters testamentary or letters of administration if everything is in order. Formal probate involves a scheduled hearing and is necessary when the will is challenged, heirs disagree, or creditor disputes arise. Both routes are governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 524.

Estates with no real estate and total personal property under $75,000 may qualify for the small estate process. If at least 30 days have passed since death, the heir can file the Small Estate Affidavit (PRO201/202) under Statute 524.3-1201 and skip full probate. Creditor claims must be filed within four months of published notice under Statute 524.3-803. Probate must be initiated within three years of death per Statute 524.3-108.

Legal Help for Ramsey County Probate Matters

The Minnesota Courts Self-Help Center at (651) 435-6535 can walk you through court procedures without giving legal advice. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For research help, the State Law Library is located in the Minnesota Judicial Center at 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in St. Paul, just a short walk from the Ramsey County Courthouse. Staff there can help you find statutes, case law, and forms.

The Minnesota Historical Society court records guide is a good resource if you need older probate records for genealogy or estate research. The MNHS holds Will Books for many counties through the mid-1980s, searchable through FamilySearch. Legal aid organizations in the Twin Cities metro area may be able to help low-income residents with probate filings. Contact the Ramsey County Bar Association's lawyer referral service for names of attorneys who handle estate matters in the county.

Cities in Ramsey County

Ramsey County is Minnesota's smallest county by area but one of the most densely populated. All probate cases for residents of any city or township in the county are filed at the Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul. The following qualifying city in Ramsey County has a dedicated page on this site:

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ramsey County and each has its own district court for probate filings.