Clay County
Clay County was formerly known as Breckinridge County when it was established in 1860. However, it was renamed after Henry Clay in 1862. The county is situated in the west border of Minnesota and covers a total area of 1,053 square miles. Moorhead is its largest city and county seat.
The Clay County District Court operates within the Seventh Judicial District of Minnesota, and it is the only trial court in Clay County. It handles criminal, probate, civil, juvenile, conciliation, housing, and traffic cases filed within the county. The Clay District Court has three specialty courts created with the intention of providing treatment and education to offenders rather than resorting to imprisonment. The Domestic Violence Court oversees both felony and misdemeanor cases that involve allegations of domestic violence. The other specialized courts are the Drug Court and the Veterans Treatment Court.
Clay County public court records comprise motions, exhibits, transcripts, and court decisions submitted during the legal proceedings of cases filed in the county. The Clay County Court Administration is responsible for keeping and providing District Court records. Additionally, interested parties can inspect court records for free or obtain copies at a fee.
The Clay County courthouse and the Minnesota Court Records Online website grant public access to court documents related to the following cases:
- Minor and major civil cases
- Conciliation
- Contract
- Torrent
- Unlawful detainer
- Tort
- Personal Injury
- Consumer Credit
- Minor and major criminal cases
- Formal Probate
- Informal Probate
- Conservatorship
- Guardianship
- Family Cases
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) website provides quick access to public records from July 2015 to date. However, not all documents in a public court record can be viewed online. To view restricted documents, visit the Clay County courthouse at the following address:
Clay County Courthouse
807 11th Street North
Moorhead, MN 56560
