Winona County
Winona County was created in 1854 by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature from parts of Fillmore and Wabasha Counties. It has an estimated population of 49,792 and covers approximately 626.2 square miles of land. The county seat is the City of Winona.
The Winona County court system solely operates a District Court. The District Court has jurisdiction over criminal, civil, family law, juvenile, probate, traffic infractions, ordinance violations, and mental health cases. It has a Conciliation Court Division, established by Section 491A.01 of the 2024 Minnesota Statutes, where cases are heard without complex legal procedures. Generally, it handles small claims cases involving amounts in disputes of less than $20,000. It also has a Treatment Court, which enhances public safety and the legal system by providing resources and structure for drug offenders. Examples of treatment courts include the Drug Court, DWI Court, and Veterans Treatment Court.
The Winona County public court records contain documents, motions, orders, affidavits, exhibits, and judgments from legal proceedings in the District Court. The Court Administrator is the custodian of court records and is responsible for the release of the following records to the public:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
Under the Minnesota Rules of Public Access, court records in Winona County are accessible to the public. Individuals interested in accessing these records may do so by visiting the office of the court administrator at:
171 West Third Street
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (507) 615-5183
Fax: (507) 452-5979
Interested individuals are required to pay specific fees to access copies of court records. The Minnesota Judicial Branch allows the public to search uncertified court records through the Minnesota Court Records Online Portal. Winona County court records are also accessible through the designated public access terminal at the courthouse.
