About Todd County Court Administration
Court Administration sits at the Todd County Court Facility in Long Prairie and is the local office for district court records. The public court page lists Kim Peterson as court administrator. This office handles civil, family, probate, juvenile, criminal, and traffic cases for the county, and it is the place to request certified copies or ask about records that do not appear in MCRO.
The office is part of the Minnesota Judicial Branch, so its work is different from county executive offices. For marriage records, use the Recorder. For jail custody, use the Sheriff's Office. For the court case file and certified copy questions, use Court Administration.
Source: Todd County District Court page.
PACER is not Todd County Court Administration, but it is one of the formal court-record access systems that helps explain how court records are separated by jurisdiction.
What Court Administration Does in Todd County
The office manages court records, certified copies, case access questions, and the public side of district court operations. It is the office to contact when MCRO does not show a record you know exists, when you need certification, or when you need to ask about a file in the courthouse that is not remotely available.
- Handles district court record requests and certified copies.
- Answers courthouse questions about case access and public files.
- Works with civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic files.
- Coordinates the public side of hearing and case information.
Source: CourtListener.
CourtListener is a useful contrast because it shows how court information can exist outside the county office while still being separate from the official certified record.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Start with the case number if you have it. Ask Court Administration for the specific document or record type, then pay the copy fee listed in the county fee schedule. MCRO is useful for finding the file, but it is not the certified version. The certified version comes from the office that holds the court record.
- Identify the case number or filing information.
- Contact Court Administration or visit the courthouse.
- Ask for the exact certified item you need.
- Pay the applicable copy fee.
- Pick up the document or wait for delivery if arranged.
Source: Minnesota Board of Public Defense offices.
The public defender office directory is part of the same court-access ecosystem, especially in criminal cases that move through Court Administration.
Records Request Form Fields
Todd County's data-request page routes requests to the responsible office rather than giving one universal form. For court records, the practical request fields are the case number, party names, document type, and the number of copies. That is enough information for Court Administration to narrow the record and explain the fee.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Preferred | Fastest way to identify the file. |
| Party Names | Yes if no case number | Used when the case number is unknown. |
| Document Type | Yes | Tell the office exactly what you want. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Needed for fee calculation. |
Source: Minnesota juvenile delinquency help topic.
Juvenile delinquency rules are part of the reason Court Administration is the right office for records-access questions instead of a general county contact.
Todd County Court Administration Fees
The court fee schedule lists a plain certified copy fee of $14 and an exemplified certified copy fee of $28. A civil first paper is $320, and a dissolution of marriage filing is $400. If the file is criminal or probate, the office can tell you which fee applies and whether the request needs a court filing or only a records copy.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified copy | $14 |
| Exemplified certified copy | $28 |
| Civil first paper | $320 |
| Dissolution of marriage | $400 |
Common Clerk Forms and Access Channels
MCRO, the courthouse terminal, and Court Administration are the main court-access channels in Todd County. If a record is public but not remote, the courthouse terminal may show it. If the question is a certified copy, use the local office. If the question is a criminal case or hearing, the case number and docket are usually enough to point you in the right direction.