Which Court Do I Need? Answer a few questions to find out which Minnesota court handles your type of case. What kind of legal issue do you have? Money dispute (someone owes me or I owe someone) Family matter (divorce, custody, support, protection orders) District Court — Family Division All family law cases go to district court. File in the county where you or your spouse/partner lives. Divorce Guide Child Custody Guide Orders for Protection Guide Criminal charge against me District Court — Criminal Division Criminal cases are filed by the county attorney. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may qualify for a public defender. Public Defender Guide DUI/DWI Guide Landlord-tenant or eviction District Court (Housing Court in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties) Eviction cases are filed in district court. Hennepin and Ramsey counties have dedicated housing courts with special procedures. Eviction Defense Guide Tenant Rights Guide Probate or estate matter (wills, guardianship) District Court — Probate Division Probate, guardianship, and conservatorship cases are handled by the probate division of district court. File in the county where the decedent lived or the proposed ward resides. Wills and Probate Guide Guardianship Guide Juvenile matter (child protection, delinquency, truancy) District Court — Juvenile Division Juvenile cases are handled in a separate division of district court. Proceedings are generally confidential. School and Education Law Guide Appealing a court decision How much money is involved? $20,000 or less Conciliation Court (Small Claims) No lawyer required. Filing fee is $50–$90. Cases are usually heard within 1–3 months. You can represent yourself. Small Claims Guide Find Your Courthouse More than $20,000 District Court — Civil Division A lawyer is strongly recommended for cases over $20,000. Filing fee starts around $300. Contract Disputes Guide Find Your Courthouse Which court made the decision you want to appeal? Conciliation Court (small claims) District Court — file within 20 days A conciliation court appeal goes to district court for a completely new trial. Filing fee is around $300. Small Claims Guide District Court Minnesota Court of Appeals — file within 60 days The Court of Appeals reviews the trial court record. No new evidence or testimony. A lawyer is strongly recommended. Filing fee is $550. Find Your Courthouse Court of Appeals Minnesota Supreme Court — file petition within 30 days The Supreme Court is not required to hear your case. You must file a petition for review, and the court decides whether to accept it. A lawyer is essential at this level. Find Your Courthouse This tool provides general guidance only. Court jurisdiction can be complex — call your county courthouse to confirm. JavaScript is disabled. All questions and answers are shown below.