Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in Minnesota. The name ‘Anoka’ is derived from a Dakota word that means “on (or from) both sides”. This name was given to the County in reference to its location on both banks of the Rum River. As of 2023, the estimated population of the county was recorded as 372,441.

Courts in Anoka County

Anoka County has one District Court that has jurisdiction over all types of cases. The general jurisdiction unified trial court is divided into different divisions, including criminal, civil, family, juvenile, conciliation, and probate.

The Civil Division of the District Court hears cases relating to breach of contract, personal injury, enforcement of private rights, etc. The Criminal Division hears cases relating to felonies.    

The Court’s Family Division deals with cases involving families. For example, the court hears cases relating to marriage, divorce, domestic abuse actions, child custody, and paternity cases.

The Juvenile Division of the court deals with cases involving minors under eighteen. The court hears cases relating to children needing protection and services, juvenile delinquency, truancy, and termination of parental rights actions. 

The Conciliation or Small Claims Division allows citizens to bring their matters to court without expensive costs or complicated legal procedures. However, this division only has jurisdiction over civil cases with financial limits. 

The District Court also has a Probate and Mental Health Division. The Probate arm handles cases relating to the disposition of properties belonging to deceased persons, guardianship, and administration of court-supervised trusts. The Mental Health arm has the obligation of committing persons with allegations of mental illness, developmental disability, or chemical dependency to treatment centers.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Anoka County

Most records relating to actions before the court in Anoka County are open and accessible to the public. To get access to the court records, interested persons can visit the Court Administration Records Room, which is located on the first floor, east wing of the courthouse. The location of the courthouse is as follows:

Anoka County Courthouse

2100 3RD Avenue

Anoka MN, 55303-2489

Types of Public Court Records in Anoka County

The following types of records are made accessible to the public in Anoka County:

• Criminal Court Records: including court records from criminal offenses such as felonies, including homicide and drug trafficking, and misdemeanors such as drug possession and trespassing
• Civil Court Records: including court records from personal injury cases, liens, and property claims
• Conciliation Court Records: from landlord/tenant disputes
• Family Court Records: including records from legal matters involving families and domestic relations such as divorce records, spousal support records, and paternity proceedings
• Probate Court Records: including records from proceedings involving the administration of a deceased estate, such as wills, guardianship, and trusts

Confidential Court Records in Anoka County

Although court records are publicly available, some records are designated as confidential and inaccessible to the public due to legal restrictions or privacy concerns. Some of these records include the following:

• Juvenile Records
• Medical Records
• Adoption Records

In addition, when court records contain confidential or personal identifying information such as financial records, Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers, the personal identifying information is redacted from the document before it is made public.

Juvenile Delinquency in Anoka, MN

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Anoka County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Minnesota often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1082 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Anoka County. Of that total, 66% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 712 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Anoka County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Anoka County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Anoka County, MN

https://mn.gov/

County Seat:	Anoka
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1857
Total Square Miles:	446
2019 Population:	351,373
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	2100 3rd Avenue County Government Center Anoka , MN 55303-2235 https://www.anokacounty.us

Anoka County, MN Courts