Washington County People Search
Washington County people search records are held by several offices in and around Stillwater. The county sits east of the Twin Cities metro and is home to about 267,000 residents spread across fast-growing suburbs like Woodbury, Cottage Grove, and Oakdale. Court records, jail roster data, and land documents are all kept by different departments, each with its own way of handling public requests. The District Court runs through the state system, while property and jail records go through county offices. You can look up many of these records for free if you know where to start.
Washington County Overview
Washington County District Court
The District Court is the main source for people search records in Washington County. Civil cases, criminal filings, family law matters, and traffic cases all go through this court. Deb Lepper serves as Court Administrator. The court posts its calendars each day at 7 PM, then updates them on an hourly basis starting at 7 AM the next morning. That means you can check who has a case on the docket before you even show up.
You can search court records for free through Minnesota Court Records Online. The system lets you look up cases by name or case number. It shows party names, charges, case status, and docket entries. Not all details show up online, though. Some records have limits based on case type. Family law cases and certain juvenile files may have restricted access under state law.
If you need copies, the court charges set fees. Plain copies cost $0.30 per page. Certification adds $1.50 on top. A certified copy of a judgment runs $14. You can get copies in person at the courthouse or send a written request by mail.
The court also has public access terminals at the courthouse. You can walk in during business hours and search case records on your own. Staff can help if you get stuck or need to find an old case. Bring your ID with you.
| Court | Washington County District Court |
|---|---|
| Address |
14949 62nd Street North PO Box 3802 Stillwater, MN 55082 |
| Phone | (651) 413-8030 |
| Court Administrator | Deb Lepper |
| Website | mncourts.gov - Washington County |
The Washington County District Court page on the state court site has contact info, forms, and links to self-help resources. It also lists hours and directions to the courthouse in Stillwater.
The state court system page for Washington County shows court contact details, calendar info, and links for searching case records online.
Washington County Jail Records
The Washington County Jail keeps records on all current and recent inmates. The jail sits at 15015 62nd Street North in Stillwater, right near the courthouse. Chuck Yetter oversees jail administration. The facility holds more than 200 inmates at any given time.
Jail records are public under Minn. Stat. § 13.85, which covers data on people held in correctional facilities. Basic booking data is public. That includes the person's name, the charges, booking date, and bail amount. Some data may be restricted if it could put someone at risk or if it involves a pending case with special concerns.
You can call the jail at 651-430-7900 to ask about a specific person in custody. Staff can tell you if someone is currently held and what charges they face. For a broader search, the county may post a PDF roster that lists current inmates. The roster gets updated on a regular basis but is not always in real time.
VINELink is another way to track custody status. This is a statewide system that sends you alerts when someone's status changes. You can sign up for phone calls, emails, or text messages. It works for people held in the Washington County Jail and other facilities across the state. Visit vinelink.com to register for notifications.
Note: Jail records show current custody status. For full criminal history, check the court records through the District Court or the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Washington County Land Records
Property records can help with a people search when you need to find out who owns a piece of land or a home. Washington County runs a system called LandShark for online land record searches. It is free to use and gets updated on a weekly basis.
LandShark lets you search by owner name, parcel ID, or property address. The system pulls up parcel data, ownership history, and related documents. GIS mapping is built in, so you can see the property on a map and check nearby parcels too. It is a solid tool if you want to find out who owns a specific piece of land in the county.
The county recorder's office handles these records. Ryan Olson is the contact person. You can reach the office at 651-430-6765. The physical address is 11660 Myeron Road North in Stillwater. If the online system does not have what you need, the office can help you search older records or pull up documents that have not been digitized yet.
Visit the LandShark Online Land Records page to start your search. The tool works best in modern web browsers and does not need any special software.
The LandShark system from Washington County lets you search property records by name, address, or parcel number with built-in GIS mapping.
| Office | Washington County Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address |
11660 Myeron Road North Stillwater, MN 55082 |
| Phone | 651-430-6765 |
| Contact | Ryan Olson |
| Online Search | LandShark Online Land Records |
Public Records Access in Washington County
Minnesota has strong public records laws. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, found in Minn. Stat. § 13.03, gives everyone the right to look at and get copies of public government data. You do not have to give a reason for your request. The law puts the burden on the government to explain why something should be kept private, not on you to prove why you need it.
Law enforcement data follows its own rules under Minn. Stat. § 13.82. Arrest records, incident reports, and certain investigation data are public once a case reaches a certain stage. Active investigation files may be held back until charges are filed or the case is closed. Once charges go public, the basic facts of the case are open to anyone who asks.
Jail data falls under Minn. Stat. § 13.85. Correctional facility records include booking info, charges, release dates, and custody status. Most of this data is public. Medical records, treatment notes, and certain security details are not. Under Minn. Stat. § 641.05, the sheriff is responsible for keeping jail records and making public data available on request.
If a government office denies your data request, you can challenge the decision. The law gives you the right to file a complaint or take the matter to court. Most routine requests for court records, jail rosters, and property data go through without any trouble.
Legal Help and Resources
If you need help with a legal matter in Washington County, a few groups can point you in the right direction. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid serves the east metro area and takes cases from Washington County residents who meet income limits. They handle family law, housing, and public benefits cases. Call (612) 334-5970 or visit mylegalaid.org for details.
The Minnesota State Bar Association has a lawyer referral service. Call (612) 752-6699 to get matched with a local attorney. The Volunteer Lawyers Network also runs free legal clinics in the metro area. You can reach them at (612) 752-6677. For self-help forms and guides, LawHelpMN is a good place to start. All official court forms are free at mncourts.gov.
Washington County is part of the 10th Judicial District. The court handles cases from several counties in the east metro and beyond. Each county in the district has its own courthouse, but they share some resources and judges rotate between locations from time to time.
Cities in Washington County
Washington County has several large suburbs in the east metro. Court records for all of them go through the District Court in Stillwater.
Other communities in the county include Stillwater, Forest Lake, Hugo, and Lake Elmo. All public records requests for court cases go through the Washington County District Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Washington County. If you are not sure which county to search, check the address first. Records are kept by the county where the case was filed or where the property sits.