About the Stearns County Clerk's Office
Stearns County court administration is led by George Lock, the court administrator listed by the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Minnesota counties do not use the same clerk structure as every other state, so the practical job here is court administration rather than a county clerk in the older sense. This office supports the District Court record system for civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate, and juvenile matters.
For public users, that means this office is the bridge between the online portal and the official record. It handles certified copies, paper or terminal access for records not fully online, and the local process for many record-copy questions.
Stearns County Court Administration
Clerk: George Lock
725 Courthouse Square
St. Cloud, MN 56303
320-656-3620
Use the court contact page for current email routing
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
What the Clerk Does in Stearns County
Court Administration files and maintains court records, processes copy requests, provides courthouse access, and handles many of the fee and forms questions that come with District Court cases. It is also the place to ask about certified or exemplified copies, public terminals, and paper packets for self-represented parties.
- Maintain and release court case copies under the court-access rules
- Provide public terminal access for records that are not fully online
- Process certified and exemplified copy requests
- Support forms, brochures, and filing-fee questions
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies prove the document came from the official court file. People commonly need them for licensing, probate, identity verification, guardianship, appellate work, or any situation where a plain printout is not enough. In Stearns County, the certified-copy path runs through Court Administration rather than the MCRO viewer.
- Identify the case number or document you need.
- Use the Court Administration copy-request process or pick up the needed form.
- Submit the request with the proper fee or payment method.
- Pick up the copy or wait for the office to process it if mailing is allowed.
Records Request Form Fields
Requests should identify the case, the party, the document type, and the number of copies needed. If you are asking for a certified or exemplified copy, make that clear before the request is processed so the office can apply the correct fee and certification method.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Yes if known | Helps the office locate the exact file. |
| Party Names | Yes | Use the names exactly as they appear on the case. |
| Document Type | Yes | State whether you need a judgment, order, decree, or another item. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Needed for the correct charge and output. |
Stearns County Clerk Fees
Stearns County court-copy fees are specific enough that it is worth checking the office before requesting a batch of documents. Packets and copy fees are not the same thing: the courthouse form packet schedule is one set of prices, and certified-copy charges are another.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified copy | Generally $14 per document unless waived |
| Exemplified copy | Generally $14 per document |
| Exemplified and certified copy | Generally $28 per document |
| Form packet, 10 pages or fewer | Free |
| Form packet, 11 pages or more | $5 |
Common Clerk Forms
The most useful forms here are the self-service and copy-request materials tied to Court Administration. For family and probate users, the courthouse forms page and the Minnesota Judicial Branch forms library are the safest starting points. Stearns County also provides the Service Center forms packets in Room 134.
- Court Administration Self-Service - public terminals, forms, and copy access
- Copy Request - certified and exemplified court copy instructions
Mail and Online Filings
Stearns County follows Minnesota Judicial Branch filing and access systems for court records, including MCRO for public search and the court's e-filing channels for attorneys and permitted filers. Public users usually need Court Administration when the record is older, not digitized, or requires certification.