Guide
Minnesota Expungement Research Resources
In Minnesota an expungement seals the record, and Minnesota Statutes chapter 609A covers both petitions and automatic expungement. The official Minnesota sources are listed below.
- Minnesota Judicial Branch, Criminal ExpungementCourt help topic with forms; expungement means sealing
- Minnesota Statutes Chapter 609AExpungement of criminal records
- Minnesota Attorney General, Sealing My Criminal RecordsAttorney General page on sealing criminal records
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in Minnesota
Minnesota closes the source documents, not the case. Rule 4 subd. 1 of the Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch lists the case records not accessible to the public, and item (v)(2)(G) covers restricted identifiers and financial source documents submitted under General Rule of Practice 11 on or after July 1, 2005. Rule 11.01 defines restricted identifiers as Social Security, employer identification and other taxpayer numbers and any financial account number beyond the last four digits, and financial source documents as income tax returns, W-2 forms, wage stubs, credit card statements, financial institution statements and check registers. Under Rule 11.02 restricted identifiers, when needed at all, go on a separate Confidential Information Form 11.1 or in a non-public document, and under Rule 11.03 financial source documents are filed with a Form 11.2 Cover Sheet for Non-Public Documents or the matching electronic filing code and withheld from the public except to the extent they are admitted into evidence at a testimonial hearing or trial.
Everything else in a dissolution or civil file is public, and Rule 4 subd. 2 allows a court to restrict access to public case records in a particular case only if it makes the findings required by law, court rule or case law precedent. A party seeking confidential treatment of a document not already non-public files a motion under General Rule of Practice 11.04. The rules are on the Revisor's site at Rules of Public Access, Rule 4 and General Rule of Practice 11.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state