About the Steele County Clerk's Office
Steele County does not use a separate elected county clerk for District Court records. The court record office is Court Administration at the courthouse, and the Court Administrator is Stacy Ashley. Court Administration handles certified copies, record questions, hearing support, and the local work that follows a public MCRO search.
The office is at 111 East Main Street in Owatonna, with business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Minnesota Judicial Branch page lists the courthouse phone at 507-686-7012 and the office email as steelecourts@courts.state.mn.us.
Steele County Court Administration
Clerk: Stacy Ashley
111 East Main Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
507-686-7012
steelecourts@courts.state.mn.us
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What the Clerk Does in Steele County
Court Administration supports the courthouse record workflow for civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, mental health, and traffic matters. It is the place to ask for certified copies, ask what can be copied remotely, and confirm whether a record is available at the courthouse or only through a local file review.
- Provide certified copies and authenticated court documents.
- Answer questions about filed Steele County District Court records.
- Help identify whether a record is public, sealed, or restricted.
- Direct users to MCRO, the daily calendar, or courthouse review when appropriate.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies are the version banks, employers, title companies, attorneys, and agencies usually want when an unofficial online record is not enough. In Steele County, the request usually starts with a case number or party name and ends with Court Administration issuing the copy from the courthouse record.
- Identify the case number or enough party information to locate the file.
- Call Court Administration or visit in person to confirm the copy can be issued.
- Pay the applicable copy fee from the Minnesota District Court fee schedule.
- Pick up the copy or arrange mail delivery if the office offers that option.
Records Request Form Fields
The research file did not expose a public Steele County court-record request form with field labels. When the office needs a written request, use the case number if you have it, the full party name, the document type, and your contact information so staff can tell you whether the record can be released.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Helpful | Best identifier when you already have it. |
| Party Names | Helpful | Use full names and any known case aliases. |
| Document Type | Helpful | Say whether you need a judgment, order, decree, or other file copy. |
| Contact Information | Yes | Needed so staff can follow up on availability and fee questions. |
Steele County Clerk Fees
The Minnesota District Court fee schedule controls the basic copy and filing amounts that matter most for Steele County court records.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified copy of civil or criminal instrument | $14 |
| Certified printout from courthouse-view e-filed document | $14 |
| Exemplified and certified copy | $28 |
| Uncertified copy / printout / scan | $0 |
| Report copies, 1-50 pages | $5 |
| Report copies, 50+ pages | $25 per 50 pages or part |
Common Clerk Forms
The research file did not identify a separate local Court Administration form inventory. For records questions, the practical entry points are the courthouse, the local email address, MCRO, and the daily calendar.
- Steele County District Court page - courthouse contacts and quick links.
- MCRO Case Search - statewide case lookup.
Mail and Online Filings
Steele County District Court filings flow through Minnesota court systems, including e-filing and courthouse intake for matters that require local handling. For older files, certified copies, or restricted records, Court Administration is still the office to contact first.
Contact Channels for Steele County Court Administration
Steele County Court Administration is built around the courthouse contact block rather than a separate county-clerk model. That means the same office handles in-person questions, phone questions, and certified-copy follow-up for Steele County District Court records. The public contact details are the courthouse phone, the courthouse email address, and the physical courthouse at 111 East Main Street in Owatonna.
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone | 507-686-7012 for courthouse questions and hearing support. |
| steelecourts@courts.state.mn.us. | |
| Location | 111 East Main Street, Owatonna, MN 55060. |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
If you need a copy of a case file, start with Court Administration and not the Recorder or Sheriff's Office. The Recorder handles marriage and vital records, while the Sheriff's Records Department handles law-enforcement reports and body-camera requests.
What Court Administration Handles
For Steele County, Court Administration is the public-facing office for case-file questions tied to District Court. That includes certified copies, older file pulls, hearing questions, and record-access questions that the statewide system cannot answer on its own. It is also the office that can confirm whether a document needs to come from the courthouse instead of from MCRO.
For people who need a clear split: Court Administration handles court records, the Recorder handles marriage and vital records, and the Sheriff's Records Department handles sheriff reports and BWC requests. That division keeps the office workflow efficient and keeps callers from getting transferred after the fact.