Dakota County District Court

Minnesota District Court Structure

Minnesota has three main state-court levels: the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and the District Courts. The Minnesota Constitution vests judicial power in those courts and in inferior courts or judicial officers as the Legislature establishes. The Minnesota Judicial Branch describes District Court as the trial court of general jurisdiction. Dakota County District Court sits in the First Judicial District, one of ten judicial districts in the state. The state structure means a Dakota County criminal, civil, family, probate, juvenile, or traffic case is filed in District Court regardless of the dollar amount or severity.

Appeals from Dakota County District Court go to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, with the Minnesota Supreme Court serving as the final state court and as the administrative head of the Judicial Branch through the Chief Justice and the Judicial Council. The federal system is separate: federal cases involving Dakota County residents or businesses sit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Dakota County District Court Locations

The Minnesota Judicial Branch lists three Dakota County District Court locations. The Judicial Center in Hastings is the anchor. The Western Service Center in Apple Valley and the Northern Service Center in West St. Paul cover service needs for their parts of the county. Juvenile, probate/mental health/adoptions, and jury service are based at the Judicial Center. Criminal/traffic, civil, and family service is shared across the locations.

Court Divisions in Dakota County

The Dakota County District Court page divides operations by case type. Each division has its own phone, fax, and service-center routing. The Criminal/Traffic Division handles criminal and traffic matters at all three locations. The Civil and Family Divisions handle their case types at all three locations, but family motion dates must be obtained before motion paperwork is submitted. The Juvenile and Probate Divisions are based at the Judicial Center.

Dakota County District Court Judicial Officers

The Minnesota Judicial Branch publishes the current judicial officers serving Dakota County. The Assistant Chief Judge is Christopher Jon Lehmann. The judges include Christopher D. Bates, Jamie L. Cork, Dannia L. Edwards, Bryce A.D. Ehrman, Kathryn Iverson, Adam Johnson, David L. Knutson, David Lutz, Krista M. Marks, Michael J. Mayer, Luis Morales, Tanya O'Brien, Ann M. Offermann, Tracy Perzel, Matthew Schmidt, Stacey E. Sorensen Green, Vicki Vial Taylor, and Richelle M. Wahi. Judicial assignments rotate across divisions, so a specific judge's calendar should be confirmed with Court Administration or by checking the daily calendar.

Dakota County Treatment Courts

Dakota County District Court runs five treatment or specialty courts. The Minnesota Judicial Branch describes treatment courts as problem-solving courts where prosecutors, defenders, probation officers, treatment providers, and the judge work together to push eligible participants into treatment, supervision, and behavior change. The Dakota County court page confirms each of the programs below, and Dakota County also links the Juvenile Peer Court.

• Adult Drug Court - for eligible criminal defendants with substance-use issues tied to their cases.
• DWI Court - for repeat or high-risk impaired-driving defendants.
• Family Dependency Treatment Court - addresses substance use in child-protection settings.
• Juvenile Drug Court and the Dakota County Juvenile Peer Court.
• Dakota/Carver Veterans Court - for eligible veterans whose service-related issues are relevant to the criminal case.

Appeals From Dakota County District Court

Appeals from Dakota County District Court generally go to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The Minnesota Supreme Court takes discretionary review in most cases, plus original jurisdiction in certain matters. The Dakota County District Court page does not change the state appeals path; an appeal is filed through the appellate process under the Minnesota Rules of Appellate Procedure. Federal cases follow a separate path through the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Case flow: Dakota County District Court › Minnesota Court of Appeals › Minnesota Supreme Court

How a Dakota County Case Moves Through the System

A criminal case in Dakota County begins with an arrest, a charging decision by the Dakota County Attorney or a city attorney, and an initial appearance at District Court. The case moves through arraignment, omnibus and pretrial hearings, motion practice, plea or trial, and sentencing. A civil case begins with a complaint filed in District Court, service on the defendant, an answer, motion practice, discovery, and either settlement or trial. A family case begins with a petition, hearings, orders, and either settlement or trial. A probate case begins with an application or petition, appointment of a personal representative, inventory, claims, and distribution.

1. Filing or charging in Dakota County District Court.
2. Initial appearance or scheduling order.
3. Motion practice with scheduled hearings.
4. Settlement, plea, or trial.
5. Order, judgment, or sentence.
6. Appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals where applicable.

Dakota County District Court Policies

The Dakota County District Court page lists local orders and policies that affect daily practice. The Continuance Policy is effective September 22, 2022, and the court publishes a Continuance Request Form. The Order Regarding Exhibit Requirements is effective July 1, 2023 and updated January 1, 2025; the court also links the Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES). The Order Regarding Restitution Determination on Probation to the Court Cases is effective December 22, 2014. The Order Regarding Cash Bail is effective February 1, 2023. Dakota County also participated in the Expedited Civil Litigation Track Pilot Project authorized by the Minnesota Supreme Court effective July 1, 2013.

Security, ADA, and Language Access

The Dakota County District Court page links Dakota County Point of Entry Security Screening Information and the Dakota Language Access Plan. The Minnesota Judicial Branch supports ADA Accommodation and language access through links on the court pages. Firearms, explosives, alcohol, narcotics, and controlled substances are not allowed in court buildings. Smoking is not allowed in any county building. Visitors needing interpreters or disability accommodations should contact the local court before a hearing or records visit.

Related Dakota County Pages

For case files, see court records. For hearings and calendars, see court dockets. For certified copies and motion scheduling, see the Court Administrator. For probate filings, see probate records. For criminal cases, see arrest records.