Confession time: I'm both compulsive and obsessive when it comes to looking for information about my ancestors. And I believe that's a good thing. The more I find out about the lives they led, the more I want to know. County court records just might hold the key that will open the gateway through that brick wall of yours, too.

In Minnesota, there are Federal Courts, state courts (e.g., appeals, supreme, bankruptcy), county (or district) courts and local courts (such as justices of the peace). The kinds of cases heard in each depend on the laws at the time the case was heard. For example, early naturalization proceedings can found in federal and county district courts, as well as in the Minnesota State Supreme Court. See my research note on naturalizations.

On the county level, the district courts are typically divided into civil and criminal functions. The State Archives at the Minnesota Historical Society has collected case files for both functions, as well as the various kinds of journals kept to track the progress of cases. If you're looking for someone who broke the law, you'll need to look in the criminal records: disputes between and among people and companies will be found in the civil records, along with adoptions, name changes, and naturalizations. Because of an early state law prohibiting more than one judge per county district court, Ramsey and Hennepin Counties had Courts of Common Pleas for a short period of time that operated like a district court until about 1880. This permitted these more populated counties to have multiple courts that could hear civil matters, such as divorce cases or conflicts over property or financial matters.

Divorce cases from the Courts of Common Pleas were extracted and published in the Minnesota Genealogical Journal: 31, and other issues include early divorces from other counties. Naturalizations performed in the county district courts have been indexed by the Range Genealogical Society, available on the web at www.ironrangeresearchcenter.com. Those performed in the Minnesota State Supreme Court have been indexed in the Minnesota Genealogical Index, available through our bookstore.

Probate court records can be a treasure trove, because of the family relationships they often include. Even if a person dies intestate (without a will), the distribution of property to heirs requires naming the persons eligible plus their relationship to the deceased. Married daughters will be named usually with a location, making it possible to extend the family another generation or two. In addition, the naming of guardians for the minor children of the deceased is handled in probate court as well.

Can your brick wall problem be solved by checking court records? You won't know until you give it a try. Happy hunting!

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