Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Cottage Grove, Minnesota, in Washington County, has about 43,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Washington County District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the court administrator, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files and common questions.
Related guides: Cottage Grove public records, Washington County court records, Cottage Grove arrest records, Cottage Grove warrants, Cottage Grove inmate search, Cottage Grove criminal records, Minnesota arrest records and Minnesota inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Cottage Grove
Court cases from Cottage Grove are filed in the Washington County District Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Divorces go to the District Court, and the file stays with the court administrator.
The court administrator keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
Looking Up a Case from Cottage Grove
For Washington County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at mncourts.gov/find-courts/washington (page title: Washington County District Court), phone (651) 413-8030, a site that blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), so open it in a browser.
Statewide, Minnesota Court Records Online is the Minnesota Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The Minnesota court page SearchSystems verified is at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch.
What Reaches the Court from Cottage Grove
Together, the nine agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,944 arrests to the FBI that year; the County Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Washington County District Court.
The County Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at washingtoncountymn.gov/411/County-Attorney (page title: Washington County Attorney's Office | Washington County, MN), phone 651-430-6115, 1825 Curve Crest Blvd. #202, Stillwater, MN 55082, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Cottage Grove guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Cottage Grove criminal records, Cottage Grove divorce records, Cottage Grove DUI and Cottage Grove property records.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Cottage Grove?
Through Minnesota Court Records Online, the Minnesota Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Cottage Grove?
The Washington County District Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case.
Who keeps the court records in Cottage Grove?
The court administrator. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Minnesota?
Yes: Minnesota Court Records Online, the Minnesota Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Is this the official Cottage Grove website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.