Minnesota
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Minnesota — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Minnesota
In Minnesota, divorce is legally called a “dissolution of marriage.” Here's the process in plain language:
- Check residency. At least one spouse must have lived in Minnesota for 180 days before filing.
- File in the right county. You file with the district court in the county where either spouse lives.
- Use the court's free tools. Minnesota's courts offer Guide & File, a free online interview that builds your divorce forms for you, plus every form as a free download.
- Serve your spouse and follow the steps. The court's self-help pages walk through each phase, including what happens if your spouse doesn't respond.
Minnesota Courts — Divorce/Dissolution Help Topic
The official starting point: overview, forms, Guide & File, and step-by-step instructions from the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
mncourts.gov/help-topics/divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
Minnesota State Bar — Find a Lawyer
Searchable directory of Minnesota attorneys by practice area and location. You can filter for lawyers offering a free 30-minute consultation.
mnbar.org/member-directory/find-a-lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
LawHelpMN
Minnesota's legal aid hub: free legal information, provider directories, and clinics across the state. Run by Minnesota's legal aid community.
lawhelpmn.org →Minnesota Court Self-Help Center
Free help from court staff: how to complete forms, what the process looks like, and where to find low-cost legal services. Call (651) 435-6535, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
More on mncourts.gov →Minnesota Housing — Housing Help
Get help making mortgage payments through Minnesota Housing and the Minnesota Homeownership Center's foreclosure prevention advisors. Call 651-296-7608 or 800-657-3769.
mnhousing.gov — housing help →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help — legal aid, housing, food, and more. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in Minnesota
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Minnesota.
Where to go
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Time limit to file
2 years (3 years if willful)
What the floor is
$11.41 (2026)
Changing your name in Minnesota
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Minnesota.
How it works
petition the District Court in your county
Typical court fee
~$310–$322
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in Minnesota
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Minnesota.
Maximum claim
$20,000 ($4,000 for consumer credit)
Filing fee
about $75 (varies by county)
Can you bring one?
generally no, unless the judge allows it
Clearing your criminal record in Minnesota
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Minnesota stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement (sealing)
What qualifies
dismissed cases; misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and listed felonies; some automatic under Clean Slate
Waiting period
2–5 years depending on offense
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Minnesota →
Child support in Minnesota
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Minnesota.
How it's figured
income shares (proportionate share of combined parental income, PICS) guidelines in Minn. Stat. section 518A.35; Minnesota Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families hosts an online calculator
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, up to age 20 if still in secondary school
Lemon law in Minnesota
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Minnesota's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles only
When it's legally a lemon
4+ attempts for same defect or 30+ business days out of service within warranty term or 2 years; 1 attempt for complete brake/steering failure
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Minnesota
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Minnesota.
Notice before eviction
one full rental period (one month) to end month-to-month; 14-day notice for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
no statutory maximum; returned within 21 days with an itemized list of deductions
When the landlord won't fix things
rent escrow allowed; repair-and-deduct only with a court order
DUI / DWI in Minnesota
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Minnesota handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.16
Typical penalties
up to 90 days in jail, up to $1,000 fine, 90-day license revocation
How far back DUIs count
10-year lookback
Gun laws in Minnesota
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required (Permit to Carry); shall-issue, age 18 (court ruling 2023)
Carrying openly
Allowed with a Permit to Carry (permit covers both open and concealed)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Required for handguns and semi-automatic military-style assault weapons; not required for ordinary long guns No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Recognizes permits from states with 'substantially similar' laws (about 35 states).
Filming the police: your rights in Minnesota
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Minn. Stat. § 626A.02, subd. 2(d))
No buffer-zone law
Minnesota has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
One-party consent state: any participant may record a conversation. Minneapolis's January 2025 DOJ consent decree explicitly orders officers not to interfere with civilians photographing or recording them in public. Some federal sources note the First Amendment right to record police is not yet 'clearly established' in the 8th Circuit, which affects civil suits against officers.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Minnesota
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Minnesota
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Minnesota
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Minnesota
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Minnesota
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →