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How to Find Public Records in Lesueur County in 2026
Members of the public seeking government documents in Minnesota will find that LesueurRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to public records maintained by Lesueur County and its affiliated agencies. The site aggregates data that may include property records, court filings, vital records, and other documents generated by county government operations. Users should note that available records may vary in completeness depending on the originating agency and the date of filing.
Record categories that members of the public may find through official and affiliated sources include:
- Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family)
- Property deeds, mortgages, and assessment records
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
- Business licenses and permits
- Property tax and assessment records
- Voting and election records
- County board meeting minutes and agendas
- Law enforcement incident reports (where permitted)
- Land use and zoning records
Records may be searched through official court resources, county clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools.
Online Access: The Minnesota Judicial Branch provides online access to court case information through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal, where members of the public may search case records by county, including Le Sueur County. Property records and land documents are accessible through the Le Sueur County Recorder's office portal. Some records require registration or payment of a fee prior to viewing.
In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Le Sueur County Recorder's Office or the Le Sueur County District Court to inspect records in person. The County Recorder is located at 88 South Park Avenue, Le Center, MN 56057. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Requestors should bring a valid government-issued photo identification and be prepared to complete a written request form if required by the receiving office.
Written/Mail Requests: Written requests may be submitted by mail to the Le Sueur County Recorder's Office at 88 South Park Avenue, Le Center, MN 56057. Requests should include the full name of the subject, the type of record sought, the approximate date range, and the requestor's contact information. Under Minnesota Statutes § 13.03, government entities are required to respond to data requests within a reasonable time.
Phone/Email: The Le Sueur County Recorder's Office may be reached by telephone at (507) 357-8246. Email inquiries may be directed through the county's official website contact portal at lesueur.mn.us.
What Are Public Records in Lesueur County?
Public records in Le Sueur County are defined under Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. § 13.01 et seq., which establishes that all government data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by a government entity is public unless classified otherwise by statute or federal law. The following record types are maintained by county offices:
| Record Type | Maintaining Office |
|---|---|
| Civil, criminal, probate, family court records | Le Sueur County District Court |
| Property deeds, mortgages, liens | County Recorder |
| Vital records (birth, death, marriage) | County Recorder / MN Dept. of Health |
| Business licenses and permits | County Administrator |
| Property tax and assessment records | County Assessor / Auditor-Treasurer |
| Voting and election records | County Auditor-Treasurer |
| Meeting minutes and agendas | County Administrator |
| Budget and financial documents | County Administrator |
| Law enforcement records | Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office |
| Land use and zoning records | County Planning & Zoning |
Court records for Le Sueur County are maintained by the Le Sueur County District Court, which is part of Minnesota's Ninth Judicial District and is located in Le Center, MN.
Is Lesueur County an Open Records County?
Le Sueur County operates in full compliance with Minnesota's open records framework. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), Minn. Stat. § 13.03, all government data is presumed public unless a specific statutory classification applies. The Act states that "all government data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by a government entity shall be public data unless classified by statute, or temporary classification pursuant to section 13.06, or federal law, as nonpublic or protected nonpublic, or with respect to data on individuals, as private or confidential."
The Minnesota Department of Administration's Information Policy Analysis Division (IPAD) serves as the primary state authority on data practices compliance and provides guidance to both government entities and members of the public on exercising data access rights. Le Sueur County government entities are required to designate a Responsible Authority to oversee compliance with the MGDPA and to respond to data requests in a timely and lawful manner. The county does not maintain a separate local open records ordinance, as the state statute governs all public data access uniformly across Minnesota jurisdictions.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Lesueur County?
The current fee structure for public records in Le Sueur County is governed by state law and individual office schedules. Under the MGDPA, government entities may charge for the actual cost of searching, retrieving, and copying data, but may not charge for inspection of records in electronic or paper format.
Standard fees at the Le Sueur County Recorder's Office are as follows:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Document copies (per page) | $0.25 |
| Certified copy of recorded document | $10.00 per document |
| Recording a document (first page) | $46.00 |
| Each additional page | $10.00 |
| Electronic document copies | Varies by document type |
- Inspection fees: No charge for in-person inspection of public data.
- Copy fees: $0.25 per black-and-white page for standard paper copies.
- Certification fees: $10.00 per certified document copy.
- Search fees: Permitted only when the search requires more than a reasonable effort; actual cost applies.
- Fee waivers: Members of the public who are the subject of the data may be entitled to one free copy of their own data under the MGDPA.
Accepted payment methods at county offices include cash, check, and money order. Some offices accept credit or debit cards; members of the public should confirm accepted payment methods with the specific office prior to submitting a request.
Does Lesueur County Have Free Public Records?
Free inspection of public records is available at Le Sueur County government offices. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, government entities are prohibited from charging a fee for the inspection of public government data, whether in paper or electronic format. Members of the public may inspect records at no cost during regular business hours.
Free online access to certain records is available through the following official resources:
- Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO): Members of the public may conduct a Le Sueur County court case search at no charge for basic case information.
- Le Sueur County Assessor's Office: Property assessment data and parcel information are available for free inspection through the county's online property search portal.
- Minnesota Secretary of State: Business entity records and UCC filings are searchable at no cost through the Minnesota Secretary of State's office.
- Minnesota Department of Health: Certain vital records indexes are available for free public inspection through the Minnesota Department of Health.
The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while inspection carries no charge, obtaining physical or certified copies is subject to the fee schedule described above.
Who Can Request Public Records in Lesueur County?
Any person may request access to public government data in Le Sueur County, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. The MGDPA does not require requestors to be Minnesota residents, to provide identification for access to public data, or to explain the reason for their request. As the Minnesota Department of Administration notes, "any person has the right to inspect and copy public government data."
Specific provisions apply in the following circumstances:
- Identification: Requestors are not required to provide identification to access public data. However, identification may be required when requesting private data about oneself.
- Purpose: Requestors are not required to state a purpose when requesting public data.
- Non-residents: Non-residents of Minnesota retain full rights to access public government data under state law.
- Personal records: Individuals requesting data about themselves (private data) must provide sufficient verification of identity before the government entity releases the data.
- Third-party records: Access to private or confidential data about another individual is restricted and requires legal authorization, a court order, or a statutory basis.
Certain record types, such as law enforcement data, juvenile records, and health data, are subject to additional access restrictions regardless of the requestor's identity.
What Records Are Confidential in Lesueur County?
Not all government data in Le Sueur County is accessible to the public. The MGDPA and related Minnesota statutes classify certain categories of data as private, confidential, or protected nonpublic. Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82 and related provisions, the following categories of records are exempt from public disclosure:
- Sealed court records: Records sealed by court order are not accessible to the general public.
- Juvenile records: Records pertaining to juveniles in delinquency or child protection proceedings are classified as private or confidential.
- Ongoing investigation records: Active criminal investigative data is classified as protected nonpublic or confidential during the investigation.
- Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar identifiers are protected under state and federal law.
- Medical and health records: Protected under both the MGDPA and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Adoption records: Adoption records are sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal circumstances.
- Child welfare and protective services records: Data collected in child protection investigations is classified as private or confidential.
- Personnel records: Employee data held by government entities is classified as private, with limited exceptions for certain position-related information.
- Trade secrets and proprietary business information: Data submitted to government entities that constitutes a trade secret is protected from disclosure.
- Security plans and critical infrastructure details: Data related to security systems and infrastructure vulnerability assessments is classified as nonpublic.
Government entities applying exemptions must be able to identify the specific statutory basis for withholding data. Members of the public who believe a request has been improperly denied may seek review through the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings or through the courts.
Lesueur County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours
Le Sueur County Recorder's Office
88 South Park Avenue
Le Center, MN 56057
(507) 357-8246
Le Sueur County official website
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays.
Le Sueur County District Court
88 South Park Avenue
Le Center, MN 56057
(507) 357-8251
Le Sueur County District Court
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Le Sueur County Assessor's Office
88 South Park Avenue
Le Center, MN 56057
(507) 357-8215
Le Sueur County Assessor
Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office
88 South Park Avenue
Le Center, MN 56057
(507) 357-2251
Le Sueur County Sheriff
Le Sueur County Auditor-Treasurer
88 South Park Avenue
Le Center, MN 56057
(507) 357-8233
Le Sueur County Auditor-Treasurer