Which Minnesota court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Conciliation Court Eff. 2024-08-01; $4,000 for consumer-credit claims. | Up to $20,000 | Minn. Stat. § 491A.01 |
| General civil | District Court Over $20,000. | No limit | Minn. Const. art. VI |
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 21 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (Minn. R. Civ. P. 12.01).
15 Minnesota forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to Minnesota practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- Summons (attorney-issued)Minn. R. Civ. P. 3.01, 4.01: commenced by service; file within 1 year (R. 5.04(a)); 21-day answer
- Civil Cover Sheet (CIV117)Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 104: required at filing
- Affidavit of ServiceMinn. R. Civ. P. 4.03: proof of service
- Affidavit to Request Fee Waiver (FEE102)Minn. Stat. § 563.01: in forma pauperis
- Notice of DismissalMinn. R. Civ. P. 41.01: voluntary dismissal
- Motion for Default JudgmentMinn. R. Civ. P. 55.01: five-part default affidavit packet
- Affidavit of Non-Military ServiceSCRA: 50 U.S.C. § 3931: part (2) of the R. 55.01 packet
- Default JudgmentMinn. R. Civ. P. 55.01: § 549.09 rate set annually (2026: 4% / 10% over $50,000)
- Affidavit of Identification of Judgment Debtor (JGM104)Minn. Stat. § 548.09: required to docket the judgment
- Exemption Notice / Intent to Garnish Earnings (JGM802)Minn. Stat. §§ 571.924-.925: MANDATORY 10-day notice before earnings garnishment
- Garnishment Summons: Earnings (JGM801)Minn. Stat. §§ 571.74, 571.922: attorney-issued; Debt Fairness Act tiers (10/15/25%)
- Garnishment Exemption Notice (JGM800)Minn. Stat. §§ 571.72, 571.912: bank/nonearnings exemption notice
- Garnishment Summons: Nonearnings (JGM801)Minn. Stat. §§ 571.71-571.75: attorney-issued; JGM800 notice accompanies
- Request for Order for Disclosure (JGM302/JGM301)Minn. Stat. § 550.011: court-ordered financial disclosure
- Proceedings Supplemental to ExecutionMinn. Stat. § 575.01: post-judgment asset discovery
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a Minnesota matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
Summons (attorney-issued) · Civil Cover Sheet (CIV117) · Affidavit of Service
Collections: File & Serve
Summons (attorney-issued) · Civil Cover Sheet (CIV117) · Affidavit of Service
Collections: Default Judgment
Motion for Default Judgment · Affidavit of Non-Military Service · Affidavit of Identification of Judgment Debtor (JGM104) · Default Judgment
Collections: Enforce Judgment
Exemption Notice / Intent to Garnish Earnings (JGM802) · Garnishment Summons: Earnings (JGM801) · Garnishment Exemption Notice (JGM800) · Garnishment Summons: Nonearnings (JGM801) · Request for Order for Disclosure (JGM302/JGM301) · Proceedings Supplemental to Execution
Fee Waiver
Affidavit to Request Fee Waiver (FEE102)
Voluntary Dismissal
Notice of Dismissal
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every Minnesota county are in the 1Court Directory: Minnesota.
How it works
Upload your case document
PDF, Word, image, or text. SimpleCase extracts parties, claims, amounts, and dates.
Confirm venue and court
For unfiled cases, SimpleCase suggests the county, court level, and courthouse, with the statutory basis shown.
Generate the package
Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
Turn a complaint into a filing-ready case
Your first 3 cases are free. No card required.
Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.