Yellow Medicine County Traffic Records
Yellow Medicine County traffic court records are handled through the 8th Judicial District Court in Granite Falls, Minnesota. The district court in Granite Falls processes all traffic-related court matters for this southwestern Minnesota county, including citations on Highway 212, Highway 67, and county roads throughout the area. This page covers how to search for records, pay a fine, and respond to a citation in Yellow Medicine County.
Yellow Medicine County Overview
Yellow Medicine County District Court
The Yellow Medicine County District Court is part of the 8th Judicial District, which covers a large stretch of western Minnesota. The court in Granite Falls handles all traffic cases filed in Yellow Medicine County -- from basic payable citations to contested hearings before a judge. Court staff can tell you where your case stands and explain what you need to do next after receiving a citation in the county.
Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free surface lot parking and on-street parking are available near the courthouse. Granite Falls is a small city, so getting to the courthouse is generally easy. If you need to visit in person to pay a fine or ask about a case, arrive before 4:30 p.m. -- court staff are not available outside those hours for in-person help.
Yellow Medicine County does not have hearing officers. If you want to contest a citation, you need to contact the court and request a court date before the 30-day deadline. That means calling (320) 564-0530 and asking to get on the calendar. Don't put it off until the last day -- give yourself a couple of days before the deadline to get it confirmed. The court calendar is posted online each business day at 7:00 a.m. and updated hourly. Confidential cases do not appear publicly.
| Court | Yellow Medicine County District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Yellow Medicine County Courthouse, Granite Falls, MN 56241 |
| Phone | (320) 564-0530 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Website | mncourts.gov/find-courts/yellow-medicine |
The Yellow Medicine County District Court page on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website has current contact details, local rules, and court calendar access. Check there before visiting in person to make sure the hours have not changed.
The screenshot below shows the Yellow Medicine County court information page on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website, where you can verify contact details and access the court calendar.
Verify hours and phone numbers on the court page before making the drive to Granite Falls.
Searching Traffic Records in Yellow Medicine County
Minnesota Courts Records Online, or MCRO, is the free public tool for looking up court case data across the state. You can search by name, case number, or citation number. It covers post-conviction cases from all 87 Minnesota counties, including Yellow Medicine. The system is at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. No fee or account is required.
The main limit to know: pre-conviction cases are not available online. If your citation is recent and still open, MCRO will not find it. For information on a pending case, call the Yellow Medicine County courthouse at (320) 564-0530 or go in person. Post-conviction records are available online, and MCRO updates its data hourly during business hours.
If you visit the courthouse, public access computers are available for on-site record searches. Certified copies must be requested through the court clerk. MCRO is a read-only system -- it does not allow document filings or fine payments.
The image below shows the MCRO public access search portal used to look up Yellow Medicine County traffic court records.
No account or login is needed to search MCRO -- the system is free and open to anyone.
Note: Pre-conviction cases are not available through MCRO -- call the Yellow Medicine County courthouse at (320) 564-0530 for pending case information.
Paying Traffic Fines in Yellow Medicine County
If you received a payable traffic citation in Yellow Medicine County, you have four ways to pay: online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the courthouse in Granite Falls. Online payments are processed at webpay.courts.state.mn.us. A $2.34 convenience fee applies to online and phone payments. Wait at least 7 days after the citation date before trying to pay online -- the ticket needs to be entered into the court system before the payment portal can find it.
By phone, call the Court Payment Center at (651) 281-3219 (metro) or (800) 657-3611 (toll-free). For mail, send a check or money order to: Court Payment Center, P.O. Box 898, Willmar, MN 56201. Write your citation number on the check so it gets credited to the right case. In-person payments are accepted at the Yellow Medicine County Courthouse during regular business hours.
You have 30 days from the citation date to respond. Either pay the fine or contact the court to contest it within that 30-day period. Missing the deadline can result in a default judgment and further license consequences. If your citation was for no proof of insurance, do not pay online. Fax proof of insurance to 320-231-6507 first, then follow up with court staff about what to do next.
The screenshot below shows the Court Payment Center portal used for paying Yellow Medicine County traffic fines online.
Save your payment confirmation number after paying online or by phone as proof of payment.
Your Options After Getting a Citation
After a traffic ticket in Yellow Medicine County, you can pay the fine (a guilty plea), contest the citation, or submit proof of insurance if that was the charge. Paying is the simplest choice for minor violations and closes the case fast. To fight the ticket, call the Yellow Medicine County District Court at (320) 564-0530 to request a court date before your 30-day window expires.
Yellow Medicine County has no hearing officers. If you contest a citation, you go directly before a judge. Most traffic violations in Minnesota are petty misdemeanors. Under Minnesota Statute 169.89, petty misdemeanor fines can reach $300. More serious violations -- reckless driving, excessive speed -- can be charged as misdemeanors under Minnesota Statute 169.13 with fines up to $1,000 and possible jail time.
For help understanding what your options mean in practice, call the statewide self-help line at (651) 435-6535, available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Staff there can walk you through the process without giving legal advice. Legal aid organizations in southwestern Minnesota may also be able to assist with traffic matters for qualifying individuals.
The image below is from the Minnesota Judicial Branch traffic help page, which outlines your citation options across the state.
Visit mncourts.gov/help-topics/traffic-issues for a complete overview of your options after receiving a traffic citation.
Note: Yellow Medicine County has no hearing officers -- to contest a citation, call (320) 564-0530 to request a court date before the 30-day deadline.
Traffic Laws and Penalties in Minnesota
Speeding, failure to stop, and most other common violations in Yellow Medicine County are petty misdemeanors with fines up to $300. Minnesota Statute 169.14 sets speed limits at 30 mph in urban areas, 55 mph on most roads, 65 mph on expressways, and 70 mph on rural interstates. Driving 100 mph or faster triggers an automatic 6-month license revocation in addition to any fine.
Texting while driving is a primary offense under Minnesota Statute 169.475. Officers can pull you over for phone use alone, without any other violation. The fine runs around $135-$140. Seat belt violations fall under Minnesota Statute 169.686 and are also a primary offense. Reckless driving is a misdemeanor under Minnesota Statute 169.13, carrying up to $1,000 in fines and 90 days in jail.
Minnesota does not use a points system on driver records. The state tracks conviction counts instead. Four offenses in 12 months leads to a 30-day suspension. Five in 12 months means 90 days. Eight or more in 24 months results in a 1-year suspension. To request a copy of your driving record, use form PS2502 through the DVS records request page. Non-certified copies cost $9.
Cities in Yellow Medicine County
Granite Falls is the county seat of Yellow Medicine County and the location of the district courthouse. Other communities in the county include Canby, Clarkfield, and Wood Lake. None of the cities within Yellow Medicine County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Traffic citations issued anywhere in the county are processed through the Yellow Medicine County District Court in Granite Falls.
Nearby Counties
Yellow Medicine County is surrounded by several counties in southwestern and west-central Minnesota. If your citation was issued in a neighboring county, use the links below to find the correct court.