Pope County, Minnesota: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $20,000 (conciliation court (statewide) only). Court: Pope County Conciliation Court.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$20,000 (conciliation court (statewide) only)
Statewide filing fee	Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. State court directory
E-filing	Not verified
Time limit to sue in Minnesota	6 years.
State deposit return deadline	21 calendar days after termination of the tenancy and after receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. ordinary termination (three weeks = 21 days). 5 calendar days after tenant leaves due to legal condemnation of the building/dwelling for reasons not due to willful, malicious, or irresponsible conduct of the tenant, and after receipt of mailing address or delivery instructions. the building was legally condemned.
Penalty formula	failure to provide timely written statement (or other listed duties) = liability for the withheld portion plus interest as a penalty, in addition to the portion wrongfully withheld plus interest; separate bad-faith punitive damages up to $500 per deposit. Bad faith required: No.
Deposit statute	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178

Where to file

Pope County Conciliation Court

Courthouse city: Glenwood

Some counties have more than one small claims court, and venue rules differ by state; check which court hears your claim on the court's official page or with the clerk.

State court directory

Court site located; the court's server blocks automated checks

See how to file in Minnesota for the state filing procedure.

Rent and deposits in Pope County

County median gross rent: $851 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$821
1 bedroom	$675
2 bedrooms	$868
3 bedrooms	$983
4 bedrooms	$826

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $868; two months is $1,736. This is an example computed from the county median, not a legal cap or a survey of deposits. The calculations below use the one-month deposit of $868.

State legal maximum deposit in Minnesota: No general statewide statutory maximum for ordinary residential deposits under § 504B.178.

Total households in Pope County: 4,987.

Renter households: 865 (17.3% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 15.7%. A delayed deposit refund can leave these households with less money for their next rent payment.

County rent and household source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070. Accessed 2026-09-21.

Will my deposit claim fit the limit?

Using the county Census figure: two-bedroom median gross rent for Pope County, $868 per month.

The deposit range does not include penalties, interest, or other amounts you may claim.

Compared with $20,000 (conciliation court (statewide) only), the whole deposit range fits.

A claim above the applicable limit must either be reduced to that limit or go to a different court.

Towns this court serves

A deposit claim is usually filed where the property sits or where the landlord is.

Brooten
Cyrus
Farwell
Glenwood
Long Beach
Lowry
Sedan
Starbuck
Villard
Westport

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place-to-county relationship file.

Statewide help

Justice North
free civil legal help for people facing loss of housing or other civil legal challenges; Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota merged into Justice North
Phone: (877) 696-6529
HOME Line
free legal help for Minnesota renters, including a tenant hotline on evictions, repairs, deposits, and other landlord-tenant problems
Phone: (612) 728-5767
Anishinabe Legal Services
free civil legal help for low-income people living on or near the Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations, including evictions from tribal/public housing and lease-violation cases
Phone: 1-800-422-1335

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send a Minnesota security deposit demand letter stating the deposit amount supported by your records. Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
Before you file: review the deposit return deadlines above and allow the typical response window of 21 days after your letter.
Time limit to sue in Minnesota: 6 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

This template uses Minnesota law. Your county decides where you file, not which law applies.

Choose how to send your letter

We mail it, or you mail it.

$49, done for you.

We write the letter from the facts you send, mail it by USPS Certified Mail with tracking, and send you the tracking number and a PDF record of what was sent.

Mailed within 2 business days of your completed form, or a full refund.

Document preparation and mailing, not legal advice. We do not assess your claim, choose a strategy, or promise a recovery.

Write and mail my letter for $49

$29, you send it.

A print-ready PDF of the Minnesota letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Minnesota small-claims details: the limit, the deadline to sue, and where to file.

You fill in the template, print it, and pay postage. The same letter template is also available free by email below. The kit adds the print-ready PDF, mailing guide, and local details in one place.

If you cannot access or use the kit files, contact us for a replacement or a full refund.

Get the Minnesota kit for $29

Self-help document service. No account is required on Demand Letter Lab.

Free Minnesota template, built from verified state data

Methodology: every statute verified against primary sources. See how verification works.

I rented [rental property address] from [lease start date] to [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount]. I returned the keys on [date] and gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date]. Under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178), a landlord must return the deposit or respond in writing within [21 calendar days / 5 calendar days, see the note above] after [the event listed in the note above].

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Pope County?

Statewide filing fee: Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. State court directory

How long do I have to sue?

Time limit to sue in Minnesota: 6 years.

Where do I file?

Pope County Conciliation Court. Courthouse city: Glenwood. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.