Carver County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Carver County bail and bond: the Chaska jail, the warrants desk, and your first steps
Adults arrested in Carver County are booked by the Sheriff's Office at 606 E. 4th Street in Chaska. Start with Carver County Inmate Search to see whether your person is in custody and what bail was set. The jail line is 952-361-1145. The county page does not give a formal jail name, so this page calls it the jail that serves Carver County. You can also read the county's jail and bond listing for general help.
A judge, not the jail, decides bail in a first hearing. The jail only takes the payment and handles the release. Read the questions below in order if this is your first arrest in the family.
Is my husband in the Carver County jail tonight?
Type his name into Carver County Inmate Search. A new booking can take a while to show, so check again in an hour. If the search still shows nothing after a few hours, call the jail at 952-361-1145 and ask whether he was booked or sent to another agency. Have his full name and birth date ready.
What is the number for the Carver County Sheriff after hours?
Dispatch in Chaska is staffed all day and night at 952-361-1231. The Sheriff's Office Warrants Division, at 606 E. 4th Street, keeps weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed on county holidays. Use dispatch for an emergency or a late-night question, and use the jail line, 952-361-1145, for custody and release questions.
Where do I take bail money in Chaska?
The county pages we read describe the Warrants Division at 606 E. 4th Street but do not list a bail window, its hours, or the kinds of payment taken. Do not drive there with cash and hope. Call the jail at 952-361-1145 first and ask three things: where to go, which hours the window works, and whether it takes cash only or other forms. Then ask for a receipt that shows the case number.
Does Carver County have a bail schedule I can look up?
Minnesota has no statewide list of bail amounts. The Judicial Council's Policy 524 tells courts not to rely on preset schedules, and no Carver County schedule was found. For a person arrested on a warrant, the amount is written on the warrant. Otherwise, the amount comes from a judge. Use Carver County Inmate Search to see the figure, or call 952-361-1145.
How soon will a judge see my daughter?
A person who stays in custody must see a judge without unnecessary delay and within 36 hours of arrest. The count leaves out the day of arrest, Sundays, and legal holidays, but Saturdays count. For a misdemeanor, a missed deadline means a citation and release. Probable cause has its own 48-hour deadline that counts weekends. Ask the jail desk, 952-361-1145, which court date she has.
Can she be released without paying anything?
Often, yes. Rule 6.02 says a judge should release a person on a promise to appear or an unsecured bond unless release would endanger public safety or would not reasonably assure a return to court. If the judge sets limits, they must be the least restrictive ones that work, such as travel limits, no contact, or supervision. A judge can offer more than one choice, such as a larger cash amount with no conditions or a smaller amount with conditions.
What does a bondsman cost, and who checks them?
A bail bond agent must hold a Department of Commerce license and be approved by the State Court Administrator's Office. Under Minnesota Statutes chapter 60M, the agent must charge the premium rate the surety company filed, with a $100 minimum. The state does not set one percentage for every bond, so ask for the rate in writing. An agent may not solicit inside the jail or call the jail phones. Keep every receipt for the premium and for any collateral.
Can I use my house or land for his bail?
Minnesota rules let a judge accept "other security," but no Carver County rule on property bonds was found, and we did not confirm whether land must sit inside the county or the state. Ask the court administrator before you sign anything. With a bondsman, the agent must give a numbered receipt for anything you pledge, and a quitclaim deed is not allowed as collateral.
What if the arrest was made on a warrant from another county?
A warrant from another Minnesota county carries its own bail amount, and the person may be moved to that county. The court that issued the warrant owns the case. Ask the jail desk, 952-361-1145, to read you the warrant details and the issuing court. Do not pay until you know which court owns the case.
Why does the record say he is on hold?
Minnesota allows bail in every case, because the only exception was for capital crimes and the state has no death penalty. A hold usually comes from a different cause: a warrant in another case, a probation violation, or a no-contact order in a domestic case. Judges can also limit release if it would risk public safety. The jail desk can name the hold. For the court side, ask for the judge's order.
Where does a Carver County teenager go if arrested?
Carver County is listed among the counties served by the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings, which has 40 beds. Families can call 651-438-4970 to reach juveniles housed there. A teen's case is private, so the adult search will not list him or her. Ask the jail desk at 952-361-1145 whether a young person was held first and who is handling the hearing.
How do I ask for a free lawyer for a Carver County charge?
Ask the judge at the first hearing. A court may appoint a public defender when the person is charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony that could mean jail and cannot afford a lawyer. You can also use the Online PD Application on the Minnesota courts website. The court picks the lawyer, and you cannot choose. A direct office number for Carver County was not confirmed, so call the jail at 952-361-1145 to learn the court and date.
What happens if he misses a court date after bail is posted?
The court can order the bond forfeited and issue an arrest warrant. When a bondsman wrote the bond, the court must notify the surety within 30 days, and the agent may arrest the person and bring him in. A judge can forgive the penalty in some cases. Do not wait. Call a lawyer and the bondsman the same day.
Does the cash come back after the case?
Cash bail belongs to the person who was arrested, even if you paid it. After the case ends, the court pays it back to him or to someone he names in writing. If he is convicted, the judge may take out fines or restitution first. A bondsman's premium is a fee and is not returned unless your contract says so.
How do I know a call about Carver County bail is real?
Bail is never paid by gift card, payment app, or wire to a stranger. Hang up and call the jail yourself at 952-361-1145, or dispatch at 952-361-1231. A real release comes through the court and jail, not a stranger who asks for speed.
Carver County bail contacts
- County jail
- Carver County Sheriff's Office jail, Chaska; 952-361-1145; jail and bond listing
- Sheriff's Office
- Warrants Division, 606 E. 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318; weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Dispatch
- Staffed around the clock, 952-361-1231
- Custody lookup
- Carver County Inmate Search
- Courts
- District court in Chaska; ask the jail at 952-361-1145 for the case number and courtroom
- Public defender
- Ask the judge at first appearance, or apply online through the Minnesota Judicial Branch
- Juvenile
- Dakota County Juvenile Services Center, Hastings, 651-438-4970
Hours, fees, and phone numbers change. Confirm each one with the office before you travel or pay, because a hearing can alter the plan overnight. Nothing here replaces advice from a Minnesota lawyer.
Carver County Jail
Address:
606 E. 4th Street
Chaska, MN 55318
Phone:
952-361-1278
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Carver County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Carver County?
Who can set bail in Carver County?
When is bail set in Carver County Minnesota?
Does Carver County have bail?
Yes, Carver County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Carver County?
Carver County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Minnesota offers several types of pre-trial release including unconditional, conditional, or cash/surety bail.
Who can set bail in Carver County?
Depending on the charge(s) bail may be set according to a bail schedule or at the discretion of the judge.
When is bail set in Carver County Minnesota?
Bail is set at the defendant’s first court hearing, or arraignment. State law requires this hearing be scheduled within 48 hours of arrest, except for weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Carver County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Carver County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Carver County Jail until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Carver County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Carver County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Carver County have bail?
Yes, Carver County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Carver County?
Carver County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Minnesota offers several types of pre-trial release including unconditional, conditional, or cash/surety bail.
Who can set bail in Carver County?
Depending on the charge(s) bail may be set according to a bail schedule or at the discretion of the judge.
When is bail set in Minnesota?
Bail is set at the defendant’s first court hearing, or arraignment. State law requires this hearing be scheduled within 48 hours of arrest, except for weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Carver County Minnesota?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Carver County Minnesota, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Minnesota could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Carver County Minnesota?
Yes, Carver County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Carver County Jail for more information about the jails in Carver County.
What options are there to pay bail in Carver County Minnesota?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Carver County Jail for more information about posting bail in Carver County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Minnesota?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Carver County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Minnesota?
The Carver County Jail or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.