Cottonwood County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cottonwood County bail and bond: the Windom jail on Fifth Avenue
The Cottonwood County Jail is at 902 Fifth Avenue in Windom, run by Sheriff Jason Purrington. A state inspection in September 2026 counted 21 secure beds for men and women. Look up the person on Cottonwood County Inmate Search, then call the Sheriff's Office at 507-831-1957 for anything the search cannot show. See the county jail listing for more.
A judge sets bail. The jail holds the person and handles release after the court's order.
1. Is my father in the Windom jail right now?
Check Cottonwood County Inmate Search first. Then call 507-831-1957, the Sheriff's Office number. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and dispatch works all day and night. Give his full name and birth date.
2. How many people can the Cottonwood County Jail hold?
The Department of Corrections inspection of September 2, 2026 lists 21 approved secure beds, with a working limit near 17. With so few beds, a Cottonwood County inmate may be moved to another jail. Ask the desk whether your person is still in Windom.
3. Who is the sheriff, and where is the office?
Sheriff Jason Purrington leads the office at 902 Fifth Avenue, Windom, MN 56101, the same address given for the jail. The listing shows a fax at 507-831-1375. For custody and bail, use the main number, 507-831-1957.
4. Where do I hand over bail in Windom?
The county page lists jail visiting hours but not a bail window, its hours, or accepted payment forms. Ask the office before you go. Bring photo ID and the case number, and ask for a receipt that matches the name and amount.
5. Are visiting hours the same as hours for bail?
No. Visits are Thursday afternoon and evening, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning and afternoon, according to the county. Bail depends on when the court or jail accepts payment. Ask 507-831-1957 which times apply, since a Sunday visit window does not mean a Sunday bail window.
6. What amount of bail should we expect?
There is no statewide schedule, and none was found for Cottonwood County. Courts are told not to rely on preset lists. A judge sets the amount at the hearing. Bail should be the lowest figure that will get him back to court. See Cottonwood County Inmate Search for the figure on the record.
7. When does a judge first see someone arrested in Cottonwood County?
Within 36 hours, leaving out the day of arrest, Sundays, and legal holidays. If a misdemeanor suspect waits longer, he must be released on citation. Probable cause must be reviewed within 48 hours, counting weekends. Ask the jail for the hearing date.
8. Can he be released with no money?
Often. Rule 6.02 says to start with release on a promise to appear or an unsecured bond, unless public safety or a return to court is at risk. Then the judge picks the least restrictive limits, which may include supervision, travel limits, or money.
9. How do bondsmen charge in southwest Minnesota?
The same way as elsewhere in the state: a Commerce Department license, court approval, and the surety's filed premium with a $100 minimum. No flat state percentage applies. For bonds of $10,000 or less, at least half the premium is due before the bond is posted, and the rest may go on a note.
10. Can I put up farmland or a house?
A judge can take security other than cash, but we found no Cottonwood County rule for land, and we did not confirm county or state limits. Ask the court administrator in Windom before you take a deed anywhere.
11. Why is he still held after bail was set?
Another case can hold him: a warrant, a probation violation, or a no-contact order. Ask the jail to read the holds on his booking. Paying one bail will not free him if another hold remains.
12. Does the jail hold teenagers?
The inspection report says the jail may hold a delinquent juvenile up to 24 hours, not counting weekends and holidays. After that, a youth must go elsewhere. We did not confirm which youth detention center the county uses, so call 507-831-1957 to learn where a child is and when the hearing is.
13. How do I get a public defender in Cottonwood County?
Tell the judge at the first hearing that you cannot hire a lawyer, or use the Online PD Application of the Minnesota courts. The court appoints the lawyer. A Cottonwood County defender line was not confirmed, so call the Sheriff's Office for the court date.
14. What happens after a missed court date?
The court may forfeit the bond and issue a warrant. When an agent wrote the bond, the court notifies the surety, and the agent may bring him back. A judge can forgive part of the penalty in some cases.
15. Who gets the cash bail back?
It is his money even if you paid it. It stays with the court during the case, and then goes back to him or to a person he names in writing, minus any ordered fine or restitution.
16. What should I do about a scam call?
Do not pay a stranger by app, gift card, or wire. Hang up and call 507-831-1957.
Cottonwood County bail contacts
- County jail
- Cottonwood County Jail, 902 Fifth Avenue, Windom, MN 56101; 507-831-1957; jail listing
- Sheriff
- Sheriff Jason Purrington; office hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday; dispatch 24 hours
- Fax
- 507-831-1375
- Custody lookup
- Cottonwood County Inmate Search
- Capacity
- 21 approved secure beds (inspection of September 2, 2026)
- Public defender
- Ask the judge at first appearance or apply through the Minnesota courts online form
- Juvenile
- Jail may hold a youth up to 24 hours (not counting weekends and holidays); ask 507-831-1957 for the facility used after that
Bed counts, hours, and rules shift after each inspection and each budget year. Call before you travel, and ask a Minnesota attorney about the charge itself.
Cottonwood County Jail
Address:
902 5th Ave.
Windom, MN 56101
Phone:
507-831-1375
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Cottonwood County
Does Cottonwood County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cottonwood County?
Who can set bail in Cottonwood County?
When is bail set in Cottonwood County Minnesota?
Does Cottonwood County have bail?
Yes, Cottonwood County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cottonwood County?
Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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, Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County have bail?
Yes, Cottonwood County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cottonwood County?
Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County Minnesota?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County Minnesota?
Yes, Cottonwood County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Cottonwood County Jail for more information about the jails in Cottonwood County.
What options are there to pay bail in Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County Jail for more information about posting bail in Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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.