Otter Tail Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Otter Tail County bail and bond: the Fergus Falls jail and courthouse
People arrested in Otter Tail County are taken to the Otter Tail County Jail, 416 South Mill Street, Fergus Falls. The first step is Otter Tail County Inmate Search. It tells you whether the person is booked and, once a judge acts, what the bail is. The jail phone is 218-998-8556.
The jail and the courthouse are different places. Money, release and visits are jail business. Hearings, court dates and public defender requests go through the courthouse on West Junius Avenue. A call to the right one saves hours. Ask the jail desk how bail is taken before you leave home.
Is my husband in the Fergus Falls jail?
Run his name through Otter Tail County Inmate Search before you call. A new booking can take a little while to appear. The jail holds people for Otter Tail County and also for other counties, the state Department of Corrections, immigration authorities and the U.S. Marshals, so a hold from one of them can explain a delay. The jail line is 218-998-8556.
Did the 2024 state penalty change who can be held in Fergus Falls?
Yes, for a short time. In March 2024 the state Department of Corrections cut the jail's license after an inmate was denied food and water, which limited stays to 72 hours and sent inmates to other counties. A news report from April 25, 2024 said the full license was restored, with weekly reports to the state. If you think your relative was moved, ask the jail desk where.
Where do I take bail money in Fergus Falls?
The county jail page lists the jail at 416 South Mill Street, with a desk answering Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It does not post a bail window, payment types or after-hours steps. Call 218-998-8556 and ask three things: where to go, what forms of payment the jail takes, and whether you need the case number.
Can I wait until the courthouse opens to pay?
The court office at 121 West Junius Avenue is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Whether it accepts bail for a person held in the jail is a question for Court Administration at 218-560-7045. Do not assume the answer. Ask both offices, then go to the one that confirms it.
How does a judge decide what bail to set?
Minnesota has no single list of bail amounts, and a state policy tells judges not to depend on preset schedules. A judge starts with release on a promise to appear or an unsecured bond, unless that would endanger the public or fail to ensure a return to court. If that is not enough, the judge picks the least restrictive condition, which can include money.
How soon will someone appear before a judge?
A person who is arrested without a warrant must be brought before a judge within 36 hours, not counting the arrest day, Sundays or legal holidays. A felony or gross misdemeanor holder also needs a probable cause finding, and the outer limit for that is 48 hours counting weekends. After the hearing, the booking record should show the court date.
What does a bondsman cost in Otter Tail County?
A licensed agent must use the premium rate the surety filed with the state, and the minimum charge is $100. Do not accept a verbal figure. Ask for the full cost in writing, including travel fees and the note terms if you cannot pay at once. State law says an agent may not rebate part of the fee or discount it below the filed rate.
What should I get in writing from a bondsman?
Ask for a numbered receipt for any collateral, such as a car title or cash. Under state law the agent must return collateral within 21 days after you show written proof that the bond is discharged, though real debts may be deducted. Agents also may not use collateral for their own gain or take a quitclaim deed on land.
Can land or a house back a bond?
The criminal rules allow "other security," but the county pages post no rule about location, value or paperwork. Ask Court Administration at 218-560-7045 whether property from another county or state can be used, and how long the review takes.
Who is the free lawyer for Otter Tail cases?
The Seventh Judicial District public defender has an office at 309 South Mill Street, Suite 101, Fergus Falls. Its listed phone is 218-739-7467. You ask the judge for a public defender, usually at the first appearance, and the judge decides who qualifies. The office, not the family, chooses who is assigned.
Can my mother join the hearing from Pelican Rapids or Perham?
The court lists library rooms for remote Zoom hearings: Pelican Rapids Public Library at 218-863-7055 and Perham Public Library at 218-346-4892. Reserve a room at least 24 hours before the hearing. Ask the courthouse first whether your hearing may be held that way.
Where do juveniles go after an arrest here?
Otter Tail is one of the counties with a cooperative agreement with the West Central Regional Juvenile Center, 729 11th Street North, Moorhead, 218-299-5150. Whether a child is held there depends on the charge and the judge. The adult search will not show a juvenile, so call the courthouse at 218-560-7045 for the hearing.
What if a town police officer made the arrest?
Start with the arresting department and its report number. A person may sit at a police station briefly before a transfer, so the search can lag. The Sheriff's Office, 218-998-8555, can tell you who brought the person in.
What if my brother skips his court date?
A warrant can follow, and the court may start to forfeit the bond. A bond is cancelled without penalty if the court fails to notify the agent in time. Move fast. Contact his lawyer and the bondsman the same day.
How is cash bail returned?
Cash bail belongs to the defendant, even when someone else posts it. The court keeps it until the case is over. If the judge orders a fine or restitution, that is paid first and the rest goes back to the defendant or a person he names in writing.
Otter Tail County contacts for bail and bond
- Jail
- Otter Tail County Jail, 416 South Mill Street, Fergus Falls, MN 56537; 218-998-8556
- Bond guide
- Otter Tail County jail bail and bond help
- Custody lookup
- Otter Tail County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 218-998-8555; county main line 218-998-8000
- District Court
- Otter Tail County Courthouse, 121 West Junius Avenue, Fergus Falls, MN 56537; 218-560-7045; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Public defender
- 309 South Mill Street, Suite 101, Fergus Falls; 218-739-7467
- Youth detention
- West Central Regional Juvenile Center, 729 11th Street North, Moorhead; 218-299-5150
Phone numbers and hours come from county, court and state pages that are not always dated, so they can be out of date. Your judge may order terms this guide does not describe. Speak to the jail or court, and a lawyer, before you hand over money.
Otter Tail Jail
Address:
416 S. Mill St
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Phone:
218-998-8556
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Otter Tail County
Does Otter Tail County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Otter Tail County?
Who can set bail in Otter Tail County?
When is bail set in Otter Tail County Minnesota?
Does Otter Tail County have bail?
Yes, Otter Tail County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Otter Tail County?
Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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, Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County have bail?
Yes, Otter Tail County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Otter Tail County?
Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County Minnesota?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County Minnesota?
Yes, Otter Tail County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Otter Tail Jail for more information about the jails in Otter Tail County.
What options are there to pay bail in Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail Jail for more information about posting bail in Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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.