Stearns County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Stearns County bail and bond: the St. Cloud jail and the criminal court next door
Adults arrested in Stearns County are held at the Stearns County Jail, 807 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud. The Sheriff's Office runs it, and the state has approved it for 156 secure beds. Your first step is Stearns County Inmate Search, which shows who is in custody and the bail set. The jail line, as listed by the county's jail guide, is 320-259-3760. Criminal court is also on Courthouse Square, at number 815, so expect to deal with more than one building.
How do I check whether my brother is in the Stearns County Jail?
Use Stearns County Inmate Search. Stearns County keeps its own online roster and warrant list, and the search link above reads from it.
If the name is not showing yet, call the jail at 320-259-3760. A fresh booking can take a while to post. Ask whether another agency has a hold on him.
Which Courthouse Square building do I go to?
Stearns County Court has two buildings on Courthouse Square in St. Cloud. Criminal, traffic, and fine payments are at 815. Civil, family, juvenile, and jury matters are at 725.
The court phone is 320-656-3620, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
How fast must a Stearns County judge see a new arrest?
Within 36 hours, not counting the day of arrest, Sundays, or legal holidays. Saturdays count. The separate probable-cause check has a 48-hour limit that counts every day.
Someone held on a misdemeanor who is not seen in time must be released on a citation. Ask the court at 320-656-3620 when the hearing is.
Where can I pay bail, and how?
The county's jail guide lists payment at the jail, or at the courthouse for the court that has the case. It names cash, a cashier's check, a money order, and a credit card. Call 320-259-3760 to confirm, because cards may carry a fee.
Posting hours were not listed, so ask whether the window is open when you plan to arrive. Keep your receipt.
Is there a Stearns County bail schedule?
No list of set amounts was published for this county, and Minnesota courts are told not to depend on preset schedules. The judge weighs the charge, the record, family, work, and safety.
Release with no money is the starting point under the court rules. The amount that applies to your relative, if any, shows on Stearns County Inmate Search.
Do I need a bail agent, and what do they charge?
Only if you cannot or do not want to pay the full amount. Agents hold a Commerce license and court approval, and the fee must be the company's filed rate with a $100 minimum.
The jail guide says people often hear 10 to 20 percent and that the fee is not refunded. State law names no percentage, so get the rate, the collateral, and the missed-court terms in writing.
Will Stearns County take a house, land, or a vehicle title?
Court rules allow security besides cash, and the jail guide says some courts take property if the owner shows clear title and enough equity. Whether the judge on your case will do so is a court question.
Call 320-656-3620 before gathering deeds. Agents are not allowed to hold a quitclaim deed as collateral.
Why is bail blank or listed as none?
The judge may not have seen him yet, or a probation hold or warrant from another place may stop release. Minnesota has no death penalty, so everyone has a right to bail. A judge can still add conditions or hold a person who is a danger.
If the charge involves domestic abuse, expect a no-contact order. Call the jail to learn which reason applies.
Can I send money to his account instead of paying bail?
That is a different thing. Money on a jail account buys phone time and store items, and it does not release anyone.
A bail agent is not allowed to put money on an inmate's account either. Use the jail line to ask how to add funds for calls.
Can he go to work while he sits in the Stearns County Jail?
The county's jail pages list a Work Release, or Huber, program. Whether a person qualifies is up to the judge and the jail, and it usually depends on the sentence and the record.
If your relative has a job to protect, tell the defense lawyer early. Ask the jail at 320-259-3760 how to request a screening, and send the employer's name and hours.
Who is my lawyer if we cannot pay?
Ask the judge at the first appearance, or apply through the court system's online public defender form. The court appoints the public defender and you cannot pick the person.
Stearns is in the Seventh Judicial District. Court staff at 320-656-3620 can point you to the right office, and the district administration office is 320-656-3650.
Where does Stearns County keep a teenager who is arrested?
The Stearns jail is approved to hold a delinquent youth for only six hours. After that, youth go to a juvenile center.
Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings lists Stearns among the counties it serves. Confirm by phone at 651-438-8399. Juvenile cases are heard in the building at 725 Courthouse Square.
What happens if a person misses court?
The judge can issue a warrant and begin the process of forfeiting the bond. Call the court at 320-656-3620 the same day, then a lawyer.
If an agent wrote the bond, the court must send written notice within set deadlines, and a missed deadline can mean the bond is discharged. Let the agent know the same day.
Do I get cash bail back?
Yes, once the case is over, unless the judge applies it to a fine or restitution. Under state law it belongs to the defendant even when you paid it.
The money is released to the defendant or to someone named in writing. Ask the criminal clerk at 320-656-3620 how to request it.
How do I avoid bail scams?
Real agents cannot solicit inside the jail, call jail phones, or pay jail workers. No one with the court or sheriff will ask for gift cards.
If anyone claims to be a deputy and wants money, hang up and dial the sheriff's line, 320-259-3700.
When can I visit someone at the Stearns County Jail?
Listings give on-site visits on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the day, Thursday evening, and Sunday morning, with none on Tuesday or Saturday. Each visit is one short period a day.
Video visits run through a paid service. Call 320-259-3760 for the current schedule, and bring a government photo ID.
Stearns County bail contacts
- County jail
- Stearns County Jail, 807 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, MN 56302; 320-259-3760
- Bail help
- Bail guide for this jail
- Custody lookup
- Stearns County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Stearns County Sheriff's Office, 320-259-3700
- Criminal court
- 815 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, MN 56303; 320-656-3620
- Juvenile and civil court
- 725 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud; 320-656-3620
- District office
- Seventh Judicial District, 320-656-3650
- Youth detention
- Dakota County Juvenile Services Center, Hastings; 651-438-8399
- Bail agents
- State bail bond program
Fees and hours can change without notice. Use this as a plain guide, and ask the jail before you drive over with money.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Stearns County
The Stearns County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Stearns County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Stearns County, or in some cases the state of Minnesota, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Stearns County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Minnesota is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Stearns County Jail, or the courthouse in Stearns County where the offense took place.
Call 320-259-3760 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Stearns County inmate locator.
Stearns County Jail
Address:
807 Courthouse Square
St. Cloud, MN 56302
Phone:
320-259-3760
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Stearns County
Does Stearns County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stearns County?
Who can set bail in Stearns County?
When is bail set in Stearns County Minnesota?
Does Stearns County have bail?
Yes, Stearns County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stearns County?
Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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, Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns County have bail?
Yes, Stearns County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stearns County?
Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns County Minnesota?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Stearns 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 Stearns County Minnesota?
Yes, Stearns County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Stearns County Jail for more information about the jails in Stearns County.
What options are there to pay bail in Stearns 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 Stearns County Jail for more information about posting bail in Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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.