Todd County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Todd County bail and bond: Long Prairie, Staples, and the Seventh District
Adults arrested in Todd County are held at the Todd County Detention Center, 115 3rd Street South, Long Prairie. It opened in 1985 and has grown over the years to hold 52 people. Call it at 320-732-7743. The county posts a daily roster, and you can also look up a person with Todd County Inmate Search. For help with paying, see the jail and bail guides for Todd County.
How can I tell if my nephew is in the Long Prairie detention center?
Start with Todd County Inmate Search. Todd County also posts a daily inmate roster as a PDF on its website, with the booking charge on it.
If he is not listed, phone the detention center at 320-732-7743.
What is the difference between the Long Prairie and Staples sheriff offices?
The Sheriff's Office has two public offices. Long Prairie is at 215 1st Avenue South, Suite 300, 320-732-6447. The Staples branch is at 200 1st Street NE, Suite 1, 218-894-6300.
Neither is the jail. People in custody are in the Long Prairie detention center, so go there or call 320-732-7743.
Where is the Todd County courthouse and when is it open?
Todd County District Court is in the Todd County Courthouse, 221 First Avenue South, Long Prairie. Court administrator Kim Peterson's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and parking is free.
The phone is 320-357-5005. Todd is in the Seventh Judicial District. A daily court calendar is posted at 7:00 a.m. on business days.
How fast must a judge see someone arrested in Todd County?
Within 36 hours, leaving out the day of arrest, Sundays, and legal holidays. Probable cause must be decided within 48 hours, counting every day.
A person held on a misdemeanor and not seen in time must be freed on a citation. The court, 320-357-5005, can confirm the hearing.
Where do I pay bail, and can I use the lobby kiosk?
Todd County's jail page gives no bail rules. It describes a lobby kiosk for inmate deposits, and that kiosk is for phone and store money, not bail.
Ask the detention center, 320-732-7743, how bail is accepted and during what hours. The county says officers do not take money from the public at the door.
Is money on his account the same as bail?
No. A deposit goes to a commissary and phone account, through the kiosk or the jailatm.com site. The county lists fees on those deposits, and it does not take personal checks.
Money paid as bail is a separate payment that frees him. Ask the jail which one you are making, and save the receipt.
What is bail likely to be in Todd County?
No countywide price list is posted. Judicial policy discourages preset schedules, so the judge weighs the charge, record, ties to Todd County, work, and safety.
Some people go home with no money due. If an amount is set, Todd County Inmate Search should show it.
Do bail agents work in Todd County, and what is the fee?
An agent holds a Commerce license and court approval. They must charge the filed rate of their surety, never under $100, and the law sets no percent.
Ask for the fee, any collateral, and the missed-court terms in writing. The state bail bond program lists approved agents.
Can a house or land be used for a bond?
Court rules allow "other security," and listings say a judge may accept property if the owner shows clear title. The court that set bail decides.
Ask the court administrator at 320-357-5005 what papers are needed. An agent cannot take a quitclaim deed as collateral.
Why is bail listed as none?
The judge may not have ruled yet. A probation hold, a warrant from another place, or a hold for another agency can also keep someone in.
Minnesota has no death penalty, so a right to bail applies to all. A judge can add conditions, and for domestic assault often orders no contact.
Does Todd County hold people for other counties?
A directory listing says the Long Prairie jail also holds inmates for Wadena County and takes overflow from other Minnesota counties. The county's own pages do not say so.
So if the Todd roster does not list your person, ask the jail whether he was sent elsewhere.
Where are Todd County teenagers held after an arrest?
Todd County is one of 11 counties in an agreement with the West Central Regional Juvenile Center, 729 11th Street N., Moorhead. Call it at 218-299-5150.
Court staff at 320-357-5005 can say when a juvenile hearing is set.
How do we get a public defender in Todd County?
Ask the judge at the first hearing, or use the online public defender application. The court decides eligibility and assigns the lawyer; you cannot choose.
This page lists no public defender number. Ask the court at 320-357-5005 which office covers your case.
What if she misses court?
Call the court the same day, then a lawyer. A judge can issue a warrant and start forfeiting the bond.
If an agent wrote the bond, the court has deadlines to notify the agent, and a missed deadline can discharge the bond.
Do I get my money back?
Cash bail returns when the case ends, to the defendant or a person named in writing, after any fine or restitution.
Agent fees stay with the agent. Ask the court office how to request cash back.
When can I visit someone in the Todd County Detention Center?
On-site visits must be booked ahead by phone, 320-732-7743. The county lists Wednesday afternoons and evenings, Friday mornings, and Sunday mornings and evenings.
Staff may ask for photo ID. Anyone under 18 may visit only if immediate family and with a parent or guardian. On-site video visits are free; video from home goes through a vendor that charges.
What if the arrest was in Staples?
Staples is covered by the Sheriff's branch office at 200 1st Street NE, but a person arrested there still goes to the Long Prairie detention center, as far as the county pages show.
Call the Staples office, 218-894-6300, for the report. Ask the court at 320-357-5005 which courthouse hears the case.
Todd County bail contacts
- County jail
- Todd County Detention Center, 115 3rd Street South, Long Prairie, MN 56347; 320-732-7743
- Bail help
- Jail and bail guides for Todd County
- Custody lookup
- Todd County Inmate Search
- Sheriff, Long Prairie
- 215 1st Avenue South, Suite 300; 320-732-6447
- Sheriff, Staples
- 200 1st Street NE, Suite 1; 218-894-6300
- District court
- 221 First Avenue South, Long Prairie; 320-357-5005; Seventh Judicial District
- Youth detention
- West Central Regional Juvenile Center, Moorhead; 218-299-5150
- Bail agents
- State bail bond program
Phone numbers and hours are the ones listed when this page was written, and they can change. Treat it as an overview rather than legal advice.
Todd County Detention Center
Address:
115 3rd St. S.
Long Prairie, MN 56347
Phone:
320-732-7743
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Todd County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Todd County?
Who can set bail in Todd County?
When is bail set in Todd County Minnesota?
Does Todd County have bail?
Yes, Todd County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Todd County?
Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd County Detention Center 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, Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd County have bail?
Yes, Todd County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Todd County?
Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd County Minnesota?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Todd 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 Todd County Minnesota?
Yes, Todd County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Todd County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Todd County.
What options are there to pay bail in Todd 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 Todd County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Todd 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 Todd 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 Todd County Detention Center 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.