Wright County Jail

Type the name into Wright County Inmate Search. A person booked a few minutes ago may not show yet. The county also posts daily jail reports on its website on weekdays, except holidays: a media report of recent bookings, a census of everyone in custody, and a list of adults who have court that day. If the name is on none of them, call 763-684-2381.

Yes. The Sheriff's Office offers a free app for Android and iPhone. The county says to search for "MobilePatrol" or "Appriss" in your app store. It shows detention center information as it changes. Use it as a first check, then confirm any bail amount with the jail at 763-684-2381.

The county says the present jail was built in 2009. It is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections to keep prisoners up to one year and has a licensed capacity of 288. A jail this size serves a county with many cities, so calls get busy. Keep the full name and birth date handy when you phone.

Call the jail at 763-684-2381 and ask which counter handles your case, what hours it keeps, and what payment it accepts. Court administration at 3700 Braddock Avenue Northeast, 763-760-6300, can also tell you about weekday payments. Bring photo ID and the case number, and get a receipt that shows the amount and date.

The jail has a new inmate voice mail line at 763-515-4160. That line is for messages to a newly booked person. It is not the number for bail or custody questions.

Without a warrant, an arrest must lead to a judge's review in 36 hours or as soon as a judge can see the person. The day of arrest, Sundays and legal holidays are not counted, but Saturdays are. At the hearing the judge sets conditions or bail, and a misdemeanor defendant who is not seen in time must be released on a citation.

No statewide list exists, and Judicial Council policy tells judges not to depend on preset schedules. The judge will compare the charge, the evidence, family ties, work, past court record and safety. The amount is in Wright County Inmate Search or you can ask the jail.

For cases that involve violence, certain domestic assault or harassment charges, the local corrections staff should complete a pretrial form before the first hearing. It carries no recommended dollar amount.

The person must be brought before a judge without unnecessary delay, and the judge decides whether release threatens the victim. Conditions often include no contact, staying away from the home, and limits on guns or alcohol. Ask the court at 763-760-6300 for the hearing time.

Yes, and Rule 6.02 makes that the starting point at the first appearance. The judge may add the least restrictive condition that reasonably assures a return to court, such as supervision, travel limits or reporting. Money is ordered only if lighter steps are not enough.

The agent must use the surety's filed premium rate, with a $100 minimum, and cannot discount or rebate. The chapter sets no flat percentage. Bonds of $10,000 or less require half the premium before posting, and bonds over $10,000 require at least 30 percent. Interest on a payment note cannot exceed 6 percent a year.

The agent is licensed by the Commerce Department and approved by the State Court Administrator. Agents may not solicit inside the jail.

The judge may accept "other security," so property is possible. Ask the court at 763-760-6300 what the judge will accept, how equity is measured, and whether land in another county counts. Be careful with a bondsman. State law bars a quitclaim deed as collateral and sets a 21-day deadline to return collateral after proof of discharge.

Only a judge. The jail cannot change it. Any party can ask the court to review conditions, and a lawyer should bring proof of a job, family, and a steady address. Court administration can confirm if a hearing is already set.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, say that to the judge at the first hearing or file the Judicial Branch's online request. The court decides eligibility and appoints the lawyer. For the office that covers Wright County, call court administration at 763-760-6300.

Ask the Sheriff's Office through the jail at 763-684-2381 where a minor was taken, and ask the court at 763-760-6300 for the detention hearing. Juvenile records are private, and the adult search will not show a child.

A no-show lets the judge forfeit the bond and issue a warrant. The court must notify the bail agent within 30 days of the missed date and send notice of the forfeiture within seven days, or the bond is discharged without penalty. Do not rely on that. Call a lawyer and the agent the same day.

Cash bail is the defendant's money. The court holds it until the case ends, and a judge may apply it to fines or restitution. A bondsman's premium is not refunded. No real office wants gift cards. Hang up and dial 763-684-2381 yourself.

Buffalo is the county seat of Wright County, and the Wright County Courthouse on Braddock Avenue Northeast, also known as the Justice Center, is where the Wright County District Court hears every criminal case in the county. Wright County is part of Minnesota's Tenth Judicial District. Felonies, juvenile cases and offenses from the townships are prosecuted by the elected Wright County Attorney; misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors from fast-growing cities such as Monticello, St. Michael, Otsego, Albertville, Delano and Buffalo are generally handled by each city's prosecutor. Adults who are arrested and held go to the Wright County Jail, run by the Sheriff a short distance from the courthouse.

Wright County is one of Minnesota's larger court systems, so this guide adds sections on the courthouse, the hours after an arrest, the jail, public defense, prosecutors and diversion, and treatment courts before covering each level of charge.

• Wright County District Court (Court Administration, Tenth Judicial District), Wright County Courthouse / Justice Center, 3700 Braddock Avenue NE, Buffalo, MN 55313, (763) 760-6300
• Wright County Attorney's Office, Buffalo, (763) 682-7340
• Tenth District Public Defender (State Board of Public Defense), the appointed-counsel office for Wright County; Wright County clients can contact the district's Buffalo office at 105 Center Drive, Buffalo, MN 55313, (763) 682-4306
• Wright County Jail (Wright County Sheriff's Office), 3800 Braddock Avenue NE, Buffalo, MN 55313, jail (763) 682-7610; Sheriff's Office main line (763) 682-1162

Which court hears your case. Wright County has a single criminal trial court. A petty misdemeanor from Delano, a DWI on Interstate 94 near Monticello and a felony burglary in Cokato all go to the District Court at 3700 Braddock Avenue NE in Buffalo, because Minnesota does not have separate city or municipal courts. What depends on the charge level is the prosecuting office and the hearings involved. Lower-level crimes committed inside a city are typically prosecuted by that city's attorney, which is often a private attorney under contract with the city. The same offenses in a township are prosecuted by the Wright County Attorney, and every felony in the county is too.

Where pretrial detainees are held. Anyone arrested in Wright County who is not released, whether by a deputy, a city officer or a state trooper, is booked into the Wright County Jail at 3800 Braddock Avenue NE in Buffalo. The jail is operated by the elected Sheriff and stands on the same county campus as the courthouse. Detainees remain in Buffalo until they make bail, win release from a judge, or reach the end of the case. For custody information call (763) 682-7610.

Wright County's courtrooms and Court Administration are in the courthouse at 3700 Braddock Avenue NE, Buffalo, MN 55313, a building the county also calls the Justice Center. It sits on the county campus on the northeast side of Buffalo next to the Sheriff's Office and jail at 3800 Braddock. Free surface parking and street parking are available. Court Administration keeps weekday business hours, 8:00 to 4:30, and can be called at (763) 760-6300.

Older paperwork may show the former downtown Buffalo courthouse address; hearings are now held on Braddock Avenue. Some short hearings, including certain in-custody first appearances, can be conducted by video. Check your notice, ask your lawyer, or call Court Administration if you are unsure where or how to appear, and arrive early to allow time for security screening.

Booking

Unless the officer issues a citation and releases the person at the scene, an arrest in Wright County ends with a trip to the jail in Buffalo for booking: fingerprints, photographs, a property inventory and a check for warrants and holds. Many people booked on misdemeanors can post bail from the Tenth District's schedule and leave the same day.

The time limits

Those who are held have two protections. If the arrest was made without a warrant, a judge must review the facts and find probable cause within 48 hours. And anyone still in custody must be brought before a Wright County judge within 36 hours, a deadline that does not count the day of arrest, Sundays or legal holidays. In practice, a weekend arrest is usually followed by a Monday hearing.

The first appearance and release

Felony and gross misdemeanor defendants have a Rule 5 hearing; misdemeanor defendants are arraigned. The judge reads the charge, considers any request for a public defender, and decides on release. Choices include release on recognizance; conditional release with terms such as no contact with the alleged victim, no alcohol or drugs, alcohol monitoring or regular check-ins; and money bail. When bail is used, Minnesota judges typically set a higher amount with no conditions and a lower amount with conditions. A pretrial evaluation by probation staff may be prepared for the judge. Commercial bail bonds are legal in Minnesota, and bondsmen serve the Buffalo jail.

The Wright County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail at 3800 Braddock Avenue NE, Buffalo, MN 55313. It holds adults waiting for a first appearance, people who have yet to post bail or meet release conditions while their cases are pending, and people serving local sentences. Sheriff's Office business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays; the jail operates continuously.

• Jail: (763) 682-7610
• Jail intake: (763) 684-2381
• Sheriff's Office main line: (763) 682-1162

Jail staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and what bail has been set. Questions about hearing dates, case files and fines go to Court Administration at (763) 760-6300.

Appointed lawyers in Wright County come from the Tenth District Public Defender, part of the State Board of Public Defense. A defendant charged with any offense that can bring jail (a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony) may ask for one. The defendant fills out a financial statement, and the judge decides at the first appearance whether income and assets are low enough to qualify. Petty misdemeanors are excluded because jail is not a possible penalty.

The appointed attorney usually stays with the case to the end, including trial and sentencing. Public defenders also represent youth in juvenile delinquency cases. When the office has a conflict, the court appoints outside counsel. Anyone unsure whether a lawyer has been appointed can check with Court Administration.

The Wright County Attorney's Office, (763) 682-7340, is responsible for all felony prosecutions in the county, all juvenile delinquency petitions, and misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors from townships. City prosecutors handle the misdemeanor-level offenses that happen inside their cities; in Wright County most cities hire a private attorney for this work. The complaint or citation identifies which office is prosecuting.

Prosecutors in Wright County can resolve some cases without a conviction, particularly for first-time defendants and low-level offenses. Options include pretrial diversion, in which the defendant completes programming, restitution or community service and the charge is dismissed; a continuance for dismissal; and a stay of adjudication, which keeps a conviction off the record if probation is completed. For felonies, a stay of imposition can reduce the conviction to a misdemeanor after successful probation. Victim input and restitution are typically part of these agreements.

Treatment courts are intensive probation programs for defendants whose criminal behavior is tied to substance use, mental illness or military service. In Minnesota they include drug courts, DWI courts, veterans treatment courts and mental health courts. Participants see a dedicated judge frequently, are tested often, follow a treatment plan and move through phases, with incentives for progress and sanctions for violations. Graduation can mean a dismissed or reduced charge or a shorter sentence, depending on the agreement.

The Tenth Judicial District operates treatment court programs serving its counties, and repeat DWI and drug cases are the most common referrals. Admission is not automatic. The defendant generally must be referred by the defense, the prosecutor or probation, must meet the program's eligibility criteria (which often exclude certain violent offenses), and usually must enter a guilty plea. A defendant interested in a treatment court in Wright County should raise it with the defense attorney as early as possible.

Wright County's lower-level criminal calendar covers petty misdemeanors (fine-only violations that are not crimes), misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors. With so much highway mileage in the county, DWI and traffic-related crimes make up a large share of these cases.

Arraignment and first appearance

A misdemeanor begins with an arraignment; a gross misdemeanor begins with a Rule 5 hearing. Defendants released on a citation appear on the date shown, and those in custody appear within 36 hours. The judge explains the charge and the maximum penalty, considers a public defender request, and sets or reviews release conditions.

Pretrial conference, plea or trial

Most Wright County misdemeanors settle at a pretrial conference with the city prosecutor or the County Attorney, through an amended charge, a continuance for dismissal or a stay of adjudication. Defendants who go to trial can choose a judge or a six-person jury that must reach a unanimous verdict. A speedy-trial demand requires trial to begin within 60 days.

Penalties in Wright County District Court

• Petty misdemeanor in Buffalo court: a fine of up to $300, no jail and no appointed lawyer.
• Misdemeanor: up to 90 days in the Wright County Jail and up to $1,000. Theft of $500 or less, trespass and ordinary fifth-degree assault fall into this level.
• Gross misdemeanor: up to 364 days and $3,000 from a Wright County judge. This includes theft from $500 to $1,000 and fifth-degree assault after a recent qualifying conviction.
• First DWI in Wright County: fourth-degree DWI (a misdemeanor in Wright County courtrooms) if no aggravating factor is present. One factor, such as a test result of 0.16 or more, a child under 16 in the vehicle, or a refusal to test, raises it to a third-degree gross misdemeanor. The license is revoked in a separate administrative proceeding, a chemical use assessment is required, and aggravated cases can bring ignition interlock, license plate impoundment and forfeiture of the vehicle.

Sentences range from fines and probation to local jail time, sometimes served on electronic home monitoring or work release when the court allows it. A typical Wright County misdemeanor takes one to four months.

The Wright County Attorney's Office prosecutes every felony in the county by filing a complaint. A grand jury is convened only for crimes that carry a possible life sentence.

Felony hearings in Buffalo

1. Rule 5 hearing within 36 hours for a jailed defendant: the judge reviews the complaint, appoints the Tenth District Public Defender when the defendant qualifies, and sets bail and conditions.
2. Rule 8 hearing, the second appearance, usually a few weeks later: evidence is exchanged and the County Attorney often makes an offer.
3. Omnibus hearing: the defense may challenge probable cause and seek to suppress evidence obtained through an unlawful stop, search or interrogation.
4. Pretrial or settlement conference, the last scheduled chance to resolve the case before trial.
5. Trial to a jury of 12, whose verdict must be unanimous, or to the judge if the defendant waives a jury.
6. Sentencing, after probation completes a presentence investigation.

Sentencing guidelines and penalties

Wright County felony sentences are set using the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines grid, which pairs the severity of the offense with the defendant's criminal history score. The intersection gives a presumptive sentence, either stayed (probation, frequently with some local jail time) or executed (prison). A judge can depart only for substantial and compelling reasons.

• Felony theft in Wright County: property over $1,000 carries up to 5 years, over $5,000 up to 10, and over $35,000 up to 20.
• Burglary charged in Wright County: up to 20 years in the first degree, 10 in the second and 5 in the third.
• First-degree sale of a controlled substance: as many as 30 years in the Tenth District.
• Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon: up to 7 years, with a mandatory minimum prison term if a firearm was used in the Wright case.

Under a stay of imposition, a defendant who completes probation ends up with a misdemeanor rather than a felony on the record. An executed prison sentence is usually served two-thirds in custody and one-third on supervised release. Expect a Wright County felony to take four to twelve months.

Violent felony cases in Wright County follow the felony hearing sequence above, but with higher stakes throughout. Bail is often set very high, release conditions are strict, and many defendants spend the entire case in the jail in Buffalo. First-degree murder must be charged by a grand jury indictment rather than a complaint.

Possible sentences

• First-degree murder in Wright County District Court: life imprisonment. Premeditated murder and certain other first-degree offenses mean life without parole; other first-degree murder convictions allow parole consideration after 30 years. Minnesota ended capital punishment in 1911.
• Second-degree murder: up to 40 years. Third-degree murder: up to 25 years in a Buffalo prosecution.
• First-degree criminal sexual conduct: a Wright County judge can impose up to 30 years; for someone with no prior offense of this kind, the presumptive term is 144 months.
• First-degree aggravated robbery: a Wright County conviction can bring up to 20 years.

Victims, representation and how long it takes

Minnesota Statutes chapter 611A gives victims in Wright County cases the right to notice of hearings and proposed plea agreements, to be present, and to give a statement before sentencing. Defendants who cannot afford counsel are represented by the Tenth District Public Defender, which typically assigns senior trial lawyers to homicide and serious sexual assault cases. Forensic analysis, expert witnesses and extensive motions mean these cases commonly run one to two years, and some last longer.

A Wright County youth under 18 who is accused of an offense is handled by the juvenile division of the District Court at the Buffalo courthouse. The Wright County Attorney decides whether to file a delinquency petition. First offenses, especially minor property, alcohol or drug offenses, are frequently referred to diversion, and finishing the program means no petition is filed.

Youth are kept out of the adult jail. A juvenile who cannot safely be released to a parent is generally taken to the East Central Regional Juvenile Center in Lino Lakes, which Wright County uses as one of its joint powers member counties. Within 36 hours of being taken into custody, weekends and holidays excluded, the youth must have a detention hearing, where a judge decides whether continued detention is needed or whether the youth can go home under conditions. Qualifying juveniles are represented by the Tenth District Public Defender.

Serious cases can move toward the adult system. Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile prosecution, an option for some 14- to 17-year-olds, combines a juvenile disposition with a stayed adult sentence that can be imposed if the youth fails on probation. The County Attorney may also seek certification of a youth 14 or older to adult court; for 16- and 17-year-olds charged with an offense carrying presumptive prison or committed with a firearm, certification is presumed. When a Wright County 16- or 17-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, the case is tried in adult court. Juvenile records are generally confidential, though certain felony records for youth 16 and older can be accessed by the public.

Which federal court covers Wright County

Buffalo's Justice Center handles state charges, but crimes against federal law committed in Wright County are prosecuted in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The county is assigned to Division 4, the Minneapolis division, at the Diana E. Murphy U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415, about 40 miles east of Buffalo. Federal trial jurors for Division 4 cases report to that Minneapolis courthouse. For a person arrested in Monticello, St. Michael, Otsego, Delano or elsewhere in the county, the initial appearance and detention hearing are often in Minneapolis, though some are scheduled in St. Paul. Reach the Clerk of Court at (612) 664-5000.

Why some Wright County arrests become federal cases

Federal court has jurisdiction when a federal statute is violated. These cases are usually built by federal agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspectors and IRS Criminal Investigation, sometimes working with local officers. For a fast-growing county on the Interstate 94 corridor between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, the familiar categories are:

• distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs, especially in large amounts or across state lines;
• possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person with a felony record, and other gun crimes;
• wire, mail, bank, identity and benefits fraud;
• child exploitation cases;
• bank robbery; and
• immigration offenses.

Federal prosecutors may adopt an arrest that began with a Wright County deputy or a city officer, and since the state and federal governments are separate sovereigns, the same conduct can lead to charges in both court systems.

The offices on each side

Federal prosecutions are brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, located in the U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th Street, Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55415, (612) 664-5600, with a second office at 316 N. Robert Street, Suite 404, St. Paul, MN 55101, (651) 848-1950. Defendants who qualify for appointed counsel are represented by the Office of the Federal Defender for the District of Minnesota, 107 U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415, (612) 664-5858; a private CJA panel attorney is assigned when the Federal Defender has a conflict. Custody and transport of federal defendants fall to the U.S. Marshals Service, Minneapolis office, (612) 664-5900.

What happens after a federal arrest

The arrest is made by federal agents or on a federal warrant or indictment. The defendant is then brought before a U.S. magistrate judge for an initial appearance, where the charges are read and counsel is appointed for anyone unable to pay. When prosecutors seek to keep the person in custody, a detention hearing usually takes place within three court days. The Bail Reform Act gives the judge two options: release on conditions monitored by U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, or detention when no conditions will reasonably assure appearance and the safety of the community. Federal court does not rely on bail bondsmen the way state court in Buffalo does, and money bail is rare.

A complaint-based case requires a grand jury indictment within 30 days of the arrest, and a preliminary hearing may occur in the interim. After arraignment, the Speedy Trial Act sets a 70-day deadline for trial, yet continuances are common, and plea agreements resolve most cases. A federal trial uses 12 jurors whose verdict must be unanimous. Sentencing generally comes about three months after the plea or verdict and after a presentence report; the judge considers the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and is bound by any mandatory minimum. Parole does not exist federally, so a person serves at least about 85% of the sentence, accounting for good-conduct time, in a Bureau of Prisons facility, and then begins supervised release. Appeals are taken to the Eighth Circuit.

Where federal detainees are housed

Pretrial detainees in federal cases are in Marshals custody, and the Marshals Service places them in county jails it contracts with around Minnesota and sometimes in other states. A person first booked on Braddock Avenue may be transferred to another county's jail once federal charges are filed. Relatives can call the Minneapolis Marshals office to learn where the person is. After sentencing, the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows the assigned facility. Prosecution of people under 18 in federal court is rare.