MN Bail Bonds: What You Need to Know for a Fast Release

Step 1: you are in jail

You or your loved one has been arrested and finds themself in jail facing a criminal charge in Minnesota. Within thirty-six hours of an arrest (not including Sundays or legal holidays), you will be seen by a judge who will set bail. If thirty six hours passes without seeing a judge, you will be released pending charges. According to a local Minnesota Law Firm, this rule applies to (1) all misdemeanors, (2) gross misdemeanors, and (3) felony warrantless arrests. If you have been arrested on a warrant, weekends and legal holidays are included in the 36 hour hold. 

There are numerous types of MN warrants that can be issued. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office explains it best: click here to learn more. In sum, there are three types of criminal arrest warrants that a judge can issue including a bench, complaint, or probation/parole violation warrant. There are two ways you can clear the warrant:

• 1. You turn yourself into jail

  If you have a "body only" hold this is your only option. In this case, you must see a judge before the warrant is cleared and bail is set.

• 2. You Post a Bond

  There may be a bail amount attached to your warrant. In this case, you can post bond without seeing a judge. In counties like Hennepin, you can post bond and clear your warrant without having to turn yourself in. In other counties like Ramsey, you will need to get booked and released to post bond and clear your warrant. This process should take between 1-2 hours but the time varies. Give us a call today to learn more about the warrant in your specific county!

Step 2: Judge Sets Bail

If you have been arrested or if you have a "body only" warrant you will typically need to see a judge before bail is set. According to the MN State Legislature, the court considers, the nature of the crime charged, the person’s ties to the community, the person’s financial resources, the safety of others, etc before setting bail. Learn more about how bail is set here. Furthermore, some charges carry mandatory maximum mandatory bail amounts. For example, all 2nd Degree DWI charges in Minnesota carry a mandatory maximum bail of $12,000. Click here to learn more about DWI charges in MN. Furthermore, the judge may set a conditional or unconditional bail. To learn more about the difference between these two bail types, click here.

Step 3: You Call Us

You have 2 options once your bail is set

• Option 1

  You can pay the total bail amount directly to the court. For example, if your bail is set at $12,000, you will pay $12,000 to the court. You will get this money back at the end of your court case minus any fines and fees. 

• Option 2

  You post bond by going though a professional bail bonding agency like us, Metro Bail Bonds. Our bail bond agents are here to help you through the entire bail bonds process. We are committed to getting you out of jail as soon as possible and are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We post a surety bond on your behalf, which is essentially a contract with the court that ensures you will show up to your court appearance until the case is closed. By Minnesota Law, we charge 10% of the total bail amount. For example, if your bail is set at $12,000, we charge you $1,200. This is a non-refundable fee we charge for taking on the risk of posting bond. If you do not show up to court, we are in breach of contract and have to pay the court $12,000. Because of this, we require a co-signer on the bond. Read more about what it means to be a co-signer here. 

Please note, if you cannot afford the full bail amount up front, we offer interest-free, flexible payment plans and simplified bail bond applications. Learn more about our payment plans here.

Step 4: Freedom!

After completing the required paperwork, a bail bondsman will go to the jail to post your bond. You will be released from jail and can get back to your life! Our obligation is to ensure you will appear at each of you scheduled court appearances until your case is resolved. We will send you text messages before each court hearing to remind you of court. When you post a bond with Metro Bail Bonds, we are available to you for any questions and concerns throughout your court cases- give us a call today!