How to reach someone in a Minnesota county jail — and what not to say on the phone

1. Confirm where they are

Call the county jail for the county where the arrest happened — not necessarily where the person lives. Have their full legal name and date of birth ready; the booking desk will usually confirm whether someone is in custody and, often, the charge. Many counties also post an online roster. Every Minnesota county jail, with phone numbers →

In Hennepin and Ramsey counties, people arrested in the cities are often held at the county detention center downtown rather than a local police station.

2. Find out when they see a judge

Minnesota requires a first appearance within 36 hours of arrest, excluding the day of arrest, Sundays and legal holidays (Minn. R. Crim. P. 4.02, subd. 5). The jail or the court administrator can tell you the date. That hearing is where release conditions and bail are set — what happens there →

3. Get them an attorney

If the arrest was for DWI and testing hasn't happened yet, the person has a limited right to reach an attorney by phone before deciding (Minn. Stat. § 169A.51, subd. 2). That window is short. Either way, an attorney retained tonight can be at the first appearance. Attorneys by county → — featured listings answer around the clock.

4. What not to say

Calls from jail are recorded and can be used in court. Calls between a defendant and their attorney are privileged; calls with family are not. Keep the conversation to logistics — who is coming, what they need, when the hearing is. Save everything about what happened for the attorney.

Practical details

• Jail phones are usually collect or prepaid through a vendor; the jail's page will say which. Have a card ready if you want to fund an account.
• Bring identification for any visit, and check visiting hours first — they vary widely by county.
• Prescription medication: tell the booking desk. Jails have a process for it.