Blue Earth County Arrest Records

A Blue Earth arrest record is an official document regarding an individual’s interaction with Minnesota's Blue Earth justice system. This document provides extensive details of a person’s arrest, including charges (Chapter 13 of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA)).

Once a person has been taken into custody, an arrest record is generated. The officer documents the individual’s identifying information, the location and date of the arrest, the nature of the alleged offense, and sometimes extra documentation like fingerprinting records and booking photos.

These records are created by the law enforcement agency responsible for performing the arrest, whether it is a county, state, or federal-level agency.

Arrest records are essential for several purposes, affecting individuals, law enforcement agencies, and the wider community. Police officers use these records to make informed decisions during encounters with crime suspects. These records provide law enforcement officers and members of the public with more details about a person’s criminal past. Arrest records also constitute the Blue Earth County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Blue Earth County?

Yes. Blue Earth County court records are considered public records, enabling members of the public to access them freely. According to Minnesota State law (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13.03), individuals can request an arrest record from a law enforcement agency and obtain access to it.

On the contrary, Minnesota court order or law outlines restrictions to access certain kinds of records (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 Subd. 17). Restricted records include the following:

• Health data and medical records
• Personal information such as social security numbers (SSN).
• Mental health records.
• Information that would disclose the victim of a crime, especially in cases of sexual abuse or domestic abuse.
• Records regarding existing investigative data
• Records that would compromise the security and safety of individuals associated with law enforcement activities.
• Records regarding security procedures and plans for government facilities.
• Records that could compromise the security of government individuals or operations.
• Sealed or expunged records.
• Records that are categorized as nonpublic or protected nonpublic by federal statutes or laws.
• Records concerning juvenile delinquency or adoption.
• Vital Records
• Records about election data.
• Records comprising trade secrets under state law.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per Section 13.82 of Minnesota Statutes, the following information is contained in a Blue Earth arrest record:

• Arrestee’s details (full name, gender, race and ethnicity, and date of birth).
• Arrest information (date & time of the arrest, arresting agency, location of the arrest, type of arrest, reason for the arrest, badge number, and name of arresting officer).
• Charge details (classification of charges, charge codes)
• Bail information (bail status and bail amount, if applicable).
• Detention and booking details (time and date of booking, location, and name of the detaining facility, jail booking number, fingerprint information, booking photo)
• Court details (location, scheduled court date and time, available details about the presiding judge).
• Special conditions or additional notes.

Find Blue Earth County Arrest Records

Interested researchers may acquire arrest records from numerous State and Federal law enforcement agencies, specifically those responsible for handling arrests.

An inquirer can find a Blue Earth County arrest from any of the Minnesota State Police Departments for arrests made by the State Police. To do so, the researcher must confirm the relevant department that made the arrest and contact them directly via phone or their website on how to obtain arrest records. After that, the researcher must fill out a Request Form and submit it via email, mail, or physical means, including the associated fees.

Alternatively, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) maintains criminal history information, including arrest records across the entire state. Researchers can obtain a Blue Earth County arrest record by visiting the office to query records in person. At the office, one can fill out the application form and pay the necessary fees for the background check, then receive the results (either by mail or email). Below is the address of the BCA:

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1430 Maryland Ave. E.,
St. Paul, MN 55106.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also maintains a repository of arrests handled by its office. Researchers can obtain arrest records from this federal agency by mail or physically. One will need to determine the availability of the arrest record, then fill out an FBI Application Form, including a set of legible fingerprints, the necessary search details, and an $18 processing fee (check or money order). Also, researchers will need to include a copy of their valid government-issued ID and mail it to the following address:

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Criminal Justice Information Services Division Attn:
Summary Check
1000 Custer Hollow Road,
Clarksburg, WV 26306.

Free Arrest Record Search in Blue Earth County

Researchers can conduct free arrest record searches in Blue Earth County from the local county police departments. It is worth noting that the county police departments usually do not set any fee for records requests from requesters. Requests can be made by visiting the office of the local police department directly, carrying an ID card and the details of the record in question.

Arrest records can be obtained by The Records Division of the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Department. This office ensures that all arrest records are processed in alliance with Minnesota Justice Information System (MNJIS) requirements, the local sheriff’s office procedures, and the requirements of other related agencies. A researcher may acquire an arrest record by contacting the Records Division during weekdays from 8 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. via email (Records@blueearthcountymn.gov) or phone call (507) 304-4814 to file a request.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Permanently. Details of arrests remain indefinitely on a person’s records in Blue Earth County. Therefore, interested requesters can easily obtain these public records unless eligible case parties take action to seal or expunge them.

Expunge Blue Earth County Arrest Records

A Blue Earth County record can be expunged or sealed, but these terms have distinct definitions and governing statutes.

Expungement of records in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, is the complete destruction or erasure of a person’s criminal record from existence. Record expungement is subject to the Minnesota Statutes § 609A, which establishes robust details regarding the expungement of criminal records of eligible individuals. Below are some records eligible for expungement:

• Arrests that did not result in convictions
• Dismissed charges.
• Certain misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors follow a waiting period of two years after the sentence completion.
• Certain gross misdemeanors are eligible for expungement, typically after a four-year waiting period.
• Some limited lower-level felony crimes, such as drug possession under unique conditions, and a five-year waiting period after sentence completion.
• Juvenile delinquency records
• Records of victims of human trafficking.

Sealing of records, on the other hand, refers to the process whereby certain records are made unavailable and inaccessible to members of the public but may still be accessible to specific government agencies. This limits the number of legal entities that can access a certain record but does not imply the complete erasure of the record. Records sealing is governed by 299C.11 of the Minnesota Statutes, and below are the records that can be sealed in Blue Earth County:

• Juvenile records
• Vital Records
• Medical records
• Educational records
• Records about proprietary data or trade secrets
• Certain gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor records.
• Records concerning the completion of diversion programs.

Thus, to expunge a court record, requesters should follow the steps below:

• Verify if the case is eligible for expungement.
• Acquire and fill out expungement forms from the Minnesota Judicial Branch official site (Note: every form will require details of the arrest, including case number, date of the arrest, and details of the law enforcement agency involved).
• Submit the petition to the Blue Earth County District Court at the address below:

Blue Earth County Justice Center
#401 Carver Rd.,
Mankato, MN 560023366

Blue Earth County Arrest Warrants

A Blue Earth County arrest warrant is a document issued by a judge or magistrate authorizing police officers to conduct an arrest on a person. It is worth stating that a police officer may arrest an individual with (Minn. Stat. § 629.40) or without an arrest warrant (Minn. Stat. § 629.34). With a warrant, the officer will submit proof that an individual is caught committing (or has committed) a criminal offense, after which the judge must determine whether to grant or deny the application. Upon awarding the warrant, it becomes active indefinitely.

The typical Blue Earth County arrest warrant contains the following details:

• The suspect’s full name
• The suspect’s date of birth
• The charges or offenses committed
• The date and time of the issuance of the warrant
• The signature of the judge issuing the warrant
• Additional limitations or instructions for the peace officers regarding the arrest.

Do Blue Earth County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. A Blue Earth County Arrest warrant does not expire, as no laws in Minnesota establish the limits to which an arrest warrant should be active. Therefore, these warrants remain indefinitely active until the suspect is apprehended, willingly turns themselves in, or is proven to be dead. Also, the court may recall or quash an arrest warrant if a party claims it is invalid.