Brown County Booking Reports and Jail Roster
Brown County booking reports are public records that document each arrest and jail intake processed through the Sheriff's Office in New Ulm. This page explains how to find the county's booking data, what information each record contains, and which statewide tools supplement local arrest searches.
Brown County Booking Reports
Brown County Booking Reports and Sheriff's Office
The Brown County Sheriff's Office manages all jail bookings and arrest records for the county. The Sheriff's page is at browncountymn.gov/183/Sheriff, which provides current contact information, department news, and links to county services. The screenshot below shows the Sheriff's Office page, which is the primary source for Brown County booking and custody information.
From the Sheriff's Office page, you can find contact numbers, department information, and any links to online jail rosters if they are available. If a live roster is not posted at the time you visit, calling the office is the fastest way to confirm current custody status. Staff can confirm whether someone is in the Brown County jail and provide booking details for recent intakes.
All arrest intakes for Brown County go through the jail in New Ulm. Whether the arrest was made by New Ulm police, county deputies, or state patrol, processing happens at the same county facility. That centralizes all Brown County booking records in one place.
Note: Brown County is in southwestern Minnesota. It borders Nicollet, Blue Earth, Watonwan, Redwood, Renville, and Sibley counties. If someone was arrested near a county line, confirm which county has jurisdiction before contacting the Sheriff's Office.
What Brown County Booking Reports Contain
A booking report is created at the time of jail intake. Brown County booking records include the person's full name, date of birth, booking date and time, the charges filed, arresting agency, and bail or bond conditions if set at that point. This information is public under Minnesota Statute 13.82, which classifies arrest data as accessible government data.
Charges in a booking record reflect the arrest basis only. A prosecutor reviews the file after intake and may add counts, reduce charges, or dismiss the case based on evidence. Booking records do not update automatically when charges change. For current case status, use the statewide court portal at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us, which shows filings, hearing dates, and dispositions for Brown County cases.
Booking records are distinct from criminal history records. A booking record shows a single intake at one county jail. A criminal history shows all arrests and convictions across the state. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains statewide criminal history data at dps.mn.gov. Public searches carry a small fee.
Note: Some data in booking records may be withheld if it is tied to an active investigation or involves a juvenile. These exceptions follow Minnesota Statute 13.87 on criminal investigative data.
Minnesota Data Practices and Records Access Rights
Minnesota Statute 13.82 makes arrest and booking data public. The Brown County Sheriff's Office is required to make this information available upon request. No reason or cause is needed. The county website and Sheriff's page are the starting points for accessing what's available online.
The broader framework is the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act in Chapter 13. It governs all government data in Minnesota, defining what is public and what is not. Booking data is generally public. The main exceptions are active investigation files, juvenile records, and data covered by specific court orders.
If a request is denied, ask the agency for a written explanation. They are required to provide one. If the denial is improper, you can take the matter to the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings. That process handles data practices disputes and does not require a lawyer to navigate.
Statewide Resources for Minnesota Booking and Arrest Records
Brown County booking records cover only that county. For broader searches across southern Minnesota, several statewide tools are available. The Minnesota DOC offender locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us tracks people in state prison and on supervised release. It does not show county jail holds. Use it when a case has progressed to a state sentence.
VINE at vinelink.com or 1-877-664-8463 provides free custody status alerts. Register a name and get notified automatically when that person's custody status changes at the Brown County jail or any Minnesota state facility. This is useful for victims, attorneys, and family members who need ongoing status updates.
The statewide court portal at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us covers all Minnesota district courts, including those serving Brown County in the Fifth Judicial District. Search by name or case number to see charges, hearing dates, and case dispositions. The portal is free. For full document access, visit the courthouse in New Ulm.
Requesting Historical Brown County Booking Records
Records not available online require a written data practices request. Contact the Brown County Sheriff's Office in New Ulm. Include the subject's name, the approximate date of booking, and your contact information. The office will notify you of any fee before pulling the records.
Basic copying fees are typically low. If a request requires significant staff time to locate or compile records, the agency may charge for that time, which Minnesota law allows. Most routine requests are handled within a few business days.
Court documents for Brown County cases are held by the Fifth Judicial District Court in New Ulm. If you need court filings or sentencing documents, those require a separate request. The court portal at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us shows case summaries and, in some instances, documents online before you visit in person.
Nearby Counties
Brown County shares borders with several counties in south-central and southwestern Minnesota, each with its own booking records system.