Goodhue County Public Records / Goodhue County Arrest Records

Goodhue County Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Goodhue County

Arrest records in Goodhue County are generally accessible to the public under Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), codified at Minn. Stat. § 13.82, which governs law enforcement data and establishes the framework for public access to criminal justice information. Under current law, certain categories of arrest data — including the name of the arrested individual, the date and time of arrest, the charges filed, and the arresting agency — are classified as public data and may be inspected by any member of the public upon request.

It is important to distinguish between an arrest record and a conviction record. An arrest record documents that law enforcement took a person into custody based on probable cause; it does not indicate guilt or a finding of criminal liability. A conviction record, by contrast, reflects a formal judicial determination of guilt following a plea or trial. Minnesota law recognizes this distinction, and individuals who are arrested but not subsequently charged or convicted retain certain privacy interests in their data under Minn. Stat. § 13.87, which addresses criminal history records maintained by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Goodhue County may direct requests to the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office Records Division or the Goodhue County District Court, depending on the nature of the records sought.

Goodhue County Sheriff's Office 715 West Avenue, Red Wing, MN 55066 Phone: (651) 385-3155 Goodhue County Sheriff's Office

What's in Goodhue County Arrest Records

Arrest records maintained by Goodhue County law enforcement agencies typically contain a standardized set of data fields established under state and county recordkeeping requirements. The specific contents of an arrest record may vary depending on the arresting agency and the nature of the incident.

Arrestee Identifying Information:

Full legal name and known aliases
Date of birth and age at time of arrest
Gender, race, and physical descriptors (height, weight, hair and eye color)
Home address at time of arrest
Photograph (booking photo/mugshot)

Arrest Details:

Date, time, and location of arrest
Name and badge number of arresting officer
Arresting agency (e.g., Goodhue County Sheriff's Office, Red Wing Police Department)
Incident or case number

Charge Information:

Specific criminal charges filed
Statute citations for each charge
Charge classification (felony, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, or petty misdemeanor)

Warrant Information (if applicable):

Warrant number and issuing court
Type of warrant (arrest warrant, bench warrant)
Jurisdiction of originating warrant

Booking Information:

Date and time of booking into the Goodhue County Adult Detention Center
Booking number assigned by the facility
Property inventory at time of booking

Bond/Bail Information:

Bail amount set by the court
Bond type (cash, surety, or release on recognizance)
Conditions of release, if applicable

Court Information:

Scheduled court appearance dates
Case number assigned by the Goodhue County District Court
Presiding judicial officer, where applicable

Custody Status:

Current custody status (in custody, released, transferred)
Release date and method of release

Additional Information May Include:

Narrative summary of the incident
Co-defendant information
Prior holds or detainers from other jurisdictions
Arresting agency's incident report number

How To Look Up Arrest Records in Goodhue County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain arrest records in Goodhue County through several official channels. The process varies depending on whether the requester seeks records from the Sheriff's Office, the District Court, or the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Step 1 — Identify the Correct Agency Determine which agency holds the records of interest. Arrest reports and booking records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office Records Division, while court case records are held by the Goodhue County District Court.

Step 2 — Submit a Data Request to the Sheriff's Office Members of the public may appear in person at the Records Division desk located in the lobby of the Goodhue County Law Enforcement Center during regular business hours. Written requests may also be submitted by mail or in person. Requesters should provide the full name of the subject, approximate date of arrest, and any known case or incident numbers to facilitate the search.

Goodhue County Sheriff's Office — Records Division 715 West Avenue, Red Wing, MN 55066 Phone: (651) 385-3155 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sheriff's Office Records

Step 3 — Request Court Records from the District Court For records related to criminal case filings, charges, and dispositions, members of the public may contact the Goodhue County District Court. Court records are accessible pursuant to the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch.

Goodhue County District Court 454 West Sixth Street, Red Wing, MN 55066 Phone: (651) 267-4800 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Goodhue County District Court

Step 4 — Request a Criminal History from the BCA For a comprehensive criminal history record, individuals may submit a request to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Background check requests are subject to applicable fees and identity verification requirements.

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension 1430 Maryland Avenue East, St. Paul, MN 55106 Phone: (651) 793-2400 Minnesota BCA

How To Find Goodhue County Arrest Records Online

Several official online resources currently provide access to arrest and custody information for Goodhue County.

Goodhue County Jail Roster: The Goodhue County Sheriff's Office publishes a daily jail roster for the Adult Detention Center, which lists individuals currently held in custody, including booking photographs and charge details. This roster is updated regularly and is accessible to the public at no cost.
Jail Roster PDF: A printable version of the current Goodhue County Jail Roster Report is also available for download directly from the Sheriff's Office website.
Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO): The Minnesota Judicial Branch operates the MCRO portal, through which members of the public may search court case records statewide, including criminal cases filed in Goodhue County District Court. Access to certain case types may require a fee or account registration.
Minnesota BCA Public Criminal History: The BCA provides an online public criminal history search tool that returns conviction data and certain arrest information for individuals with records in the state system.

How To Search Goodhue County Arrest Records for Free?

Several no-cost methods are currently available for members of the public to access Goodhue County arrest information.

Goodhue County Jail Roster (Online): The Sheriff's Office provides free public access to the current inmate roster at the Adult Detention Center, including names, charges, and booking photographs, at no charge.
In-Person Inspection at the Sheriff's Office: Under Minn. Stat. § 13.03, government entities are required to permit members of the public to inspect public data at no cost. Requesters may review arrest records in person at the Records Division without incurring a fee, though copies may be subject to a per-page charge.
Minnesota Court Records Online: Basic case searches through the MCRO portal are available at no cost for certain record types, including publicly accessible criminal case information.
In-Person Court Record Inspection: Members of the public may inspect court records at the Goodhue County District Court clerk's office during regular business hours without charge.

How To Delete Arrest Records in Goodhue County

Minnesota law provides two primary legal mechanisms for limiting public access to arrest records: expungement (legal erasure or sealing of records) and sealing (restricting public access without physical destruction). These are distinct remedies. Expungement under Minnesota law typically results in the sealing of records from public view, though law enforcement agencies may retain access under certain circumstances. Physical destruction of records is rare and subject to strict statutory criteria.

Eligibility for Expungement Minnesota's expungement statute, Minn. Stat. § 609A.02, sets forth the circumstances under which a person may petition for expungement of criminal records, including:

Cases resolved by acquittal or dismissal with no charges filed
Successful completion of a diversion program or stay of adjudication
Certain low-level offenses where the petitioner has completed the sentence and a waiting period has elapsed
Situations where the arrest did not result in a conviction

Steps to Petition for Expungement

Obtain all relevant records — Gather copies of arrest records, court filings, and disposition documents from the Sheriff's Office and the District Court.
Complete the petition — File a Petition for Expungement with the Goodhue County District Court using the forms available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Serve all required agencies — The petitioner must serve notice on all agencies that hold records related to the arrest, including the Sheriff's Office, the BCA, and the prosecuting attorney's office.
Attend the hearing — The court schedules a hearing at which the petitioner and the prosecuting authority may present arguments.
Await the court's order — If the petition is granted, the court issues an order directing all named agencies to seal or return the relevant records.

Members of the public seeking assistance with the expungement process may consult the Goodhue County District Court self-help resources or contact a licensed Minnesota attorney.

What Happens After Arrest in Goodhue County?

The criminal justice process in Goodhue County follows a structured sequence from the point of arrest through final case disposition.

Arrest and Booking: Following an arrest, the individual is transported to the Goodhue County Adult Detention Center, where booking procedures are completed, including photographing, fingerprinting, and property inventory.
Initial Appearance: Within 36 hours of a custodial arrest (excluding weekends and holidays), the arrested individual must appear before a judge at the Goodhue County District Court for an initial appearance, at which bail conditions are set.
Charging Decision: The Goodhue County Attorney's Office reviews the arrest report and determines whether to file formal criminal charges. The prosecutor may file charges, decline to prosecute, or refer the matter for diversion.
Arraignment: If charges are filed, the defendant is arraigned and enters a plea. The case is then scheduled for pretrial proceedings or trial.
Pretrial Proceedings: Both parties may file motions, conduct discovery, and engage in plea negotiations during the pretrial phase.
Trial or Plea: The case proceeds to jury or bench trial, or is resolved through a negotiated plea agreement.
Sentencing: Upon conviction, the court imposes a sentence in accordance with the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.
Appeals: A convicted defendant retains the right to appeal the conviction or sentence to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

How Long Are Arrest Records Kept in Goodhue County?

Arrest records in Goodhue County are subject to retention schedules established under Minnesota law and the policies of the Minnesota Historical Society's Records Management Division. Under current law, law enforcement agencies are required to retain records in accordance with the General Records Retention Schedule for Minnesota Counties, which governs the minimum periods for which various categories of records must be preserved.

Arrest and booking records for cases resulting in conviction are generally retained for a minimum of seven years following the completion of the sentence, with many serious offense records retained permanently.
Arrest records for cases not resulting in conviction are subject to shorter retention periods, though agencies may retain them longer for evidentiary or administrative purposes.
Juvenile records are subject to separate retention requirements and confidentiality protections under Minnesota law.
Court records maintained by the Goodhue County District Court are subject to the Minnesota Judicial Branch's records retention schedule, which varies by case type and disposition.

Different agencies — including the Sheriff's Office, the BCA, and the District Court — maintain independent records and may apply different retention periods to the same underlying incident. Records retention serves the dual purpose of preserving evidence for potential future proceedings and maintaining accountability within the criminal justice system.

How to Find Mugshots in Goodhue County

What Mugshots Are A mugshot is a standardized booking photograph taken by law enforcement at the time an individual is processed into custody. Mugshots are part of the official booking record and are used for identification purposes by law enforcement agencies.

Where Mugshots Are Maintained In Goodhue County, booking photographs are maintained by the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office Adult Detention Center as part of the official booking record for each individual processed into custody.

Finding Mugshots Members of the public may access booking photographs through the following official channels:

Online Jail Roster: The Sheriff's Office currently publishes booking photographs as part of the publicly accessible daily jail roster for individuals presently in custody at the Adult Detention Center.
In-Person Records Request: Booking photographs for individuals no longer in custody may be requested through the Sheriff's Office Records Division in person at the Law Enforcement Center lobby.

Can They Be Found Online Booking photographs for individuals currently held at the Goodhue County Adult Detention Center are publicly accessible online through the Sheriff's Office jail roster. Photographs of individuals who have been released are not routinely maintained on the public-facing roster.

Obtaining Mugshots Officially Requests for booking photographs of individuals no longer in custody should be submitted to the Sheriff's Office Records Division. Requesters should provide the subject's full name, date of birth, and approximate date of arrest. Copies may be subject to a nominal reproduction fee.

Restrictions on Mugshot Access Under Minnesota law, booking photographs associated with records that have been expunged pursuant to a court order are no longer accessible to the general public. Additionally, juvenile booking photographs are classified as private data and are not subject to public disclosure.