Do I Have to Get Booked After I’m Arrested in St. Paul, Minnesota?
The answer is yes. If you are arrested in St. Paul, Maplewood, Roseville, Shoreview, Little Canada, Oakdale or other parts of Ramsey County, Minnesota, it is likely that you will be booked into jail at the Law Enforcement Center on 425 Grove Street in downtown St. Paul. Booking is a process that involves several steps and is designed to document information about the person who has been arrested, such as their name, address, and any charges they may be facing. If you are charged with a crime in St. Paul or anywhere in Minnesota, it is important that you sit down with an experienced Minnesota criminal defense attorney.
“While getting fingerprinted and a mugshot can be embarrassing, it is important to remember the this is the beginning of a difficult process.”
What is the Booking Process?
The booking process includes taking your fingerprints and photograph, sometimes called a mugshot, documenting any personal, identifying marks or tattoos, and conducting a search to ensure that you are not carrying any illegal weapons, drugs or other contraband. In addition, you may be asked questions about medications, your general health, your state of mind, whether your are suicidal and also whether there are any other special needs or concerns that the jail should be made aware of.
Once you are booked, you will be assigned a booking number and may be held in custody until you can appear before a judge or be released on bail. This depends upon whether you have already been charged or whether you are being held pending the prosecutor charging you with any crimes. As a result, you will usually appear within a couple of days excluding weekends and holidays. If not, you will generally be released pending charges. The Law Enforcement Center or LEC actually has two courtrooms inside the building.
The entire booking process is designed to make sure who you are, to provide identifying information and to make sure that the charges that are being filed apply to the right person. In addition, this is an important part of the criminal justice system and is supposed to insure that all people are treated equally and fairly under the law. It should be noted that sometimes this is aspirational rather than what happens in practice. Once you are charged in St. Paul, you will receive a court file number that begins with either 62-CR-XX-XXXX or 62-SUCR-XX-XXXX.
“It is important to note that when you are arrested and booked, the police may try to get you to talk to them about what happened in your case. Ask for a lawyer and remain silent no matter what they tell you.”
Being charged with a crime will be one of this most difficult moments or your life. And yet, it is the ramifications of those charges that are far more important. Knowing your rights, what comes next and how to fight can make all of the difference. Sit down with an experienced St. Paul criminal defense attorney.
Go with the Best
Jack Rice is a former prosecutor, a former CIA Officer, and a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist. He is a nationally known and award-winning criminal defense attorney and the Founder of Jack Rice Defense, a boutique criminal defense formed based not far from the Law Enforcement Center where you might be held. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339.