Find Mower County Booking Releases
Mower County booking releases are maintained by the Mower County Sheriff's Office at 201 1st St NE in Austin. The jail operates at the same location and serves as the county's only detention facility. Booking records become public data at the time of arrest under Minnesota law, and anyone can search them at no cost. This page covers how to look up Mower County booking releases, what data each record contains, and what other tools are available for tracking a case from arrest through court disposition.
Mower County Overview
Mower County Sheriff's Office
The Mower County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and manages all booking release records. The office is at 201 1st St NE, Austin, MN 55912. You can call (507) 437-9400 for general inquiries or jail-related questions. Staff at the jail handle intake and processing for all arrests in the county.
| Address | 201 1st St NE, Austin, MN 55912 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (507) 437-9400 |
| Jail Phone | (507) 437-9400 |
| Sheriff Website | co.mower.mn.us/201/Sheriffs-Office |
The sheriff's office processes arrests made by county deputies along with some arrests by Austin police and Minnesota State Patrol. When someone is booked, staff record the name, charges, arrest date, arresting agency, and other standard data fields required by state statute.
Searching Mower County Booking Releases
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is the main tool for searching Mower County booking releases. It is free and available at vinelink.com or by phone at 1-877-664-8463. Enter the person's name or ID to check if they are currently in the Mower County Jail. VINE also lets you register for automated alerts. If the person is released, transferred, or has any other status change, you get notified by phone, email, or text.
VINE covers the Mower County Jail as part of its statewide network. It pulls data directly from the jail management system, so results are up to date. If you are looking for someone who was recently arrested, VINE is the fastest way to confirm their status.
Minnesota Courts Records Online (MCRO) at mncourts.gov supplements jail data with full case records for Mower County District Court filings.
For court records that follow a Mower County arrest, use Minnesota Courts Records Online (MCRO). MCRO is free and covers all Mower County District Court cases. You can look up case numbers, formal charges, hearing dates, and current case status. It is worth checking MCRO alongside VINE because the formal court charge may differ from the booking charge. Prosecutors can file a complaint that is more or less serious than the initial arrest charge.
Note: Booking records show the charges at the time of arrest. Charges may be amended, added, or dismissed as the case moves through court. Always check MCRO for the most current charge information.
Minnesota Statutes That Govern Booking Data
Public access to Mower County booking releases is grounded in state law. Minnesota Statute 13.82 lists what law enforcement data must be made public. At minimum, an arrested person's name, the date and time of arrest, the charges, and the name of the arresting agency are all public data. You do not need to explain why you want this information.
Minnesota Statute 13.85 draws the line on what stays private. Inmate medical records, financial account data, and certain treatment program records are classified as private data. The Mower County Jail will not release this information through a standard public data request.
County jail operations in Minnesota are also governed by Minn. Stat. 641.05. This statute sets operating standards for all county jails, including how inmates must be processed and documented. The documentation requirements under 641.05 are part of what drives the public booking records that VINE and other tools use.
Mower County Court Records
Cases that start with a Mower County booking move to the Mower County District Court. Court Administration for Mower County is in the Mower County Government Center in Austin. Court staff handle case filings, scheduling, and records. For records questions, contact court administration directly at the courthouse.
MCRO gives you free access to Mower County District Court records online. You can search by name or case number. The system shows filed charges, next hearing dates, and the judge assigned to the case. For closed cases, MCRO shows the final disposition, which tells you how the case ended, including whether it was dismissed, resulted in a plea, or went to trial.
If MCRO doesn't have what you need, you can request certified court records in person or by mail from Mower County Court Administration. There may be a fee for certified copies. The court will not release sealed records or records where a judge has ordered restricted access.
BCA Criminal History Records
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Criminal History System provides statewide conviction data for $8 per search. Mower County convictions appear in the BCA database once a case reaches final disposition and the court reports the result to the state. The BCA tool works best when you need a full picture of someone's criminal history across all Minnesota counties, not just Mower.
Keep in mind that a booking or arrest does not show up in the BCA system. Only convictions do. Someone can be in the Mower County Jail right now with a clean BCA record if they have no prior convictions. Use VINE for current custody status and the BCA for conviction history.
Inmate Services and Contact
Visitation, mail, and phone rules at the Mower County Jail are set by the sheriff's office and can change. Call (507) 437-9400 for the most current visitation schedule and rules. You will typically need a valid photo ID to visit. Most county jails in Minnesota require visitors to be 18 or older unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Mail to inmates goes to the jail address: 201 1st St NE, Austin, MN 55912. Include the inmate's full name and any booking number you have. Funds for inmate accounts can usually be deposited through a third-party service or in person at the facility. Ask the jail which service they use when you call.
Phone calls from Mower County Jail use a prepaid system. Friends and family can fund an account so the inmate can make calls. Rates and the specific phone provider vary, so confirm the details with the jail directly.
Cities in Mower County
No cities in Mower County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Austin is the county seat and largest city, with around 26,000 residents. Other communities in the county include Adams, Brownsdale, and Lyle, but none qualify under the population threshold used here.
Nearby Counties
Mower County is in southeast Minnesota and borders counties in both Minnesota and Iowa. Each neighboring county has its own sheriff, jail, and public booking records.