County Attorney
411 S. Broadway
PO Box 1147
Albert Lea, MN 56007
Phone: 507-377-3192
Fax: 507-377-5196

You ARE eligible to apply for a plea by mail if you:

• reside farther than 200 miles of Freeborn County, Minnesota;
• were cited for a misdemeanor offense; 
• are willing to plead guilty to the charges and accept the offer and proposed sentence recommendations.
• Please note, the Court has the ultimate determination of whether to accept your plea by mail and your sentence.

You ARE NOT eligible to apply for a plea by mail if you:

• reside within 200 miles of Freeborn County, Minnesota;
• were cited for a petty traffic infraction;
• were charged with a gross misdemeanor or felony;
• have been charged with a crime that requires a mandatory jail sentence;
• have been charged with a DWI or an assault;
• have additional pending cases in Freeborn County.

If you meet the eligibilities and would like to enter a plea of guilty by mail, you must first contact Freeborn County Court Administration and enter a Not Guilty plea.  This can be done by phone, (507) 377-5153.  You must then provide our office with a written document stating your request, along with a copy of your ticket and a valid daytime telephone number and address.  You may fax it to (507) 377-5196.  Upon our receipt of this, we will request information from law enforcement, including a copy of your driving record.  Our office will prepare a Plea Petition for you regarding your case, and mail to the address you provide.  If you accept this offer, you must sign, date and return it to our office, along with a check or money order, made payable to Freeborn County Court Administrator, for stated amount due the Court.

If you do not accept the offer made to you by our office, you must contact the Freeborn County Courts at (507) 377-5153 within ten days of receipt of the offer letter to schedule a Court appearance.