Minn. R. Crim. P. 6.06
As amended through February 1, 2024
A defendant must be tried promptly after entering a not guilty plea. If a defendant or the prosecutor demands a speedy trial in writing or on the record, the trial must begin within 60 days.
The 60-day period begins to run on the day of the not guilty plea, and may be extended for good cause shown on motion of the prosecutor or the defendant, or on the court's initiative. If an in-custody defendant's trial does not begin in 10 days, the defendant must be released subject to nonmonetary release conditions as set by the court under Rule 6.02, subd. 1.
Minn. R. Crim. P. 6.06
In misdemeanor cases a citation must be issued if the misdemeanor charged is not punishable by incarceration. A person should not be taken into custody for an offense that cannot be punished by incarceration. Rule 1.04(a) defines misdemeanors.
The "uniform traffic ticket" as defined in Minn. Stat. § 169.99 is used to issue a citation under Rule 6. The citation is used to charge not only traffic offenses under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 169, but also criminal or Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offenses defined in other chapters. The State Court Administrator and the Commissioner of Public Safety determine the required content of the citation in consultation with the courts, law enforcement, and other affected agencies, including the DNR.
Rule 6.01, subd. 4(b) reiterates that the citation must contain the statutorily required notice that failure to appear for a petty misdemeanor offense results in a conviction. As stated in the rule, the citation must direct the defendant to either appear or contact the court by a particular date. This means a conviction will be entered: (1) if the defendant fails to appear on the scheduled court date; (2) if the defendant fails to pay the fine or otherwise contact the court by the scheduled deadline; or (3) if the defendant requests an initial hearing on the citation but then fails to appear for it.
Rule 6.01, subd. 4(d) sets forth the content that must be included on the defendant's copy of an electronic citation. The defendant's copy of a paper citation typically contains additional information such as court contact information, payment methods, and collateral consequences. Since the Rules do not specifically require this information to be on the citation, when the defendant is issued an electronic citation, the additional information could be given to the defendant by other means such as directing the defendant to a website or providing a separate information sheet.
The arresting officer is to decide whether to issue a citation using the information available at the time. If that officer decides not to issue a citation, the officer-in-charge of the stationhouse will then make a determination from all the information then available, including any additional information disclosed by further interrogation and investigation.
Rule 6.01, subd. 6 is intended merely to stress that issuing a citation in lieu of a custodial arrest or continued detention does not affect a law enforcement officer's statutory right to transport a person in need of care to an appropriate medical facility. A law enforcement officer's power to transport a person for such purposes is still governed by statute and is neither expanded nor contracted by Rule 6.01, subd. 6. See, e.g., Minn. Stat. § 609.06, subd. 1(9) about the right to use reasonable force, in certain situations, toward mentally ill or mentally defective persons and Minn. Stat. § 253B.05, subd. 2 governing the right of a health or peace officer to transport mentally ill or intoxicated persons to various places for care.
These rules do not prescribe the consequences of failing to obey a citation. The remedy available is the issuance of a warrant or summons upon a complaint.
Rule 6.02, subd. 1 specifies the conditions of release that can be imposed on a defendant at the first appearance. If conditions of release are endorsed on the warrant (Rule 3.02, subd. 1), the defendant must be released on meeting those conditions.
Release on "personal recognizance" is a release without bail on defendant's promise to appear at appropriate times. An "Order to Appear" is an order issued by the court releasing the defendant from custody or continuing the defendant at large pending disposition of the case, but requiring the defendant to appear in court or in some other place at all appropriate times.
The conditions of release must proceed from the least restrictive to the ultimate imposition of cash bail depending on the circumstances in each case. Release on monetary conditions should only be required when no other conditions will reasonably ensure the defendant's appearance. When monetary conditions are imposed, bail should be set at the lowest level necessary to ensure the defendant's reappearance.
Rule 341(g)(2) of the Uniform Rules of Criminal Procedure (1987) and Standard 10-5.3(d) of the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice (1985) provide for release upon posting of 10 percent of the face value of an unsecured bond and upon posting of a secured bond by an uncompensated surety. Although Rule 6.02 does not expressly authorize these options, the rule is broad enough to permit the court to set such conditions of release in an unusual case. If the 10 percent cash option is authorized by the district court, it should be in lieu of, not in addition to, an unsecured bond, because there is generally no reasonable expectation of collecting on the unsecured bond and the public should not be deluded into thinking it will be collected. The court should consider the availability of a reliable person to help assure the defendant's appearance. If cash bail is deposited with the court it is deemed the property of the defendant under Minn. Stat. § 629.53 and according to that statute the court can apply the deposit to any fine or restitution imposed.
For certain driving while intoxicated prosecutions under Minn. Stat. § 169A.20, if the defendant has prior convictions under that or related statutes, the court may impose the conditions of release set forth in Minn. Stat. § 169A.44. Conditions may include alcohol testing and license plate impoundment. However, Rule 6.02, subd. 1 requires that the court must set the amount of money bail without any other conditions on which the defendant can obtain release. The Advisory Committee was of the opinion that this is required by the defendant's constitutional right to bail. Minn. Const. Art. 1, § 7 makes all persons bailable by sufficient sureties for all offenses. It would violate this constitutional provision for the court to require that the monetary bail could be satisfied only by a cash deposit. The defendant must also be given the option of satisfying the monetary bail by sufficient sureties. State v. Brooks, 604 N.W.2d 345 (Minn. 2000).
If the court sets conditions of release, aside from an appearance bond, then the court must issue a written order stating those conditions. Any written order must be issued promptly and the defendant's release must not be delayed. In addition to providing a copy of the order to the defendant, the court must immediately provide it to the law enforcement agency that has or had custody of the defendant along with information about the named victim's whereabouts. This provision for a written order is in accord with Minn. Stat. § 629.715 which concerns conditions of release for defendants charged with crimes against persons. Written orders are required because it is important that the defendant, concerned persons, and law enforcement officers know precisely the conditions that govern the defendant's release.
When setting bail or other conditions of release, see Minn. Stat. § 629.72, subd. 7 and Minn. Stat. § 629.725 as to the court's duty to provide notice of a hearing on the defendant's release from pretrial detention in domestic abuse, harassment or crimes of violence cases. Also see Minn. Stat. § 629.72, subd. 6 and Minn. Stat. § 629.73 as to the duty of the law enforcement agency having custody of the defendant in such cases to provide notice of the defendant's impending release.
When imposing release conditions under Rule 6.02, subd. 2, Recommendation 5, concerning sexual assault, in the Final Report of the Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force on Gender Fairness in the Courts, 15 Wm.Mitchell L.Rev. 827 (1989), states that "Minnesota judges should not distinguish in setting bail, conditions of release, or sentencing in non-familial criminal sexual conduct cases on the basis of whether the victim and defendant were acquainted." This prohibition should be applied in setting bail in other cases as well.
NOTE: Rule 6 does not cover appeal of the release decision nor does it include release after a conviction. Appeal of the release decision is permitted under Rules 28 and 29. These rules also set standards and procedures for releasing a defendant after conviction.
Rule 6.03 prescribes the procedures followed when conditions of release are violated. The Rule requires issuing a summons rather than a warrant under circumstances similar to those required under Rule 3.01. Rule 6.03, subd. 3, requires only an informal hearing and does not require a showing of willful default, but leaves it to the court's discretion to determine under all of the circumstances whether to continue or revise the possible release conditions. On finding a violation, the court is not authorized to revoke the defendant's release without setting bail because such action is not permitted under Minn. Const. art. 1, § 5. The court must continue or revise the release conditions, governed by the considerations set forth in Rule 6.02, subds. 1 and 2. Under those rules, the court may increase the defendant's bail. If the defendant is unable to post the increased bail or to meet alternative conditions of release, the defendant may be kept in custody.
There are no provisions similar to Rule 6.03 in existing Minnesota statutory law except Minn. Stat. § 629.58, which provides that if a defendant fails to perform the conditions of a recognizance, process must be issued against the persons so bound. Rule 6.03, subds. 1 and 2 take the place of that statute.
Minn. Stat. § 629.63 providing for surrender of the defendant by the surety on the defendant's bond is not affected by Rule 6.03. To the extent that it is inconsistent with Rule 6.03 and Rule 6.02, subds. 1 and 2, however, Minn. Stat. § 629.64, requiring that in the event a defendant is surrendered by such surety money bail must be set, is superseded.
As to sanctions for violating Rule 6.06 speedy trial provisions, see State v. Kasper, 411 N.W.2d 182 (Minn.1987) and State v. Friberg, 435 N.W.2d 509 (Minn.1989). As to the right to a speedy trial generally, see the comments to Rule 11.09.