People with minor warrants can find their lives derailed if they have to go to jail for it — they might miss work or have to find someone to take care of their kids.
Ramsey County and community groups are offering a solution on Saturday.
Anyone with a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor warrant in Ramsey County can attend Warrant Resolution Day at a high school in St. Paul. Officials and community members are telling people they don’t have to fear being arrested there.
“It’s giving people a chance to move on with their lives,” said Jana Kooren, American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota public education and communications director. “Having a warrant out for a relatively minor offense can make it hard to get a job and with housing, and it’s problematic because there’s not an easy way to resolve a warrant.”
Community groups and public-safety officials are aiming to make it easier for people on Saturday.
Public defenders, prosecutors and judges will be at the High School of Recording Arts.
Anyone who doesn’t have a felony warrant in the county and who shows up will be able to get their warrant quashed and, in many instances, a resolution in their case, according to Gwen Upton, Second Judicial District criminal division administrator.
That could range from a judge dismissing a case, sentencing someone to community service, or setting a future court date.
There will also be representatives from Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services to provide people with information about getting their driver’s licenses restored, Upton said.
The last warrant resolution event was held in Ramsey County in 2015. There were 54 cases handled then and authorities are hoping to handle at least 150 cases Saturday “to clear as many warrants as possible” and to help individuals, Upton said.
As of Friday, there were 1,817 active gross misdemeanor warrants and 5,463 active misdemeanor warrants in Ramsey County.
Ramsey County District Court Judge Tim Mulrooney said he believes many warrants for low-level offenses are issued because people don’t appear in court. It could be that the individual didn’t receive a notice about their court date because they’re homeless or having to move frequently because of poverty, he said.
“While warrants are perhaps a necessary tool, they’re a pretty heavy-handed tool,” Mulrooney said. But he said the court system wants to build trust with the community to show, “We’re here to treat people fairly.”
There has been preliminary discussion about finding ways to more regularly offer people a way to resolve minor warrants without going to jail, Mulrooney said.
People from the ACLU, NAACP and Ujamaa Place have been helping get out the word about Saturday’s event, including reassuring anyone “nervous that it’s not going to be a trap,” which was a sentiment they heard from some, Kooren said.
IF YOU GO
What: Warrant Resolution Event for people with misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor warrants in Ramsey County
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: High School of Recording Arts, 1166 W. University Ave., St. Paul
More info: ramseycounty.us/warrantday, which includes a link to look up whether you have a warrant in Ramsey County