Rice County Attorney's Office

10/06/2026

Rice County Attorney Brian Mortenson joins county attorneys across Minnesota in warning about a proposal which would reward defendants who would arrange to have multiple cases resolved together with shorter sentences.

"Over the last six years in our state, there has been a concerted and sustained effort to reduce the culpability of convicted criminals," he said.

"Our Minnesota communities and our victims are suffering the consequences of policies that reduce the consequences for crime, including crimes of violent and repeat offenders. "Since 2020, Minnesota has added automatic expungements, reduced probation maximums, shortened how long convictions count toward a new criminal sentence, given the Commissioner of Corrections authority to let convicted felons out of prison early, and let felons earn law degrees while in prison.

"Now they are going to limit how many crimes a convicted felon can be held accountable for when sentenced.

"At what point do we put victims before convicted felons? At what point do we put public safety before politics? At what point do we say enough is enough?

"I agree with my colleagues at the MCAA and across the Third Judicial District, I stand in opposition to this continued degradation of our justice system."

READ THE OPED: https://bit.ly/RiceCo-SentencingProposalOped

10/03/2026

NEW! Portal on County Attorney's page provides easy access to public information and documents for individual adult criminal cases in Rice County.

Full story in comments below

10/01/2026

The Rice County Board of Commissioners have declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Rice County.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, contact HOPE Center at 507-332-0882 or its 24-hour Safeline, 1-800-607-2330.
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

09/03/2026

08/20/2026

A tremendous THANK YOU to the area businesses who sponsored the Fourth Annual First Responders for Charity Softball Tournament: Faribault Ace Hardware, State Bank of Faribault and Tony Langerud - State Farm Agent

Their support helped us not only raise about $1,500 for HOPE Center, advocates for victims of domestic and sexual violence, but bring the community together for a night of fun, and yes, some competition.

Each of our agencies understands the value HOPE Center and its staff bring to Rice County. Last year, it served more than 1,200 individuals from across the county.

08/20/2026

A Dundas man who sped down a Northfield frontage road in April 2023, blew through a stop sign and into oncoming traffic, killing Bryce Skaar, 85, of Northfield, was sentenced earlier this month.

Link to story in comments below.

08/19/2026

Congratulations to the Faribault Police Department/Faribault Fire Department, which took its first First Responders for Charity Softball Tournament title, first beating our Rice County team, then the team from Minnesota Correctional Facility-Faribault. The event, a fundraiser for HOPE Center, brought in more than $1,500, bring the total raised over four years to $12,000. Also playing was the team from Northfield Police Department, MN/Northfield Area Fire & Rescue Service.

07/15/2026

Thank you, MPR News, for inviting Community Corrections Manager Angela Brewer to discuss the county's recently launched Mental Health Court, a treatment court program specifically for justice-involved residents diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness as defined by state statute.

Rice County’s mental health court joins five other courts like it around the state.

07/04/2026

Happy birthday, America!