Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include: - Adult prosecution - Child custody decrees - Child protection cases - Child support and paternity matters - Civil advice - Family services - Juvenile prosecution - Pursuing improvement and prevention: Plays an important role in seeking new laws to strengthen law enforcement, criminal justice, child protection, victim's rights, and other areas. Also participates in efforts to prevent or reduce crime in the local communities and statewide. - Victim/Witness Assistance

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include: - Child custody decrees - Child protection cases - Child support and paternity matters - Conservatorships - County civil matters - Day care and foster care licensing - Family court - Guardianships - Legal representation of Anoka County, its departments, land acquisition, employment issues, liability claims, ordinances, contract negotiations, appeals, expungements and other civil matters - Prosecutes criminal cases - Prosecutes juvenile matters - Restraining and harassment orders; orders for protection

Civil Division: - Advises and represents the community social services department under state and federal mandates Criminal Division: - Prosecutes criminal acts and provides leadership to law enforcement Juvenile Division: - The Juvenile Division attorneys carry a caseload of both juvenile prosecution cases and child protection cases Victim-Witness Division: - Fulfills statutorily mandated advocacy assistance, information and services for victims and witnesses Services Include: - Child Custody Decrees - Child Support Assistance/Enforcement - Conservatorship Assistance - County Counsel - Crime Victim Compensation - Crime Victim Notification Services - Crime Witness Support - Criminal Law - District Attorney - Domestic/Family Violence Legal Services - Estate Entitlement Assistance - General Crime Victim Assistance - Guardianship Assistance - Juvenile Diversion - Paternity Suits - Paternity/Maternity Establishment - Permanent Restraining Orders - Stalking/Harassment Orders

- Receives payments of fines to Court system - Handles Traffic Violations and Fines - Handles preparations for the following type of cases: Conciliation, Appeals, Probate, Adoption and Trustee - Provides Jury duty information - Handles Criminal, Juvenile and Civil Divisions of Court as well as Family Court including Support, Paternity, Post-divorce motions, Visitations and Custody - Jury Selection

- Child and adult protection representation - Child custody orders - Child support and paternity cases - Commitments for mental illness, chemical dependency, or mental retardation - Conservatorships - Crime witness support; victim notification - Criminal and delinquency prosecution; District Attorney - Criminal protective orders - Domestic/family violence legal services - Guardianships - Initiates CHIPS (Child in need of protection or services) - Juvenile diversion - Legal representation of county boards and agencies; county counsel - Prosecutes misdemeanors and felonies - Requests restitution - Stalking/Harassment orders - Temporary and permanent restraining orders

Represents the county in the following types of cases: - Child protection/CHIPS cases - Child support and paternity - Commitments - Conservatorship - Criminal and delinquency prosecution - Guardianships - Legal representation of boards and agencies - Vulnerable adult protection

Adoption Services: Places children who have come into foster care and are not able to return to their birth parents' home with an adoptive family. Steps to become an adoptive parent can be found online. Guardianships and Conservatorships: Guardianship is a legal arrangement where one person, who is appointed by a court, has the legal right and duty to care for another adult who is unable to make responsible personal decisions or meet personal needs. The primary purpose is to provide for the ward's care, comfort, and maintenance needs. Conservatorship is a similar legal arrangement where one person is appointed by a court to handle financial affairs of an adult who is unable to make responsible personal decisions. Ramsey County financially supports wards' legal and professional guardianship needs if they meet the indigent status as outlined in state statute.

For vulnerable adults who can no longer make the decisions necessary to care for themselves of their finances, and who have no family or friends available to do it for them. These persons may include people with developmental or acquired disabilities, people with mental illness, or the frail elderly. As the court-appointed guardian/conservator, LSS is given the legal responsibility for managing the personal & financial affairs of these incapacitated individuals. Responsibilities (dependent upon court order) include: - Establish place of residence - Determine & provide for care needs - Care for personal property - Consent to necessary medical or other professional care - Approve or withhold approval of contracts - Pay reasonable charges for support of the client - Pay debts - Possess and manage the estate, collect debts and claims due the client, and invest funds

- Child and adult protection representation - Child custody decrees - Child support and paternity cases on behalf of the human services agency - Commitments - Conservatorships - Crime witness support - Crime victim assistance and notification - Crime victim compensation - Criminal and delinquency prosecution; juvenile diversion - Guardianships - Legal representation of county boards and agencies - Restraining Orders The Martin County Attorney does not provide personal services to individual residents

Attorney services include: - Child custody decrees - Child protection representation - Child support assistance/enforcement - Conservatorship assistance - County counsel - Court filing assistance - Crime victim compensation - Crime victim notification services - Crime victim assistance - Crime witness support - Criminal law - District Attorney - Domestic/family violence legal services - Estate entitlement assistance - Guardianship assistance - Juvenile delinquency prosecution and diversion - Paternity suits - Paternity/maternity establishment - Permanent restraining orders - Stalking/harassment orders - Temporary restraining orders - Third-party involuntary commitment petition services The County Attorney is not permitted to provide legal advice to citizens, but can refer them to a department, agency, or private law firm that can help them.

Provides support and services for individuals who are at risk of guardianship and/or conservatorship and their caregivers through consultation, referrals, and information. Through in-depth assessments, families and professionals determine if guardianship or conservatorship is the right decision and offer less restrictive alternatives when appropriate. Services may include: ?- Assessments: Offers in-depth, objective phone consultations and in-person assessments to determine the appropriate level of care needed. Can also assist in contested guardianship or conservatorship court cases to enable parties to come to terms of settlement or provide strength to a position (either in favor or against the appointment of a guardian or conservator) ?- Advocacy and Coaching: Engages with family members and involved professionals to determine and implement workable alternatives to court intervention or provide supportive non-legal coaching through the petitioning process ?- Petitioner: When an assessment rules out less restrictive alternatives and there is no one in the individual's life to do so, legal assistance may be available to file a petition with the court seeking the appointment of a guardian and/or conservator or to request the court modify or terminate an existing guardianship. Provides a free Guardianship Information Helpline to assist families in determining the best path forward for each individual who needs support and services, including: - Approaches to help address the concern, which may avoid the need for guardianship/conservatorship, including facilitating less restrictive alternatives - Needs of the adult experiencing difficulties - Practical intervention tips to assist the caregiver to be more effective in working with the individual - Supported decision making - The guardianship and conservatorship system

- Child and adult protection representation - Child support and paternity cases - Commitments - Conservatorships - Criminal and delinquency prosecution - Guardianships - Legal representation of boards and agencies - Provides support and assistance for victims and witnesses in criminal and juvenile matters handled by the County Attorney's office

Provides legal assistance and educational opportunities and resources. Legal issues covered include: - Debt collection - Divorce, parenting time, custody, or other family law issues - Employment - Impounded car - Landlord/tenant or property - Probate - Purchase or service contracts - Simple wills and health care directives - Any other civil legal issues

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include: - Child custody decrees - Child protection cases - Child support and paternity matters - Conservatorships - County civil matters - Crime victim assistance and compensation - Crime victim notification service - Crime witness support - Delinquency cases; juvenile court - Family court - Guardianships - Juvenile diversion - Law library - Prosecutes criminal cases - Restraining and harassment orders; orders for protection

A Guardian or a Conservator is a court appointed decision maker to care for and protect the rights of the clients including the prevention of abuse, exploitation, or self-neglect. A Guardian can make decisions regarding the personal affairs including medical, health, and residential for someone who cannot make these types of decisions because of an injury, illness, or disability. - Determining where the client lives and to make sure that his or her needs are being met including their care, comfort, and maintenance needs - Taking reasonable care of and safeguarding the client's personal property - Consenting to and monitoring medical treatment while keeping forefront the wishes of the client. This often includes accompanying the client to medical and/or therapy appointments. - Advocating on behalf of the client for housing/living arrangements, employment and/or training. This is done while maximizing the client's independence in the least restrictive manner. - Ensuring and applying on behalf of the ward for any assistance or benefits he or she is entitled to including Social Security, Veterans benefits, Medicare, and/or Medical Assistance A Conservator can make decisions regarding the financial affairs of a person who cannot make these types of decisions because of an injury, illness, or disability. - Paying reasonable charges for the support, maintenance, and/or the education of the client - The duty to pay lawful debts out of the client's estate - The duty to manage the estate and collect all debts and claims in favor of the client - The authority to approve or withhold approval of any contract except for necessities - Applying on the behalf of the client for assistance, services, or benefits available, including Social Security, Veterans benefits, Medicare, and/or Medical Assistance - The power to revoke durable power of attorney

Civil: Cases such as lawsuits involving personal injury, property damage, malpractice, employment issues, wrongful death, implied consents, and Tax Court Conciliation: Small Claims court. Claim amounts are limited to $7500 Criminal: Processing of complaints for violations of law from minor to major offenses including petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony offenses, and traffic and parking violations Family: Cases includes dissolution, custody, support, paternity, domestic abuse, and adoption cases Juvenile: Cases involving minors under the age of 18 who are involved in delinquency, termination of parental rights, truancy, status offenses, runaway, and children in need of protection, and some traffic offenses Probate: Supervised and unsupervised probating of estates of decedents, guardianships of minors and adults, conservatorships, and commitments for mental illness or chemical dependency

LSS serves as a personal representative for estates. - Serves as court-appointed Guardian or Conservator providing surrogate decision making for individuals who are not able to make or communicate the decisions necessary to see that their needs are met. - Guardians work with a team of community professionals to represent each client's best interest and advocate for meeting needs in the least restrictive manner possible. - Also may provide assistance in managing finances by serving as Power of Attorney when appropriate. - Serves as Personal Representative of Estates, handling disposition of assets according to the individual's wishes. - Also offers a Special Needs Pooled Trust allowing beneficiaries to set aside money for expenses that may not be covered under government programs.

The County Attorney cannot provide legal advice to citizens, but can refer them to a department, agency, or private law firm that can help them. - Child custody decrees - Child protection representation - Child support assistance/enforcement - Conservatorship assistance - County counsel - Court filing assistance - Crime victim compensation - Crime victim notification services - Crime witness support - Criminal law - District Attorney - Domestic/family violence legal services - Estate entitlement assistance - General crime victim assistance - Guardianship assistance - Juvenile delinquency prosecution and diversion - Paternity suits - Paternity/maternity establishment - Permanent restraining orders - Stalking/harassment orders - Temporary/permanent restraining orders - Third-party involuntary commitment petition services

- Criminal and delinquency prosecution - Child and adult protection representation - Legal representation of county boards and agencies - CHIPS cases - Child support and paternity - Commitments - Guardianships - Conservatorships

Provides guardian and estate services to help individuals with their legal, medical, and financial affairs. Guardianship and Conservatorship: - Guardians are appointed to help individuals manage their living situation, health needs, and/or financial affairs. Guardians work with medical, social providers, and caregivers to ensure essential care for the individual. - Conservators are appointed to manage and preserve assets of the protected individual. Conservators secures assets, pays bills, and manages the individual's financial, real estate, and other assets. Health Care Agent: - Health care agents decide how to handle unanticipated medical situations if individuals are unable to communicate their needs. A health care directive may be completed by the health care agent to guide medical decisions on behalf of the individual. Personal Representative of the Estate: - A person or organization an individual chooses to settle their estate and carry out requests outlined in their will, wishes, and directives. Pooled Trust Services: - A financial investment tool used to preserve funds that enhance the quality of life for individuals living with a disability. Establishing a pooled trust can help protect eligibility for public benefits while still maintaining assets from other sources. Power of Attorney: - A written agreement that allows a person or organization an individual chooses to manage their legal and financial affairs. Services can be one-time specific such as handling the sale of a property, paying bills, balancing financial accounts, or preparing forms. Supported Decision Making: - A model of care for individuals with cognitive impairment that provides decision-making support to prevent unnecessary guardianship or to help support a restoration of rights for individuals already under guardianship. Decision-making support includes employment, finance, health care, legal matters, living arrangements, and relationships.

Provides assessment, intake, information and referral, and case management for adults with mental health needs. Case management services address individual needs related to diagnoses such as: - Acute/situational depression - Bipolar disorder - Borderline personality disorder - Major depression - Schizophrenia Additional services may include case planning, consultation, crisis intervention, legal commitments, guardianship/conservatorship, facilitation of hospitalizations, and other residential placements.

- Child protection/CHIPS cases - Child support and paternity - Commitments - Conservatorships - Crime victim compensation - Crime victim notification services - Crime witness/victim support - Criminal and delinquency prosecution - Domestic/family violence legal services - Guardianships - Juvenile diversion - Legal representation of county boards and county agencies - Paternity suits - Temporary/Permanent harassment restraining orders - Vulnerable adult protection

Provides legal advice and representation for individuals subject to guardianship or conservatorship.

- County Counsel - Child and adult protection representation - Child support and paternity cases - Commitments, guardianships, conservatorships - Legal representation of county boards and agencies - Provides criminal and delinquency prosecution as the District Attorney - Victim/witness coordinator: advises crime victims of their legal rights and the status of their cases

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include: - Child custody decrees - Child protection cases - Child support and paternity matters - County civil matters - Delinquency cases; juvenile court - Guardianships - Juvenile diversion - Legal advocacy for victims in the criminal justice system - Legal representation of county boards and county agencies - Prosecutes criminal cases and traffic violations - Restraining and harassment orders; orders for protection - Victim advocacy after crime has occurred