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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

Private attorneys agree to take cases for clients who have been screened through the intake process and either need representation in a matter that is not an area of Legal Assistance of Olmsted County's expertise, or where there is a conflict of interest. Areas of available legal assistance may include:

• Consumer/financial law

• Elder law/wills

• Employment law

• Family law

• Guardianship/conservatorship law

• Immigration law

• Landlord/tenant housing law

• Property/real estate law

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

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

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, and referral to legal commitments or guardianship/conservatorship.

Provides services to help individuals manage legal, medical, and financial affairs, including: Guardianship and Conservatorship: Guardians assist with personal care and health, while conservators manage and preserve assets Health Care Agent: Makes medical decisions if an individual cannot communicate their needs Personal Representative of the Estate: Carries out the individual's wishes for estate settlement Pooled Trust Services: Helps preserve funds and maintain eligibility for public benefits for individuals with disabilities Power of Attorney: Allows a chosen person or organization to handle legal and financial matters Supported Decision Making: Provides decision-making support for individuals with cognitive impairments to maintain independence and prevent unnecessary guardianship

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include:

• Child abuse, neglect, and truancy

• Gross misdemeanor cases and misdemeanors occurring outside of County municipalities

• Judicial commitments for chemical dependency and mental illness

• Juvenile delinquency matters wherever they occur in the County

?- Provides advice and assistance to all law enforcement personnel

• Public Conservatorship

• Public Guardianship

• 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

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

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 serves as the chief prosecutor of all adult crimes and juvenile offenses committed within Martin County. Services provided:

• Handles referrals from the county Human Services Department for commitment for substance use/mental illness cases, child support enforcement, paternity adjudication, child protection actions, and termination of parental rights

• Oversees conservatorships and guardianships

• Provides legal advice to the county Board of Commissioners and all county departments, as needed, and represents the county in civil lawsuits

• Works closely with the Office of the Victim/Witness Coordinator and restraining orders

NOTE: Does not provide personal representation to individual residents

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

Provides the following country attorney services:

• Child and adult protection representation

• Child support and paternity

• CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) cases

• Commitments

• Conservatorships

• Criminal and delinquency prosecution

• Guardianships

• Legal representation of county boards and agencies

Departments

• 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: Carries 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

• 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

• Restraining order filing office

• Third Party involuntary commitment petition services

Neither the County Attorney nor his/her staff is allowed to represent private citizens.

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

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

Provides the following country attorney services:

• Child and adult protection representation

• Child support and paternity

• CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) cases

• Commitments

• Conservatorships

• Criminal and delinquency prosecution

• Guardianships

• Legal representation of county boards and agencies

Provides necessary legal representation in criminal matters, civil matters, juvenile matters, and child protection matters; providing representation to county departments and legal advice concerning county legislative matters; and providing assistance and support in law enforcement training. Services include:

• Child and adult protection representation

• Child support and paternity cases

• Commitments

• Conservatorships

• Criminal and delinquency prosecution

• Guardianships

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, and referral to legal commitments or guardianship/conservatorship.

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include:

• Child and adult protection representation

• Child support and paternity cases

?- Conservatorships

• Crime witness support

• 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

• Prosecutes misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors and felonies

• Requests restitution; crime victim compensation

• Restraining orders

• Stalking/Harassment orders

• Temporary and permanent restraining orders

• Victim notification

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

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

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include:

• Child custody decrees

• Child protection cases

• Child support and paternity matters

• CHIPS cases

• Commitments

• Conservatorships

• County civil matters

• Crime victim assistance and compensation

• Crime victim notification service

• Crime witness support

• Delinquency cases; juvenile court

• Domestic violence legal services

• Guardianships

• Juvenile diversion

• Legal representation of county boards and county agencies

• Prosecutes criminal cases

• Restraining and harassment orders; orders for protection

Responsibilities of the County Attorney's Office include:

• Child protection cases

• Child support and paternity matters

• Conservatorships

• County civil matters

• Guardianships

• Prosecutes criminal cases

• Prosecutes juvenile matters

Provides legal services for the county including:

• Child support and paternity matters

• Conservatorships

• Guardianships

• Legal representation of county departments, land acquisitions, employment issues, liability claims, ordinances, contract negotiations, appeals, expungements, and other civil matters

• Prosecutes criminal cases and juvenile matters

• Restraining and harassment orders