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 representation of county boards and county agencies - Prosecutes criminal cases and traffic violations - Restraining and harassment orders; orders for protection

Services are victim-centered, which means individuals will guide their own process, make their own decisions, and have staff provide information, support, and referrals. Services include: - Advocacy: Assistance in obtaining Emergency Protective Orders, Permanent Restraining Orders, Stalking/Harassment Orders, Temporary Restraining Orders, housing, community services, and medical appointments - Confidentiality - Community education and professional training - Crisis line - Emergency Services: Transportation to medical facilities, law enforcement, safe housing, etc. - Individual and group support - Prevention and/or Rapid Rehousing: Services provided by the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program - FHPAP - Safety planning

Assists with divorce, custody matters, protection orders, and Indian Child Welfare Act cases. Family legal services work on preserving stability for children and protecting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

Provide support to those who have been affected by domestic violence or sexual assault. Services may include: - 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: Provides a hotline for advocacy, resources, and shelter for all victims of violence. The hotline provides information and safety planning to support victims. - Advocacy: Legal advocates can help victims navigate and explain the legal system in criminal and civil protective order cases. Helps victims work with local police, city, and county attorneys to advocate on the victim's behalf. Assist in filing Orders for Protection and Harassment Restraining Orders. Attend court hearings with victims to provide information and support and more. - Emergency Shelter: A 24-hour domestic violence and sexual violence emergency shelter within Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, and Pine counties. The Black Dog Hill Shelter provides secure emergency shelter and access to basic needs to survivors and children. Basic needs include meals, toiletries, clothing, linens, diapers, laundry facilities, and access to a food shelf. - Intervention: Offers a Batterers Intervention Program to those interested and/or court-ordered to participate in a psycho-educational group led by trained professional facilitators. Participants learn to identify abusive behaviors and are taught to react to situations non-abusively and communicate with their partner. - Support Groups: Provides support groups to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through empowerment, conversations, and activities. Meetings are held in-person and virtual and times will vary by county office.

Provides support through education, empowerment, protection, and advocacy services. Services include: - 24-hour crisis support line - Advocates that includes a Spanish speaking advocate - Educational presentations - Legal options and advocacy - Limited emergency safe housing - Restraining Order assistance - Safety planning - Support Group: Offers a Spanish speaking support group - Systems coordination and referrals to resources - Transportation - Volunteer opportunities for those interested in providing transportation, community outreach, staffing information booths, fundraising, quarterly newsletter, and serving on the Board of Directors

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

Assists with divorce, custody matters, protection orders, and Indian Child Welfare Act cases. Family legal services work on preserving stability for children and protecting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

- 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 free and confidential services to those affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking/exploitation, and high-risk youth in Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. Confidential services: - Accompaniment to court - Assistance with petitioning for an Order for Protection or Harassment Restraining Order - Community education - Crisis line - Emergency transportation, and/or assistance - Information, referrals, and resources - Temporary emergency safe housing - Systems coordination - Support group - Youth Programs: Provides youth the ability to teach and learn from their peers about confidence, communication, safety, and life skills. Emergency assistance includes, but is not limited to, the following expenses: - Crime Scene cleanup - Grant funds are used to meet crime victims' emergency needs when available - Purchase and installation of necessary home security devices - Reimbursement of towing and storage fees incurred due to impoundment of a recovered stolen vehicle - Replacement of necessary property that was lost, damaged or stolen as a result of a crime - Transportation to locations related to the victim's needs as a victim, such as medical and criminal justice facilities - Victim reimbursement for reasonable travel and living expenses incurred due to a change in venue Victims of crime have also received funding through the program for items such as repairing a broken door, installing new locks, and replacing clothing or bedding taken as evidence. Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program - FHPAP may be available through pre-screening.

Assists victims of domestic assault with all areas of the criminal and civil justice system, including: - Advocate through Victim Services - Court process information and guidance - Offender monitoring program - Prosecution, defense and protection orders - Safety planning and danger assessments

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

Victim assistance efforts include advocacy and support throughout the criminal proceedings. Minnesota law grants numerous rights to victims of crime, including: - To be notified of a decision not to prosecute a domestic assault or harassment case - To be notified of the final disposition of the case - To be notified of plea negotiations, changes in scheduling of court appearances, including date, time and place of sentencing - To be present at sentencing and to object orally or in writing to a proposed plea agreement or sentence - To request that law enforcement keep your identity confidential from the public. The agency may comply if you are a victim of sexual assault or your personal safety or property is threatened

Provides assistance with: - Understanding the legal process and court procedures in a criminal matter - Understanding and exercising victims' rights - Seeking restitution for economic loss or harm resulting from crime - Information about proposed settlement offers and pre-trial diversion programs - Referrals to other agencies providing victim services - Explaining Order for Protection and Harassment Restraining Order application process - Assistance to witnesses testifying in court hearings and trials

Advocates provide support, information and referrals including: - Assisting in financial assistance to help with expenses resulting from crime (reparations, restitution) - Court advocacy - Crisis line - Explaining the steps of the criminal justice process - Filing restraining orders (Order for Protection, Harassment Restraining Order) - Providing referrals to community resources to help meet needs including counseling (and financial assistance for certain crime victims), etc. - Providing support and advocacy during sexual assault medical exams - Support through an interview with law enforcement - Support through the healing process - Understanding rights as a victim

Provides support services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. The center also works with children who have witnessed abuse. Additional services include: - Advocacy and follow-up support - Court accompaniment - Crisis information - Education programs - Information and referral - Intake assessments for coordinated entry housing programs - Order for protection and harassment restraining - Order filling assistance - Reparations assistance - Safety planning - Support groups Also accepts donations of cell phones and inkjet cartridges. Cell phones are offered to individuals who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault so they may place emergency (911) phone calls. Other cell phones and inkjet cartridges are mailed to a company that recycles the phones and, in turn, donates to the Crisis Resource Center of Steele County.

Provide resources and support for Latinos who are victims of a crime, domestic violence, or sexual assault. All services are provided in English and Spanish. Services provided: - 24 hours/7 days a week crisis line for victims of a crime, domestic violence, and sexual assault - Assistance and Court Accompaniment for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: Assistance in applying for orders for protection and accompaniment through the civil court process. Helps in reporting sexual assault or domestic violence to local police and accompanies the criminal court process. - Domestic violence and sexual assault support groups - Helps victims apply for reparations - Referrals to relevant community resources such as shelter, mental health counseling, legal assistance, and support with residency or status-related needs NOTE: CLUES does not provide legal advice and will refer clients to community resources for legal assistance.

Provides help to individuals in crisis, providing community education and working to change public perception and response to domestic violence. Advocates provide: - Assistance with Orders for Protection (Temporary Restraining Orders - TRO) - Emergency housing, if safety is an issue - Emergency transportation (only in cases where law enforcement is involved) - Individual advocacy - Information and referral to needed services - Internship and volunteer opportunities - Legal system assistance - Public education - Support at court proceedings - Support Groups - Support in working with law enforcement - Youth advocates

Drop-in center for those whose lives have been affected by sexual or domestic violence: - 24-hour support and advocacy - Assistance with orders for protection - Community education, violence prevention, and protection planning - Legal advocacy - Resource library - Temporary safe housing

Court services including scheduling and administering civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and conciliation (small claims) court matters, jury selection, and court filing. - Order for Protection filing office - Stalking/harassment orders - Local jury call-in line

Advocates provide support, information and referrals including: - Assisting in financial assistance to help with expenses resulting from crime (reparations, restitution) - Court advocacy - Crisis line - Explaining the steps of the criminal justice process - Filing restraining orders (Order for Protection, Harassment Restraining Order) - Providing referrals to community resources to help meet needs including counseling (and financial assistance for certain crime victims), etc. - Providing support and advocacy during sexual assault medical exams - Support through an interview with law enforcement - Support through the healing process - Understanding rights as a victim

Legal representation and/or advice with critical legal needs in family law: - Criminal Temporary Protective Orders, Emergency Protective Orders, Permanent Restraining Orders, Stalking/Harassment Orders, and Temporary Restraining Orders - Custody between parents - Divorce - Grandparent custody - Some other critical legal needs with other civil legal problems

Protective and Legal Services: - Information on other legal issues - Issues warrants, subpoenas, and executions on judgments - Landlord/tenant information - Law library including online databases and videos - Orders for Protection/Domestic Abuse - Pro -se Forms for self - representation - Process Services Court and Legal Information - Restraining Orders for harassment Coordination of Court Activities: - Accepts payments of fines from traffic and criminal court - Collection and receipt of fees, bonds, and escrow funds - Conciliation Court administration - Coordinates and schedules court's calendars - Coordination of public defender - Divorce/custody records / Other legal records - Files wills Marriage Ceremonies performed by the judge or court administrator - Jury Selection - Jury Selection Fees and Filing - Performs civil marriage ceremonies Licenses and Records

Provides the following services: - Assistance in gathering and documenting evidence in criminal and civil cases - Assistance with housing, education, employment, and connecting to public benefits and community resources - Assistance with Orders for Protection/Harassment Orders - Communication network linking survivors with probation officers, prosecuting attorneys, and law enforcement - Criminal justice advocacy for victims - GED assistance for domestic abuse victims - If experiencing legal problems related to domestic violence, please call for screening and appointments - Information and referral - Support for victims including accompaniment to medical and legal procedures - Visits to victims after perpetrator has been arrested - Youth support groups and mentoring for children who have been exposed to domestic violence Safety Planning Services for individuals in various scenarios: - In a relationship - Parenting time exchanges - Post-arrest and release from jail - Post-separation or throughout continued contact with an abuser - Throughout the restraining order process

- Provides advocacy for victims of domestic violence in relation to court proceedings - Assists in obtaining additional support services and exploring safety options - Helps with Orders for Protection

Free family law advice by an experienced family law attorney over the phone during a 20-minute consultation. Deals with all issues related to Minnesota family court,, including divorces, custody, property division, spousal maintenance, post-judgment issues, orders of protection, child support and paternity.