What the St. Louis County Attorney Does

Prosecutes crime and juvenile delinquency cases in St. Louis County.  The County Attorney must decide whether there is sufficient evidence to prove a crime has been committed. If enough evidence exists, the County Attorney files a complaint in court (in Duluth, Hibbing, or Virginia) and either enters into a plea bargain with the defendant’s attorney or tries the case in court before a judge or both a judge and jury.

As St. Louis County Attorney, Melanie Ford has striven to use such approaches as problem-solving courts, including drug courts, to help ensure offenders remain crime-free over the long term. This helps keep families and communities healthier and saves taxpayers money.

Seeks court protection for the most vulnerable.  The County Attorney files cases on behalf of children needing protective services, in mental health/chemical dependency commitment petitions, to seek child support orders after establishing paternity for children, and for the protection of vulnerable adults.

Provides services for victims of crime.  The Office of the County Attorney informs victims of the progress of their cases, seeks their input on charges and pleas, refers victims to services, assists them with victim impact statements, and informs victims of their rights.

Defends the county in civil lawsuits.  The County Attorney takes responsibility for defending the county in such civil cases as those involving workers’ compensation, personal injury, damage to property, claims against county employees or officials, and challenges to county ordinances.

Acts as legal advisor to the St. Louis County Commission and other county departments.  This responsibility includes drafting laws (ordinances) at the request of the commissioners, drafting or reviewing contracts entered into by the various departments, and handling real estate or property management issues as well as a variety of other legal matters facing the county.

Ensures fair and equitable treatment of county citizens.  Under the leadership of Melanie Ford, the County Attorney’s office has been working on a continuing basis with law enforcement, educators, community leaders, members of the justice system, and others not only to ensure the public is safe from criminals and that criminals are held accountable but also to make certain all people in St. Louis County are treated fairly, regardless of race or socioeconomic circumstances. The County Attorney’s office has determined, for example, that a disproportionate number of minorities in St. Louis County are incarcerated and a disproportionate number of minority youth are in detention. With that information in hand, County Attorney Melanie Ford has been working to create programs that address those inequities.

Hires assistant attorneys and support staff and manages the office for maximum efficiency and environmental responsibility.  The St. Louis County Attorney’s office is the first office in Minnesota to file criminal cases electronically. This “e-charging” will result in faster processing of criminal cases. The office also saves paper through the e-charging approach and by sharing documents electronically with law enforcement and public defenders. In addition, the creation and support of problem-solving courts, such as drug courts, saves taxpayers the expense of incarcerating non-violent drug users. Those offenders are instead required to get treatment, find jobs, and remain accountable to the court through regular contact with the drug court team.