What does the County Attorney's Office do?

The County Attorney is the chief prosecutor for all adult felony crimes crimes which occur within the county and also prosecutes misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses occurring outside the cities of Winona and Goodview, or other limited areas defined by statute. The County Attorney prosecutes all levels of crime committed by juveniles within the county. The County Attorney provides assistance and support to victims of crime.

The County Attorney is also the legal advisor for the Winona County Board of Commissioners, other County officials, all Winona County Departments, the Winona County Board of Adjustment, and the Winona County Planning Commission. The County Attorney also represents the County in all civil legal work including, but not limited to contract and other legal document review, and civil litigation in which the County is involved. The County Attorney and her staff are not permitted to represent or provide legal advice to private citizens.

The County Attorney also initiates legal actions to protect abused or neglected children and vulnerable adults, and files involuntary commitment actions to provide necessary treatment for individuals who are mentally ill, chemically dependent, or mentally handicapped.

Whenever federal benefits are paid out, the County Attorney brings actions to obtain or enforce child support obligations, or to establish paternity of a child, to obtain reimbursement of these public funds. The County Attorney also represents the County in child support and paternity matters where parents not receiving federal welfare benefits have applied for child support enforcement or paternity establishment services through the Winona County Health & Human Services Department.

About the County Attorney...