Divisions

The Civil Division provides a full range of legal services to Hennepin County government, working on contracts, employment issues, torts, health services, real property and human services. The division also represents the elected Hennepin County Board and Sheriff, as well as the county administrator.

Hennepin County is the largest local unit of government in Minnesota, employing nearly 7,200 employees, and is one of the 15 largest employers in Minnesota. The county has a $1.6 billion dollar yearly budget – larger than eight states.

The division has approximately 30 attorneys and 20 legal support staff including paralegals, secretaries, investigators and claims adjusters. The work of the civil division is extremely diverse and is driven by the breadth and variety of issues facing Hennepin County.

To protect the county's legal interests, civil attorneys provide regular training for county staff on liability reduction, contracts and procurement, and data practices issues.

Beth Stack is the Managing Attorney for the Civil Division.

The division has five separate teams:

• Employment - provides legal advice and representation to the Human Resource department and all other departments with respect to employment, labor, and worker’s compensation matters
• Contracts - provides legal advice to departments and drafts and negotiates contract matters with outside vendors
• Torts - responds to civil claims and lawsuits filed against the county and its employees in state and federal court
• Real Property - represents the county in property tax appeals, condemnation matters, and other property-related matters
• Health - provides legal representation to the Hennepin County Medical Center, NorthPoint, Hennepin Health, and several other health-related departments within the county

The Adult Services Division is responsible for a variety of matters including civil commitment, adult protection, economic assistance and assorted matters relating to social service appeals. The majority of the caseload is in the civil commitment area, handling over 1,300 cases per year of persons with mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disabilities.

The Division also handles sex offender commitments and Rule 20 petitions from the criminal court where a defendant is found incompetent to stand trial for a criminal charge. Many of the Rule 20 petitions present unique challenges in the need for continued coordination between the criminal and commitment courts.

The Adult Services Division assists the Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department by providing legal advice and representation in actions involving the developmentally disabled, services to seniors, and legal matters affecting vulnerable adults, including Probate Court guardianships and conservatorship cases.

Elizabeth Beltaos is the Managing Attorney for the Adult Services Division.

Child Protection keeps the children of Hennepin County safe. Investigation and legal action protect neglected or mistreated children. By law, the primary goal of all child protection cases is to maintain or return a child to the family if it is safe and in the child’s best interests. Child Protection includes be@school, a truancy intervention program.

The Child Protection Division provides legal advice and represents the Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) of Hennepin County in hundreds of administrative and Juvenile Court proceedings every year.

When there is a need to obtain court jurisdiction over a family in order to provide protective services, Child Protection attorneys file a petition in Juvenile Court alleging that the child is in need of protection or services (a CHIPS petition). From that point forward, attorneys in the division represent HSPHD-Child Protection in all court proceedings relating to the petition.

Lori Whittier is the Managing Attorney for the Child Protection Division.

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The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office Child Support Division works to ensure that children have the support they need from both parents by enforcing child support enforcement laws. As legal counsel to the Hennepin County Child Support Agency, the county attorney represents the county in:

• Establishing paternity for children whose parents are not married or living together
• Establishing court orders for basic, medical and child care support
• Enforcing payment of court-ordered child support for custodial parents
• Modifying court ordered child support when a parent’s financial circumstances have substantially changed

Through this type of advocacy, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office works to strengthen families and help to ensure that children obtain the resources that they need.

Elizabeth Beltaos is the Managing Attorney of the Child Support Division.

For additional information on the Child Support Division, please click here to watch an overview video. You can also call 612-348-3600 with any questions.

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Hennepin County Attorney Lub Hoob Kas Tswj Kev Pab Yug Menyuam ua hauj lwm kom cov menyuam tau txais kev pab cuam uas tsim nyog los ntawm niam thiab txiv tib si yam siv cov kev cai lij choj tswj kev yug menyuam. Yog ib tug kws lij choj rau hauv Hennepin County Lub Kos Haum Tswj Kev Yug Menyuam, tus kws lij choj hauv zej zos sawv cev rau lub zej zog rau faim:

• Tsim tsa ua menyuam niam menyuam txiv rau cov niam thiab txiv uas tsis tau sib yuav los yog tsis nyob ua ke
• Tsim daim ntawv kom tsev hais plaub txiav txim kom ua li hais los them qhov nqi yug menyuam uas tsawg kawg, nqi kho mob thiab nqi zov menyuam
• Pab hais kom them nqi yug menyuam rau tog niam txiv tau cov menyuam
• Pab kho cov ntaub ntawv tsev hais plaub kom ua raws li hais yog tias niam thiab txiv muaj kev txawv txav txog nyiaj txiag

Nyob rau txoj kev sawv cev no, Hennepin County Attorney Lub Hoob Kas ua hauj lwm kom cov tsev neeg muaj zog thiab pab kom cov menyuam tau txias cov kev pab uas lawv tsim nyog tau.

Elizabeth Beltaos tus tus Thawj Kws Lij Choj saib xyuas Chav Tswj Kev Yug Menyuam.

Yog xav paub tshaj no ntxiv txog Chav Tswj Kev Yug Menyuam, thov nias qhov no los saib daim yeeb yaj kiab txog qhia dav dav txog cov txheej txheem no. Koj kuj hu tau rau ntawm 612-348-3600 yog muaj lus nug dab tsi.

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La División de Manutención Infantil de la Fiscalía del condado de Hennepin se esfuerza en asegurar que los menores tengan el apoyo que necesitan de ambos padres al hacer cumplir las leyes de manutención infantil. Como asesor legal de la Agencia de Manutención Infantil del condado de Hennepin, el fiscal del condado representa al condado en:

• Establecer la paternidad para los menores cuyos padres no están casados o no viven juntos
• Establecer órdenes judiciales para la manutención básica, médica y de cuidado infantil
• Hacer cumplir el pago de la manutención infantil ordenada por juez para los padres con custodia
• Modificar la manutención infantil ordenada por el juez cuando las circunstancias financieras de los padres han cambiado sustancialmente

A través de este tipo de abogacía, la Fiscalía del Condado de Hennepin trabaja para fortalecer a las familias y ayudar a garantizar que los menores tengan los recursos que necesitan.

Elizabeth Beltaos es la fiscal gerente de la División de Manutención Infantil.

Para más información sobre la División de Manutención Infantil, haga clic aquí para ver un video general. También puede llamar al 612-348-3600 si tiene alguna pregunta.

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Xafiiska Taageerada dhaqaale ee Caruurta ee Xeer Ilaalinta ee Degmada Hennepin waxa ay xaqiijineysaa dhaqan gelinta sharciyada taageerada dhaqaale ee loo jaro caruurta ee labada waalid.      Qareenka Waaxda Taageerada Dhaqaale ee Caruurta, qareen matalaya degmada dhageysiga maxkamadda ee:

• Xaqiijinta waalidka dhalay caruurta aanu waalidku sharciga Mareykanka isku qabin ama wada nooleyn.
• Go’aan looga gaarayo lacagta taageerada aasaasiga ah, caafimaadka iyo heynta caruurta.
• Fulinta amarka maxkamadda ee taageerada dhaqaale ee Caruurta ee waalidka ilmuhu la noolyahay.
• Wax ka bedelka amarka maxkamadda ee taageerada dhaqaale ee caruurta ay xaaladiisa dhaqaale is bedeshay.

U doodidda noocan ah, Xafiiska Xeer Ilaalinta ee Degmada Hennepin waxa uu u taagan yahay taageerada qoysaaska oo uu ka caawiyaa sidii loo xaqiijijn lahaa in caruurtu helaan taageerada ay u baahan yihiin.

Elizabeth Beltaos ayaa madax ka ah Waaxda Taageerada Dhaqaale ee Caruurta loo Jaro.

Si aad u heshaan macluumaad dheeraad ah ee ku saabsan Waaxda Taageerada Dhaqaale ee Caruurta Loo Jaro, fadlan guji halkan oo daawo fiidiyoowga. Wixii su’aal ah waxa aad la soo xiriiri kartaan 612-348-3600.

The Adult Prosecution Division charges all adult serious felony crimes against a person including murder, robbery, rape, assault, child abuse, domestic abuse, residential burglaries, criminal vehicular homicide or injury, and felons in possession of guns. The Adult Prosecution Division is also in charge of all Grand Jury investigations. The Gang Team charges all adult and certain juvenile violent crimes involving gang members and presents appropriate cases to the Grand Jury.

Each prosecutor is responsible for all stages of prosecution from the charging decision to the trial. Prosecutors work closely with law enforcement, victim/witness advocates, and others in the court system; many attorneys are specialists in cases of child abuse, domestic abuse or sexual assault of adult victims.

Dominick Mathews is the Managing Attorney for the Adult Prosecution Division.

The Community Engagement Division works with neighborhoods and law enforcement in two primary areas: Court Watch and Nuisance Properties.

Court Watch is a collaborative, community-based approach to criminal justice. Concerned citizens partner with police, prosecutors, probation officers and other resources to prevent and respond to public safety concerns. 

Minnesota law provides a mechanism for dealing with nuisance properties that create an unsafe atmosphere and reduce the quality of life in the community. Nuisance activities include drug dealing, prostitution, weapons violations, unlawful alcohol sales and other conduct that injures or endangers the public. If nuisance activities are taking place at a particular address, the County Attorney can start a nuisance action to abate the problem or close the property.

Elizabeth Beltaos is the Managing Attorney for the Community Engagement division.

The Community Prosecution Division charges drug and property offenses, and gang crimes. Drug crimes include both the sale and possession of illegal drugs. Property crimes include damage to property, theft, credit card fraud, and similar offenses. The Gang Team charges all adult and certain juvenile violent crimes involving gang members and presents appropriate cases to the Grand Jury.

Chris Freeman is the Managing Attorney for the Community Prosecution Division.

The Juvenile Prosecution Division prosecutes juvenile offenders for offenses ranging from serious traffic offenses to homicides. Violent juvenile offenders are aggressively prosecuted; crime prevention and early intervention efforts are emphasized for less serious offenders. When appropriate due to the serious or violent nature of the offense, the office files motions for extended jurisdiction juvenile (EJJ) or certification to adult court. The division also prosecutes adult co-defendants of juveniles in felony cases.

Staff facilitate anti-bullying, restorative justice, and truancy reduction programs in schools. Other outreach efforts include community prosecutors, who work with police in certain communities, and attorney liaisons to high schools and middle schools.

Tom Arneson is the Managing Attorney for the Juvenile Prosecution Division.

The Special Litigation Division includes Appeals and White Collar cases.

The Appellate Section handles criminal appeals, pre-trial appeals, and often advises attorneys from other divisions on legal matters that may arise in the course of a trial.

The Complex Crime Section prosecutes various economic and complex financial crimes, including employee theft, mortgage fraud, financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, identity theft and public corruption offenses. These cases often involve large financial losses to victims or present complicated financial transactions.

Special Litigation staff also train Hennepin County law enforcement officers on legal issues.

Jon Schmidt is the Managing Attorney for the Special Litigation Division.

The Victim Services Division handles all victim services within the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. It includes the Domestic Abuse Services Center, a nationally recognized one-stop center for victims of domestic violence, and the Victim Witness Units for all adult and the juvenile prosecution divisions. Victim services are provided to victims of all felony level crimes, whether the offense was committed by an adult or a juvenile.

Specialized advocates work with victims of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide and other crimes. Interpreters and Spanish bilingual advocates are available.

Glenn Burt is the Division Manager for the Victims Services Division.