County Attorney's Office - Goodhue County, Minnesota

The Office of County Attorney is an elective office created by the State Legislature pursuant to Article 12 5.3 of the Constitution of the State of Minnesota. The Goodhue County Attorney's Office includes Stephen F.O'Keefe, County Attorney, nine Assistant County Attorneys, and eight support staff.

County Attorney Duties

The duties of the County Attorney are statutory as established by the legislature. Such duties include:

Representing the county in cases in which the county is a party
Advising the County Board of Commissioners and county officers
Prosecuting criminal matters on behalf of the State of Minnesota in Goodhue County
Assisting the Grand Jury
Processing juvenile delinquency petitions
Processing petitions alleging mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency
Assisting the Health and Human Services Department with child support enforcement and paternity cases
Representing the Health and Human Services Department in child protection and neglect matters
Acting attorney for certain state agencies in local matters

The County Attorney’s Office does not represent individuals in court and cannot give legal advice to individual citizens, including criminal defendants. Prosecutor’s cannot take reports of a crime from individuals. To report a crime, contact the local law enforcement agency where the crime occurred.