Attorney


County Attorney Brian Lutes

The County Attorney is elected by the residents of Wright County to a 4-year term. The current County Attorney is Brian Lutes. Brian Lutes has been with the Wright County Attorney's Office for 21 years.  He was appointed County Attorney and officially started January 4, 2021.  Brian Lutes was reelected in 2022 and sworn in on January 3, 2023.

Staffing

The Wright County Attorney's Office has 31 employees: 

  • 1   County Attorney
  • 1   Chief Deputy County Attorney
  • 1   Chief of Criminal Division
  • 1   Chief of Civil Division
  • 12  Assistant County Attorneys
  • 1   Office Manager
  • 2   Victim / Witness Coordinators
  • 1   Paralegal
  • 11 Legal Administrative Assistants

We work hard to represent the Wright County Attorney's Office and the citizens of Wright County. The County Attorney supervises the assistant county attorneys and support staff, establishes policy and guidelines to be used by them, and performs administration to ensure that the duties of the office are properly carried out. The annual budget (2023) is approximately $3,932,290.00.

Team Prosecution

The County Attorney utilizes the team approach to prosecution which requires a working relationship between the County Attorney's Office and law enforcement that instills credibility, confidence, cooperation and teamwork. The County Attorney's Office works with the Wright County Sheriff's Department, the Buffalo Police Department, the Annandale Police Department, the Howard Lake Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Minnesota State Patrol. To further the team approach, the County Attorney's Office will provide instruction to law enforcement on criminal law and procedure.

Divisions

The County Attorney's Office has an adult Felony Criminal/Traffic Division, an adult Gross Misdemeanor/Misdemeanor/Petty Misdemeanor Criminal/Traffic Division, a Civil Division, a Juvenile Delinquency/Traffic Division and a Juvenile CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection or Services) Division that includes truancy and termination of parental rights.

Mission Statement

The Mission Statement for the Wright County Attorney's Office is to promote justice, public safety and effective government by prosecuting crime, protecting those in need and providing the best possible legal representation to Wright County.