Attorney

County Attorney Tom Kelly


The County Attorney is elected by the residents of Wright County to a 4-year term. The current County Attorney is Tom Kelly. Tom Kelly has been with the Wright County Attorney's Office since 1984 and was Chief of the Criminal Division between 1990 and 1998. He was elected County Attorney in the fall of 1998.

Staffing


The Wright County Attorney's Office has 28 employees:
  • 1 County Attorney
  • 1 Chief Deputy County Attorney
  • 1 Chief of Criminal Division
  • 12 Assistant County Attorneys
  • 1 Office Manager
  • 1 Victim / Witness Coordinator
  • 1 Paralegal
  • 9 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 (2016) is approximately $3,191,032.00.

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 Criminal / Traffic Division, an Adult Misdemeanor / Petty Misdemeanor Criminal / Traffic Division, a Civil Division,  and a Juvenile Delinquency / Traffic Division and Juvenile CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection or Services) 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 advice to Wright County.