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In-Custody Public Defender Screenings
In September of 2008, following the recommendation of a CJCC workgroup tasked with examining the issue of public defender screenings, a change was made to the screening procedure. Rather than having defendants apply for a public defender following his/her initial court appearance, the defendants were allowed to apply for a public defender at the jail by consulting with a representative of the Court Administrator's staff. This change in procedure not only allowed the Court Administrator's Office additional time to process the requests, but also reduced the detention deputy time spent at the courthouse with the defendants, waiting for the screenings to be completed.
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Conciliation Court Referees
As Winona County continues to struggle with budget cuts and increasing case loads, conciliation court referees were implemented as a means to relieve the backlog of cases. Minnesota’s Legislature passed a bill that allowed “referees” to act as conciliation judges. Referees are attorneys who receive special training and are appointed by a district court judge to act as a judge in conciliation court. Winona County’s referees include five attorneys, which were selected from the area, who offer their services pro bono. This process enables more cases to flow through the conciliation court system, freeing up the district court and is a cost-saving measure for the county. The first conciliation court referee hearings in Winona County took place in June, 2010.
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