Meeker County Attorney’s Office Busy This Past Year

This past year has been a busy one for the Meeker County Attorney’s Office with 3 homicides, 5 jury trials, 6 court trials, 1400 minor adult criminal cases, 1200 traffic cases, 63 DWIs and 76 juvenile delinquent cases. The Attorney’s Office has also been in the midst of the remodeling project at the Court House.

County Attorney Brandi Schiefelbein says her office is moving out of the Court House basement – up to the 4th level and the building will be called the Justice Center, with a secure entrance. She says 2024 was unusual with the 3 homicides which are very complex, challenging cases, but on the bright side, there was a decrease in the number of child protection cases in 2024.

Schiefelbein says there were 5 truancy cases in 2024 – down 4 from 2023, and there was an increase in sexual assault and sexual abuse cases in 2024. She says there’s also been an increase in mental health cases.

Schiefelbein says, besides being the lead prosecutor for the county, she’s the legal advisor for the County Board of Commissioners and the various county departments. She says she spends a lot of time looking over contracts for the various county departments, but it’s an important task to try to keep the county out of future liabilities.