2019.11.14 Work Session Packet
4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
Posted: November 8, 2019
City Council
Work Session Agenda
November 14, 2019
6:30 p.m.
Conference Room A
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City Charter,
the work session of the Crystal City Council was held at ______ p.m. on November 14, 2019 in
Conference Room A, 4141 Douglas Dr. N., Crystal, Minnesota.
I. Attendance
Council Members Staff
____ Kiser ____ Therres
____ LaRoche ____ Serres
____ Parsons ____ Gilchrist
____ Adams
____ Banks
____ Budziszewski
____ Deshler
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda items:
1. Appearance by District Court Head Judge Ivy Bernhardson.
2. Commission candidate interviews.
3. Request from Charter Commission regarding access to tobacco products.
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at ______ p.m.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling the City Clerk at (763) 531-
1145 at least 96 hours in advance. TTY users may call Minnesota Relay at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
To provide justice through a system that assures equal access for the fair and timely
resolution of cases and controversies.
Personnel:
63 judges (number set by Legislature)
12 referees (specialized judicial officers)
564 staff (full-time-equivalent)
Divisions:
Civil
Criminal
Family
Juvenile
Probate/Mental Health
Locations:
5 locations in downtown Minneapolis and two suburban
courts with county libraries and service centers:
Brookdale, Brooklyn Center; Ridgedale, Minnetonka
Large Urban Court:
22% of Minnesotans live in Hennepin
County
In 2018, handled 39.5% of the state’s
trial court case filings (486,137)
One of the largest urban counties in the
nation
Mission
Fourth Judicial District:
Hennepin County District Court
At -A-Glance
Juror stats in 2018:
942 jury trials requested (836 criminal,
106 civil)
26,572 citizens summoned
Persons of color comprised 20.7% of
persons serving as jurors
Fourth Judicial District:
Hennepin County District Court
At -A-Glance
Contact Us
Ivy Bernhardson, Chief Judge
612-348-2554
Ivy.Bernhardson@courts.state.mn.us
Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer, District Court Administrator
612-596-1090
Sarah.Lindahl-Pfieffer@courts.state.mn.us
Mike Valleau, Legislative Liaison
612-596-7478
Michael.Valleau@courts.state.mn.us
Website: www.mncourts.gov/hennepin
Focus on Quality of Justice: Treatment
Courts Model
Specialized treatment courts include Criminal
Mental Health Court, Drug Court, DWI Court,
Restorative Court, and Veterans Court
High-risk, high-need population with a
treatable condition
Protects public safety and due process
Non-adversarial prosecutor/defense counsel
Intensive judicial/probationary supervision
More immediate/timely incentives and
sanctions
Challenges
Felony filings up 10% over five-year average
Many criminal defendants suffer from drug or
alcohol addiction or abuse, mental illness, or a
physical disability.
Continued increase in domestic abuse Order for
Protection case filings
Child in Need of Protection Services (CHIPS) caseload
continues to increase
Many litigants are self-represented. At least one
party is without an attorney in most family and minor
civil cases.
Interpreter requests for more than 100 languages
provided annually (9,870 requests last year)
National Adoption Day Celebration
22 families adopted 38 children in one day
172 children adopted in Hennepin County last year
Fourth District Updates & Innovations
An efficient, electronic court: paperless court files, effective electronic workflows and queues, customer
kiosks, and digital signage
Texting and emailing to defendants to remind them of court hearings: reduced failure to appear for
hearings by 35%
Adult Detention Initiative: focusing on pretrial detention only for defendants who pose a public safety
risk or risk of not reappearing
Pioneered a validated and locally normed Pretrial Scale that has been used for decades and is race and
gender neutral. This tool allows judges to make objective release decisions.
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI): 59% decrease in daily population at Juvenile Detention
Center; 37% decrease in out-of-home placements