Criminal Law
Hughes & Costello has extensive experience in the area of criminal law as prosecuting attorneys. Our firm prosecutes for a number of Twin Cities suburbs, including New Brighton, Mounds View, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, and Richfield, and for the Minnesota State Fair. Our attorneys have over 50 years of combined experience working with law enforcement and city governments as municipal prosecutors.
Our Service To Our Municipal Clients
To serve the needs of our prosecution clients, this law firm has developed a group of experienced prosecuting attorneys, legal assistants, legal secretaries, and other staff. For over 25 years, we have represented municipalities as prosecuting attorneys and recognize the important responsibilities imposed by public sector representation. Rather than representing the narrow interests of a private client, public sector representation involves achieving the best interests of the entire governmental entity, including its relationship with the citizens and other governmental units. We have had over a quarter century’s experience working with city council members, city administrators, directors of public safety, chiefs of police, citizen interest groups, and individual citizens. Because the prosecuting attorney represents the public, the highest ethical standards must apply to the discharge of those responsibilities. In 25 years, we have never had official criticism of our ethics before any court, professional responsibility board, or any other regulatory entity.
The Duties Of Municipal Prosecutors
Municipal governments are often the division of government with which citizens have the most personal contact. Therefore, the safety and well-being of individuals living within a municipality is of paramount importance to these divisions of government. This firm sees itself as part of a larger body of municipal governance, focused on the common goal of making our client municipalities safe and secure cities in which to live. Appointed by the elected representatives of each City, we do not make policy; rather, we carry out the policies established by the City’s administrators and elected leaders. When appropriate, we use our legal knowledge and experience to advise and counsel the leadership of our client municipalities regarding changes in the law or new needs that arise over time due to changing circumstances. Most important, we exercise and enforce the policies of the municipality in a fair and just manner, forwarding the interests of the entire community aggressively and competently.
An independent prosecutor is essential for effective legal representation and counsel and, in our service to our client municipalities, we strive to balance the pursuit of policy goals with the exercise of independent legal judgment. In order to serve the broadest interests of the community, we must be willing to tell the City’s leadership when certain goals cannot be legally obtained, or cannot be obtained under the current methods available. With this in mind, we advise each City’s leadership about the drafting and utilization of new ordinances, about the extent to which peace officers can act in carrying out City policy, and about the limitations of City ordinances as written. Likewise, we apply independent legal judgment to new cases and police reports, to identify any constitutional issues in police procedure, and to handle the circumstances in court appropriately. Our exercise of independent judgment protects our client municipalities from potential civil liability and aids them in improving their enforcement of the peace and promotion of City policy.
