What Are Minnesota Specialty Courts?

Minnesota specialty courts provide a non-traditional problem-solving approach to integrating treatment provision and criminal justice case processing. These courts work with multidisciplinary teams to offer treatment and other services to offenders, to reduce substance abuse and general recidivism. Other goals of the Minnesota specialty courts include:

• To minimize jail and prison crowding issues;
• To reduce crime;
• To increase the effective management of mental illness among substance abusing and dependent participants;
• To advance the effective integration of related resources from the courts, justice system personnel, and community agencies
• To expand collaboration among all agencies;
• To assist participants in achieving long-term sobriety, maintain recovery, improve the quality of their lives and that of their family.

There are over 35 treatment courts in the 22 judicial districts of Minnesota. Programs offered by Minnesota specialty courts include:

• Adult Drug Courts.
• DWI Courts,
• Family Dependency Treatment Court.
• Juvenile Drug Court.
• Mental Health Court.
• Veterans Court.

Also referred to as treatment courts, problem-solving courts address offenders with needs that may not be satisfied in traditional courts. Some of these matters include addiction issues, mental illness, and domestic violence. These courts aim to promote outcomes that will benefit all concerned parties.

Treatment courts serve as alternative methods of handling certain offenders. These courts collaborate with stakeholders in the justice system, such as prosecutors, probation officers, social workers, public defenders, and other justice system partners. Through this collaboration, the courts ensure that offenders complete treatment programs, reducing the tendency to commit a crime.

In Minnesota, problem-solving courts share the following key components:

• Combine treatment services with justice system case processing.
• Non-adversarial approach: prosecution and defense counsel assume roles that promote public safety while protecting participants’ due process rights
• Participants are identified early and promptly placed in the treatment court program
• Problem-solving courts provide access to a range of alcohol and other drug-related treatment and rehabilitation services
• Continual judicial interaction with each participant
• Monitoring the effectiveness of the court to measure the achievement of program goals
• Continuing interdisciplinary education to promote effective treatment court planning, implementation, and operations
• Collaboration—Treatment courts develop partnerships with external parties to achieve set goals.

Minnesota specialty courts operate an integrated, team-based structure that holds participants accountable and helps in their recovery. Participants in a specialty court program participate voluntarily and agree to follow the laid-down rules of the specific programs. To achieve set goals, specialty court programs do the following:

• Probation officers or case managers closely supervise participants;
• Participants are tested for drugs or alcohol randomly and frequently;
• Participants are subjected to frequent home and probation officer/case manager visits;
• Participants are engaged in enhanced or intensive drug treatment, and other treatments deemed necessary;
• Participants are assisted in their compliance with efforts to achieve stability;
• Participants must visit the court at least twice a week. Note that this may vary depending on the participant’s progress in the court program)

A problem-solving court team meets to discuss persons appearing on the docket. This team generally includes:

• The judicial officer
• Probation officer
• Deputy district attorney or deputy public defender
• Substance abuse and mental health treatment provider
• Case manager
• Court coordinator
• Any other persons essential to the court (e.g., guardian ad litem, Child Support Enforcement Agency, Department of Human Services, military installations.)

Before and during the meeting, the members exchange information concerning each person on the docket and discuss the participant’s compliance, successes, challenges, and other related circumstances. The team collaborates to adapt a joint response to the participant’s compliance or non-compliant behavior. In the course of the court session, participants receive incentives or sanctions based on their conduct.

A specialty court’s effectiveness is directly connected to the following:

• Quantity and quality of information shared by the court team
• Quality of treatment
• Team devotion and commitment
• Frequent contact with a compassionate yet resolute judicial officer
• Random and frequent use of drug and alcohol testing
• Effective use of incentives and sanctions

Positive outcomes are also engendered by collaboration between the city and the community in which the program occurs. Such collaborative activities include ancillary services such as housing, employment training and assistance, and financial aid. Specialty court programs may take up to two years or more to complete.

The contact information for the problem-solving courts are listed below:

ADULT DRUG COURTS
District: 1
Location: 200 4th Avenue West
Shakopee, MN 55379.

County: Scott.
Coordinator: Heidi Kastama.
Phone: (952) 496–8373

District:2
Location:15 Kellogg Boulevard West
St. Paul, MN 55102.

County: Ramsey.
Coordinator: Tanya Jones.
Phone: (651) 266–9277

District: 3
Location:20 Third Street NW
Faribault, MN 55021

County: Rice.
Coordinator: Susan Hence.
Phone: (507) 333–3703

District: 4
Location: 300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487.

County: Hennepin.
Coordinator: Lisa Keller.
Phone: (612) 348–9265

District: 5.
Location: 401 Carver Road
Mankato, MN 56002.

County: Blue Earth
Coordinator: Kevin Mettler.
Phone: (507) 469–5518

District 5
Location:14 S. State Street
New Ulm, MN 56073

County: Brown.
Coordinator: Megan Kjolsing
Phone: (507) 934–7190

District: 5
Location: 201 Lake Avenue
Fairmont, MN 56031.

County: Faribault
Coordinator: Tracy Henning
Phone: (507) 381–3749

District: 5
Location: 201 Lake Avenue
Fairmont, MN 56031.

County: Jackson
Coordinator: Tracy Henning
Phone: (507) 381–3749

District: 5
Location: 607 West Main Street
Marshall, MN 56258.

County: Lincoln
Coordinator: Grady Holtberg.
Phone: (507) 401–5062

District: 5
Location: 607 West Main Street
Marshall, MN 56258.

County: Lyon.
Coordinator: Grady Holtberg,
Phone: (507) 401–5062.

District: 5
Location: 201 Lake Avenue
Fairmont, MN 56031.

County: Martin
Coordinator: Tracy Henning
Phone: (507) 381–3749

District: 5
Location: 2500 28th Street
Slayton, MN 56172.

County: Murray.
Coordinator: Heather Kirchner,
Phone: (507) 295–1019

District: 5
Location: 501 South Minnesota Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082.

County: Nicollet.
Coordinator: Megan Kjolsing.
Phone: (507) 934–7190.

District:5
Location:1530 Airport Road
Worthington, MN 56187.

County: Nobles
Coordinator: Heather Kirchner,
Phone: (507) 295–1019.

District: 5
Location: 416 South Hiawatha Avenue
Pipestone, MN 56164

County: Pipestone.
Coordinator: Heather Kirchner.
Phone: (507) 295–1019

District 5.
Location: 250 South Jefferson Street
Redwood Falls, MN 56283

County: Redwood
Coordinator: Grady Holtberg
Phone: (507) 401–5062

District: 5
Location: 710 2nd Avenue South
St. James, MN 56081.

County: Watonwan
Coordinator: Megan Kjolsing.
Phone: (507) 934–7190

District: 6
Location: 301 Walnut Avenue
Carlton, MN 55718.

County: Carlton.
Coordinator: Vacant, Treatment Court Coordinator
Phone: (218) 720–1535

District:6
Location: 100 North 5th Avenue West
Suite 320
Duluth, MN 55802

County: St Louis Virginia
Coordinator: Aleesha Ward
Phone: (218) 471–7223

District: 7
Location: 913 Lake Avenue
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

County: Becker
Coordinator: Don Kautzmann
Phone: (218) 291–5863.

District: 7
Location:213 SE 1st Avenue
Little Falls, MN 56345.

County: Morrison
Coordinator: Shelly Trane.
Phone: (320) 631–0833

District: 7
Location: 725 Courthouse Square, #406
St. Cloud, MN 56301

County: Stearns.
Coordinator: Shelly Trane.
Phone: (320) 656–6367

District: 8
Location: 629 North 11th Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

County: Chippewa
Coordinator: Karon I. White,
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District: 8
Location: 400 Colorado Avenue
Morris, MN 56267.

County: Grant.
Coordinator: Karon I. White.
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District: 8
Location: 505 Becker Avenue
Willmar, MN 56201.

County: Kandiyohi
Coordinator: Karon I. White,
Phone: (320) 208–6647.

District: 8
Location: 505 Becker Avenue Southwest #100
Willmar, MN 56201

County: Meeker.
Coordinator: Karon I. White.
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District 8
Location: 400 Colorado Avenue
Morris, MN 56267.

County: Stevens
Coordinator: Karon I. White.
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District 8
Location: 400 Colorado Avenue
Morris, MN 56267

County: Traverse
Coordinator: Karon I. White.
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District: 8.
Location: 400 Colorado Avenue
Morris, MN 56267.

County: Wilkin.
Coordinator: Karon I. White
Phone: (320) 208–6647

District: 9
Location: 600 Minnesota Avenue NW, Suite 108

Bemidji, MN 56601.
Coordinator: Krista Smith.
Phone number:(218) 333–4120

District 9
Location: 303 Minnesota Avenue
Walker, MN 56484

County: Cass
Coordinator: Shirley Smith,
Phone: (218) 547–7237

District: 9
Location: 123 NE 4th Street
Grand Rapids, MN 55744.

County: Itasca
Coordinator: Tiffani Ott.
Phone: (218) 391–9909

District:9
Location: 715 4th Street
International Falls, MN 56649.

County: Koochiching
Coordinator: Amanda Zortman
Phone: (218) 283–1118

District: 9
Location: 206 8th Avenue SE
Baudette, MN 56623

County: Lake of the Woods.
Coordinator: Amanda Zortman.
Phone: (218) 283–1118

District: 9
Location: 311 North Main Street,
Mahnomen, MN 56557.

County: Mahnomen.
Coordinator: Lori Thompson.
Phone: (218) 983–4648

District: 10
Location: Anoka
County: Anoka
Coordinator: Lacy Greninger.

District 10
Location: Wright
County: Wright
Coordinator: Chris Jahnke.
DUI/ DWI COURTS

District: 4
Location: 300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487.

County: Hennepin.
Coordinator: Lisa Keller.
Phone: (612) 348–9265.

District: 6
Location:100 North 5th Avenue West,
Suite 320
Duluth, MN 55802

County: St Louis Duluth.
Coordinator: Rachael Barta
Phone: (218) 720–1547

District:7
Location: 121 West Junius Avenue
Fergus Falls, MN 56537.

County: Otter Tail.
Coordinator: Tria Mann.
Phone: (218) 998–8460

District 7
Location: 913 Lake Avenue
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501.

County: Becker
Coordinator:Tria Mann,
Phone: (218) 998–8460

District: 9
Location: 141 Main Ave S
Thief River Falls, MN 56701.

County: Pennington.
Coordinator: Allie O’Leary.
Phone: (218) 684–7029

District: 9
Location: 141 Main Ave S
Thief River Falls, MN 56701

County: Polk
Coordinator: Allie O’Leary.
Phone: (218) 684–7029

District: 9
Location: 124 Langevin Avenue NW
Red Lake Falls, MN 56750.

County: Red Lake.
Coordinator: Allie O’Leary.
Phone: (218) 684–7029

District: 9
Location: 311 North Main Street, Mahnomen, MN 56557.
County: Mahnomen.
Coordinator: Tria Man.
Phone: (218) 983–4648

District: 9
Location: 208 East Colvin
Avenue Warren, MN 56762.

County: Marshall
Coordinator Allie O’Leary,
Phone: (763) 568–4309

District: 9
Location: 16 3rd Avenue East
Ada, MN 56510.

County: Norman
Coordinator; Allie O’Leary
Phone: (763) 568–4309

Veterans Treatment Court
District: 4
Location: 300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487

County: Hennepin
Coordinator; Vacant.
Mental Health Court
District: 4
Location: 300 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487

County: Hennepin
Coordinator; Vacant.
District: 6
Location:100 North 5th Avenue West,
Suite 320
Duluth, MN 55802

County: St Louis Duluth.
Coordinator: Elizabeth Henderson.
Phone: (218) 726–2464

District:6
Location: 100 North 5th Avenue West
Suite 320
Duluth, MN 55802.

County: St Louis Virginia
Coordinator: Aleesha Ward.
Phone: (218) 471–7223

Family Dependency Treatment Court.
District: 5
Location: 201 Lake Avenue
Fairmont, MN 56031.

County: Jackson
Coordinator: Tracy Henning
?Phone: (507) 381–3749.