HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2012-046 Opposing Closure of Southdale 4th District Court w91NA, RESOLUTION NO.2012-46
o� e t„'; A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED CLOSURE
m OF THE DIVISION IV SOUTHDALE COURTHOUSE
ay OF THE FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
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City of Edina
WHEREAS,the Edina City Council is the official governing body of the City of Edina,a
municipal corporation organized under the home rule provisions of the laws of the State of
Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County Administrator Richard Johnson requested at the February
28, 2012 meeting of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners that they act cease all court
operations at the Division IV, Hennepin County Courthouse at Southdale commencing on
September 1,2012, in Hennepin County Resolution 12-0119; and
WHEREAS,the agenda item for this Resolution indicated that the cases handled at the
Southdale Courthouse would be relocated to Brookdale Court, Ridgedale Court or the Division I
courthouse in downtown Minneapolis; and
WHEREAS,because nearly one-third of the approximately 11,500 non-felony criminal
and traffic cases currently handled at the Southdale Courthouse originate from the City of Edina;
and
WHEREAS, any relocation of the court functions serving Edina from a south suburban
location to any of the Division I, II or III locations will not only reduce the level of services to
Edina residents, it will reduce our residents' access to justice; and
WHEREAS,the Division IV Courthouse for the Fourth Judicial District, located at 7009
York Avenue, Edina,Minnesota, currently provides suitable quarters for the holding of regular
terms of court in a southern suburban location within the county serving the City of Edina; and
WHEREAS,the City of Edina,through its City Prosecutor's office, filed approximately
3,100 petty misdemeanor,misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases at Division IV Hennepin
County Courthouse,and at that location made over 10,000 court appearances on those cases
involving citizen victims,witnesses,City police officers and prosecutors during calendar year
2010; and
WHEREAS,the City of Edina's Police Department must make daily trips to the
courthouse serving the City of Edina to transport prisoners in custody so a judge can set bail or
impose conditions of release, obtain judicial review of criminal complaints and warrant
applications and testify in pretrial hearings or court trials; and
WHEREAS, City prosecutors appear four days per week at the Southdale courthouse
handling arraignments, pretrials,court trials, settlement conferences,Rasmussen hearings, as well
as conferences with traffic offenders about their cases at the Payables calendar; and
WHEREAS, the majority of victims and witnesses in criminal cases arising out of the
City of Edina are Edina residents, as are the persons to whom traffic citations are issued,and the
Southdale courthouse provides for these residents a convenient location with ample free parking
and close to mass transit; and
City Hall 952-927-8861
4801 WEST 50TH STREET FA 952-826-0390
EDINA,MINNESOTA,55424-1394 www.CityofEdina.com TTY 952-826-0379
WHEREAS,the convenient suburban location of the Southdale courthouse increases the
level of victim and witness participation in the prosecution of criminal cases and that in turn
improves the ability of Edina prosecutors to secure fair and appropriate consequences for the
offenders,thereby effecting an improvement in victim safety, as well as the overall safety of the
community; and
WHEREAS,the proposed closure of the Division IV Hennepin County courthouse will
deprive the residents of the City of Edina convenient, suitable access to court system of the
Fourth Judicial District and increase the City's costs of providing police and prosecution services.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EDINA that:
1. The City Council opposes any proposed closure of the south suburban,
Division IV, Fourth Judicial District Courthouse based on its concern that such would unduly
inconvenience the citizens of Edina served thereby, result in increased costs of prosecution and
increased costs to the Edina Police Department.
2. The City Manager and the City Prosecutor are authorized to cooperate with the
Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, County Administrator and Court Administrator to
form a task force for the purpose of working out the security issues faced by the Southdale
courthouse or, alternatively to work with them in identifying a more suitable south suburban
location for the handling of the City of Edina's non-felony prosecutions.
3. The City Council hereby directs the City Clerk to provide copies of this
Resolution to: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the State of Minnesota,the Honorable
Lori Gildea;the members of the Hennepin County Board;the County Administrator, Richard
Johnson;the Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, the Hon able James Swenson; and
Hennepin County Court Administrator Mark Thompson.
Dated: March 6, 2012
0 Attest:
Debra A. Mangen, tity r James B. Hovland,Mayor
STATE OF MINNESOTA )
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN )SS
CITY OF EDINA )
CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
I,the undersigned duly appointed and acting City Clerk for the City of Edina do hereby certify
that the attached and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Edina City Council at its
Regular Meeting of March 6, 2012, and as recorded in the Minutes of said Regular Meeting.
WITNESS my hand and seal of said City this day of 120
City Clerk
2
STATE OF MINNESOTA )
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN )SS
• CITY OF EDINA )
CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK
1, the undersigned duly appointed and acting City Clerk for the City of Edina do hereby certify
that the attached and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Edina City Council at its
Regular Meeting of March 20, 2012, and as recorded in the Minutes of said Regular Meeting.
WITNESS my hand and seal of said City this day of , 20
City Clerk