About Crysta

My parents moved to Mantorville in 1980 after my dad accepted a teaching job at Kasson-Mantorville High School. I was privileged to grow up in the K-M school system and graduated from Kasson-Mantorville High School in 1995.

I graduated from Valparaiso University in 1999 and then obtained a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota in 2001. I worked as a program evaluator for Olmsted County from 2001 – 2004 and produced annual reports to present to the Board in collaboration with program managers. I worked with programs serving children and adolescents including juvenile probation, the former Many Rivers programs (juvenile detention center and juvenile sex offender program), and adolescent behavioral health. This experience led me to enroll in law school at Hamline University School of Law.

During law school I participated in Hamline’s Child Advocacy Clinic and then was selected to be the Clinic’s student director for my final year of law school, supervising the clinic students as well as carrying a caseload. In 2007, I graduated from Hamline University School of Law, was sworn in to the Minnesota Bar, and began working as a family law attorney at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS).

At SMRLS, I represented clients in family law matters across southeastern Minnesota, but worked primarily in Dodge, Rice, and Olmsted counties. I partnered with local advocacy organizations to represent survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault in a wide variety of court proceedings. I was promoted to Lead Family Law attorney for the Southeast Region and supervised a team of attorneys and paralegals in addition to carrying a caseload. During my time at SMRLS I had the opportunity to assist in authoring 2 amicus briefs to the Minnesota Supreme Court, authored several Minnesota Court of Appeals briefs, and argued multiple times before panels of the Minnesota Court of Appeals achieving successful results for our clients.

In 2015, I took my current position as an Assistant County Attorney at the Dodge County Attorney’s Office. I have handled all the civil prosecution for the county, participated on our Treatment Court team, and assisted with criminal matters as needed. My civil caseload includes child support, child protection, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, civil commitments, civil forfeitures, extreme risk protective orders, and human services appeals. I have drafted criminal complaints and handled criminal hearings as needed.

I participate in multiple Minnesota County Attorney’s Association (MCAA) practice groups, have presented at numerous trainings on child support and child protection, and offer input on policy from a smaller county perspective as much as I am able.

I was appointed to the Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Board for 8 years, serving as chair for 7 of those years. As chair, I led the Board in advocating for increased funding for the program to both increase wages for staff and increase staffing levels to reduce caseloads. I had the opportunity to advocate for the program with state legislators and present to legislative committees.

All these experiences and opportunities have developed the qualifications necessary to serve the citizens of Dodge County and lead the Dodge County Attorney’s Office into its next chapter. I ask for your vote on November 3rd.