OFFICE OF THE WABAUNSEE COUNTY ATTORNEY

The Wabaunsee County Attorney's Office is primarily a criminal prosecution agency representing the citizens of Wabaunsee County and the victims of crime. The office enforces felony, misdemeanor and traffic laws as well as "child in need of care" matters, "care and treatment" cases, and civil asset forfeitures, involving both adults and juveniles. Also, the office deals with post conviction matters, including direct appeals and habeas corpus petitions. Prosecuting attorneys are ministers of justice, charged with seeing that justice is done. That which is just in one case may not be just in another. A simple change in facts from one case to another may require a different result. "Justice" is the goal, not "winning."

In addition to responsibilities related to criminal prosecutions, the Wabaunsee County Attorney's Office is also responsible for representing the County and its officials in civil proceedings. This includes proceedings in state and federal courts as well as proceedings before administrative agencies such as the State Board of Tax Appeals.

The Wabaunsee County Attorney also provides advice and legal services to the Board of Wabaunsee County Commissioners, elected county officials and other county department heads on a daily basis. Typical matters involve economic development, employment, contract drafting and interpretation, negotiations, acquisition, or disposition of Wabaunsee County property and many other legal matters.

Despite popular misconception, the Wabaunsee County Attorney, in his capacity as County Attorney, does not provide legal services to citizens concerning their private legal affairs or civil disputes. The Wabaunsee County Attorney's Office may be able to assist citizens by providing them with information concerning how to contact appropriate private legal counsel.

Diversion:

A diversion program is a form of sentence in which the criminal offender joins a rehabilitation program, which will help remedy the behavior leading to the original arrest, and avoid conviction and a criminal record. Diversion programs serve as an alternative to law enforcement or court involvement and include a range of initiatives, such as intensive supervisory probation, restitution, mandatory community service, and specialized courts. Diversion may occur before or after the filing of the criminal charge. Successfully completing diversion requirements usually results in a charge being dropped or reduced, while failure may result in the restoration or heightening of the original penalties.

If you are interested in applying for a diversion, the application and guidelines are located at the bottom of this page. Please review the guidelines and email or fax the application to our office. We will review your application and process your information and email you the agreement once we have wrote it up. Then you will review it and you will need to follow the instructions stated in the agreement to successfully inter into a Diversion.