Codington County approves pre-trial case manager to curb court-appointed attorney costs

Codington County commissioners on May 12 approved a new pre-trial case manager position intended to reduce spending on court-appointed attorneys and improve court-processing efficiency.

Supporters, including the county's state's attorney (Angie), said the position will handle routine tasks — appointment and court reminders, arranging competency and treatment evaluations, and limited supervision — that often fall to defense counsel at higher hourly rates. Allison, who described experience as a defense attorney in Minnehaha County, said similar programs shifted social-work tasks off attorneys and reduced time in court.

The county estimated total compensation and benefits for the position at about $90,000 annually and proposed funding the role from the court-appointed attorney budget line. Commissioners discussed office space, reporting structure and overlap with community services before voting. Commissioner Gable moved to approve the job description; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Meline and carried.

The board also approved advertising and hiring for the position so recruitment can begin. County officials said any cost savings will take time to materialize and depend on attorneys and defendants using the service; proponents said modeled examples from other counties show measurable reductions in attorney hours and court continuances.

Next steps: the county will post the job, finalize supervision and reporting parameters, and begin recruiting; officials said they expect implementation and measurable budget effects over the coming year rather than immediately.