MEET BEN LINDSTROM - CASS COUNTY ATTORNEY
As your elected Cass County Attorney, Ben Lindstrom brings nearly twenty years of legal experience directly into the courtroom. He is dedicated to keeping local families safe, whether he is prosecuting criminal cases or managing the complex civil and administrative duties of our county. Ben isn't the type of attorney who just sits behind a desk managing paperwork; he believes in a hands-on approach to justice, which is why he still personally takes on our community's toughest and most painful criminal cases.
When violent tragedies affect our community, Ben steps up as the lead prosecutor to handle the county’s most severe criminal offenses. He has successfully litigated complex murder cases, securing multi-decade or life sentences for some of the most dangerous individuals. He brings that same determination to tackling everyday violent crime, aggressively prosecuting repeat offenders and other violent criminals.
Ben’s work doesn't stop at the county line—he has experience taking our community’s fight all the way to St. Paul. He has successfully argued multiple cases before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, establishing statewide precedents that have allowed prosecutors to push for harsher penalties against repeat domestic abusers, and have expanded the legal boundaries that keep victims safe while offenders are on probation.
SMARTER JUSTICE AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Protecting the community also means finding innovative, cost-effective ways to run the justice system. Ben has made fiscal responsibility a core priority of his administration, modernizing the office to save taxpayer dollars. He spearheaded the County Attorney's Office transition to an advanced electronic case management system, moving toward a highly efficient, paperless workflow. Ben also maximized public resources by establishing real-time data-sharing cooperation with other local, state, and tribal agencies. This seamless electronic network allows prosecutors, investigators, and court systems to share information instantly, eliminating administrative duplication and building stronger cases at a fraction of the traditional cost.
LOCAL CONTROL AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
This commitment to efficiency heavily backed one of Ben’s proudest initiatives: leading Cass County's transition to the Community Corrections probation model. This major reform decentralized probation services away from state bureaucrats and brought control right back here to the county level. By keeping the administration local, Ben has cut through state red tape, streamlined heavy felony workloads, and aligned probation enforcement directly with local law enforcement—even sharing physical office space to maximize efficiency. This initiative ensures adult and juvenile probation programs are directly accountable to our community and focused on real results.
DEEP ROOTS AND LEGAL CREDENTIALS
Ben’s leadership is backed by years of dedicated service to our region. Before being trusted to lead the office, he spent seven years serving as an Assistant County Attorney right here in Cass County. He also built foundational insight into the justice system by working within the Minnesota Judiciary's Fourth Judicial District and representing indigent clients for the Public Defender’s Office in Brainerd.
Ben earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota in 2004 and went on to graduate from the Hamline University School of Law in 2007. He lives in Chickamaw Beach with his wife, Lindsey—who shares this commitment to justice as a prosecutor in a neighboring county—and their three children. Ben remains deeply committed to protecting Cass County families, defending our values, and ensuring our justice system works efficiently for everyone.
