Michael J. Crawford
Idaho State Bar #5518
Telephone: Work (208)587-0900
e-mail:
Michael@ratlifflawoffice.com
Legal Experience:
Elmore County Prosecuting Attorney Mountain
Home, Idaho
January, 2002-Present, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney,
responsible for case management of felony, misdemeanor, infraction, child
protective, mental commitment, fish and game, planning and zoning, and
miscellaneous civil cases as assigned by the elected Prosecutor. Duties include prosecution from
complaint to trial to sentencing, liaison with law enforcement officers and
their supervisors including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and
the Idaho State Police, liaison with victims of crime, parents of children in
child protective and juvenile cases, and family members of persons in mental
commitment and guardianship cases, negotiation of settlements with defense
counsel and unrepresented defendants, legal research and writing, development
of forms and procedures, ongoing formal and informal training of law
enforcement officers, volunteer guardians ad litem and social workers in child
protective cases, and secretaries/victim-witness coordinators, development of
agendas for meetings and training sessions, all in close cooperation with the
elected Prosecutor. Accomplishments
include development of new processes for keeping track of required hearings in
child protective cases to ensure no loss of federal funding for children in
foster care; new procedures for use in mental commitment cases that have
reduced county expenditures for hospitalization of patients; work on proposed
amendments to the Child Protective Act with Representative Pete Nielsen, and a
presentation to Elmore County foster parents made with Idaho First Lady
Patricia Kempthorne.
Wiebe and Fouser, P.A. Caldwell, Idaho
August, 1998-January, 2001 and May, 2001-August, 2001,
Assistant Canyon County Public Defender, responsible for case management of all
appointed juvenile, child protective, mental commitment, developmental
disability commitment, and guardianship cases, and misdemeanors and felonies as
assigned, through jury trial and sentencing. Duties included client interviews and
advice, review of reports, drafting of documents, negotiation of settlements,
and liaison between clients and court and other service agencies. Accomplishments include development (in
cooperation with other stakeholders) of the Canyon County Family Drug Court, the
first of its kind in the state, which was funded entirely using existing
resources.
Hamilton, Michaelson, and Hilty,
LLP Nampa, Idaho
January, 2001-May, 2001, City Prosecutor
for misdemeanor and infraction cases for the cities of Caldwell,
Idaho and Parma, Idaho. Duties included case and office management
including hiring and firing staff, liaison with officers, and participation in
Third Judicial District Domestic Violence Task Force.
Education:
Northwestern School of Law
of Lewis and Clark College Portland, Oregon
1993-1996; J.D. May, 1996; Law Review member, Environmental Law, 1994-1996; Associate
Editor, 1995-1996; Outstanding Law Review Member award, May, 1996; American
Jurisprudence award for Torts, December, 1993.
Portland
State
University Portland, Oregon
1990-1993; B.A., History, August, 1993; Phi Kappa Alpha History Honor Society,
1992-1993. Transferred
credits from Boise State University,
Boise, Idaho
(1982-1984).
Memberships and Volunteer
Activities:
Idaho State Bar #5518, admitted
September, 1996.
Cheer Basket of Mountain Home, Inc.,
2003-present, vice president, 2004-present; volunteer organization that
provides Christmas food packages to needy families in Mountain Home and
surrounding areas. Duties include
sorting food donations, development of a computerized database with nutrition
information and family needs, so food donations are divided up fairly, and
delivery zones to aid the volunteer delivery people in making their rounds with
a minimum of doubling back and missed deliveries.
Elmore County Community Justice Task Force,
2004-2005, judges, prosecutors, school personnel, probation officers and other
stakeholders advocating for better sentencing options for minor offenses,
including victim-offender mediation and accomplishment-based community service.
Elmore County Multi-Disciplinary Team,
2002-present, statutorily required group including prosecutors, school
personnel, police agencies, social workers, and other stakeholders, who meet
monthly to discuss child protective issues and possible solutions.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival,
volunteer merchandising director, 1997-2003; set up accounting systems and
retail reporting support for souvenir shop; projected sales and audited costs
of merchandise and supplies; training of clerks and supervisors and other
volunteers.
Third Judicial District CASA Program,
1998-2001, prepared and delivered several presentations including materials
describing child protection statutes and procedures at training sessions for
new volunteer child advocates
Third Judicial District Youth Court Program,
1998-2001, alternative to formal charges for minor juvenile offenders, attorney
mentor for youth “attorneys” who prosecute and defend their peers
on smoking tickets and other minor violations
