Olmsted County Board Appoints New County Attorney

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Attorney’s Office has a new leader. 

See Also: Plea Agreement Announced in 2022 Rochester Murder Case 

He was appointed to the role by the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night and will be sworn into office on Monday, April 21. 

Get our free mobile app

Michael Walters Appointed As Olmsted County, MN County Attorney

Olmsted County Board Members appointed Michael Walters to serve as the county’s top prosecutor. 

Walters will serve the remainder of Mark Ostrem’s term, which expires in January of 2027. Ostrem retired from the role of county attorney late last month. 

The Walters appointment is a promotion from within. He currently manages the County Attorney's Office’s adult and child protection division, which oversees juvenile delinquency, child protection, guardianship, and civil commitment files. 

Prior to his time in management, he was a criminal prosecutor, focusing primarily on prosecuting violent felonies. Walters spent several years in private practice and as a public defender before joining Olmsted County. 

“Representing and serving the people of Olmsted County is one of the great privileges of my life. I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust that has been placed in me. It will be my mission to repay that trust, today and every day of my career hereafter,” Walters said in a statement. 

The county attorney is an elected position, however state law allowed the Olmsted County Board to appoint a top prosecutor since Ostrem retired from office before the end of his current term. 

The county attorney will next be on the ballot during the 2026 election.