State's Attorney makes a move

Eddy County State's Attorney, Ashley Lies, has officially moved her office to within the Eddy County Courthouse. She also quit her private practice after being hired as executive director of the North Dakota State's Attorneys' Association (NDSAA).

Lies had been working out of her previous office, located in a building across from the courthouse on Central Avenue, since 2015. Her new office is in the old county commission room inside the courthouse, adjacent to the county auditor's office.

Lies said her old space came with logistical challenges as well as security concerns, which had become apparent after altercations with a few unruly defendants.

"Being over there on my own, especially with my assistant on maternity leave, there's a lot of safety considerations," said Lies. "A lot of people aren't happy with decisions that get made or charges that are pressed against them, and so being [in the courthouse] with other people that are around really makes it a more safe and secure environment."

Lies said occasionally people come into the office and become irate, creating an uncomfortable situation in a building where there's only one entrance or exit. She added that one defendant was "circling the building," creating concern for her and her assistant's safety.

But aside from just the increased security, Lies said there are many additional benefits to being in the courthouse, namely working closer to the offices she communicates with on a daily basis.

"I love being over here," Lies exclaimed. "I love being able to be near Patty [Williams], working with the county commission, and being able to talk to the sheriff's deputies. We've got newer deputies and they're able to walk over here in two seconds and ask a question about a case they're working on, or I can."

She added, "There's a lot more immediacy that we can have, so it's been phenomenal. I'm so excited to be over here."

As for the old building, Lies said she's still unsure what will become of it now that she's no longer operating her private practice.

In November, Lies was hired as the executive director of the North Dakota State's Attorneys' Association, and she said between that job and her job as Eddy County State's Attorney, there simply wasn't time to keep up a private practice.

As executive director of the NDSAA, Lies is tasked with programming for all the states' attorneys in North Dakota, as well as putting together two annual conferences and being the point of contact for questions about big cases in the state of North Dakota, among other tasks.

Along with her new office, Lies also has a new phone number and, of course, a new mailing address.

Lies can now be reached at (701) 404-9650, and she can receive mail at 601 Central Avenue, Box #524. Her email is still [email protected], and she'll be available in her office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.