Washington attorney Barb Edmondson has announced her candidacy for the office of Washington County Attorney. Edmondson served as the Washington County Attorney from August 1997 until December 2010, and also served as the assistant county attorney from October 1984 until she was appointed as the county attorney. Edmondson brings 30 years of legal and courtroom experience to the position, including 26 years of prosecuting criminal and juvenile cases and providing legal advice to county officials in Washington County. During her tenure as a county attorney in Washington County, Edmondson created or expanded several successful programs such as the bad check restitution program, which collected over $60,000 for county businesses, and the delinquent fine collection program, where the county received a percentage of the overdue fines collected. Her work as a prosecutor received recognition from the Iowa County Attorneys Association, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She also was appointed to several state committees and boards which dealt with issues in juvenile justice, domestic violence, and child abuse. Edmondson will bring professional and fair prosecution and legal advice to the county attorney’s office. She intends to focus on the prosecution of serious crimes with appropriate sentences, protection of crime victims, and ensuring timely and accurate legal guidance for the county officials and boards. Edmondson has been an active supporter of and contributor to Washington County projects such as Community Chest, Friends of Lake Darling, the Library Foundation, and Civil Air Patrol.
