1. Start with the geography your firm actually serves
Grand Forks is a municipality in Grand Forks County. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 59,042 residents, with a margin of error of 37. That figure describes the city’s population; it does not establish legal demand, call volume, search activity, staffing needs or the number of people who will use a video intake. Your first decision is therefore operational: should the intake serve Grand Forks only, Grand Forks County, or a broader service area that your firm already defines?
Recommended approach
Write the geographic rule into the intake experience before deciding which questions to ask. If location affects eligibility, ask where the visitor’s matter occurred, where the visitor lives, or another legally relevant location question. Do not use the city population as a proxy for need. Review whether a completed inquiry should be accepted, declined, or sent for human review when the visitor is outside your service area.
