Firm News
We all know that driving while under the influence of alcohol is a crime. But when, if ever, is it justifiable? Should an impaired driver be permitted to drive to safety to avoid a rape, attempted murder, or assault? According to the Minnesota Attorney General's office, the answer is no, under NO circumstances. Not even if that crime victim drives… Read Full Case Study
Prosecution for alleged mortgage fraud cases in Minnesota has exponentially increased since 2007. This is due to several factors including but not limited to the crash of the real estate market and the willingness of the mortgage industry to gloss over sound lending policies while they rushed to fund as many loans as they could. Once the market crashed, banks… Read Full Case Study
You've been charged with terroristic threats? It's a charge you can't live with on your record. The label itself will make it nearly impossible for you to find a job. Here's what terroristic threats means under Minnesota law: The Minnesota terroristic threats statute states that: Here's what some of those terms mean: Crime of Violence: a violation of or an… Read Full Case Study
So, you're being charged with a 3rd degree assault. But what does that really mean? Minnesota Statute 609.223 says: Here's what that means in detail: First, the prosecutor needs to prove that there was an assault . There are two ways someone can assault another person. The first is by causing someone to fear bodily harm or death. This means… Read Full Case Study
Unbelievable. Not only has the Minnesota Supreme Court made drive-by shooting a "victimless crime," the Court sentenced a man to 9 years in prison for simply handing a gun to another. And the worst of it: no one was shot. Only minor property damage resulted. Drive-by shooting refers to an incident in which someone fires a gun from a vehicle… Read Full Case Study
Due process. These two words are the cornerstone of the American justice system. So what exactly is due process? Simply, due process requires that the laws and legal processes be fair. When the government treats a person unfairly, due process has been violated . Due process takes on many shapes; however, for the purpose of this article it will concentrate… Read Full Case Study
At the end of a criminal trial, the judge reads a set of instructions to the jury to guide them in their deliberations. These instructions are called "jury instructions" and while many of them are standard, they should be uniquely crafted to fit the particular issues in each criminal case and accurately state the law. Defense lawyers and prosecutors often… Read Full Case Study
Jurors are the ultimate judges of fact, and seldom will a judge overturn a jury's verdict. Although judges can provide useful tips to lawyers after trial in order to help them improve, there is perhaps no better teacher than a juror. Why, then, do some judges insist on insulating jurors from the lawyers after they have reached a verdict? I… Read Full Case Study
I'm in shock. The Minnesota Supreme Court just put a HUGE dent in a criminal defendant's 5th Amendment rights. Up until now, if an out-of-custody defendant (or their attorney) chose not to participate in a police interview, it couldn't be mentioned at trial. The rationale was that a defendant has a 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, and that their decision… Read Full Case Study
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reports biennially to the Governor and Legislature regarding crime rates and the handling of crimes and criminals by law enforcement in Minnesota. It showed that violent crimes and property crimes were down slightly. A good defense lawyer will use these statistics to support a motion for downward dispositional departure, or a downward durational departure,… Read Full Case Study