Domestic Assault by Strangulation
In 2005 Minnesota adopted the Domestic Assault by Strangulation statute Minn. Stat. Sec. 609.2247. This is a felony charge and it is not uncommon. Court data shows that 6,819 of these [...]
What is an Omnibus Hearing?
An omnibus hearing in Minnesota is a normal pretrial hearing in felony and gross misdemeanor cases. When someone first appears in court, they are advised of their constitutional rights and the [...]
Police Dogs and Drug Sniffs
Police dogs may be used to detect drugs, but searches may be a violation of a person's rights Police investigation of controlled substance offenses (drug charges) often involves the use [...]
Are Garbage Searches Legal?
Garbage searches in Minnesota may be legal, but not in every case In more than 30 years of defending Controlled Substance charges, I have handled many cases where police applied [...]
Challenging a Search Warrant
Criminal charges can be filed based on what police find in a search, but a judge may decide whether evidence was legally obtained It is common for criminal charges to [...]
Driving After Revocation
Driving After Revocation and Driving After Suspension – Don’t get your Driver’s License revoked or suspended again. One of the most aggravating things in more than 3 decades of criminal [...]
Update: COVID and Minnesota Courts
With the use of Zoom technology, Minnesota Courts continue to operate with adjustments to court appearances and trials The COVID pandemic continues to affect the operation of the Minnesota courts [...]
Minnesota Courts Shutdown
Minnesota Courts Shutdown During COVID-19, Effective March 23, 2020 After Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency on March 13, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Minnesota Supreme Court [...]
Domestic Abuse Order for Protection
Domestic Abuse charges, Orders for Protection (OFP) and Domestic Abuse No Contact Orders (DANCO) When someone contacts the police regarding a claim of domestic abuse it is common for the accused [...]