Criminal Defense

Being arrested and charged with a crime can be a terrifying experience. You may be thinking about legal representation and wondering what the differences are with a public defender vs private attorney. There are pros and cons to each, which is why it’s imperative to weigh your options carefully. In most cases, hiring a private attorney is better, especially...

Anyone accused of a sex crime will face a great deal of uncertainty and will likely have a lot of questions. The laws in this area vary from state to state, and there is a lot of misleading information on the topic. Because of this, we have tried to provide answers to some of the common questions that arise. However,...

Receiving any sort of criminal conviction can bring numerous consequences. Some criminal convictions, of course, are worse than others. And the worse the crime is, the more severe the consequences. Minnesota prosecutes sex crimes at several different levels that sometimes carry unique consequences. Notably, some sex offenses require a person to officially register as a sex offender. Because it...

Facing any criminal charge is a difficult situation to find yourself in. A criminal conviction can follow you around for the rest of your life and complicate simple things like getting a loan or a job. However, some crimes can have more of an impact than others. A conviction for statutory rape or any other sexual criminal offense can...

Anybody who faces criminal charges should know about conditional release, but what does conditional release mean? What is a conditional release from prison?  In the context of criminal law, conditional release can refer to two situations. First, criminal release can refer to a situation where someone faces a criminal accusation and is arrested but, upon arraignment, is released from...

“Reasonable suspicion” and “probable cause” are two critical concepts in US criminal procedure. These two concepts determine whether the police have the authority to search you, arrest you, or detain you. If the police get it wrong, your attorney could get evidence suppressed, win you an acquittal, or secure a favorable plea bargain.   In St. Paul, both federal law...

The Minnesota drug scheduling system includes only five schedules—there is no Schedule 6. The federal government, however, recently added Schedule 6 to its list of schedules. At present, the only listed federal Schedule VI drugs are marijuana and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Although penalties for possession and distribution of Schedule VI drugs can be stiff, one very...

You’re involved in an accident. Maybe you hit another car, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian. You panic and flee the scene. What are the consequences? Will you be arrested? Fined? Put in jail? Minnesota’s hit-and-run law spells out the potential consequences for leaving the scene of an accident.  Driver Obligations Under Minnesota’s Collision (Hit-and-Run) Law Minnesota’s traffic statutes set...

If you are a gun owner, you probably enjoy using your gun in a variety of ways. Some people keep their guns on hand solely for safety purposes, while others like to hunt. Some enjoy target practice. Regardless of how you choose to enjoy your gun, you must first learn how to use it properly. That involves practice, and...

Drug trafficking is generally known as the most serious drug offense that carries the stiffest penalties. Drug trafficking charges refer to the weight of the drugs either sold or possessed. Although Minnesota’s drug law prohibits selling, possessing to distribute, or possession of narcotics, it does not reference a drug trafficking charge by name. But like other states and the...