Criminal Defense

A NEW MINNESOTA LAW, ENTITLED “ADULTERATION BY BODILY FLUID,” IS SET TO TAKE EFFECT AUGUST 1, 2015. The law will make it a misdemeanor for anyone who:  “adulterates any substance that the person knows or should know is intended for human consumption.”  The new Minnesota law defines “adulterates” as “the intentional adding of a bodily fluid to a substance.”...

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS TIGHT END AARON HERNANDEZ WAS FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER BY A JURY TODAY. In an interview, jurors said they were shocked to hear the criminal defense lawyer admit that Hernandez was at the scene of Odin Lloyd’s death.  From the witness testimony and evidence, it did not appear that the prosecution was going to...

The Penalties for a Minnesota Texting and Driving Citation Went up Over the Weekend. Beginning August 1, the fine for a repeat violation of the Minnesota texting and driving law has increased to $225 plus the base fine of $50. Some people have asked what is prohibited by the Minnesota texting and driving law. The law prohibits the use of a...

A MINNESOTA SECOND DEGREE DWI IS A VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE. You will almost certainly face jail time if convicted of a Minnesota Second Degree DWI. You can end up facing a 2nd Degree DWI charge in Minnesota under a variety of circumstances. A driver will be charged with a 2nd Degree DWI in Minnesota on a first-time DWI offense if the driver’s...

A proposal for a new Minnesota Revenge porn law has gained momentum ever since the Court of Appeals declared Minnesota’s criminal defamation law unconstitutional. Rep. John Lesch presented a proposed version of a Minnesota revenge porn law at the first legislative working group back on June 25.   The proposed Minnesota law is taken directly from the current Illinois revenge porn law.  Certain...

We’d like to tell you about a recent client we represented who was charged with felony criminal vehicular operation. First off, a little background on Minnesota’s Criminal Vehicular Operation (CVO) laws. Minnesota’s Criminal Vehicular Operation Laws Criminal Vehicular Operation is found in Minnesota Statute 609.2113. The offense can be charged as either a gross misdemeanor or a felony. The severity of a CVO...

Even After the Fines and License Suspension, You’re Not Done Paying In the past we have discussed the different penalties (both criminal penalties and the driver’s license suspension) for a DWI conviction. There are four distinct levels or “degrees” to a DWI charge in Minnesota which you can read about at the links below: Fourth Degree DWI Penalties in...

St. Paul DUI & DWI Defense Attorney With the holiday season upon us, there are two things we can count on: parties where drinks will be flowing freely, and increased DWI enforcement.  If you find yourself pulled over after having a few drinks and are arrested for DWI, talk to the St. Paul attorneys at Arechigo & Stokka in a free...

Vehicle Searches Incident to Arrest As previously discussed, police officers need a search warrant anytime they want to search a motor vehicle. Warrantless vehicle searches in Minnesota are presumed to be unconstitutional. However, there are several exceptions to this rule. One exception is known as the search incident to arrest exception. In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court Established a...

Wondering About a DWI on an Electric Scooter? Vodka tonic with a lime….scooter?  If you live or work in downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, you’ve likely seen the Lime scooters or Bird scooters. They started popping up a couple of months ago.  The Lime and Bird scooters have become popular offering quick, easy mobility throughout downtown. Easily accessed by...