Before the police can arrest you for a DWI, they will need to establish probable cause to believe you were driving, operating or in physical control of a car while under the influence of alcohol. By requiring a suspect to submit to standardized field sobriety testing before an arrest is made, police can usually avoid [...]
"THE BEST DEFENSE"Effective July 1, 2011, Minnesota drivers who submit to blood, breath, or urine tests which indicate an alcohol concentration of .08 or more will now face longer license revocation periods under the new law. For a first time offender under the age of 21, the revocation period will increase to not less than [...]
"The Best Defense"Can the police arrest you in Minnesota when you are suspected of committing a misdemeanor offense? If the police do not have a warrant but have decided to proceed with the prosecution, you must be released on a citation. There are a few exceptions to the rule: (1) If the police reasonably believe [...]
"The Best Defense"Police are authorized under under Minnesota criminal law to break your door down and enter your home to arrest you without a warrant. Before police officers are permitted to enter your home to arrest you without a warrant, they must first have probable cause to believe you committed a felony offense. Secondly, police must provide you with proper notice of [...]
“THE BEST DEFENSE”If you have been charged with a first time DWI test failure or test refusal, and are 21 years of age or older, there is a way to shorten the period of your driver’s license revocation in Minnesota by pleading guilty to the DWI. Before you consider this option, it’s important to first [...]
What is the best defense against receiving a misdemeanor ticket for minor consumption in Minnesota? As every person under the age of 21 knows, it is against the law for you to consume alcohol in Minnesota. The only exception to the rule is when you are granted permission by your parents to drink at [...]
Now that a judge has authorized you to serve your sentence on electronic home monitoring (EHM), how do you make sure to take advantage of this great alternative to a jail sentence? The first step is to report to the workhouse on time. If you fail to do so, a judge may issue a [...]
If you have been convicted of a crime of violence, Minnesota law prohibits you from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm. This law has a devastating effect on the rights of all Minnesota hunters who have made a mistake at some point in their past but have since become law abiding citizens. A crime of violence includes felony convictions for [...]
The most important time for you to hire an attorney is when the case is still under investigation. A skilled Minneapolis criminal defense attorney can have a direct influence on the decision by a police officer to refer the case to the prosecuting attorney for formal charges. A simple polygraph test may do the trick. If the criminal lawyer can [...]
Sealing Arrest RecordsMinnesota law allows you to expunge your criminal arrest record under certain conditions. A successful expungement will prevent prospective employers and landlords from learning about mistakes you made in the past. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and many other state agencies will seal your arrest records upon your request in a case where you [...]