Go to https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch

and enter the citation number.

If nothing comes up, call the court listed on your notice as soon as possible to confirm your court date. Sometimes the paperwork just hasn’t been processed yet - but you definitely don’t... View More

Of course a person can submit a written confession of guilt. But, keep in mind that two or more people can be guilty of criminal possession of illegal drugs. Just because one person, out of the two or more people (a "conspiracy"), admits guilt, will not help the rest who are accused.... View More

Consider the Minnesota Rules of Evidence, Rule 609 (a). Impeachment by Evidence of Conviction of Crime

which allows a lawyer to attack the credibility of a witness with evidence that the witness has been convicted of a crime if the crime involved dishonesty or false statement, regardless of... View More

Yes, a person involved in a bar fight a few months ago could go to the police to report a potential crime. And it's possible the police could then investigate, and a prosecutor could possibly then decide to file criminal charges against the other party. It's possible. Most misdemeanor... View More

Individuals do not "press" charges. Instead, they report the allegations to law enforcement. Police investigate the allegations and typically will send the police reports to a prosecutor for a charging decision. It seems unlikely that a case would be charged out particularly if the... View More

Let's take each of the two questions, one at a time. First, if police seize a defendant's firearm related to a criminal charge, and that criminal charge is later dismissed, that defendant generally should be able to get their firearm back from police. It could be as simple as contacting... View More

Yes, a DWI charge can and should be challenged. One type of defense can focus on a lack of evidence that the defendant was "driving, operating or in physical control" of a motor vehicle. Many people have been convicted of DWI for merely sleeping in their vehicle while impaired by... View More

It's best to make the best available choices available at the time. So, "Plan A" should be to avoid being "convicted." A record of "conviction" is what causes at least 99% of the problems related to a criminal charge. There are more than one criminal case... View More

If an arrest warrant will not be enforced, at least in the foreign jurisdiction where the subject is currently located, then some may choose to wait. But the subject could investigate to find out more about it from the warrants office of the Sheriff in the originating county and state, and-or from... View More

Not usually, at least not what you are hypothetically describing. Assault requires either causing bodily harm or intentionally doing something to make another person reasonably fear immediate harm. Simply shining a flashlight on someone in a public place, without threats or aggressive behavior,... View More

Minnesota Statutes Sec. 609.605 is the general trespassing statute. Check it out for details. The core concept is that if a person is asked to leave but doesn't, enters a real property after being asked not to, or despite a posted notice "no trespassing" then the person is... View More

A defense attorney would look at all available evidence, videos, police reports, client information, to evaluate whether a police stop was unlawful, and whether at some point the expansion of the police seizure became unlawful. If so, evidence stemming from the unlawful stop or expansion should be... View More

Generally, people have the right to refuse medical treatment, and sedation without consent is supposed to be limited to emergencies where there’s an immediate risk. Under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. Ch. 253B), a person can usually only be restrained or treated without consent if they are deemed a... View More

If you missed court because you were in treatment, it actually sounds like you have solid grounds for getting the warrant quashed. Courts generally want to see that people are taking their obligations seriously, and being in a verified treatment program is a strong explanation for why you weren’t... View More

The first question to ask is: "Do I want to have a 'conviction' for the charged offense(s) on my public court record?" Most will answer that question "no." But unless a person facing a pending criminal charge fights back, conviction is the likely outcome. Because an... View More

Since you’re charged with 5th-degree assault and disorderly conduct in Minnesota, it’s not likely to be as simple as just paying a ticket like a speeding citation. Assault is a misdemeanor criminal offense, which usually requires a court appearance.

Most often, the court will schedule a... View More

A Minnesota self-defense statute, Minnesota Statutes section 609.06, subdivision 1(3), authorizes the use of “reasonable force” against another while “resisting or aiding another to resist an offense against the person.” This reflects the common understanding that the legal defense to a... View More

§Subdivision 1.Duty to drive with due care. No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions. Every driver is responsible for becoming and remaining aware of the actual and potential hazards then existing on the highway and must... View More

If a driver in Minnesota is involved in a car accident, a police officer sometimes will issue the driver a ticket (citation) for a traffic violation. Most are "petty misdemeanors." But a petty misdemeanor driving violation can become a misdemeanor if the police officer checks a box on... View More

Every case is different with different evidence and legal issues. Some assault cases may involve the legal defense of self-defense. Most assault cases I see are based on the accusation of a single person, with few if any pretrial evidentiary issues; but many contested facts and issues for a jury... View More