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Minnesota Family Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Family Law, Personal Injury and Juvenile Law for Minnesota on
Q: I’m 17 and my sister 19 and we just got into a fight. I’m in my first trimester and she doesn’t know that. Who’s wrong

We were in the street I got dragged out. She hit me first and defended myself. I’m very petite and I’m sister is strong and bigger and has the upperhand. She got a bump on her head i got scratch marks on my side and knee. My hair was pulled and I had stuff in the car I couldn’t get to, the... View More

Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
answered on Feb 16, 2022

You certainly have a legal right to defend yourself and your unborn child. It seems like you might have some exposure of being charged with a 5th Degree Assault. That is a misdemeanor unless you have prior assault convictions. You need an attorney. You should either hire a private attorney or... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: My Father passed away years ago and left his assets to my 3 male siblings and his his new wife's 4 children. Total 8 kid

Can't get complete question in on prior page. Per father's Will all assets went to his surviving wife. His wife passed away and she has new will where all assets go to here 4 children, all sons on father's Will were removed. In short instead of assets being split between 8, now all... View More

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Jan 13, 2022

Yes. Only a spouse has a statutory right to inheritance.

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law, Family Law and Juvenile Law for Minnesota on
Q: Should I file and appeal on a judges ruling regarding the name change of a minor when recipient was not served properly?

The mother of my bfs daughter has been trying to change the last name of his 3yo daughter to her new married name. He first received a letter in the mail regarding this motion in Sept. The letter only indicated the time, date, and virtual hearing link. It was in Oct 2021 and he showed up to find... View More

Charles William Michaels
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Charles William Michaels
answered on Dec 16, 2021

Perhaps an appeal would be proper

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: I have sole physical and legal custody of my daughter.

After mediation I'm required to let her father "schedule and facilitate" medical and dental appointments. We live 150 miles apart and it seems ridiculous that her primary care provider would be in his city, hours from where she lives. Since I have full custody I get to pick where she... View More

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Dec 8, 2021

Mediation is non-binding. Unless you signed an agreement that has been entered by the court, nothing has changed your ability to schedule such appointments on your own.

2 Answers | Asked in Criminal Law and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Can court records, like mental health records, be sealed from the party they pertain to?
Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
answered on Nov 25, 2021

Generally mental health records that are filed with the court are filed as private or sealed so that the general public cannot access them. I presume you could pursue an order from the court to review your own mental health records. But you should be able to access those directly from the provider.

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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Tax Law for Minnesota on
Q: In a custody case, will a judge ever deny one parents request for rights to claim the child on taxes every other year?

My ex and I have a now 9 year old daughter that he has had very little to do with. He has not made any attempts to see her in over two years. Last spring we had a very nasty dispute over taxes as I discovered he had been claiming her every year saying she lived with him half the time (lie). I had... View More

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Nov 11, 2021

It sounds as if you were never married. Was there any adjudication of paternity? If not, he has no right to claim her.

Going forward, the judge can award the exemption to you alone. Based on what you’ve said, that seems appropriate.

If the decree doesn’t address taxes, IRS...
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1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: How do I go about getting a new court order for visitation for my custody case? 1st Party refusing to cooperate.

The paternal grandmother of my daughter has custody right now. Over 2 years ago, the court granted me visitation, but she has refused, and/or made it very difficult. She has emotionally abused me and alienated my child from me for 2 years now. I am not allowed to talk to her, send her gifts, I got... View More

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Nov 2, 2021

You bring a motion in court asking that the parenting time schedule be modified.

2 Answers | Asked in Criminal Law and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: In 2017 my ex convinced me to pay an extra $2,400/yr to cover 50% of our special needs son's summer camp.

I agreed to pay an additional $200 per month ($2,400 /yr) based on the cost of $4,800 per year for [our son's] special needs summer camp. However the invoices from [the special needs summer camp] were 2019: $3,600.00, 2020: $0.00, and 2021: $3,120.00 resulting in an over-payment of $3,840.... View More

Thomas C Gallagher
Thomas C Gallagher
answered on Oct 26, 2021

You could report it to police and-or your local criminal prosecutor's office and see what they say. I doubt they'd be interested in criminal prosecution. Give your family law attorney a call, or an attorney doing civil litigation work. Only the government can file a criminal Complaint.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Domestic Violence and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Is it possible to have a judge dismiss an ofp as evidence in a child custody case.

Currently going for custody of my daughter, the mother had an ofp against me through out her pregnancy citing that I abused her on ONE occasion, she filed the ofp at least a month after the alleged abuse and the police were never called.

To my understanding everything she said in the ofp... View More

Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
answered on Oct 19, 2021

The short answer is no. I’m not sure which attorneys told you that you shouldn’t hire a lawyer for the OFP hearing, but that wasn’t good advice. There is no way to unring the bell and have the judge ignore that a different judge made a finding that there was domestic abuse.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Is there a form that will give representation for a disabled spouse?
Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Oct 15, 2021

I’m not sure what you mean be representation, but a power of attorney form will allow a person to grant decision-making power to another.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Does income include tips or just taxable income in a child support battle? Can bank statements be included?

Hello, I am in the middle of a child support fight. Deciding how much money is owed to the other. Two kids involved. One of the parents works in the restaurant field and makes tips. Not all tips are included in the taxable income.

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Oct 1, 2021

Tips are included (and taxable). Bank statements can be requested in discovery or subpoenaed.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Minnesota on
Q: Why can my ex have his girlfriend & her kids with on my kids supervised visits with their dad when they don’t want them

From the start my kids have not wanted dads gf and kids with on their supervised visits, but he Dosent care or acknowledge their feelings/wants. Situations keep happening & things keep getting worse and he will not remove the problem for the sake of his kids. What else can I do for my kids?

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Sep 25, 2021

It depends upon what restrictions are put in his parenting time in the divorce decree. If it doesn’t prohibit his GF and kids, he can bring them unless you bring a motion to modify and can demonstrate that a prohibition is in your kids’ best interests.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: I filed motion to modify alimony. My ex's attorney says he is not available on the hearing date. What do I do?
Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Aug 25, 2021

I assume that the attorney also told the court. The court will likely reschedule it for a mutually-agreeable date.

2 Answers | Asked in Criminal Law and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Can my husband face criminal charges for committing adultery with his first full blood cousin?
Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
answered on Jun 29, 2021

Strangely enough, adultery isn't an offense for married men. The statute is incredibly outdated and sexist and frankly, I have never seen a woman charged with adultery in the 20 or so years that I have practiced as an attorney. Incest in Minnesota is a crime as well, but the blood... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: I have court ordered sole physical n legal custody. Can my sons father have access to his medical info?

My son is 17 and his father n i divorced 16 yrs ago. Im in Minnesota

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Jun 28, 2021

Physical custody has little meaning in MN and is unrelated to medical info. The question is legal custody. If you have joint legal, he would generally have a right to the info.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for Minnesota on
Q: My ex and I were never married and we both want to do 50/50 with our two kids.

She has them on her medical insurance and I pay the daycare. We are still currently living together but I’m looking at moving out but in the same town so that the convenience for her if she needs help with anything and for the kids. I just want to know how we’d go about making an agreement or... View More

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Jun 2, 2021

You can jointly petition the court to establish custody, parenting time, and child support. If paternity has not been adjudicated, you need to include that in your petition.

Daycare is one element of child support, as is insurance, and would be divided between you. You can get a...
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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Do you have to buy out an ex from a martial home or can he give you his half?

My husband and I separated in October. He moved out and got an apartment. I am working on finding an attorney to get the divorce moving, but due to finding out I'm also pregnant has made that difficult. I would like to get the ball rolling and get the divorced finalized.

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on May 6, 2021

The two of you can divide property pretty much any way you wish (within reason). There is no requirement that one party “buy out” the other’s share of a home, or that property division be equal.

Generally, one party might take other property (stocks, retirement, etc) in lieu of...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: Non biological father but he wanted to be on the Ruth certificate but now has been a year and he isn’t around the kids

Anymore does he still have to pay child support even if he isn’t the biological father but he wanted to be in the birth certificates of both my children

Corwin Kruse
Corwin Kruse
answered on Apr 30, 2021

Simply being on the birth certificate is insufficient to establish legal paternity. No child support would be ordered without an adjudication of paternity.

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Family Law, Civil Litigation and Civil Rights for Minnesota on
Q: Can you lose all your rights such as court proceedings, i.e. criminal charges papers served directly to your unless f

Family members got guardianship? Woyld you not be aware of criminal proceedings and would you get a care taker without your permission or your say so to whom it may be. Could law keep threatening daily with warrants and family

Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
answered on Jan 22, 2021

This question is incredibly confusing. It's unclear what is being asked. Criminal charges and a guardianship are two entirely different things and are unrelated to each other. A warrant could certainly be issued if you missed a court hearing on a criminal matter, but that has nothing to do... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support, Divorce and Family Law for Minnesota on
Q: How to use marital lien to pay off child support arrears of close to same amount? Lawyer necessary?

Divorced (as Respondent) in April, 2000 after 1 year of marriage, 1 child, and 3 years of legal dissension re child support, visitation, and property division. The divorce decree states, “Respondent shall be awarded a marital lien on the parties homestead in the amount of $11,008.00 at an... View More

William Bailey
William Bailey
answered on Jan 18, 2021

It would be wise to at least set up a consultation with a family law attorney.

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