That sounds like a prosecutor's plea offer, where the defendant will agree to have a public, criminal conviction record for the crime charged; one...

Yes, though I would be surprised if that actually happened, since in-patients generally don't drive or walk around where police might have contact....

I'm not aware of any law that would prevent a drug cop from attempting to recruit an informant. Of course, there is similarly no law requiring a...

Yes. But in general a person facing a first time charge may want to focus instead on keeping their record clean of any conviction. Now is the...

First, beware that many non-violent crimes are listed in the felony “Crimes of Violence” list in Minn. Stat. § 624.712, subd. 5 (lifetime weapons...

Is pleading guilty the best option for my first ever offense, a shoplifting offense? Can I ask for my charge to be changed?

Pleading guilty is the worse option. Why? The prosecutor has a burden of proving his or her charge at a trial. That requires effort and risk -...

How do sentencing guidelines work for multiple offenses?

The Sentencing Guidelines are available online for you to read. When you do, you may notice how long and complex they appear to be. The question...

A Notice of a court appearance comes from the Court (Court Administration), not a prosecuting attorney. A prosecuting attorney is likely to make a...

What should I do if I missed a court date I didn’t know I had due to travel?

Definitely call a criminal defense attorney on your telephone, for a discussion of your options. You might also wish to call an immigration law...

Minnesota statutes limit most drug prosecutions to charging within three years of the date of the alleged crime. There may be other defense issues...