Skip to main content

Thomas J Kraus

Criminal defense Attorney at Waseca, MN

5.0   9 reviews

Call and speak with several attorneys to find best fit for your specific legal issue.
Can't find what you are looking for?
Avvo has 97% of all lawyers in the US.
Find the best ones near you.
Find Nearby Lawyers

About Thomas

Learn Thomas’s areas of practice.

Thomas J. Kraus is a highly experienced trial attorney, practicing law throughout most of Minnesota since 1983. He first practiced law at the McLoone and Kraus Law Offices in downtown Waseca for over 18 years, opening Kraus Law Offices at the south end of Waseca in 2002. Thomas J. Kraus completed undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and later graduated from the prestigious Pepperdine University School of Law in southern California. Attorney Thomas J. Kraus is a past President of the Fifth District Bar Association, and is actively invovled in the Waseca Rotary Club, assisting with many fundraisers and community events. He resides in the area with his wife, Susan, and four sons.

Licensed for 39 years
State MN
Status Authorized to Practice
Acquired 1983
Updated 01/24/2023

Contact Thomas

Kraus Law Offices
1601 S.E. 8th Street
P.O. Box 410
Waseca, MN, 56093-0410

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  9 customer reviews
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
0%
Posted by Bridget | February 11, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly recommend
I have used Mr. Kraus in two legal matters and he has exceeded my expectations. His staff is exceptional, and they are very friendly and professional! I would highly recommend him and for those in need of legal assistance to consult with him. I will be hiring him again in the near future for other legal needs.
Posted by Holly | December 7, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Tom Kraus is an excellent attorney we highly recommend him!
My fiancé & I have hire Tom several times in family law matters & other matters, he is excellent! Tom is very knowledgeable, well spoken, really listens to his clients and gets the job done and done well! We would very highly recommend him. He also has very professional staff who are easy to work with & very considerate in sensitive matters such as family law and child custody.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 5, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family/Crimial
Tom and his staff were amazing to work with. I had a very difficult now ex-husband to deal with and he tried many different angles to make my life miserable and Tom and his staff were amazing. They handled themselves very professionally and worked for my best interest. I would highly recommend Tom for an attorney. He was amazing!
Read less
Posted by anonymous | November 3, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
5 Stars!!!!!
Tom handled my Pre-nup, and it was such a breeze. Tom pointed out things that should be changed, that I would have never thought of. I have called to ask a question and he either answers the phone himself or gets back to me within the day. Hopefully I will not need his services in the future, but if I do I know who to call.
Posted by Amy | October 27, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Life Changing Experience
My family started working with Tom in Feb 2015 when we needed a lawyer to gain custody of my step daughter. He was the only person that sat down, listened to us completely and understand how important this was to us. He took our case and from there on out we trusted him completely. He followed up on everything he told us he would, he exceeded our expectations with being prepared and figuring out next steps so we stayed ahead of everything. He represented us in court and we could not have been happier, we gained full custody of our daughter only because of Tom!!! He is the person who fought for our rights, he wouldn't back down because it was a difficult case or it would take a long time. Because of the time and effort Tom put into our case our daughter truly has a different life now and so do we as a family. I recommend Tom to everyone that asks about obtaining a lawyer, he was open, honest and upfront. Any time we need an attorney we turn to Tom and we will continue to do so. You couldn't ask for a better attorney. He changed our lives and everyday is a blessing due to the outcome of our case.
Read less
Posted by Ralph | October 26, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Exceptionally Ethical, Honest, High Integrity Attorney-Changed lives!
Tom has aggressively and professionally achieved multiple successes in my family law cases. From orders for protection, child custody, child support and veteran's rights protection! Tom's work has positively changed the lives of my family where other attorneys failed to succeed. He gave my family hope when we truly believed all hope was lost to save and protect my children and to bring sanity to a divorce/custody case that lasted nearly 13 years. Tom was able to save my child from an abusive environment and protect her from harm. He also succeeded in reducing my child support and protected my veteran's benefits. Tom is a fighter for you, will guide you through the process, and support you through tough times. He is more than what one would consider a "lawyer". He actually cares about you, has empathy for your situation, and does all the right things for the right reasons! When you are in a crisis, have had others tell you your case is hopeless, or really need a real person to help you, Tom will be there for you! On my cases, he devoted his own time to help us, always called us right away when we had questions and concerns, and is the best court room lawyer there is! The courts show obvious respect for him, and it felt so good to have Tom on our side in the court room as he was reassuring, positive, professional, ethical and is a champion for your rights!
Read less
Posted by Lisa | October 25, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family/Criminal/Civil
I have retained Kraus law firm for civil, criminal, and family matters. I have not yet been disappointed in the services or the results I have obtained. Tom is always professional, compassionate, and honest. If a situation requires another lawyer with more experience and knowledge he is straightforward and does not waste time and money pretending that he can handle it better. Tom handles himself very well, he is sharp and professional in and out of the courtroom. I feel very confident having him handling my affairs and I have no qualms recommending him to people. Kraus law is where I've turned for the past 10 years and will continue to go for my legal counsel.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | December 21, 2011
Criminal
Attorney Kraus kept me informed about my case at all time, and he knew the workings of the law. He got me the result I was looking for. He was easy to talk to and knew what to do. I appreciated his professionalism.
Posted by anonymous | July 21, 2011
Family Law
Tom Kraus handled my divorce matter two years ago, and I was extremely satisfied with his guidance and advice. The result was better than expected and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anybody needing help in family law matters or criminal matters. I found him to be ethical and straight forward. His court room skills were superior. He always kept me updated on the status of my case.
Read less
View less reviews

Cost

Rates
  • Hourly Rates $ 300-400 per hour
  • Retainer Sometimes
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 7.3 (Very Good)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2016.

Reprimand/Probation issued in MN, 2016
updated on 10/26/2016

Reprimand/probation means an attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The State gives the lawyer a public reprimand in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. The State also monitors the lawyer's activities for a period of time in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior.

Thomas's comment: “The focus of this disciplinary action was centered around an improper notarization by a staff member that had notarized an affidavit. The client requested the addition of two paragraphs without resigning the same affidavit. Technically, the affidavit then should have been re-notarized. As of July 1, 2016, affidavits are no longer required to be notarized in the State of Minnesota.”

Work Experience

  • Owner
  • Kraus Law Offices
  • 2002 - Present
  • Partner
  • McLoone & Kraus Law Offices
  • 1983 - 2002

Education

  • Pepperdine School of Law
  • Doctor of Law (JD)
  • 1983
  • University of Minnesota
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1980

Legal Cases

  • Criminal Defense
  • Outright dismissal of ALL charges.
  • Family Law
  • Sole physical custody was awarded to biological father.
  • Wrongful Death
  • Obtained a new state record for the highest recovery in a wrongful death case.

Associations

  • Waseca County Bar Association
  • Chairman - Fee Arbitration Committee
  • 1998 - Present
  • Rotary Club
  • Member - Director of International Service
  • 1991 - Present
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Member
  • 1983 - Present
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, 5th District Bar Association
  • Member
  • 1983 - Present
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, 5th District Bar Association
  • President
  • 1992 - 1993
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Paul Harris Fellow
  • Rotary Club
  • 2010
  • Certified Family Law Mediator
  • State of Minnesota
  • 2007
  • Certified Civil Mediator
  • State of Minnesota
  • 2004
  • Moot Court - 1st Place
  • Pepperdine University of Law
  • 1982
View all awards

Attorney endorsements

Received (0)
Given (6)
Endorse Thomas
Endorsements from fellow lawyers are an important consideration for many when selecting the right attorney.
Personal injury
Wrongful death
Bankruptcy and debt

Avvo Contributions

This attorney hasn't created any legal answers in Q&A or legal guides recently on Avvo.

Waseca Criminal defense Lawyer Thomas J Kraus
Thomas J Kraus
Criminal defense Attorney
Waseca, MN
Licensed for 39 years