You’ve heard of both confidentiality and attorney-client privilege. But what’s the difference? Confidentiality means that anything a client tells their attorney related to their case cannot be told to others, even if it is public record. There are some exceptions to attorney-client confidentiality, such as when the client is using the attorney’s services to commit a crime or fraud. An...
As with many legal questions, the answer is it depends. In 2021, Congress signed a bill into law that requires the court to defer prosecution for an “eligible offense” committed by a defendant who was or currently is a member of the United States military and is suffering from an “applicable condition.” Eligible offenses include any misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor,...
There has been a new bill that passed Minnesota’s House of Representatives that aims to help make expungements easier for those with criminal records – it is called the Clean Slate Act. Representative Jamie Long drafted the bill with the premise of allowing the population of Minnesotans with a criminal background, approximately 25 percent of residents, an “opportunity for redemption.”...
As many folks may be aware, April 20 (4/20) is a day to celebrate/honor/recognize marijuana. Just so you’re aware, in some states, it’s legal to possess marijuana for recreational use. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. However, even...
On April 1, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to federally decriminalize cannabis. The bill would also allow some marijuana convictions to be expunged. This was the same bill that was passed by the House in 2020 but stalled by the Senate, with was controlled by Republicans at the time. This time around, the House passed the bill 220-204...
On the self-proclaimed “greatest night in television,” the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock made a comment about being excited for “G.I. Jane 2” to point out Pinkett’s shaved head, which triggered Smith’s response to defend her honor. After this tumultuous moment, fans are...
It’s not only big people that get into trouble with the law; sometimes our kids break the law and can get charged. Charges can vary from a petty misdemeanor up to a felony. When the police are investigating a crime involving a juvenile, there is a common misperception that a parent must be present when a child is interrogated. That’s...
The short answer is—sometimes. There are three general circumstances when lying to the police is considered a crime in Minnesota: Lying about your identity; Filing a false police report or lying about police misconduct; and Lying under oath (perjury). Lying About your Identity In Minnesota, it is a misdemeanor to give a fictitious name, date of birth, or identification card...
Have you ever been watching a legal thriller and thought, “that can’t be right…”? If so, it’s probably because you were on to something: it’s not. Many legal dramas subvert the actual rules in the name of drama. Here are just a few of the many inaccurate representations of the criminal justice system in popular legal dramas. Judges are not...
Minnesota will be progressively expanding fog line widths from 4 to 6 inches as the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) completes routine construction projects. MnDOT said they are widening fog lines to try to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths. But can you get pulled over for crossing these fog lines? Simply put, yes. In Minnesota, a police officer can pull...
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