Technically yes. Police officers may wait outside of bars, clubs, and other venues, looking for drunk drivers. Police can patrol these areas, and can do so more extensively if drunk driving incidents are more likely to occur there. However, officers must also have a valid reason to stop a particular driver, since merely leaving a bar does not automatically allow...
Now that marijuana has been legalized in Minnesota, it’s important to remember the laws surrounding its possession, use, and transportation. While it is now legal to transport certain amounts of marijuana in your vehicle, the law restricts where you can store it. The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled the odor of marijuana is not enough for an officer to search...
St. Patrick’s Day is known as a popular drinking holiday. But is it worth it to drink and drive tonight? Here are some consequences of getting a DWI on St. Patrick’s Day. Jail Time It’s not a given that you’ll spend time in jail if you are arrested for a DWI. However, you will be locked up if any of...
Did you know that the State can forfeit your vehicle when you are convicted of a certain crime? This means that the State takes ownership and possession of the vehicle used to commit the crime. Under Minnesota Law (§ 609.5312, subd. 4), vehicles can include cars, snowmobiles, motorboats, and other off-road recreational vehicles. These motor vehicles are subject to forfeiture...
Vehicle forfeiture occurs when a vehicle is used to commit a criminal act, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI). According to Minnesota Statute § 169A.63, in certain DWI cases, the police have the authority to seize and forfeit the vehicle used to commit the criminal act. If the owner does not recover their vehicle, the police have the right to...
Under Minnesota Law, being charged with a DWI can result in multiple legal penalties, including drivers license revocation and vehicle forfeiture. However, there is a statutory exception that provides for a release of your vehicle with enrollment in the ignition interlock program. What steps must be taken before the vehicle will be released? Before getting your vehicle back, there are...
Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 609.5312, any person charged with a prostitution offense, who allegedly used their vehicle to commit the offense, can have their motor vehicle forfeited. The Minnesota Legislature recently changed the laws to require a conviction in these cases in order for law enforcement to keep the vehicle, but the police can hold a vehicle for months...
Who knows?! The constitutionality of license plate readers has yet to be challenged head on. Federal courts have decided that scans by license plate readers are constitutional searches that do not require a warrant because the plates are out in public, plain view and so there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. U.S. v. Diaz-Castaneda, 494 F.3d 1146, (9th Cir....
Yes. First of all, vehicles can be forfeited for a number of non-DWI-related crimes, but that’s a subject for another time. Under the Minnesota DWI forfeiture statute, a motor vehicle is subject to forfeiture if used in the commission of a designated DWI offense, which requires a conviction, or was used in conduct resulting in a designated-license revocation. There are...
Highly unlikely. Over the past decade or two, dashboard-mounted police squad vehicle cameras have proliferated across Minnesota law enforcement agencies. Accordingly, squad video has become common evidence in cases involving traffic stops. But just because squad video may not exist in some criminal cases, that does not mean the prosecutor will dismiss the case. In these situations, it just means...
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