Articles by Minnesota Criminal Defense Lawyer Carolyn Agin Schmidt

The Suppression Hearing

If your Minneapolis DWI defense lawyer believes that certain evidence should be suppressed, then he or she may request a suppression hearing, in Minnesota this is called an Omnibus Hearing. At this hearing, the court may suppress any evidence that was gathered in a violation of your rights.

A recent drug-crime case in Mankato, Minn., points out the need for anyone facing a drug charge to have an experienced criminal attorney who can offer sound advice and protect their rights.

A drug dealer was recently sentenced to 98 months for felony second-degree drug charges. The defendant made his situation worse through several inadvisable actions he took.

Fatal Minnesota Accidents. Cases involving vehicular homicide are often very shocking and receive extensive media spotlight.  An average day or a fun night out can end with very serious charges, including imprisonment, fines, and license revocation.  One bad decision can spur a lifetime of devastating consequences.

If you are arrested for a Minnesota DWI, you may face serious penalties that include fines, a drivers' license revocation, license plate impoundment, vehicle forfeiture and the possibility for jail time. You may be able to fight your Minnesota DWI charge to avoid these penalties. Therefore, it is important to know what happens after a Minnesota DWI, and what will be required of you.

If you have questions about how to handle your charge, you can get the professional advice of a Minneapolis DWI defense lawyer.

• Medical Assistance Fraud;
• Insurance Fraud;
• State Lottery Fraud;
• Lawful Gambling Fraud;
• Fraud in Obtaining Credit;
• Financial Transaction Card Fraud;
• Residential Mortgage Fraud; and
• Telecommunications and Information Services Fraud.

Additional types of fraud may include: mail fraud, tax fraud and/or bank fraud.

The penalty for possession of a controlled substance often depends on the particular type of controlled substance and how much of the substance was found in your possession.

A first-time conviction of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree carries a penalty of up to 30 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000.

If you are on the run from the law, don't plan your next move without an experienced criminal attorney. Being a fugitive can be a danger to your safety -- fleeing suspects are often hurt and sometimes killed as they attempt to elude police.

On the other hand, showing up at a police station and turning yourself in without an attorney present can be another big mistake. Having an attorney before you surrender can help preserve your rights. Also by turning yourself in you may face lower bail requirements because you do not pose a risk of flight. You may be in trouble, but you can at least make sure you are treated fairly by the system with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer.

Errors in more than 100 Driving While Intoxicated cases at a local crime lab resulted in the lab reporting too-high levels of blood alcohol, a local online news source recently reported. The scandal points up the importance of having a dedicated criminal attorney mount a vigorous DWI or DUI defense if you are accused of this crime.

As Minnesota online news service ABCnewspapers.com reported, personnel at the Anoka County Sheriff's Office tri-county crime lab -- which also handles cases for Wright and Sherbourne counties -- made a math error in calculating blood alcohol in 111 cases. The error inflated blood-alcohol levels in tested urine by about one-third.