This case is another example of the vigorous legal advocacy provided by Brandt Criminal Defense.

Tips to Handling a Serious Felony Conviction

Remain quiet – it is human nature to defend ourselves from false allegations. The media and public use this human defense mechanism as a way to wind up defendants in an attempt to get a confession. Regardless of what has been said or what has been written, you need to simply sit back and stay quiet. You will have your turn to speak the truth but until then, it is best to take a back seat and try not to let the bumpy road of allegations get you down.
Continue with your day – try to stick to your routine as much as possible. If you are still working and feel comfortable in your position, then continue to go to work. This is often the best way to keep your mind off the upcoming court case. Try to establish a routine with your family. Pick the kids up from school, make a habit of having a family dinner and try to focus on activities that do not revolve around the court case. You may need to lie low for a little while and avoid the public eye as much as possible but this does not mean you need to live like a hermit. Remember, you are innocent until proven guilty and you have no reason to hide from this truth.

Avoid gossip – many of your neighbors and co-workers will want to speak to you about what has happened. Furthermore, many will want you to confide in them. It is important to avoid gossiping about the case. You never know who could turn against you, which is why it is best to avoid speaking about the case to anyone but your lawyer.

Felony Offense Legal Advice

Finally, when it comes to dealing with a felony offense, make sure you are 100% honest with your attorney. You might need to relive the events leading up to the arrest over and over again in order to get the story straight. This can be frustrating and traumatic in some instances but it is important to understand that your honesty is what will make or break your felony case. Make sure you choose a defense attorney that is not only qualified to defend felony convictions, but also compassionate and understanding in your needs.

If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact St Paul criminal defense lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.

Types of DWI Testing

Breathalyzer – the breathalyzer is a standard test used to measure the blood alcohol content level. You will need to blow into a plastic mouth piece until you hear a beep. A machine attached to the mouthpiece will then measure your blood alcohol content. Under the state of Minnesota, anyone with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more can be arrested for drinking while intoxicated. Furthermore, those who blow over .2 may be facing even more severe charges and those who are under the legal drinking age can face a DUI arrest regardless of how much alcohol they have had.

Walking Test – another test commonly used by police officers is the standard ‘walk in a straight line’ test. If the breathalyzer is not available, then police officers will assess your state of sobriety by using additonal methods. In addition to the walking test, you may be asked to count backwards or to stand on one leg. You might even be asked to breathe on a police officer. These tests are meant to measure your sobriety. However, it is important to note that these tests do not necessarily prove anything and you are most certainly not considered guilty just because you stumbled.

Once you have been taken back to the police station, you may be asked to do even more sobriety tests including a blood test or a give urine sample. You are not required by law to do either of these tests. Instead of agreeing to take these tests, it is often best to ask to speak to a lawyer before continuing on. A qualified DWI attorney will be able to advise you on your best plan of action and help you determine if these tests will work in your favor.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

If you are caught drinking while under the influence of something other than alcohol, such as cocaine or marijuana, you could also be facing a world of trouble. There is a zero tolerance policy for illegal substances while behind the wheel. Those who display signs of drinking under the influence may need to take a urine test in order to prove their innocence.

Some of the signs that police officers will look for when assessing a drunk driver include erratic behavior, reckless or careless driving, speeding, swerving, avoiding traffic rules and slurring of speech. However, even if you do display any of these signs does not mean you are automatically convicted of a DWI offense. You are innocent until proven guilty.

If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact St Paul criminal defense lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.

Instances of Assault

There are a number of different assault charges, many of which are considered felonies. In addition to first degree, second degree, third degree, fourth degree and fifth degree assault, you may also be facing sexual assault charges, motor vehicle assault charges or domestic battery charges.

Furthermore, there are also several different types of non-physical assault charges including verbal or emotional abuse, intimidation through threats, knowingly transmitting a disease or putting something in someone’s drink. Any assault charge, however, can come with serious consequences which is why it is important to speak to a qualified criminal defense attorney about your legal options.

Common Defense Strategies

Every assault case will be handled on an individual basis and the judge will listen to the evidence and both sides of the story. When arrested for assault, it is imperative that you go into the court with a sound defense strategy. Below are three of the most common strategies used in assault cases:

Self Defense – in an assault case, you may be able to claim self defense. If you were afraid for your own safety and were protecting yourself, then you may be found not-guilty. For example, if you are accused of first degree assault but are found to have only been protecting your family from an intruder, then you may be able to avoid a criminal conviction.

Alibi Defense- the alibi defense is used in many cases and acts as a way to prove that you were somewhere else during the time the crime was committed and thus couldn’t possibly have committed the crime. Alibi’s often need witnesses to prove that you were where you claim to be. For example, if you are being accused of motor vehicle assault but you have three witnesses that are willing to testify that you were at the bar with them during the time of the crime, then an alibi defense will probably work in your favor.

Credibility Defense - another defense strategy often used in assault cases is the credibility defense. This defense looks at evidence pertaining to the credibility of the alleged victim. If the victim has a history of lying or problems in the past with this sort of thing, then this evidence may be used against him/her. This is especially useful when it is a he-said-she-said type of case.

The goal in any assault case is to try to minimize the usual penalty given for the type of assault. While a not-guilty verdict is the best outcome you can hope for, it is still possible to avoid a criminal conviction or serious penalties by using a number of other defense strategies as well.

If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact St Paul criminal defense lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

Because of the widespread illegal selling and addictive usage of prescription medicine, the state of Minnesota will implement a program that requires all pharmacies to report data on addictive drugs to the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program.

Starting in March 2010, doctors, dentists and pharmacies will be able to log onto a system to identify patients who may be getting too many habit forming medicines. The database is funded by a $400,000 federal grant that will track more than one million prescriptions a year. Some of the big names in prescription problem-makers include vicodin, oxycontin, amphetamines and even certain diet pills.

According to recent reports, in the state of Minnesota alone, there are more than 100,000 prescription drug abusers. The state of Minnesota is hoping that the use of the database will stop drug abusers and dealers from shopping around for prescription medicine. Prescription drug trafficking and possession of prescription drugs are both considered drug crimes and come with serious consequences including prison time, hefty fines and required rehabilitation. It is important to speak to a St Paul drug defense attorney if you have been arrested for possession or trafficking of prescription medication.

Marijuana Use on the Rise

In addition to prescription drugs, marijuana is also on the rise for one of the top drugs confiscated in drug-related crimes. It would appear that more youth are turning to smoking pot as it seems safer than some of the other drugs available illegally. Furthermore, because marijuana is used for medical purposes, more and more people are only seeing the pluses, not the cons, of using this drug.

In reality, marijuana can damage the brain, body and lungs. Furthermore, it can be addictive and can affect your rational thought. In fact, marijuana usage now ranks number one as the most common drug treated in rehab (not including alcohol). Cocaine, heroin and meth are ranked second, third and fourth.

Because of the recent findings surrounding illegal marijuana usage, the courts are cracking down on manufacturing, trafficking and possession of marijuana. In fact, recently the Minnesota courts ruled that bong water is also considered a drug and thus, if you are caught with bong water, you could be fined and even put in prison. Being in possession of any drug-related paraphernalia, such as a pipe or needle can also land you with a fine of $300. Of course, these fines and penalties will increase drastically if there are also drugs found in the bust.

If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact St Paul criminal defense lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.

Serious Sex Offenses

Sex offenses are normally classified as felonies and encompass all forms of illegal sexual activity. The most serious sexual offenses include rape or sexual assault of a child. There are several ‘degrees’ of criminal sexual conduct that range in severity. Most sexual assault convictions will have evidence that unwanted physical contact was made with a sexual organ. Physical contact is considered unwanted if the victim refused, physically objected or was unable to give legal consent.

If you are convicted of criminal sexual conduct in any degree, you will most likely be facing prison time as well as a fine. However, often the hardest part of living with a sex crime conviction is the aftermath. You will be registered in the sex-offender registration and Internet posting, you may feel ostracized from society, you may need to undergo therapy and rehabilitation and you may have trouble finding decent employment.

Furthermore, a sex crime conviction can also lead to a loss of voting rights, community supervision, electronic monitoring, loss of parental rights and much more. In general, living with a criminal sexual conduct conviction can make you feel like a second-class citizen, which is why it is so important to contact a sex crime defense attorney as soon as you are arrested or accused of any sex crime.

Victimless Sex Crimes

A victimless crime, sometimes termed a consensual crime, is a crime without victims or a complainant usually because only consenting adults are involved. There are several sexual acts that fall under the umbrella of victimless sex crimes. Some of the more severe ones include solicitation of a minor and child pornography. Additional victimless sex crimes include prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure and illegal possession of pornography.

Prostitution is defined as a person receiving payment for sexual intercourse or other sexual acts. Pimping is defined as soliciting acts of prostitution or pandering on behalf of another. Lewd acts, lascivious conduct and indecent exposure involve pornography, engaging in sexual acts in a public place or exposing the genitals in a public place.
Just because there is not a ‘victim’ does not mean that the penalties are less severe.

Victimless sex crimes are often considered felony offenses and come with jail time, sexual offender treatment programs and lifetime registration as a sexual offender.

Even victimless sex offenses carry the possibility of serious penalties and life-changing requirements, such as psychological treatment or registration requirements. If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact St Paul criminal defense lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.

Mike’s work is another example of the Brandt Criminal Defense’s individualized client attention and creative problem solving.

Federal Crimes Defense

White collar crimes are those that occur in a corporate environment. Often white collar crimes will occur within multi-billion dollar companies or large banks. Most white collar crimes can be considered a type of employee theft, but usually on a much larger scale than the average shoplifting conviction. Those who are convicted of a white collar crime may face prison times, hefty fines, restitution payments and community service. Furthermore, a white collar crime can negatively impact your reputation and your future in any industry.

Types of White Collar Crimes

There are a number of corporate crimes that fall under the umbrella of ‘white collar crimes.’ Below are some of the common white collar crime charges:

• Bribery – this occurs when someone offers money, goods, services or information as a way to influence the actions of others.
• Blackmail – when you blackmail someone, you are demanding money, goods, services or information under a threat. This could be a violent threat but in most instances, it is a threat to expose secrets about that person.
• Embezzlement – often when one thinks of a white collar crime, the term embezzlement will pop up. Embezzlement is defined as taking company money or property for personal usage after a manager or higher authority has entrusted you with it.
• Extortion – this occurs when someone obtains money or property through force, violence or fear. Extortion is similar to blackmail and comes with serious consequences.
• Fraud – fraud occurs in the workplace more often than many people think and is defined as defrauding a system for your personal gain. There are a number of categories that classify as fraud including computer fraud, credit card fraud, check fraud, health care fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud and securities fraud.
• Insider trading – essentially, insider trading involves trading confidential information with other companies for money, goods, services or information.
• Money Laundering – money laundering occurs when an investment of illegal money is made. For example, if you embezzle $200,000 and then invest it into securities that are untraceable, then you may be charged with both embezzlement and money laundering.
• Racketeering – racketeering involves profiting from an illegal business. The most common cases of racketeering include sex, gambling and drug crimes but there are several other instances where you may be accused of racketeering.

Minneapolis Criminal Lawyer

In most instances, if you are accused of one white collar crime, it will often be in conjunction with another crime as well. For example, those who are accused of bribery may also face extortion and theft charges as well. White collar crimes can be complicated to understand and require a comprehensive understanding of the law. Many white collar crimes are considered ‘federal’ crimes if they span outside the state lines which most large companies do.

If you or someone you love has been arrested for any white collar crime, make sure you get the legal representation you deserve during this critical time – contact our criminal defense lawyers today to ensure your rights are protected both inside and outside the courts.

Contact us today at 763-421-6366 or visit our offices, conveniently located across from the Anoka County Courthouse on Jackson Street.

Shoplifting Criminal Activity

Shoplifting is defined as taking something from a store that you did not pay for, or that you are paid less for than you are supposed to for that item. Many people assume shoplifting simply means hiding an item in your backpack and walking out but there are other instances of shoplifting as well. Switching price tags on items, exchanging your old watch for a new one, breaking into a store to steal the goods and even ‘snacking’ on a chocolate bar while grocery shopping without paying for it can be considered shoplifting offenses. Shoplifters can be caught and charged for taking anything, from condoms in a pharmacy to a book in a news agency. Many shoplifters will work as part of a team to steal larger items including television sets, Xboxes, stereo systems and jewelry.

Minneapolis Shoplifting Penalties and Crimes

Juveniles are often charged with shoplifting offenses. There are a number of reasons why juveniles will shoplift – boredom, peer pressure and the lack of a steady income have all been noted as reasons why juveniles will shoplift.

Shoplifting is a serious offense and can come with severe consequences, no matter how old you are. If you are accused, arrested and convicted of shoplifting in Minnesota, you may be charged with petty theft or grand theft, depending on the severity of the crime.

• Petty Theft – this misdemeanor charge occurs if you have shoplifted less than $400 in goods
• Grand Theft – this felony charge occurs if you have shoplifted more than $400 worth of goods. Grand theft can also be considered larceny and often involves the theft of larger or multiple items.

Regardless of whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, it is important to understand that both come with severe consequences including prison time, fines and community service. The amount of time served and the fines paid will depend on a number of factors including your criminal history, the amount of goods stolen and the damage done. It is important to contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as you are accused of shoplifting.

Minnesota Shoplifting Lawyer

Every shoplifting case is treated differently. If this is your first offense, you may be able to avoid jail time, community service or even a fine by taking on the right defense strategy. Furthermore, you may be able to limit your sentence by knowing what angle to take. With Brandt Criminal Defense, you will not only be getting 15 years of experience in shoplifting cases, but also the aggressive representation and legal expertise that you need to win your case.

Our lawyers at Brandt Criminal Defense have been recognized “Super Lawyers” for the past five years and represent persons throughout Minneapolis, St. Paul, Hennepin County, Anoka Country, Ramsey County and throughout the Twin Cities area. Contact our team of lawyers today to see how we can make the difference in your shoplifting defense case.

Phone 763-421-6366 or visit our offices, conveniently located across from the Anoka County Courthouse on Jackson Street.