Minnesota Public Defenders (Explained)

(

Here's a question I wrestle with all too often: Is a Public Defenders the right lawyers for your criminal case? Well, after nearly a decade of working with them, I am convinced they are good lawyers for their "guilty" clients - most of the time.  But, you have to understand, they do not have the time or resources avaliable to them to give you the sort of representation you might expecte when your future is on the line. 

What Does a Public Defender Do?

A typical Public Defender Lawyer in Minnesota handling serious felony cases like Sexual Assault on a Child, Narcotics cases or Robbery and Assault matters will usually handle close to eighty cases at a time. A misdemeanor Minnesota Public Defender lawyer can carry a caseload of over a hundred at a time. With this heavy caseload, no lawyer can do their best work for you. They are forced to choose which cases to pour themselves into.  Essentially, their like the doctors on MASH (albeit not as funny) - performing triage. This means they work hard to plea bargain as many as possible, so they have time to invest in cases where mandatory prison or heavy jail sentences are the norm. Triage of cases does not mean the Public Defender does not care about you. They propbably care a lot; howevcer, they simply cannot devote the time to your case that an experience Minnesota Crimnal Defense Attorney like I can.

What Can You Do?

Your experienced Minnesoat Criminal Defense Attorney should invest themselves in your case. Like myself, they should worry about the next step in your case, be concerned about contacting witnesses, and treat you like family. You lawyer should get angry with the abuses of police and the refusal of courts to care whether you keep your job or maintain contact with your children.

I have experience informing and persuading the court, DAs and probation officers, of unintended consequences of a crimnal charge/sentence. Trust me - you need an advocate to save what is important to you, and a Public Defender simply does not have the time to invest in all these matters.

I meet with witnesses or investigators to go meet witnesses. I travel to the scene of a crime and get the feel of what happened. I spend time working with you, reviewing the evidence against you --- preparing you for court.  As your lawyer, I care about what happens to you and I invest the time to prove it. When the police contact you, make an immediate decision to exercise your Fifth Amendment Right to silence, and call the Rolloff Law Office at (612) 234-1165. Together, we can protect your rights and your future.