Minnesota DWI and Criminal Attorney Fees (Explained)

Whether or not you've dealt with an experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense or DWI Attorney before, you probably assume one thing - it's going to be expensive. And, if you're like me or like most people, you want to get the best lawyer possible for the lowest amount of money, right?

Although I agree that price is a valid factor to consider, you also need to acknowledge this: the Minnesota DWI Attorney that you decide to hire is going to be trusted with a lot of responsibility. He will be holding your life - and your future - in his hands.

If he fails to do the work, put forth the effort or pick up the phone when you call - it's not him that will pay the price.  Rather, you (and you alone) will be the one who could end up in jail, paying huge fines and losing everything that is important to you.

In the end, you need to ask yourself this: What is my freedom, my hard earned money, and my reputation worth to me?

With So Much at Stake, Do You Really Want the Cheapest Option?

Some people can be scared off by the fees I charge.  Now, I'll guarantee you I'm not most expensive Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney out there, but I'm also probably not the cheapest either.  I charge what I charge because I provide more value than the attorneys out there selling you on price. What I offer is, unlike other Minnesota DWI attorneys, great legal services that earn my clients the results that they desire.  I can also assure you that at the end of the day I'm doing everything I can to protect you, your rights and your future. 

Do This Now

If you think you need a Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney to help you - odds are you really do need one.  Hey, I'm ready to help. I offer FREE CONSULTATIONS and am ready to help you now.  Call the Rolloff Law Office today at (612) 619-234-1165 to find out how.

Minnesota Cash Bail & Bond (Explained)

Maybe it is a good thing you don't have the day-to-day familiarity I have with what goes on inside a courtroom - that is until you need to know to protect yourself or someone you love.  Here is a little lesson on Minnesota Bail and Bonds.  To know more, contact and experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney.

What is Bail?

Generally speaking, bail is an amount of money paid to the court by a person charged with a crime to insure that he will comply with certain conditions of release - like  returning to court as ordered.  Essentially the idea is that if someone has some "skin in the game" and/or money at stake - that that person will do what the court tells him to do - or run the risk losing that money.

How Much Bail Will I Have to Pay?  

Bail amounts are based on two things: (i.) the likelihood that the offender will show up for any/all future court hearings; and (ii.) matters related to public safety.  If the person arrested is from out of state (or some distance from where the alleged crime took place,) has a history of failing to appear for court hearings in the past, and/or has no permanent address, the court will strongly examine  whether that individual will return for their next hearing - and bail will be set accordingly. If the crime is serious one (ie., crimes of violence and/or large drug crimes) or the person arrested has a pattern of criminal conduct, then the court will often find that there are public safety concerns and set a substantial bail.

The System is Fair, Right?
In theory, what've I've described here sounds fair, no? The problem for the accused is that most bail hearings are conducted with only the government's lawyer and judge there and high bail is often the result.  And, once that big number is out there, it’s hard to change.  Although I have seen bail amounts reduced at subsequent hearings - it's not that easy.  Getting the amount of bail reduced is an uphill battle. If it is at all possible, if you or a friend has been arrested, call an experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney before the bail hearing.

What’s the Difference between Cash Bail and a Bond?

Once bail has been set, it can be posted in one of two ways: by paying the full amount in cash or by buying a "bail" bond. When cash is posted, that amount is returned to the person charged after the case is done. When a bond is purchased, the person charged buys a bond (for usually about 10% of the bail amount) from a licensed bail bond agent and the amount paid for that bond is not returned.  The purchasing of a bond creates a legal contract between the bond company and the court saying, if the offender does not comply with their conditions of release (like coming back to court) then the bond company has to pay the court the entire bond amount.

What Should You Do?

If you or someone you care about has been arrested or criminally charged, don’t go to court and “test the waters” to see what may or may not happen.  This is not one of those things you want to take lightly. Call the Rolloff Law Office before your first court appearance to ensure that your rights are protected.

What Does a Minnesota DWI Lawyer Do? (Video Evidence)

The criminal justice system is not a machine that works with the precision of a Swiss watch.  Rather, it is populated with human beings - and as such mistakes and errors in judgment abound. Not only is this true of judges and prosecutors, but where this really should matter to someone charged with a crime is when it comes to members of law enforcement.

Given the nature of a police officer's job - coupled with the power and the authority their afforded - it goes without saying that a Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney's most important job is to ensure that any shortcomings in a cop's performance of his job does not result in the unfair prosecution of his client.

Cops and Drunk Driving

During a DWI arrest, law enforcement is required to follow a long and comprehensive list of guidelines.  These start with the initial stop of your vehicle and continue through to what's done back at the stations - and beyond.  When it comes to defending an individual charged with Drunk Driving, I would argue that it is especially important - because unlike most offenses - this charge can be made simply on the opinion of the officer himself.

What Does That Mean To You

Probably the most important technological advance, in the defending of individuals charged with DWI, has been the use of squad cars equipped with cameras that capture the situation and (hopefully) prevent abuse.

Video and audio recordings provide a perfect check on the tool generally employed by officers in the past - their police reports.  Having both sets of evidence, an experienced Minnesota DWI Defense Attorney can better review the assertions made by officers and note their truthfulness.

It all to often happens that there are differences in the words and descriptions used by the cops when they write out their reports and the preliminary notes - and - the video and audio tapes later put into evidence. In my time as a prosecutor and Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney, I've often noted exaggerations, contradictory statements, a "bending" of the truth and/or even outright lies.

In any case where these things exist, serious questions can be raised before a judge as to the fairness and validity of an arrest and/or the ultimate charges levied against an individual.

The Little Problems

More often than not - it is not the big things listed-above that stand out when I view the video tapes and/or listening to the audio recordings. Rather, where the fight is rally engaged is in pointing out the procedural lapses and errors in judgment that officers commit.  As an experienced Minnesota DWI Defense attorney, I've examined hundreds of these recordings and found numerous mistakes, including: a lack of probable cause to stopping the arestee's vehicle, a failure to follow proper procedure when asking a driver to carry out field sobriety tests, not providing the required warnings, advice or options related to any requests for tests to determine an individual's blood alcohol content, failing to read a suspect his Miranda rights and/or allowing the him to contact an attorney before requesting a test; and in one case endangering an individual's life by conducting an investigation under dangerous circumstances along a busy highway.

What Should You Do?

Know this, the visual and audio recordings that may win you a favorable result also capture your actions and reactions too. Therefore, this is why you should calmly and reasonably cooperate with law enforcement if you are pulled over and questioned. 

If you or someone you love has been charged with a DWI, do no hesitate to contact the Rolloff Law Office as the soonest possible time. The sooner that I can get hmy hands on the video recordings of your arrest, the better your chances in determining if your rights have been respected throughout the process.

Fair Play?

As the esteemed Mr. Ward rightly asserts in this article - and any client should know - defense attorneys have an "absolute right" to request reassignment if they don't believe a judge can be fair.

As a matter of fact, I'll take it one further - as a Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney, it is my overriding responsibility to do the best that I can do for my client - and if that means that I know a judge is not going to give my him or her a fair shake - then I have a duty to remove that judge.

If the government is going to come after you - if they are seeking to take away your rights and freedoms, to fine you huge sums of money, and to possibly do harm to your reputation and to your future - then the least that they can do is to allow my client and I to have their case decided out on a level playing field. To do otherwise, cheapens justice for all of us.