Minnesota Criminal Sentencing Options (Explained)

Like with any story, people want to know how it ends.  As an experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney one questions I get a lot is: What Will My Sentence or Consequences Be?  Listed below are how the majority of cases are resolved in the State of Minnesota.

Case Outcomes

Through a trial or plea bargain negotiations, there are several possible outcomes to any case.  The benefit of a plea bargain is that you know what the sentence will be before admitting to the offense.  The possible outcomes for trial or plea negotiations are as follows:

• Dismissal - all charges dismissed ... pretty easy to understand, right;
• Continued Without Prosecution ("CWOP")  or Continued For Dismissal ("CFD"). Here, your case is set aside and p does not go forward for an agreed upon period of time - usually a year. Then, if certain conditions are met by the end of the time period, the case is dismissed;
• Stay of Adjudication - A plea of guilty is offered to the court, but the court does not accept it. If all conditions are met at the end of the probation period, the case is dismissed --- much like a CWOP or CFD;
• Stay of Imposition - The court does not impose the full sentence but puts you on probation with terms and conditions. At the end of the probation period, if all conditions are met, the conviction may be determined to be a lower level than charged, or (if negotiated) the case is vacated and dismissed --- often a Felony becomes a Misdemeanor;
• Stay of Execution - This is when a sentence is imposed, but some or all terms are not imposed, and the defendant is placed on probation. The execution of the sentence will be stayed ... conditioned upon terms that are up to the court --- this usually involves someone serving jail time on the county lock up as opposed to going to prison;
• Diversion program - Certain crimes or defendants are eligible for a programing that takes the accused out of the court system and puts them into a program designed to rehabilitate the offender. If all conditions are met, the case is dismissed.   
• Execution of the Sentence - This is when the judge imposes the sentence without any stayed condition.

  

Don't be afraid to get answers to your questions, before you spend your hard earned money.  Call or text the Rolloff Law Office - ANYTIME -  to get answers for ask these questions and any others: (612) 234-1165

How to Find a Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney

There are many different ways that you can go about finding an experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney.  Obviously, I'd be honored to speak to you about your case but the purpose of this article is designed to give you some insight into the places you might want to look for help.

The Internet is a Huge Resource

It is very hard to hide anything about a professional, such as a lawyer, in the internet these days.  If someone has done poor work there is probably an article, comment, or negative review out there that you can read in making your decision to hire a specific person.  Note, many times competitors will post fake comments in order to try to hurt their competition – use your common sense and judgment and do your research.

There are many sites out there that attempt to objectively rank lawyers against one another.  Sites such as www.avvo.com, www.lawyerratingz.com, are two examples that you might want to look at to get a better picture of your attorney.  It is important to know that on some of these sites lawyers can purchase their position on search results – so again, do your homework on the attorney you are considering hiring.

Ask the Criminal Attorney about His Experience
Experience is a completely subjective matter.  There are attorneys that have practiced law for twenty years, but never had a jury trial.  There are others that have practiced for three years and had over a hundred.  There are attorneys that focus specifically in one area of law, where others are more general.  Each has its advantages – a specialist, or an attorney that devotes their practice to a specific area might be better suited for complex litigation but a more general criminal defense attorney may have the flexibility necessary to completely handle your case.

When talking to the attorney ask them about the other attorneys you’ve spoken to.  An attorney that is confident in their own abilities will probably not speak poorly of another attorney – I know I never would.  As a practical matter I always recommend that my potential clients speak to as many attorneys as possible, because it is important to select a lawyer that you feel comfortable with – it is your life, freedom, and reputation on the line in criminal cases.

How to Get a Hold of Me
I would be honored if you spoke to me about becoming your Criminal Defense Attorney, give me a call at (612) 234-1165 and we can discuss your case today - for free.