The Supreme Court Just Ruled on Geofence Warrants. Here's What Chatrie Actually Means for Minnesota.
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Chatrie v. United States that obtaining a person's Google location data is a Fourth Amendment search. The Court did not ban geofence warrants or decide whether the Chatrie warrant was valid. For Minnesota cases, Chatrie now sits beside State v. Contreras-Sanchez: both cases say accessing this location data is a search, and both leave warrant validity to the specific facts, probable cause, and particularity.
A New Minnesota Ruling Says an Officer's Intent Doesn't Matter for 'Emergency Aid' Stops. Here's My Read.
A recent Minnesota Court of Appeals decision held that when police rely on the emergency-aid exception to justify a warrantless seizure, the officer's subjective intent does not matter - what counts is whether there was an objectively reasonable basis to believe an emergency existed. For defense, the fight shifts entirely to the objective facts, and to what happens once the supposed emergency is over.
Minnesota's Duty to Retreat Is Stricter Than Most People Think. Here's What That Means for Self-Defense.
In Minnesota, a person claiming self-defense generally has a duty to retreat when reasonably possible before using deadly force - and under recent precedent, that can include before even displaying a weapon. There is no duty to retreat in your own home (the castle doctrine), and the rules differ when defending someone else. The law here is unusually strict and is actively being debated.
Minnesota Narrowed Its Felony-Murder Law - and Made It Retroactive. Here's Who It Can Help.
A 2023 Minnesota law narrowed aiding-and-abetting first-degree felony murder: the State now must prove the person intended to cause death, not just that they took part in an underlying felony. It also created a retroactive, two-step process - a preliminary application, then a petition to vacate - for people convicted under the old, broader standard to seek relief. Recent rulings show the standard is real but demanding.
Arrested on a Warrant That Didn't Exist Anymore: What Malecha Means
In State v. Malecha (2024), the Minnesota Supreme Court held that when police arrest and search someone based on a warrant that had already been quashed - but still appeared active because of a court clerical error - the evidence must be suppressed under the Minnesota Constitution. The good-faith exception that would likely save the evidence under federal law does not apply in Minnesota here.
Convicted - Now What? The Ways to Challenge or Move Past a Minnesota Conviction
A Minnesota conviction is not always final. Depending on the situation, there may be a direct appeal, a postconviction petition (including claims like ineffective assistance of counsel), extraordinary writs such as habeas corpus, special statutory pathways like the 2023 felony-murder review, clemency through the Board of Pardons, and record relief like expungement. Each has its own rules, deadlines, and odds - and timing matters.
Diversion vs. Continuance for Dismissal vs. Stay of Adjudication: What's the Difference?
All three can end a Minnesota case without a conviction, but they differ on a key point: whether you plead guilty. Pretrial diversion and a continuance for dismissal (CFD) generally involve no guilty plea - complete the conditions and the case is dismissed. A stay of adjudication does require a guilty plea up front, with the conviction withheld and the case dismissed on successful completion.
Dispositional vs. Durational Departure: The Two Ways a Judge Can Leave the Sentencing Grid
A dispositional departure changes WHERE you serve a sentence - typically probation instead of presumptive prison (or vice versa). A durational departure changes HOW LONG the sentence is - shorter or longer than the presumptive range. Both require substantial and compelling reasons, but for someone facing presumptive prison, a downward dispositional departure - staying out of prison - is usually the bigger prize.
Treatment Court vs. Standard Probation: Which Is Tougher - and Which Helps More?
Treatment court (a problem-solving court like DWI court or drug court) is more intensive than standard probation - frequent court check-ins, testing, treatment, and a team approach - but it is built to address the underlying issue and can lead to better long-term outcomes. Standard probation is less hands-on but also less supportive. Treatment court is often harder day-to-day, but for the right person it helps more.
DANCOs, OFPs, and HROs: A Plain Guide to Minnesota's Protective Orders and Domestic Cases
Minnesota has three main protective/no-contact orders that get confused constantly: a DANCO (criminal-court no-contact order in a criminal case), an OFP (civil Order for Protection for domestic relationships), and an HRO (civil Harassment Restraining Order, any relationship). They can overlap and apply at the same time, violating any of them is a separate crime, and a single incident can trigger several at once - plus, sometimes, a child-protection case.
Minnesota's Clean Slate Act Now Expunges Many Records Automatically. Here's What That Means.
Minnesota's Clean Slate Act (Minn. Stat. § 609A.015), effective January 1, 2025, automatically seals many lower-level, eligible criminal records after a crime-free waiting period - no petition required. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identifies eligible records and the judicial branch reviews them. It is a major shift, but it has real limits and exclusions.
Minnesota Changed Its Sentencing Guidelines in 2025. Here's What to Watch.
Minnesota's Sentencing Guidelines are revised periodically by the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, with amendments typically taking effect August 1. Because the Guidelines grid drives felony sentences - through offense severity and criminal history - even modest grid or offense-classification changes can shift real outcomes. The 2025 amendments are worth understanding for anyone facing a felony.
Missing a required court appearance in Minnesota can lead the judge to issue a warrant for your arrest, and failing to appear can itself be a separate criminal charge. If you have missed or are about to miss a date, contacting a lawyer quickly to address it with the court - rather than waiting - is usually the best way to limit the consequences.
After an arrest in Minnesota, the most important things are to stay quiet beyond identifying yourself, clearly ask for a lawyer, and avoid talking about the case with anyone, including over recorded jail phones. What you do in the first hours and days can shape the entire case.
What Happens at a First Court Appearance in Minnesota?
At a first appearance in a Minnesota criminal case, the court tells you the charges, advises you of your rights, addresses a lawyer, and sets bail or release conditions. For in-custody cases it happens quickly. It is not a trial and not where guilt is decided - it sets the terms for everything that follows.
A DANCO (Domestic Abuse No Contact Order) is an order a criminal court issues in a domestic case that bars contact with the alleged victim - often issued at the first appearance, sometimes without the other person's input, and often including children in a shared home. Violating it is a separate crime, even if the other person initiates contact.
Sometimes. A DANCO can be modified or lifted, but only by the court - not by the parties agreeing on their own. A defense lawyer can file a request and present the circumstances, but the judge decides, and the protected person's wishes are only one factor. Until the court acts, the order stays fully in force.
An omnibus hearing is a pretrial stage in a Minnesota criminal case where the court addresses probable cause, evidence, and pretrial motions - including motions to suppress evidence from an unlawful stop, search, or interrogation. It is often where a case is won, narrowed, or set up for resolution, long before any trial.
A stay of adjudication is a Minnesota disposition where you enter a guilty plea but the court does not enter a conviction. If you complete probation successfully, the case is dismissed and you end up with no conviction. It is one of the more favorable outcomes available, but it does require a plea up front.
A stay of imposition is a Minnesota felony disposition where you are convicted, but the court holds off on imposing a sentence and places you on probation. If you complete probation successfully, the felony is deemed a misdemeanor on your record. It is different from a stay of adjudication, which avoids a conviction entirely.
A probation violation hearing in Minnesota starts with an Admit/Deny stage; if you deny, a contested hearing follows where the State must prove the violation by clear and convincing evidence to a judge. Before revoking probation, the judge must make specific findings - and revocation is supposed to be a last resort, not automatic.
AI is changing criminal defense mainly as a preparation tool - helping organize massive discovery, build timelines, and surface inconsistencies that a human reader on a heavy caseload might miss. It does not replace a lawyer's judgment or strategy; used well, it helps level a field where the State has far more resources.
AI can help a defense lawyer handle the sheer volume of modern discovery - indexing documents, building timelines, and flagging inconsistencies across reports, video, and statements. But every flag has to be verified by the lawyer against the actual record, because a defense relies on accuracy, not on trusting an automated summary.
AI, Bodycam Evidence, and Criminal Defense Strategy
Body-cam footage is powerful evidence, but important moments hide in hours of recording. AI-assisted review helps locate key segments, build transcripts and timelines, and align the footage with written reports to find inconsistencies. But interpreting context, tone, and what the footage actually means for strategy still requires a lawyer.
Why Human Judgment Still Matters in AI-Assisted Defense
AI is a tool, not a lawyer. It can organize and surface, but it cannot exercise judgment, carry ethical duties, verify its own accuracy, or know a client. Responsible AI-assisted defense keeps the lawyer firmly in control - using technology to be more thorough while making every strategic and ethical decision personally.
A DANCO is a criminal-court no-contact order issued inside a criminal case. An OFP (Order for Protection) is a civil order for domestic relationships. An HRO (Harassment Restraining Order) is a civil order for harassment regardless of relationship. They come from different cases and can overlap - and you can be subject to more than one at the same time.
The crucial difference is the conviction. A stay of adjudication means you plead guilty but no conviction is entered, and the case is dismissed if you complete probation - so you end up with no conviction. A stay of imposition means you are convicted, but the sentence is held back, and a felony is deemed a misdemeanor after successful probation.
In Minnesota, a misdemeanor carries up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, a gross misdemeanor carries up to 364 days and a $3,000 fine, and a felony carries more than one year of potential incarceration - up to and including prison, with the most serious felonies reaching decades. The level also drives long-term consequences like firearm rights and enhancement.
Probation Violation Hearing vs. New Criminal Charge
They are different proceedings with different rules. A new criminal charge must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury. A probation violation only has to be proven by clear and convincing evidence to a judge - a lower bar. One incident can trigger both at once, and the violation can be easier for the State to win.
Often, yes - it depends on how the case ended and how much time has passed. Dismissals and cases that did not end in conviction are the easiest to expunge, and Minnesota's 2025 Clean Slate law made many eligible records seal automatically. Other records require a petition and a waiting period, and some serious offenses cannot be expunged.
Expungement in Minnesota seals a record rather than destroying it. For most everyday purposes - like routine background checks by employers and landlords - a sealed record should not appear. But certain government and law-enforcement agencies can still access sealed records in defined circumstances, and expungement does not restore every right automatically.
Expungement After Dismissal or Stay of Adjudication
Cases that ended without a conviction - dismissals and successfully completed stays of adjudication - are among the strongest candidates for expungement in Minnesota, often with shorter waiting periods. Even though there is no conviction, the arrest and charges can linger on records until they are sealed, which is what expungement does.
A petition-based expungement in Minnesota commonly takes several months from filing to a sealed record, because the process includes preparing the petition, a notice period to the agencies involved, a court hearing, and then a waiting period after the order before the record is actually sealed. Automatic (Clean Slate) sealing happens without a petition on its own timeline.
A CHIPS case - Child in Need of Protection or Services - is a child-protection proceeding in juvenile court, separate from any criminal case. It focuses on the child's safety and a case plan for the family, not on punishing a parent. But it can run alongside a criminal case, and statements in one can affect the other, so coordinated guidance matters.
A criminal charge involving a household with children can trigger a CPS (child protection) investigation that runs alongside the criminal case. Because statements to CPS are not automatically private and can surface in the criminal case, it is important to get guidance before talking, and to understand any court orders that apply.
A DANCO issued in a domestic case can restrict contact not only with the alleged victim but, depending on the order, with children in the home - and it can override or complicate existing parenting time. The order controls until a court changes it, so modification, not informal arrangement, is the path to restoring contact.
A domestic assault charge in a home with children can set off a child-protection (CHIPS) case alongside the criminal case. The criminal conditions - like a no-contact order - and the child-protection concerns interact, and decisions in one can affect the other, so the two are best handled with a coordinated strategy.
Be careful. Statements to a child-protection worker are generally not private and can be shared with law enforcement or used in your criminal case. At the same time, refusing all engagement can have consequences in the child-protection case. The right move is to get legal guidance before you talk, not to figure it out alone in the moment.
Chemical Use Assessments and Child Protection Cases
A chemical use (substance use) assessment is an evaluation that often appears in child-protection cases - and sometimes criminal cases - to assess whether substance use is a concern and what services might be recommended. How you engage with it matters, because the assessment and its records can influence both the child-protection case and a related criminal case.
What the Minnesota Supreme Court's Geofence Warrant Ruling Actually Means
Two courts have now addressed geofence warrants. On April 15, 2026, the Minnesota Supreme Court held in State v. Contreras-Sanchez that the geofence warrant used to identify the defendant was not particular enough under the Minnesota Constitution, and reversed his murder conviction. On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Chatrie v. United States, holding that accessing a person's Google location data is a search under the Fourth Amendment - but it left the question of whether the warrant itself was valid to the lower court. Neither court banned geofence warrants; both say accessing the data is a search, and a warrant's validity turns on probable cause and particularity.
How AI Actually Helps a Minnesota Criminal Defense Case (And What It Does Not Replace)
At Keil Defense, AI is a tool the attorney uses to prepare cases faster and more thoroughly. It organizes discovery, builds case timelines, surfaces inconsistencies, and supports research. It does not make decisions about your case. Attorney judgment governs every strategic call, and every public statement.
Minnesota's New Juvenile Law Recognizes an Important Truth: Children Are Not Miniature Adults
Effective August 1, 2026, Minnesota law no longer treats most children under 13 as "delinquent." Instead of juvenile delinquency court, those cases are directed into the child protection system and community-based services. The change reflects a basic truth defense lawyers see often: very young children usually need assessment, support, and intervention - not a criminal identity. Accountability still exists; it just looks different for a child than for an adult.
AI, Bodycam Evidence, and Criminal Defense Strategy
Body-camera footage is now central to many criminal cases, and it cuts both ways — it can support the defense as easily as the prosecution. Technology-assisted review helps a defense lawyer get through hours of video, line it up against reports and statements, and find the moments and contradictions that matter. The attorney then decides how to use them. The technology surfaces possibilities; the lawyer makes the strategy.
Yes, a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order (DANCO) can sometimes be modified or lifted — but only by asking the court, never by simply resuming contact. The court decides based on safety and the circumstances of the case, and the protected person's wishes are considered but are not the deciding factor. Until the court changes the order, it stays fully in effect.
Often, yes. Many Minnesota criminal records can be expunged — either automatically under the Clean Slate Act (which took effect January 1, 2025) or by filing a petition after the applicable waiting period. Whether you qualify depends on the offense, how the case ended, and how much time has passed. Some records clear on their own now; others still require a petition.
Chemical Use Assessments and Child Protection Cases in Minnesota
A chemical use assessment is an evaluation of a person's substance use that often becomes part of a Minnesota child protection (CHIPS) case — and frequently a required step in a case plan. It can shape whether and how a parent reunifies with their children, and because it can also intersect with a related criminal case, what you say during it carries weight in more than one place.
CPS Investigation After a Criminal Charge in Minnesota
When a parent is charged with a crime — especially one involving domestic violence, drugs, or harm to a child — it can trigger a separate Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation and even a CHIPS case in juvenile court. The criminal case and the child-protection case run on different tracks, but they feed each other: what you say in one can be used in the other. Protecting yourself means handling both carefully and together.
The quick answer: a DANCO is a no-contact order issued inside a criminal case; an OFP (Order for Protection) is a civil order for domestic relationships under the Domestic Abuse Act; and an HRO (Harassment Restraining Order) is a civil order against harassment that does not require a domestic relationship. All three can prohibit contact, all three are enforceable, and a person can be subject to more than one at the same time.
Domestic Assault and Child Protection Overlap in Minnesota
A domestic assault charge can set off a child protection case in Minnesota even when the children were never touched — because witnessing domestic violence, or living in a home where it occurs, can itself be treated as endangering a child. That means a parent can face a criminal case, a no-contact order, and a CHIPS case at the same time, all from one incident. Handling them together is essential.
DWI Criminal Case vs. Implied Consent Case in Minnesota
A single Minnesota DWI arrest sets off two completely separate cases: a criminal case that decides the DWI charge, and a civil "implied consent" case that decides what happens to your driver's license. They have different courts, different rules, different burdens of proof, and different deadlines — and the license case moves fast, with a short, strict window to challenge it.
Expungement After a Dismissal or Stay of Adjudication in Minnesota
If your case was dismissed or you completed a stay of adjudication, you are often in a strong position to expunge the record — sometimes on more favorable terms than someone seeking to seal a conviction. A completed stay of adjudication can typically be petitioned for expungement after about a one-year waiting period, and cases resolved in your favor are common candidates for sealing.
What Happens at a First Court Appearance in Minnesota?
Your first court appearance in a Minnesota criminal case is mostly about getting the case started, not deciding guilt. The judge tells you the charges, advises you of your rights, addresses whether you have or need a lawyer, and sets the conditions of your release (and bail, if any). You will not have a trial that day, and you generally will not testify about what happened.
How AI Actually Helps a Minnesota Criminal Defense Case (And What It Does Not Replace)
Attorney-led AI tools help a Minnesota criminal defense case by organizing discovery, mapping timelines, and spotting issues faster than traditional review — so more of the record gets examined and fewer key details slip by. They do not replace attorney judgment, change the evidence, or decide the case. The lawyer verifies the work, makes every strategic call, and is accountable for the outcome.
How a DANCO Can Affect Parenting Time in Minnesota
A Domestic Abuse No Contact Order (DANCO) can seriously disrupt parenting time — by barring contact with a co-parent who handles exchanges, by naming your child as a protected party, or by keeping you out of a shared home. Because violating a DANCO is a separate crime regardless of who initiates contact, you cannot work around it informally. The right path is to ask the court to modify the order to allow structured parenting contact.
Two clocks matter. First is the waiting period before you can even petition — often about 1 to 5 years depending on the offense. Once you file a petition, the court process itself commonly takes several months, frequently in the range of four to six months, because the law builds in time for notice to agencies and a hearing. Automatic expungement under the Clean Slate Act happens on its own schedule, without you filing.
A "72-hour hold" in Minnesota is an emergency hold for mental-health care — it lets a treatment facility keep a person for up to 72 hours (not counting weekends and legal holidays) when an examiner states in writing that the person is mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or chemically dependent and in danger of harming themselves or others, and that there isn't time to get a court order first.
Minnesota Doubled the DWI Look-Back to 20 Years. Here Is What That Actually Changes.
As of August 1, 2025, Minnesota looks back 20 years — instead of 10 — when counting prior DWI offenses for driver's license revocation and ignition interlock requirements. This change came from HF 2130, passed in the 2025 legislative session. The practical effect: a DWI from as far back as 2005 can now resurface and lengthen your license loss and interlock obligations on a new offense, even though you may have assumed it was long behind you.
What the Minnesota Supreme Court's Geofence Warrant Ruling Actually Means
In April 2026, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in State v. Contreras-Sanchez that a Google "geofence" warrant violated the Minnesota Constitution because it was not particular enough — it gave police open-ended discretion to expand the search beyond the original location data. The Court did not ban geofence warrants. It held that location data Google stores about you is protected, that police need a valid warrant to get it, and that the warrant must be narrowly written.
Misdemeanor vs. Gross Misdemeanor vs. Felony in Minnesota
Minnesota sorts crimes by severity: a misdemeanor carries up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine; a gross misdemeanor carries up to 364 days and a $3,000 fine; and a felony is any crime punishable by more than one year, ranging up to life. There is also a petty misdemeanor, which is not a crime at all and carries only a fine. The level controls the penalties, the procedures, and the long-term consequences.
An omnibus hearing is a pretrial hearing in a Minnesota felony or gross misdemeanor case where the court resolves legal issues before trial — most importantly, whether there is probable cause for the charge and whether evidence was obtained legally. It is often the stage where a defense lawyer fights to suppress (throw out) evidence from an illegal stop, search, or interrogation, which can weaken or even end the State's case.
What Happens at a Probation Violation Hearing in Minnesota?
A probation violation hearing is where the court decides whether you violated a condition of probation and, if so, what to do about it. The state must prove the violation, the standard is lower than at a criminal trial, and the judge — not a jury — decides. Outcomes range from continued probation to added conditions to, in serious cases, executing the underlying sentence (jail or prison).
Probation Violation vs. New Criminal Charge in Minnesota
If you are arrested while on probation, you can face two separate proceedings at once: a new criminal case for the new charge, and a probation violation in your old case. They are decided by different standards — the new case requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while the violation only requires the lower probation-violation standard — which means you can be found to have violated probation even if the new charge is never proven.
Should I Talk to CPS if I Have a Criminal Case in Minnesota?
If you have a pending or possible criminal case, you should be very careful about talking to Child Protective Services — because what you say to a caseworker can be used in the criminal case. You generally are not required to give a detailed statement, and the safest course is to get legal advice before talking in depth. At the same time, child-protection cases reward cooperation, so the goal is to engage thoughtfully, not to stonewall.
A stay of adjudication is an outcome where the court holds off on entering a conviction while you complete probation. If you succeed, the case can be dismissed and you avoid a conviction on your record entirely. If you fail probation, the court can then enter the conviction and sentence you.
Stay of Adjudication vs. Stay of Imposition in Minnesota
The key difference is simple: a stay of adjudication can leave you with no conviction at all if you complete probation, while a stay of imposition enters a conviction but stays the sentence — and on success, a felony is typically deemed a misdemeanor. A stay of adjudication is generally the more favorable outcome; a stay of imposition is the next-best step down.
A stay of imposition is a sentencing outcome where the court enters a conviction but does not impose the prison or jail sentence, placing you on probation instead. If you complete probation successfully, a felony conviction is typically deemed a misdemeanor on your record. There is still a conviction — but its level and consequences are softened.
AI-assisted discovery review helps a defense lawyer get through the mountain of evidence in a criminal case — police reports, body-camera video, recorded calls, texts, and lab results — faster and more thoroughly. It indexes the material, builds timelines, and flags inconsistencies and issues for the attorney to examine. It does not replace the lawyer's review or judgment; every output is verified by the attorney.
Expungement in Minnesota seals your criminal record from public view, so most employers, landlords, and the general public can no longer see it. It is not a complete deletion: certain agencies — such as law enforcement and some licensing bodies — can still access sealed records in defined circumstances. For most everyday purposes, though, a sealed record stops following you around.
What Happens at a Civil Commitment Hearing in Minnesota
At a Minnesota civil commitment hearing, a judge decides whether there is clear and convincing evidence that a person should be ordered into treatment — and, just as importantly, whether any less-restrictive alternative would work instead.
A CHIPS case — short for "Child in Need of Protection or Services" — is a civil case in juvenile court where the county claims a child is unsafe or is not getting necessary care. It is not a criminal charge against you, but it is serious: it can lead to your child being removed from your home. In most CHIPS cases where removal is possible, you have the right to a court-appointed lawyer at no cost if you qualify.
A DANCO — Domestic Abuse No Contact Order — is an order a criminal court issues in a domestic-related case that bars you from having any contact with the alleged victim. It is part of a criminal case (not a separate civil request), it often issues at the very start, and violating it is its own crime, even if the alleged victim invites the contact.
If you have been arrested in Minnesota, the two most important things you can do are stay silent and ask for a lawyer. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, and using both — politely and clearly — is almost always the smartest move. Anything you say can be used against you, and you cannot talk your way out of an arrest, but you can talk your way into a worse case.
Why Human Judgment Still Matters in AI-Assisted Defense
AI can help a defense lawyer prepare — organizing evidence, building timelines, and surfacing issues — but it cannot make the judgments that decide a case. Strategy, ethics, client counsel, plea decisions, and courtroom judgment are human responsibilities, and they stay with the attorney. The technology surfaces possibilities; the lawyer decides what to do with them and is accountable for every call.
