Most people realize that when police bust criminal rings, such as gangs, drug runners or organized crime, the flashy assets of those groups can be confiscated by local law enforcement. Sports cars, expensive jewelry, guns, etc., can all be seized and then sold by police departments across the country. This is known as civil asset forfeiture and it’s a common tool used by law enforcement agencies to crack down on those profiting from their crimes. Read More...

If you were arrested for a Minnesota DWI, it is highly likely that your license was revoked or suspended. The question that many ask is – should you wait to have your license reinstated or should you apply for a hardship license instead? The answer depends on your specific situation. Read More...

In Minnesota, it is prohibited to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher. Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs, particularly marijuana, is a different matter. Read More...

In an interesting case out of South Dakota, the state Supreme Court ruled that a man who had been convicted of drunk driving ought to have his charges dismissed because he was not actually driving at the time. Rather than be charged with a crime, the Court decided that the driver had done the right thing and was only convicted based on an overly broad reading of the state’s drunk driving laws. Read More...

If you’ve been arrested and charged with drunk driving, a common fear is that you could face felony, rather than misdemeanor criminal charges. Felony charges are far more serious and can lead to a variety of severe penalties including jail time and the loss of some important rights. To find out more about drunk driving felonies in Minnesota, keep reading. Read More...

At a DWI traffic stop in Minnesota, the police officer typically asks you to step out of your vehicle and perform a set of field sobriety tests. The three standardized field sobriety tests or FSTs commonly performed roadside are the One Leg Stand, the HGN or Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, and the Walk and Turn. The portable or preliminary breath test, also known as PBT, is a handheld breath test also usually performed roadside or in the squad car. Read More...

When it comes to arresting you for a Minnesota DWI, the police officer must first have probable cause to believe that you are indeed under the influence. Read More...

A man in Colorado found out the hard way that the state’s laws, like those in many other places, could be broadly interpreted when dealing with impaired driving. Kenneth Welton says he was simply engaging in some overdue law maintenance when he was arrested by a local police officer and charged with suspicion of DUI, all while on his Craftsman lawnmower. Read More...

Anyone who has ever been arrested for drunk driving has likely experienced being transported back to the police station to have a breath or other chemical test performed to determine intoxication. Most people assume police will look at the result and either charge or release the driver based on the result. Anything 0.08 percent or higher will lead to charges and anything 0.79 or less will result in a trip home. Read More...

Though the Supreme Court often receives substantial attention regarding the cases it decides, it seldom gets much press regarding the cases it declines to hear. Though declining to hear a case doesn’t lead to any interesting or precedent-making opinion, it can still be important in resolving a pressing legal matter. Read More...