On March 16, 2020, Governor Walz issued a series of executive orders shutting down certain businesses throughout the state, including restaurants and bars. Many small businesses cannot afford to shut their doors. This raises the question – what if a business owner...
Judicial Priorities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied The legal maxim – Justice Delayed is Justice Denied – is a tenant of our criminal justice system. The COVID-19 pandemic is putting stress on this tenant. Here in Minnesota, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gildea recently issued an Order...
Policing for Profit – Is Change Coming to Forfeiture Laws?
By Kevin Sieben, Partner, Sieben Edmunds Miller In Minnesota and throughout the country law enforcement agencies seize and then keep property associated with the commission of crimes. These law enforcement agencies (police departments, FBI, DEA) seize many types of...
Sieben Edmunds PLLC Now Practicing in Wisconsin
Sieben Edmunds Miller PLLC is excited to announce that we are now handling legal cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Attorney Sam Edmunds has undergone the application and vetting process to join the Wisconsin State Bar and is now officially admitted to practice. Sam...
A Criminal Defense Law Firm’s Take on the Yanez Verdict
We saw this coming. In fact, we predicted it. This prediction was not based on our personal beliefs regarding Officer Yanez’ guilt or innocence, but rather it was based off our personal experience with the criminal justice system in Minnesota. As insiders of the...
What Would Happen if Tiger Woods’ DWI Arrest Occurred in Minnesota?
Early Monday morning, police officers in Jupiter Florida found a vehicle occupied by golf legend Tiger Woods parked on the side of the road with the engine running, the brake lights on, and a right turn signal blinking. The officers observed that two tires were flat...
Criminal Penalties for Marijuana in Minnesota
Criminal Penalties for Marijuana in Minnesota Update: As of August 1, 2023, possession of up to 2 oz. of marijuana for personal use is legal in Minnesota. As a result, some of the following information may be inaccurate. For more information on the updated marijuana...
Assault in Minnesota
Posted: November 16, 2015 Welcome back to the Sieben Edmunds PLLC Criminal Defense Blog Series! In our second installment we will take a closer look at assault and domestic assault crimes in Minnesota. These are serious charges that are very fact specific. Read...
What happens when I am charged with a crime?
Posted: November 5, 2015 Welcome to the first installment of the Sieben Edmunds PLLC Criminal Defense Blog Series! This blog post will focus on what happens in a typical criminal case. Types of Offenses The process that occurs after being charged with a crime can vary...
S|E DWI Blog #10 – Remote Electronic Alcohol Monitoring
Posted: October 11, 2015 Technological advances have made the imposition of conditions of release and sentencing more flexible. In a DWI case, a judge may order a defendant to comply with certain conditions during pretrial release or as part of sentencing. A common...
S|E DWI Blog #9 – DWI Aggravating Factors
Posted: October 8, 2015 In Minnesota there are varying degrees of driving while impaired (DWI) offenses. An individual can be charged with a DWI for operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration that is .08 or over. If “aggravating factors” are present, then...
Help! I’m in custody–DWI Conditional Release
If you’re in custody for a DWI, one thing you’re probably thinking is “How do I get out of jail?!” A judge can consider a number of factors before releasing you from custody. The court must set bail or impose conditions of release that you must follow while your case...
S|E DWI Blog #7 – Underage drinking & driving in Minnesota
Posted: September 18, 2015 Underage drinking is a nationwide problem that can lead to devastating consequences. According to the Mayo Clinic, underage drinking often leads to alcohol-related accidents, increased sexual activity, problems at school, alcoholism, and an...
S|E DWI Blog #6 – Limited Licenses
Posted: September 15, 2015 Commuting to work, dropping children off at school, and running errands are daily occurrences in most people's lives. Without a license, accomplishing these tasks can be incredibly difficult. Fortunately, there is an option for getting your...
S|E DWI Blog #5 – Minnesota Ignition Interlock Program
Posted: September 10, 2015 One of the consequences of getting a DWI is losing your driving privileges. Most people are drastically unprepared to lose their license. Daily obligations continue after a DWI; people still need to commute to work or drop children off at...
S|E DWI Blog #4 – DWI Defenses – A Primer
Posted: September 1, 2015 We'll continue our discussion of DWI defenses in this week's Sieben|Edmunds DWI Blog series. In our last blog post, we discussed the affirmative defense of necessity. The governor and legislature responded to Axelberg by permitting the...
S|E DWI Blog #3 – DWI Necessity Defense in License Revocation Challenges
Posted: August 25, 2015 The Sieben Edmunds DWI Blog Series is back at it again! In our third installment, we’ll talk about the DWI necessity defense. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, necessity is “a justification defense for a person who acts in an emergency that...
S|E DWI Blog #2 – DWI Vehicle Forfeiture Option for Innocent Owners
Posted: August 13, 2015 Welcome to the second installment of the Sieben Edmunds DWI Blog Series! We'll take a closer look at what an innocent owner, who did not commit a DWI offense, can do to get their vehicle back after it has been seized. The state is permitted to...