The 48-Hour Rule and MN Domestic Violence

Domestic violence happens in Minnesota as it does in other parts of the country. To help deal with domestic violence issues, Minnesota has created laws on how to intervene in these situations in order to help keep people safe.

Understanding how the state defines domestic violence is the first step. However, it is also necessary to understand your rights if accused so you can ensure your rights are upheld.

Here is what you need to know about domestic violence in Minnesota and how long police can legally hold a person they’ve arrested under suspicion of perpetrating domestic violence.

Domestic violence occurs in Minnesota when someone physically harms or threatens to harm someone in their household or [...]

How Does a MN Order of Protection Restrict Your Rights?

In Minnesota domestic violence cases, orders of protection are typically used to protect the victim from the person accused of committing the domestic violence against them. If the victim feels they are being threatened or may suffer actual abuse, they petition the court for an order of protection.

A hearing is then held where the court decides if the case warrants an order of protection. If they decide that it does, then an order is issued. And while this order serves to protect the victim, it takes away certain rights for the accused that are important to understand.

Here is what you need to know about orders of protection in Minnesota and how, if you are named in one, it [...]

MN Non-Physical Acts That Can Lead to DV Charges

The term domestic violence conjures images in the minds of one person physically abusing another, but that’s not always the case. While physical harm can be done in domestic violence situations, there are other non-physical acts that can lead to charges, as well.

Nonphysical domestic violence acts can leave mental, emotional, and psychological scars on others, and perpetrating it is just as against the law as physical violence is in Minnesota.

Here’s what you need to know about the non-physical acts that can lead to domestic violence charges in Minnesota.

Under Minnesota law, it is illegal for a person to assault, physically harm, or inflict bodily injury on a person in their family or household. However, [...]

Is Stalking Domestic Violence in MN?

You might imagine stalking as an act that requires someone to skulk in the shadows, obsessively watching unsuspecting victims go about their daily lives – so people have been led to believe. The truth is that stalking doesn’t always happen like you’ve seen in the movies, and stalking crimes in real life can take a very different form.

Stalking laws in Minnesota are tough on the crime. On top of being a crime itself, stalking is also considered a form of domestic violence in the state. It’s vital to understand what stalking is and how a person can be found guilty of it in a court of law, as well as the penalties that may be faced.

Does Stalking Count as Domestic Violence in MN?

When people think about stalking, they imagine dark alleys and scared young women being followed by strangers, eventually leading to something terrible occurring. While that Hollywood version of stalking has probably happened somewhere at some time, most stalking crimes are very different from that.

Stalking isn’t a crime that occurs between strangers in a lot of cases. Sure, you may get cases where someone sees someone on social media and begins to stalk them. However, in many cases, the person stalking the other knows them in real life or has been involved with them in some way previously, such as in a romantic relationship.

Minnesota’s stalking laws are very tough on the crime. In many cases, stalking is also considered [...]

How Does Minnesota Divide Assets in a Divorce?

Sometimes, divorce must happen. Coming to the end of your marriage can be a painful process. Not only are their emotions to handle, but the assets you and your spouse have gathered over your marriage that must now be divided – including debt.

If a divorce is on the horizon for you – or you’re thinking of getting married and want to be proactive, just in case – then it’s important to understand how Minnesota divides assets in a divorce. It’s equally as important to understand what you can do to protect yourself should you ever need a divorce. Here’s what you need to know.

In Minnesota, you can try to come to an agreement with [...]

Is Exposing a Child to Domestic Violence Neglect in Minnesota?

It’s not uncommon for criminal law and family law to intersect in Minnesota cases involving domestic violence. When a child is involved, the law is very specific in what kinds of acts constitute neglect of a child. It also further defines how domestic violence and domestic abuse are prosecuted.

If you’re facing child neglect charges that stem from a domestic violence charge, it can be confusing and scary. The important thing is to understand what these charges mean and how the law potentially punishes them. Read on to find out what you need to know.

There are several crimes that can be classed as domestic violence in Minnesota. What police examine to determine if [...]

MN Domestic Violence Protective Orders: Common Conditions

Just as in other states, Minnesota takes threats and violence between members of the same household very seriously – and they take action to protect those who are vulnerable.

Minnesota provides victims of domestic violence with a form of legal protection called an “order for protection”. This order contains many conditions. If you are named as the person against whom the order was issued, violating these conditions can send you to jail.

If you’re not sure what an order for protection is or what it does, then read on to find out more to help you stay within the confines of the law.

When a domestic abuse case is pending between family or household [...]

What Happens When You’re Charged with MN Domestic Assault?

Minnesota has some very tough assault laws on the books, some of the toughest in the entire country. That’s why if you’ve been charged with domestic assault, you may be looking at some serious consequences.

If you’ve been charged with domestic assault, you may have a lot of questions. Here’s what you need to know.

In Minnesota, assault is defined as purposefully inflicting or trying to inflict bodily harm on someone else—or acting in a way that purposefully places them in fear of bodily harm or death. It becomes domestic assault when this is perpetrated against a member of the household or family member.

Family or household members are defined by law to be:

Anyone you

Minnesota Domestic Assault: Misdemeanor or Felony?

Domestic assault is a crime taken very seriously in Minnesota, but there isn’t simply one way it can be committed nor one way it is punished. In fact, the state has a wide range of charges and penalties that can arise from a domestic assault incident.

Here’s what you need to know about domestic assault in Minnesota: what it is, what penalties you can face, and what influences if domestic assault is charged as a misdemeanor or a felony.

In Minnesota, assault is classified as “trying to cause or intentionally cause bodily harm to another person or perpetrating an act for the purpose of placing another person in fear for their life or of bodily harm”.[...]