Criminal Defense in Minnesota

Minnesota uses the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Grid, which plots criminal history score against offense severity to determine presumptive sentences. Defense costs range $2,500-$6,000 for gross misdemeanors to $9,000-$55,000 for felonies. Minnesota classifies offenses as felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanors. The state has active drug court, veterans court, and mental health court programs. Hennepin County has one of the largest public defender offices in the state. Minnesota's police reform legislation following 2020 events significantly impacted law enforcement practices and related legal proceedings.