Trusted criminal defense representation for clients facing charges in Brooklyn Park, MN and across the Twin Cities.
If you’re under investigation or have been charged with a crime in Brooklyn Park, MN, the steps you take next can influence how the case unfolds. A Brooklyn Park, MN criminal defense lawyer can start protecting your interests immediately, from reviewing the evidence to filing motions to negotiating with the prosecutor. At Archambault Criminal Defense, we focus our practice on criminal law and bring 16 years of experience in Minnesota courts to every case we handle.
Criminal Defense Lawyer Brooklyn Park, MN
A criminal defense lawyer is the person standing between you and the state’s prosecution. We push back on the evidence, challenge how it was gathered, raise constitutional issues, and make sure your version of events is heard. That work happens in the courtroom and outside of it. Some cases turn on a motion to suppress filed weeks before trial. Others come down to negotiating with the prosecutor at a pretrial conference.
A Brooklyn Park criminal defense attorney also handles things you might not see coming at first. Sentencing recommendations, probation terms, and whether a conviction can eventually be sealed off your record. We think about each of those at the start of a case, not at the end.
Types of Criminal Defense Cases We Handle in Brooklyn Park
We take on a wide range of criminal matters, from a first citation through serious felony charges. Most of our clients are facing cases in Hennepin or Ramsey County courts. Here are the categories we see most often.
- Assault. Charges in Minnesota range from misdemeanor fifth-degree assault to felony first- and second-degree cases. The defense often turns on intent, identification, and whether the alleged victim’s version of events matches the physical evidence.
- Domestic assault. Cases involving alleged violence against a household or family member. Domestic assault charges trigger no-contact orders that can keep you out of your own home, and resolving the underlying case often means working through that order at the same time.
- Marijuana DWI. Cases involving driving under the influence of cannabis. These cases raise different evidence questions than alcohol DWIs, since marijuana doesn’t have a per se legal limit and the testing methods are less established. We handle traditional alcohol DWI cases as well.
- Drug crime possession. Possession charges for controlled substances, prescription drugs, and paraphernalia. The defense usually starts with how the substance was found and whether the search complied with the Fourth Amendment.
- Theft and property crimes. Shoplifting, theft of services, burglary, criminal damage to property, and similar charges. The charge level depends on the value involved and any prior history, and prior offenses can quickly push a case into felony territory.
- Misdemeanors. Lower-level charges that can still result in jail time, a criminal record, and collateral consequences. People sometimes underestimate misdemeanors, and a permanent record from one can affect employment and housing for years.
- Felonies. Higher-level charges that carry prison exposure, mandatory minimum sentences in some cases, and loss of certain civil rights. These cases require careful pretrial work and full investigation before any plea discussion makes sense.
- Probation violations. Allegations that a person on probation has broken a condition. Violations can result in jail time and the execution of a previously stayed sentence, so they need to be defended carefully.
Why Choose Archambault Criminal Defense for Criminal Defense in Brooklyn Park, MN?
Experience From Both Sides of the Courtroom
Our founder, Derek Archambault, has worked in criminal law for his entire 16-year legal career. The majority of those years were spent as a prosecutor in Minnesota courts. He’s now on the defense side, but his time in the prosecutor’s office gives him a working knowledge of how the state thinks about cases: what prosecutors look for during charging decisions, where they tend to push hard in negotiations, what kinds of weaknesses they’re willing to acknowledge in their files, and what they consider unwinnable. That insight shapes the strategy in every case we take. Our representation runs on a flat fee basis, with the fee due before work starts, so clients know what defense will cost before signing on.
Outcomes We’ve Achieved for Clients
Recent results illustrate what’s possible with the right approach. In one case, a client charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct saw the charges dismissed after we convinced the prosecutor that the conduct was protected speech under the First Amendment. Another client faced a felony criminal damage to property charge involving more than $2,400 in damage. We worked out a resolution that included restitution, five months of probation, and dismissal of the charge. We also represented a client charged with gross misdemeanor second-degree DWI, which carried a 90-day mandatory minimum jail sentence. The case resolved with 30 days of house arrest instead of jail.
Understanding Criminal Defense Cases
Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for Criminal Defense Cases
Minnesota criminal offenses cover a wide spectrum, from petty misdemeanors that result only in a fine to felonies that carry years of prison time. Where a case sits on that spectrum drives almost everything else, including the procedural rights you have, the penalties on the table, and the long-term consequences of a conviction.
The general categories work like this:
- Petty misdemeanors. Non-criminal offenses, usually disposed of through a fine.
- Misdemeanors. The lowest level of criminal offense, with limited jail exposure and probation as a possibility.
- Gross misdemeanors. A middle category with more substantial jail exposure than misdemeanors.
- Felonies. The most serious category, carrying potential prison time and lasting consequences for civil rights.
Defense strategy depends entirely on what kind of case it is. A DWI case might come down to how the officer conducted the traffic stop or the chain of custody on the breath sample. A theft case might come down to identification or value. A felony assault case might come down to witness credibility or a self-defense theory. The strategy isn’t a one-size formula. It comes from looking carefully at what the state has and finding where it falls short.
What Are Important Aspects of a Criminal Defense Case?
A criminal case has a lot of moving parts, but a few aspects tend to drive how things turn out:
- The quality of the evidence and whether the state collected it lawfully.
- Whether the client has a prior criminal history that triggers sentencing enhancements.
- The county where the case is filed and the practices of the local prosecutor’s office.
- The availability of diversion programs or other alternative resolutions.
- The client’s own goals, whether the priority is fighting the case, minimizing exposure, or keeping a conviction off the record.
We work through each of these during the initial review. The best defense in a given case is the one that aligns with what the client actually wants, not what’s easiest on the calendar.
What Is The Criminal Defense Case Timeline?
No two cases follow the exact same timeline, but most of them move through similar stages:
- Initial appearance or arraignment. The first court appearance, where charges are formally read and conditions of release are addressed.
- Discovery. The state turns over its evidence, including police reports, body camera footage, witness statements, and lab reports.
- Motions practice. We file motions challenging the legality of searches, statements, or other aspects of the investigation. Constitutional issues are usually litigated here.
- Pretrial conferences and negotiations. Most cases resolve at this stage through a plea agreement or dismissal.
- Trial. Cases that don’t resolve before trial proceed to a bench or jury trial.
Misdemeanor cases sometimes resolve within a few months. Felony cases can take a year or more, particularly when complex investigative work is involved.
What Should You Bring to Your Criminal Defense Consultation?
Coming to the consultation prepared helps us move faster and give you a more useful read on the case. Bring:
- The complaint, citation, or any charging document you’ve received.
- Anything you got from law enforcement, including reports, property receipts, or notices.
- Conditions of release or no-contact order paperwork.
- Names of witnesses or people involved, with contact information if you have it.
- Your own notes about what happened and when.
The initial consultation is free. We use it to look at the charges, talk through what you’re facing, and discuss what a defense would look like.
What Are Important Minnesota Legal Resources for Criminal Defense Cases?
Clients who want to do their own research on Minnesota criminal law have several official sources to work from. The information at these sites won’t replace legal advice on the specific facts of your case, but it can give you background on how the system operates.
- The Minnesota Statutes include the full text of the state’s criminal code, with felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses defined in Chapter 609.
- The Minnesota Judicial Branch website provides court forms, hearing schedules, and general information about how cases move through the courts.
- The Sentencing Guidelines Commission publishes the felony sentencing grid that judges use as a starting point in serious cases.
- The Judicial Branch also maintains information about public defender services for clients who qualify financially.
These sites can help you understand the framework, but they aren’t tailored to your specific situation. A lawyer can walk you through how the framework applies to the facts you’re dealing with.
Reach Out to Archambault Criminal Defense to Schedule a Consultation
If you’re facing criminal charges, the sooner you have a lawyer involved, the more options you’ll have. We offer free initial consultations and handle cases on a flat fee basis, with the cost spelled out before any work begins. Contact us to talk about your case with a Brooklyn Park, MN criminal defense attorney.
