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Keyser Law Firm is dedicated to providing Minnesotans with the most current updates and informative articles on criminal and immigration law. Read our blog and visit us on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of the latest legal trends and changes affecting your case.

Criminal Attorney Minnesota - What You Need To Ensure Your Legal Rights Are Protected

6 April, 2011

Don’t just assume that because the law is “the law” that your rights will automatically be protected. In fact, those within the legal system are human and make mistakes while others tend to take their position of authority for granted by not always following the law. This can compromise your case and give you no opportunity for a fair trial. A criminal attorney in Minnesota is the only way that you can be sure your rights will be protected.

When you hire a criminal attorney in Minnesota he will first review your case, speak with witnesses and the arresting officer to ensure that everything was done properly and that your legal rights were been protected. At Keyser Law Firm we work hard to make sure you get all of the rights you are entitled to and aggressively pursue any case where your rights were not considered.

A common scenario where rights are violated is when law enforcement arrests a person for “obstruction legal process.”  Here is some more information on this hot topic:

Obstruction of justice is defined as ‘interfering with any sort of work of the state or federal police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors or other government officials.’ Some of the most common obstruction of justice charges include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Escape
  • Fleeing from a police officer
  • Resisting arrest
  • Witness tampering
  • Interference with a dead body
  • Falsely reporting a crime
  • Warning a subject of police investigation
  • Providing false information to the police
  • Facing Obstruction of Justice Conviction

Each obstruction of justice case is handled on an individual basis and often an obstruction of justice offense will go hand in hand with another offense, such as driving while intoxicated, assault or theft. However, some examples of obstruction of justice charges include a fine of up to $700 and up to 90 days in prison for resisting arrest, a fine of up to $3000 and up to one year in prison for resisting arrest with force, and a fine of up to $10,000 and up to five years in prison for obstruction of justice with risk of bodily harm or injury.

Escape, Fleeing and Resisting Arrest Cases

Obstruction of justice charges may be laid if you escape or attempt to escape while being held by a police officer, escape or attempt to escape while in a security hospital or escape while on pass status of provisional discharge. You could also be charged with obstruction of justice if you attempt to run away or drive away from a police officer during a chase.  Furthermore, if you attempt to fight back against an arrest, either physically or verbally, you could be charged with resisting arrest which can be considered a felony in certain instances. An obstruction of justice conviction can simply add more time and larger fines to other convictions and can often make an already illegal situation much worse.

Tampering with a Police Investigation

There are several instances where you could be accused of tampering with a police investigation. If you have knowledge that someone is being investigated or going to court and you attempt to prevent or impede the investigation through threats, blackmail and other means, then you could be charged with obstruction of justice.

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