To save time, money and a lot of stress, personal injury victims rely on mediation to help reach a settlement with an insurance company. Mediation is not a court proceeding and no judge is involved in the settlement negotiations. Instead, both parties choose a neutral person trained in resolving legal conflicts. Mediation is a voluntary...Read More

An unmarried father has few parental rights until the State considers the father to be the child’s “legal” father. Fathers, or those who deny being the father, have a few options to protect their rights: Acknowledge paternity by signing a legal document called a “Recognition of Parentage” (ROP), or Have a judge determine that you...Read More

Inheritance laws offer some protection to spouses, but rarely to unmarried partners, when a will and other estate planning documents do not exist. Even if you’ve drafted a contractual agreement between the two of you regarding disposition of assets, inheritance laws and other biases can affect how a judge or a relative will carry out...Read More

Riding a motorcycle is one of the most thrilling activities for avid bikers. But, it’s also dangerous. Riding itself isn’t dangerous, of course—it’s automobile drivers who most often cause problems when they don’t see you. While you can’t control what drivers do, you can ride defensively to avoid being hit by other negligent drivers. The...Read More

In Minnesota, the police can charge you with criminal assault even if you don’t ever touch another person. While striking some is a clear example of assault, attempting to strike someone can equate to fifth-degree assault. This is true even if you miss and never make physical contact. You can also face charges for criminal...Read More

There is a lot of information out there about how mediation can help you resolve a dispute without going to court. But not everyone understands how it works and why it is a good thing to try before filing a lawsuit. Along with other kinds of alternatives-to-litigation, known as “alternative dispute resolution” (ADR), mediation often...Read More

Going through a divorce after a second go-around can be just as difficult as the first. You’re probably wondering how this can be happening again and worry about your kids, your spouse’s kids, and any children you may have had together. It’s also likely daunting to be thinking about dividing up property and financial obligations....Read More

The most common question an estate planning attorney hears is, “Do I really need a will?” As all lawyers do, we hedge our bets and say, “maybe.” Here’s why: Your particular family and financial circumstances dictate whether you should have a will or whether your wishes would be fulfilled under Minnesota’s intestate laws. These laws...Read More

As spring approaches, bikers are anxious to get back on the road under the warm, blue skies. Unfortunately, as the number of motorcyclists increases on the highways, the number of accidents does as well. Drivers of larger vehicles—who are not used to watching out for cyclists after a long winter—become careless when changing lanes, passing...Read More

In 2016, Minnesota’s implied consent laws went before the United States Supreme Court in the case Bernard v. Minnesota. In short, the Supreme Court was asked to determine whether implied consent to breath tests and blood tests violated an individual’s constitutional rights. What Is Implied Consent? Under Minnesota’s implied consent laws, Minn. Stat. § 169A.51:...Read More