This is an example letter demanding a landlord return a former tenant‘s security deposit. For more demand letters, see the Minnesota Demand Letters page. Letter Template Sent by U.S. Mail [DATE] [LANDLORD] [STREET ADDRESS] [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP] Re: [FORMER TENANT] & Your Violations of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 504B Dear [LANDLORD] This firm represents [FORMER TENANT]…
The following posts give examples of demand letters used in the collection of debts. The examples are intended only as a reference and should not be used without first consulting with an experienced collections attorney. Example Demand Letters Example Written Demand for Payment of Overtime Wages Not Paid Example Written Demand for Return of Renter’s…
Between 1985 and 2005, Minnesota’s population increased by approximately 23 percent.20 During that same period of time, the crime rate dropped by about 19 percent.21 Even with a fairly stable population growth and a declining crime rate, the number of felons sentenced increased dramatically, by 148 percent over those 20 years.22 Minnesota’s prison population saw…
Instructions for Preparing Disclosure Documents The Rule specifies how the disclosures are to be prepared, what additional information may and may not be included, and what records franchisors must maintain. Use of “Plain English” The amended Rule requires franchisors to disclose all specified, material information clearly, legibly, and concisely in a single document using plain…
Age Discrimination Settlement Agreements Employers who are terminating the employment of older employees often enter into settlement agreements with these employees in which the employer provides benefits to the employee in return for the employee’s release of his or her claims against the employer. The release usually focuses on waiving rights that the employee may…
Minnesota Law Minnesota law protects individuals who have attained the age of majority (18) from discrimination in the workplace based on age. Federal law, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), protects persons age 40 or older from age discrimination by employers with 20 or more employees. An employer who is not covered by ADEA…
MN Law | Minnesota Human Rights Act Under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (which generally applies to employers with one or more employees), individuals with a disability are protected from discrimination in employment. A disabled person is one who has a physical, sensory or mental impairment that materially limits one or more major life activities,…
Minnesota was one of the first states to adopt a structured sentencing system. Since 1980, the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission (MSGC) has published guidelines that determine the presumptive sentence for felony convictions. The guidelines are updated annually, and the current version—effective August 1, 2025—governs sentences for felonies committed on or after that date. This article…
Data on Domestic Abuse Act petitions All data collected, created, received, or maintained by law enforcement agencies and courts under the Domestic Abuse Act is confidential until the temporary OFP is executed or served on the respondent/data subject. Minn. Stat. § 13.80. Data Collected in Domestic Abuse Investigation The report that is prepared as part…
Custody and Visitation Marriage Dissolution Petition A petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation must allege whether an OFP that governs the parties or a party and a minor child of the parties is in effect and, if so, the district court or similar jurisdiction in which it was entered. Minn. Stat. § 518.10….
Restrictions on firearm possession in cases of domestic assault. No person who has been convicted of domestic assault in Minnesota or elsewhere or of violating a domestic abuse OFP may possess a pistol unless three years have elapsed since the date of conviction and, during that time, the person has not been convicted of any…
Admissibility of similar conduct evidence. Evidence of similar conduct by the accused against the victim of domestic abuse, or against other family or household members, is admissible in court unless the probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issue, or misleading the jury; or by considerations of undue…
How is Child Support Typically Paid? The Minnesota Child Support Payment Center, a centralized unit run by DHS, must be used to collect and disburse support payments in all IV-D cases. Again, IV-D cases include when the obligee receives or has received public assistance or when the obligor or obligee has applied for support enforcement…
A child support order amount may change through a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or a modification. Arrearages may also affect the monthly support payment. COLA Every child support order entered since 1983 must include a biennial COLA that is compounded. Orders entered before 1983 had to have a COLA added whenever an enforcement or modification action…
Potential income If a parent is voluntarily unemployed, underemployed, employed less than full-time, or there is no direct evidence of income, the court must calculate child support based on potential income of that parent. The court will determine potential income by imputing income based on the parent’s probable earnings based on employment potential, recent work…
As previously stated, child support is ordered by a district court judge, district court referee, or child support magistrate. Child support magistrates preside over IV-D cases only (again, cases where the county is involved because the obligee receives public assistance or the obligor or obligee asks the county for child support enforcement services). Non-IV-D cases…
Each applicant pays a $25 application fee when requesting child support services from the county agency. If the applicant receives public assistance, the fee is not required. If the county provides full child support services to an obligee, the obligee will be charged a cost recovery fee of 2 percent of the amount of child…
Federal Government Minnesota Statutes have long provided for child support orders in cases where parents separate, divorce, or have never married. In 1975, the federal government also became involved in this issue. Congress enacted laws aimed at establishing uniformity and setting minimum standards in state child support enforcement systems. The goal was to reduce the…
Replevin is an action to return goods that are wrongfully held by another person or party.
One of the main sources of confusion for many family law clients is the legal distinction between “sole” and “joint” custody and between “legal” and “physical” custody. For many people, “having custody” of a child simply refers to being the parent who is primarily responsible for raising the child. This conceptual notion typically involves a…
Need help? Contact a criminal defense attorney. The general rule is that a statute of limitations begins to run when a crime is complete.16 A crime is complete when every element of the offense is satisfied.17 “Absent a statute providing otherwise, a period of limitation runs without interruption from the time the offense is committed…
Pretrial bail evaluation The local corrections department, or its designee, must conduct a pretrial bail evaluation of each defendant arrested and detained for committing a crime of violence, a gross misdemeanor fifth-degree assault or domestic assault crime, or a nonfelony violation of an OFP or harassment restraining order or harassment, fourth-degree assault, or fifth-degree criminal…
Need help? Contact a criminal defense attorney. Criminal Statute of Limitations (Minn. Stat. § 628.26) Any crime resulting in the death of the victim No statute of limitation Kidnapping No statute of limitation Labor trafficking if the victim was under the age of 18 No statute of limitation Sex offense (first, second, or third degree)…
Warrantless arrest A peace officer may arrest a person anywhere without a warrant, including at the person’s residence, if the peace officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed domestic abuse within the preceding 12 hours. The arrest may be made even though the domestic abuse did not take place in the…
Need help? Contact a criminal defense attorney. Violation of an OFP Minnesota law provides misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony penalties for a violation of an OFP issued under the Domestic Abuse Act or under a similar law of another state, the District of Columbia, tribal lands, or U.S. territories. In addition, any violation of an…
Court-ordered program If the court stays imposition or execution of a sentence for a domestic abuse offense and places the offender on probation, the court must order that the offender participate in and successfully complete a domestic abuse counseling program or educational program as a condition of the stayed sentence. Minn. Stat. § 518B.02. Standards…
Ensure Compliance with Wage and Hour Laws When Hiring Teens for Summer Positions As you hire teens for summer positions, it’s crucial to ensure compliance with wage and hour laws. Join them on May 21 for a free webinar about child labor laws and tips to keep teen workers safe. Here’s an overview of some…
Petition for relief A petition for relief under the Domestic Abuse Act is known as a petition for an OFP in cases of domestic abuse. A petition for relief may be made by any family or household member. In the case of a minor, the petition may be made by a family or household member…
Minnesota’s Domestic Abuse Act (chapter 518B) provides an action for an order for protection (OFP) in cases of domestic abuse; describes the relief available in OFP proceedings; establishes procedures for OFP proceedings; and contains the penalties for violation of an OFP. The provisions of Minnesota’s Domestic Abuse Act apply to OFPs issued under the Domestic…
The following series of posts provides an overview of Minnesota’s criminal statute of limitations. If you are not interested in solely criminal law, you may want to learn more about Minnesota statute of limitation law in general. These sections provide an overview criminal statute of limitations law in Minnesota: Policy Considerations Current Limitations Periods Practical…