Family Law

Subscribe to Family Law

In Minnesota, "family law" involves a multitude of practice areas, including divorce, custody, child support, paternity, grandparent rights, adoption, prenuptial agreements and domestic abuse. Some counties have a separate and distinct family court, while other counties do not.

Grandparents may be valued members of Minnesota families, but many are surprised to discover their rights restricted when the parents of their grandchildren divorce, separate, or pass away. Visitation is by no means guaranteed, but Minnesota grandparents can petition local courts for the right to spend time with their grandchildren. When determining custody and visitation rights, Minnesota courts emphasize children’s best interests. Courts will not award visitation if time spent with grandparents is deemed potentially harmful for children already suffering the fallout of divorce. When visitation is clearly in the child’s best interests, however, such arrangements are well within reach.…

Continue Reading Grandparents Rights in Minnesota: What You Need to Know

A criminal record can make it difficult to find employment and housing in Minnesota. Thankfully, the state provides a process for limiting access to criminal history. Known as expungement, this option involves the sealing of specific court records. As local courts emphasize, expunged records are not destroyed. Police officers and other public officials retain access after records have been expunged. However, expungement remains a valuable option for Minnesota residents in search of a fresh start.…

Continue Reading Criminal Expungement in Minnesota: Need to Know Basics

It’s only natural to feel panicked or anxious after being charged with a crime. In the midst of such stress, it’s important to keep a clear head and move forward in a proactive, but cautious manner. This all begins with getting out of jail. Once you’ve emerged from this stressful environment, you can shift your focus to your criminal case. Read on to learn more about the process of making bail and getting out of jail in Minnesota.…

Continue Reading Charged With a Crime? Options For Getting Out of Jail

If you have a case pending in a Minnesota state court, you may wonder how you can access case information? Do you need to go to the courthouse and make a request in person? The answer is yes and no. While some sensitive case information may only be available through public access terminals located at each Minnesota state courthouse, you can also access a great deal of case information online. In this article, we’ll discuss the types of cases and information available and the cost for accessing case information.…

Continue Reading How Can I Access Minnesota Court Case Information?

Minnesota’s judicial system handles a vast family caseload involving everything from custody and parenting time to financial concerns. In an effort to expedite the resolution process, the state maintains an option known as early neutral evaluation. Designed in hopes of facilitating a mutually beneficial outcome, ENE may allow involved parties to avoid the most time-consuming and stressful elements of the divorce process.…

Continue Reading Minnesota’s Early Neutral Evaluation Process

According to the Department of Human Resources, Minnesota’s many counties and tribes receive over 18,000 reports of abuse and neglect every year. Multiple processes are available for handling these reports and resolving the complications that underlie them. Most cases are settled through Minnesota’s Family Assessment Response, but a small subset warrants a full-on investigation, as we explain below:…

Continue Reading Family Investigations: How Do Abuse or Neglect Reports Work?

Childbirth is a highly anticipated occasion for most Minnesota parents, but not all children are joyously welcomed into the world. Some newborns are promptly abandoned — and at this vulnerable stage of life, even brief abandonment can prove deadly. Thankfully, the state of Minnesota has enacted a program designed to address this issue. Known as…

Foster parenting is a worthwhile endeavor in any state, but this rewarding experience is especially worth pursuing in Minnesota, where it is strongly encouraged through financial and social support. It’s a popular option among those who yearn to care for children but cannot afford or are otherwise unwilling to go through with the adoption process. It’s critical, however, that prospective foster parents know exactly what they’re getting into — which is why we’ve highlighted the basics of foster parenting in Minnesota below:…

Continue Reading The Minnesota Foster Care System 101