The Twin Cities have been under the national spotlight recently in the wake of the death of George Floyd, and in an effort to calm some of the unrest and keep citizens safe, Governor Tim Walz issued a curfew order for Minneapolis and St. Paul.
As of writing, the curfew order has been lifted, so you are free to travel in throughout the Twin Cities as you please without a specific reason, but there’s always the chance it could be reinstated. For those who were ticketed or who want more information about curfew violations, we’ve put this blog together.
Curfew Violation Basics
The curfew that was put in place by Gov. Walz stated that nobody was to be outside their homes from the times of 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. unless they had a legal reason to do so. Legal reasons or exemptions from the curfew include:
- First responders
- Members of the media
- People going to or leaving work
- Individuals seeking emergency care
- Those fleeing a dangerous situation
- The homeless
- Street outreach workers
- People assigned by the Department of Public Safety to assist in deescalation
Anyone who did not meet one of the above designations that was outside their homes could have been charged with a curfew violation. Willful violation of the set curfew order is considered a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines up to $1,000. With most misdemeanor offenses, a monetary fine is typically all you’ll see, but considering the state of the Twin Cities, it would not be surprising to learn that a few of the violators ended up spending time in jail. Needless to say, don’t take a curfew violation lying down.
Instead, consider challenging your case in court. Even if you were knowingly and willfully breaking the curfew order, it will be helpful to have a lawyer by your side to ensure you get a favorable outcome in case you can’t beat the charges. We can oftentimes work with the prosecution to strike a deal or get the charge reduced to a conditional charge, meaning as long as you stay out of trouble or do some community service, you will be able to avoid bigger potential penalties like jail or a large fine.
So while the curfew order has been lifted for the time being, there’s no guarantee that it will be lifted forever, and many of those arrested during the order are currently looking for legal help, and that’s where we come in. We offer a free case review so you can connect with a lawyer and go over your legal options. We also understand that hiring a lawyer needs to make financial sense for you, so we’ll discuss costs and whether it’s in your best interest to contest the charge on your own. We’re here for you in any way we can. For more information or to set up that free strategy session, click here or give us a call at (952) 224-2277.
