In response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Minnesota and across the globe, the Minnesota Judicial System has announced that it is postponing mandatory appearances for certain offenses and providing breaks on late fees. These moves have been made in an effort to minimize foot traffic in courthouses to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Changes To The Minnesota Court System
The following changes were instituted earlier this week and will remain in place for at least the next 30 days, according to the director of public affairs for the Minnesota Judicial Branch:
- No person’s driver’s license will be suspended for failing to appear on offenses eligible for driver’s license suspension.
- Minnesota’s court system will stop sending out late penalty notices and will stop assessing late penalties for all citations.
- The Judicial Branch will stop sending past-due payment cases to the Department of Revenue for collections without any adverse impacts to a defendant’s case.
It’s worth noting that other court issues that require financial transactions, like license plate or driver’s license renewals will continue to proceed as normal through Minnesota’s online Court Payment Center.
So while your court case may be impact by the virus, know that this doesn’t mean you should just turn a blind eye to your case. We can still work with clients to ensure their defense is top notch when their case is eventually rescheduled, because a postponement is not a cancellation. These cases and fines are still going to be an issue down the road, so take time to prepare for them as best you can.
We’re available for phone consultations and in-person discussions on a case-by-case basis, so if you have questions or concerns about your court case, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Avery or someone at our firm. Give our office a call today at (952) 224-2277 for more information.
