Results

Kelly’s client retained her after being charged in Sherburne County with Driving after Revocation and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her client was extremely concerned about immigration consequences of a drug-related offense after working for years to become a citizen. Upon review of her client’s record, it became clear he was also stuck in a vicious cycle of repeat license suspensions due to repeated driving after revocation violations, while at the same time needing to drive to get to work and support his family. Kelly was able to put together a detailed plan for her client to get his driver's license reinstated, and then was able to negotiate the dismissal of pending charges in Kanabec County so no new suspensions or revocations would be added. In Sherburne County, she was able to get the Drug Paraphernalia charge dismissed in exchange for a petty misdemeanor offense that would not be recorded on her client's driving record. The result was that her client was finally eligible to obtain a license after many years of ineligibility, and the cycle of racking up new charges related to driving without a valid license was finally stopped.

Kelly’s juvenile client and his family came to her after being charged in Hennepin County with Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle and Felony Theft for allegedly stealing a motor vehicle and evading police in a pursuit. Kelly reviewed the police report and discovery and found a troubling fact – the sole identification of her client had been made by one police officer from across a parking lot based upon what the officer claimed was prior contact with Kelly’s client. Kelly probed further, making a discovery request for additional details or documentation as to how the officer recognized her client. In response, Kelly was contacted by the prosecutor who told her that all charges were being dismissed.

Kelly’s client, who was convicted in Anoka County of Gross Misdemeanor Electronic Solicitation of a Child, retained her to pursue an expungement. Despite the fact that child solicitation charges are generally difficult to have expunged, Kelly was able to convince the judge to grant a full statutory expungement. Her client, who lost his previous IT jobs due to his conviction and was unable to find a new one due to this conviction, may now apply for his dream job at a regional bank in order to support his family once again.

Kelly’s client applied for a permit to purchase a firearm from the Oakdale Police Department but was denied due to two prior convictions for domestic assault. After reviewing these two convictions, Kelly determined they were not prohibiting offenses under state law because more than three years had elapsed since the convictions, nor federal law because they involved her client’s mother, which is not a “domestic relationship” under federal law. Rather than restore rights, Kelly advised her client the Oakdale Police Department was incorrect in their denial of a permit to purchase, and opted to challenge the denial. Kelly wrote a letter to the police department challenging the denial. Upon review, they reversed their decision and agreed to issue her client a permit to purchase. Her client was grateful to finally resolve and understand an issue that had been the source of confusion for years.

Kelly’s client was arrested in 2007 for Obstruction of Legal Process in Ramsey County. Despite not being charged or convicted, records of the arrest showed up on his FBI criminal background report, causing issues with job searches and international travel. Kelly was able to compel the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Ramsey County Sheriff to remove records of the arrest from their files, which in turn served to have the information removed from the FBI criminal history report.