Congratulations Mark Friese, Criminal Defense Attorney, for receiving the 2023 North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Meritorious Service Coin Award for his contributions to North Dakota drug courts.  Drug Court Coordinator Kristen Keimele nominated Mark in recognition of his service on the East Central Judicial District Adult Drug Court Advisory Board for more than…

Mark Friese was awarded the Richard S. Arnold Award for Distinguished Service at the Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference in Bloomington, Minnesota, on July 14, 2023. The Eighth Circuit Bar Association has presented Richard S. Arnold Awards for Distinguished Service to 10 deserving individuals, one from each judicial district within the Eighth Circuit, since 2010. The…

Bruce Quick, Criminal Defense Attorney in our Fargo office has received the State Bar Association of North Dakota‘s Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is the highest and most prestigious honor given by the Association. The award, which is not given every year, honors a member of the profession who has provided outstanding service…

The Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference will take place July 11 – 14, 2023, at the Radisson Blu Mall of America. This is a full conference for judges and members of the bar. All judges and attorneys are invited to attend the conference sessions. Guests are welcome to all social events. The Judicial Conference will consider the business of the courts and…

By Drew Hushka Can law enforcement order a person to unlock his or her phone or electronic device?  That question has perplexed courts for years.  Generally, a search warrant allows law enforcement to search a device without violating the Fourth Amendment.  But, as countless legal procedurals have informed the public, the Fifth Amendment grants persons…

By Mark A. Friese Fifty years ago, twenty percent of criminal cases went to trial. Estimates today show ninety to ninety-five percent of state court criminal cases are resolved through a process called “plea bargaining.” In federal criminal cases, ninety-seven percent end with a plea of guilty. These startling numbers underscore the reality: certainty in…

By Luke Heck Under both our state and federal constitutions, we have a right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. To be free from an unreasonable search is easy for most individuals to generally understand; law enforcement, absent an exception to this requirement, cannot search you, your house, or your personal belongings without…

In criminal cases, there are “direct” consequences of a guilty plea or conviction. Common direct consequences include fines, court costs, imprisonment, probation, community service, and others. “Collateral consequences” are additional penalties that result from criminal convictions, most often without notice or advance warning. Collateral consequences are typically classified as civil penalties, required by statute. Examples…

Today’s news stories are full of descriptions of mass shooters, many of which are described as having mental illness issues (PTSD, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, etc.). As a Minnesota defense attorney, I am constantly approached by people asking whether the suspect is “going to get away with it” because of a mental illness. The answer to this…

You are stopped by a police officer after leaving your favorite local North Dakota watering hole. The officer tells you he smells the odor of alcohol, inquires about your alcohol consumption, and inevitably wants you to do some field sobriety tests to see if you are “okay” to drive. After those tests, his opinion is…