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In this issue, we're highlighting some of our favorite resources on criminal law. Whether you're a seasoned criminal law attorney or someone trying to navigate the system for the first time, we have resources that can help you understand criminal law and procedure in Minnesota.
Minnesota Misdemeanors
Misdemeanor and traffic-related criminal cases are by far the most common way Minnesotans interact with the criminal justice system. Minnesota Misdemeanors: DWI, Traffic, Criminal, and Ordinance Offenses is an excellent resource for these common criminal issues. This book provides an overview of criminal procedure from arrest and charging through sentencing and appeals and provides detailed information about specific types of offenses.
Minnesota Misdemeanors is available at the Minnesota State Law Library. You can also find a copy at many of the county law libraries around the state.
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Minnesota Judges' Criminal Benchbook
The Minnesota Judges' Criminal Benchbook is another Minnesota-specific resource that covers criminal law and procedure from start to finish. This book is written by judges and lawyers practicing in the area of criminal law and contains short summaries of the law and helpful practice tips. Topics covered include the rights of the accused, evidence, juvenile delinquency, and appeals.
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Other Minnesota-Specific Resources
There are many deadlines and tasks that come up during a typical criminal law case. The LexisNexis Practice Guide: Minnesota Criminal Law is designed for defense attorneys and defendants as a quick answer resource. The book contains short summaries of the law and procedure for each stage of a criminal case in Minnesota and also includes practice strategies and checklists to keep defense teams on track. You will also find sample court forms.
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The Minnesota Practice Series also has a four-volume set of resources on criminal law and procedure. Criminal Law and Procedure is available in print and can be accessed online using the State Law Library's Westlaw Patron Access.
The Minnesota Practice Series is also where you will find Minnesota's Criminal Jury Instructions, which set out the elements a prosecutor must prove in order for a defendant to be convicted of a crime. The State Law Library maintains the older editions of the Jury Instruction Guides, so if you need previous versions, we can help you find those.
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Criminal Resources for Non-Attorneys
In addition to the resources listed above, the State Law Library has a variety of resources on criminal law for people unfamiliar with the criminal justice system. Many of these resources can be found online in our Criminal Law Subject Guide.
We also have resources from Nolo on Criminal Law, including The Criminal Law Handbook and Criminal Law: A Desk Reference. These books are written in plain English and offer easy to follow descriptions of the rights of someone accused of a crime and what to expect in the criminal justice system. While they aren't specific to Minnesota law, they still provide a helpful overview.
If you aren't sure where to start with your research, Ask a Librarian!
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The State Law Library has added several new on-demand CLEs this quarter. New offerings include:
- Appeals from Start to Finish
- Stress, Addiction and Mental Health: An Ethical Perspective
We have also applied for on demand credit for our recent CLE Trust Accounting: The Important Ins and Outs of Compliant Trust Account Recordkeeping. Once it is approved, it will be available on our On-Demand CLE page.
The State Law Library continually acquires new and updated materials for our collection. You can stay up to date on the new arrivals by checking out our New Books Lists. New arrivals are posted every 1-2 months, depending on the number of books to be included in the lists.
You can always search the State Law Library's collection using our online catalog.
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