Hello and welcome to Minnesota Trial Evidence. This site will provide articles focused on the application of rules of evidence, including the Minnesota Rules of Evidence, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and occasionally for purpose of comparison, the rules of evidence from other states. Content will discuss new case law, evidence law in the news, and basic evidentiary principles. Articles will also periodically discuss constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, and how violations of those rights can lead to the exclusion of evidence in criminal trials. Context for new appellate decisions will be offered by referencing the basic rules or previous rulings, allowing a more complete understanding of the significance of the new law. It is the goal of this site to provide regular content to assist Minnesota trial attorneys in staying up to date on evidentiary rulings, working through the application of a particular rule, or finding other attorneys who have dealt with similar evidentiary issues.
As the author of this site, it is my goal to provide well-organized, thorough, up-to-date information about evidence law developments in Minnesota courts and occasionally from other jurisdictions, while keeping content manageable for readers. While I have always had a zest for evidence law, I did not begin this endeavor as an expert in this area. I will be expanding and sharpening my base knowledge along with readers. I encourage comments from anyone who has questions or something to add to a particular topic. Recognizing that the format of a blog does not generally support protracted analysis, and that readers of blog content desire articles that are short and easily digestible, I acknowledge that each post cannot provide all the intricacies of a particular rule. It is my goal for this site to become another tool in the trial attorney’s belt, not to replace careful research or examination of the case law, but to bring developments to light that may be relevant to an attorney’s practice, allowing that attorney to add the basic information to memory to be revisited as necessary. I hope that the content provided here and the community developed around this area of interest will serve trial attorneys by making knowledge of this area of law less of a burden to maintain.
Thank you for visiting. I hope that you find the information provided here to be useful, and that you return often.
Best regards,
Lynn Schmidt Walters
(photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31119160@N06/6961676940/)