Areas of Practice
Margoles & Margoles has earned a distinguished reputation for skillfully defending clients in sexual offense cases across Minnesota. Our innovative defense strategies challenge both the alleged evidence and the way police obtained that evidence.
Alan Margoles and Michelle Margoles offer a unique advantage with their combined expertise in sex offense litigation. A male and female attorney team enhances their ability to relate to juries.
Margoles & Margoles have been leaders in defending clients against sex offense cases for over 40 years. Anyone charged with criminal sexual conduct offenses, of any kind, must have an attorney who only practices in criminal law. Margoles & Margoles focuses exclusively in criminal defense cases.
Types of Offenses We Defend
- Criminal Sexual Conduct (1st – 5th degrees)
- Child Pornography
- Prostitution and Solicitation
- Indecent Exposure and Conduct
- Interference with Privacy
- Predatory Offender Registration Violations
Vigorous Defense Against All Charges
A conviction for any of these charges can result in severe penalties, including prison time, mandatory predatory offender registration, extensive treatment, and internet restrictions. We understand the nuances of these cases, defending against allegations with precision and care.
Even first-time offenses of indecent conduct carry significant repercussions, affecting employment, housing, education, and social standing. Our proactive defense aims to mitigate these impacts while safeguarding our clients' rights.
Vigorous Defense Against False Allegations
Many assault charges stem from false accusations or situations where self-defense is justified. We understand the complexities and motivations behind such false allegations and vigorously defend your innocence. At Margoles & Margoles, we advocate for you. Contact us today to discuss how we can defend you against allegations and protect your future.
Impact Beyond Criminal Records
The impact of an actual assault conviction extends beyond any judge's sentence. Domestic assault allegations alone, whether true or false, can escalate quickly, leading to job loss, custody challenges, and family turmoil. We approach each case with a commitment to resolving misunderstandings and moving forward with life. Our goal is to safeguard your rights and restore your family's stability.
At Margoles & Margoles, we advocate for you. Contact us today to discuss how we can defend you against allegations and protect your future.
First-Degree Murder Defense
First-degree murder charges, often involving intentional and premeditated actions, demand a seasoned trial defense. Margoles & Margoles brings extensive experience defending many individuals, including high-profile cases like the "Craigslist Killer." We navigate these complex cases with precision, aiming for acquittal or reduced charges.
Advocacy in High-Stakes Cases
Margoles & Margoles's track record includes successful defenses in murder trials. Their strategic defenses in murder cases have resulted in several acquittals, including the charges of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer.
Varied Homicide Charges
Second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter charges encompass a range of scenarios, from unintentional deaths during felonies to acts of passion. Our firm provides robust defense strategies tailored to each unique circumstance, aiming to mitigate consequences and safeguard our clients' futures.
Criminal Vehicular Homicide & Operation Defense
Criminal vehicular operation charges arise from reckless or impaired driving resulting in injury, ranging from a gross misdemeanor to a felony. In cases where these actions lead to death, the charge escalates to criminal vehicular homicide. Margoles & Margoles has successfully defended numerous clients facing these challenging charges, recognizing the profound impact on both victims' families and the accused.
Our firm advocates for your rights from the outset. It is vitally important to consult with an attorney before speaking with law enforcement. Let us, with a network of skilled experts, investigators, psychologists, chemists, and more, ensure a thorough preparation and defense right away.
At Margoles & Margoles, we handle a wide range of drug-related cases. We understand the significant impact these charges can have on your future, affecting everything from employment opportunities to housing and reputation. Whether you face charges for possession, sale, or trafficking of drugs, our experienced attorneys are here to protect your rights and provide a the best strategy.
Drug possession to Drug possession and sale
Drug possession charges can arise from various circumstances, including addiction, self-medication for physical or mental health issues, or simply being in possession of controlled substances. Our legal team is adept at navigating the complexities of these cases, ensuring your rights are protected, and exploring all defense options available under the law.
Even in cases where guilt seems apparent, our attorneys leverage specialized statutes and diversion programs to minimize the impact on your criminal record. Whether through stays of adjudication under Minn. Stat. § 152.18 or other legal avenues, we strive to secure favorable outcomes for our clients and safeguard their future opportunities to Even in cases where guilt seems apparent, and the search by law enforcement was legal, our attorneys leverage specialized statutes and diversion programs to minimize the impact on your criminal record. Whether through stays of adjudication under Minn. Stat. § 152.18, continuance for dismissal, automatic expungement, or other legal avenues, we strive to secure favorable outcomes for our clients and safeguard their future opportunities.
Suppressing Evidence on Constitutional Grounds
Our attorneys have found that law enforcement many times violates our clients’ constitutional rights in their attempt to arrest them. We have successfully obtained dismissals of all charges by showing that the officers’ search and seizure or arrest of our client were unconstitutional.
Why You Need Legal Representation
Whether facing misdemeanor or felony marijuana charges, it is crucial to have competent legal representation. A conviction, even for minor offenses, can lead to serious consequences, including driver's license issues, employment challenges, and more. Our attorneys provide the advocacy and guidance needed to navigate the complexities of marijuana-related legal proceedings.
Defense Against Theft Charges
A theft conviction can have devastating repercussions on your reputation and future employment opportunities. Whether facing allegations of shoplifting or more serious offenses like burglary, embezzlement, fraud, or identity theft, our skilled defense team is dedicated to protecting your rights and securing the best possible outcome for your case.
Remove Clearing Your Record With Expungement
If you have a theft conviction on your record, we offer strategies to prevent it from affecting your future. From seeking dismissal of charges to pursuing expungement orders, our team works to seal your records and preserve your reputation.
Clearing Your Record With Expungement
If you have a theft conviction on your record, we offer strategies to prevent it from affecting your future. From seeking dismissal of charges to pursuing expungement orders, our team works to seal your records and preserve your reputation.
Serious Theft Offenses
Facing felony theft or burglary charges can lead to severe consequences, including prison sentences and restrictions on firearm possession. Our attorneys meticulously review evidence and vigorously defend your rights throughout the legal process, aiming for acquittal or reduced penalties.
Change Pursuing a Fresh Start to Expungement: Pursuing a Fresh Start
Change Everyone deserves a second chance. If you're ready to move forward from past mistakes, our attorneys can guide you through the expungement process, providing the legal support needed to secure a fresh start to Everyone deserves a second chance. If you already have a theft record and you're ready to move forward from past mistakes, our attorneys can guide you through the expungement process, providing the legal support needed to secure a fresh start.
Driving While Under the Influence (DWI / DUI) is a serious charge that will affect both the person’s freedom and their right to drive. A DWI/DUI charge can be based upon the intake of alcohol, illegal drugs, marijuana, or even valid prescription medication.
Criminal Charges
There are three somewhat confusing aspects to these charges. First, there are the criminal charges, that can range from a misdemeanor to a felony with mandatory prison terms. The criminal charges and punishment are enhanced by the number of priors, so defending a person in his or her first DWI/DUI charge is vitally important.
Implied Consent
The second aspect is the administrative revocation of a person’s driver’s license, called the Implied Consent process. This revocation must be challenged right away or the driver’s ability to contest it in the future will be automatically lost along with his or her license.
Vehicle Forfeiture
The third aspect is forfeiture of the motor vehicle based upon a DWI/DUI conviction. Again, failure to challenge the seizure of the motor vehicle right away, many times even before criminal charges are filed, will automatically result in loss of the driver's vehicle.
Protect Your Future, Your License and Your Assets
There is no such thing as “just a DWI.” Even misdemeanor DWIs have serious consequences far into the future. Once you are charged with DWI and your license is revoked, you will soon encounter gigantic fees you must pay, including several hundred dollars in driver’s license reinstatement fees, the cost of any required treatment or educations classes, and the increased auto insurance premiums. This may be in addition to the loss of a motor vehicle after its seizure.
If you have a Commercial Driver’s License, one misdemeanor DWI will revoke your CDL and put your livelihood in jeopardy.
If this is your second or subsequent DWI, you may be facing mandatory jail time. However, there are ways that we have kept our clients out of jail, even if they are repeat DWI offenders.
Contact us today if you have been arrested for DWI / DUI.
Other Traffic Offenses
If you are facing a traffic offense that you want to challenge for purposes of preserving your driving and criminal record, preventing loss of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or a standard driver’s license, for purposes of keeping your job, or simply to try and keep your insurance premiums down, contact us right away. Whether the individual traffic violation is serious or minor in nature, it can leave a permanent mark on your record, insurance, and employment. Contact us right away to talk about how we can help you challenge your traffic violation.
If you were involved in an vehicle accident that caused the death or injury of another person, you can be charged with criminal vehicular homicide or criminal vehicular operation. Convictions in these cases can result in lengthy prison sentences, permanent criminal and driving records, loss of driving privileges, heavy fines and restitution costs, among other requirements.
Michelle Margoles & Alan Margoles have successfully represented numerous clients charged with criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation, including those who had a blood-alcohol levels over the legal limit, those who had drugs in their system, or those accused of driving with gross negligence at the time of the accident. We have worked with Accident Reconstruction Experts to challenge the prosecution’s claim of gross negligence.
Call Margoles & Margoles right away to defend and protect you or a loved one against these serious charges.
Transforming Your Future With Expungement
Change At Margoles & Margoles, we understand the importance of expungement in securing your future to Expungement is a process of sealing your criminal records from employment background checks and public view. Expungement can make you employable again.
Even if you had an assault or theft case is dismissed, records can still be accessed through public courthouse computers and governmental agencies. Expungement is essential to fully sealing these records, preventing future employers and others from uncovering dismissed charges. It's important to note that opposition to expungement from prosecutors and governmental agencies, such as the Department of Human Resources, is common. For this reason, is especially important to have an attorney representing you through the expungement process if you are seeking employment in education, nursing, and CNA or home health care assistance, or working with children or vulnerable adults.
Change Statutory Expungement
Statutory expungement offers a comprehensive sealing of court and government agency records, including those held by the FBI, BCA, and local law enforcement. This process ensures that your past convictions are effectively hidden from public view, providing a fresh start for your personal and professional lives.
Judicial Expungement
For cases not eligible for statutory expungement, judicial expungement under inherent authority allows court records to be sealed, though executive branch agency records remain accessible. Our attorneys navigate these complexities to find the best path forward for clearing your record to Two Types of Expungement Statutory expungement offers a comprehensive sealing of court and government agency records, including those held by the FBI, BCA, and local law enforcement. This process ensures that your past convictions are effectively hidden from public view, providing a fresh start for your personal and professional lives. For cases not eligible for statutory expungement, judicial expungement under the inherent authority of the court allows judicial records to be sealed. Unfortunately, executive branch agency records remain accessible. We endeavor to get a person complete expungement of all records whenever possible.
Now Is the Time to Act
Minnesota expungement laws have recently been expanded. Now is the time to file a petition.
If you are charged with a firearms offense, there are many possible defenses to these charges.
Fourth Amendment Challenges
We have been very successful in defending clients against firearms charges, including pre-trial dismissals based upon illegal searches and seizures.
Second Amendment Challenges
Additionally, based upon recent United States Supreme Court decisions in Second Amendment cases, the firearms laws upon which you are charged may be unconstitutional. Firearms law is a currently evolving area and some Ineligible Person to Possess cases should be dismissed.
Firearm Rights Restoration
If you are currently ineligible to possess firearms by virtue of a prior conviction or other statutory ineligibility, we can help you get your rights back. We have successfully assisted many clients in petitioning the Court to reinstate their right to possess, use, and sell firearms, even when the prior conviction was a violent felony. Contact us today to start getting your rights back.
Understanding the Need for Expungement After Case Dismissal
Even if your case has been dismissed by the court, your original charges and associated documents remain accessible to the public through courthouse computers. Law enforcement agencies like the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and other government bodies also retain records on file. The only way to seal these records from public view is through an expungement.
Seek Expert Legal Representation
For expert legal representation and consultation, contact Margoles & Margoles today. Our attorneys are ready to assist you with your legal needs and provide personalized guidance.