Artificial intelligence is now a routine part of legal research—but courts are making it equally clear that delegating judgment to AI is not an option. Sanctions, fee-shifting, disciplinary referrals, and reputational damage are no longer theoretical risks when hallucinated cases or fake citations find their way into filings.
The problem is not that AI is “too powerful.” The problem is that it must be supervised like any untested expert witness.
Martine Law Firm Training Update 26-01 introduces a simple, courtroom-tested solution:
Cross-Examine the AI before you rely on it or cite it.
This update provides a practical, lawyer-friendly framework for using AI safely and effectively in legal research, including:
A three-phase protocol (Prepare → Interrogate → Verify) for supervising AI-assisted research
A cross-examination checklist to expose uncertainty, weak assumptions, and fabricated authority
Ready-to-copy prompts that force reasoning, demand sources, and build a real verification pathway
Clear guidance on why this is now an ethics and competence issue, not merely a best practice
Used properly, AI can function like a fast, tireless junior associate. Used improperly, it can become a professional liability. This update is designed to help you capture the speed benefits of AI—without inheriting polished nonsense.
If you find this update helpful, please consider forwarding it to colleagues or staff who may benefit from it. And if you haven’t already, visit the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website to subscribe and receive future updates directly.
Special Thanks to Martine Law attorneys Rhiley O’Rourke, Cynthia Smith, Lizzy Cavanaugh, Tyler Martin, Ariana Wright, Dr. Charlene Evans-Smith, and Makayla Stromgen (certified student attorney) for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence, Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base of more than 4,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that Legal Education is the Heart of the Judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
SUBJECT: Martine Law Training Updates – Complete Recap (May–December 2025)
Dear Colleagues,
In the fast-paced worlds of criminal and family law, staying current on legal developments, courtroom procedure, and practical advocacy tools is essential. Since May 2025, the Martine Law Firm has issued eleven training updates covering core areas of Criminal Law, Family Law, Evidence, Procedure, Trial Advocacy, and Professional Well-being.
With new attorneys, judges, and legal professionals joining our distribution list each month, this recap is intended to provide a single, consolidated reference to all eleven updates issued between May and December 2025. Each update is also available on the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website. The most recent updates appear on the home page, while older updates are organized in a subject-matter index, table of contents, and searchable keyword index.
1. Training Update 25-2 (April 27, 2025) Title: Hearsay v. Non-Hearsay: The Fool-Proof Hearsay Test This update introduces a three-step analytical test for determining whether an out-of-court statement is hearsay, beginning with the correct threshold question before turning to exceptions. It also explains the six categories of Rule 801(d) non-hearsay statements with practical examples.
Why it matters: Proper hearsay analysis is foundational to trial practice and essential to avoiding evidentiary error.
2. Training Update 25-3 (June 4, 2025) Title: Crawford v. Washington and the Hearsay Testimonial Rule A follow-up to Update 25-2, this update explains testimonial hearsay under Crawford, Davis, and Krasky, and provides a four-part flowchart and a primary-purpose checklist.
Why it matters: Recognizing testimonial hearsay violations is critical to protecting Sixth Amendment confrontation rights and preserving issues for appeal.
3. Training Update 25-4 (June 22, 2025) Title: Marijuana Odor & Warrantless Vehicle Searches This update analyzes State v. Torgerson (2023) and M.S. 626.223, clarifying that the odor of marijuana alone does not justify a vehicle search. It also provides a practical overview of Minnesota’s marijuana reform laws and open-container statute.
Why it matters: Attorneys must know what conduct is lawful versus criminal to effectively challenge vehicle searches and suppress evidence.
4. Training Update 25-5 (July 7, 2025) Title: Family Law Motions – Ten Basic Rules This foundational update outlines 10 essential rules governing family law motion practice, including service deadlines, affidavit limits, requests for oral testimony, and the 2024 expedited parenting-time hearing requirement under M.S. 518.131.
Why it matters: Failure to follow basic motion rules can result in denied hearings, adverse rulings, and avoidable professional setbacks.
5. Training Update 25-6 (July 14, 2025) Title: Dimler Amendment – Keeping Speeding Tickets Off the Driving Record This update explains the Dimler Amendment (M.S. 171.12, subd. 6) and provides practical strategies for amending low-level speeding violations so they do not appear on a client’s DPS driving record.
Why it matters: Proper application of Dimler can protect clients from insurance consequences and provide leverage in traffic negotiations.
6. Training Update 25-7 (July 21, 2025) Title: Alford Pleas – A Three-Step Guide for Making a Valid Record This update provides a step-by-step guide and in-court script for accepting an Alford plea, ensuring compliance with State v. Theis and related case law.
Why it matters: Alford pleas are closely scrutinized on appeal. A clean record is essential to avoid reversal.
7. Training Update 25-8 (July 28, 2025) Title: The Power of Gratitude: Transforming the Lives and Practices of Attorneys and Judges Addressing the mental-health challenges of the legal profession, this update introduces gratitude as a science-based tool for resilience, perspective, and long-term professional sustainability.
Why it matters: Effective advocacy depends on healthy, resilient lawyers and judges.
8. Training Update 25-9 (August 18, 2025) Title: Prosecutorial Misconduct – The 15 Most Common Categories This update introduces a comprehensive framework that identifies and explains the 15 most common categories of prosecutorial misconduct, with practical examples and guidance on recognizing misconduct in real time and preserving the record.
Why it matters: Properly identified and preserved misconduct can lead to reversals, new trials, or sentencing relief.
9. Training Update 25-10 (November 24, 2025) Title: Judicial & Legal Writing – The Number One Rule for Improvement = CUTTING This update distills effective legal writing down to a single principle: cutting unnecessary words. Using judge-driven examples, it shows how clarity and persuasion improve when verbosity is eliminated.
Why it matters: Judges consistently identify verbosity as a top problem in written submissions.
10. Training Update 25-11 (December 4, 2025) Title: Warrantless Arrests & Detentions – The 36- and 48-Hour Rules Designed as a quick reference guide, this update explains when and how the 36- and 48-hour rules apply following warrantless arrests, including time-calculation charts and common pitfalls.
Why it matters: Violations can result in unlawful detention, release, or suppression issues if identified in time.
11. Training Update 25-12 (December 29, 2025) Title: Norgaard Plea of Guilty – Three Steps to Making a Proper Record This update provides a complete procedural guide and in-court script for accepting a Norgaard plea when a defendant cannot recall the facts due to intoxication or amnesia.
Why it matters: Improperly accepted Norgaard pleas are vulnerable on appeal.
Want to search for past topics? Use the search bar, the Table of Contents, or the Subject Matter Index. New to our list? Welcome aboard — and thank you for your commitment to excellence in legal practice.
If you find this recap helpful, please consider forwarding it to colleagues or staff who may benefit. And if you have not already, visit the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website to subscribe and receive future updates directly.
Special thanks to the Martine Law attorneys and Paralegals who generously contributed their insight and expertise to all past training updates.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base approaching 4,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s belief that legal education is the soul of the judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
Are you confident your Minnesota “unable-to-recall” guilty pleas would survive appellate review?
A Norgaard plea applies when a defendant wants to plead guilty (often for a plea bargain) but can’t recall the events due to intoxication or amnesia—and unlike an Alford plea, the defendant is not claiming innocence.
In this Martine Law Training Update, I break the procedure down into a practical three-step checklist and provide a ready-to-use in-court script that tracks the Norgaard Addendum (Rule 15, Appendix H)—so judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys can make a complete record in real time.
👉 Click below for a print-ready copy of Training Update #25-12 (and keep the in-court script handy for your next plea hearing). Martine Law Training Update #25-12
Attached is our newest Martine Law Training Update, titled: “WARRANTLESS ARRESTS & DETENTIONS: 36 & 48 Hour Rules”
This update focuses on one of the most fundamental — and often misunderstood — aspects of criminal procedure: Minnesota’s 36- and 48-hour rules following an adult defendant’s arrest and continued detention. These rules are not technicalities; they are core constitutional safeguards that every judge and attorney should be able to calculate confidently and explain clearly to clients, law enforcement, and judicial officers.
This update is designed as a “Quick Attorney Reference Guide” and breaks the topic down into three practical questions:
(1) What is the 36-hour rule, and how is the time computed for warrantless arrests vs. arrests on a complaint/warrant?
(2) What is the 48-hour rule under County of Riverside v. McLaughlin and Minn. R. Crim. P. 4.03, and how does it interact with the 36-hour rule?
(3) What are the potential remedies when either rule is violated, including how the Wiberg factors and burdens of proof apply?
To help attorneys quickly calculate the 36- and 48-hour timeframes, this update includes easy-to-read visual charts that walk through real-world arrest scenarios day by day, making the 36- and 48-hour timing questions easy to see at a glance.
My hope is that you will review the attached update, print it or save it where you can reach it quickly, and consider sharing it with colleagues who handle bail, first appearances, or omnibus issues. A solid grasp of the 36- and 48-hour rules not only protects defendants’ rights but also helps judges and practitioners avoid potential violations that can derail otherwise strong cases.
As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for future topics.
Special Thanks to Martine Law attorneys Tyler Martin, Abbey Rostamo, Kalen Best, Jude Jaber, Lizzy Cavanaugh, and Bruno Netto for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base of more than 4,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that Legal Education is the Heart of the Judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
Attached is our newest Martine Law Training Update, titled: “JUDICIAL & LEGAL WRITING: The Number One Rule for Improvement = CUTTING.”
There are many books and articles dedicated to improving legal writing. Unfortunately, in many of these materials, you need an English degree to understand anything past the first paragraph. There is, however, a simple way to dramatically improve any style of legal writing that has nothing to do with dangling participles or misuse of pronouns, etc. Cutting unnecessary words is key to improving your writing.
Judges, attorneys, and other legal practitioners say the same thing about written legal submissions: they are too long. Most “legal writing” resources respond with lectures on grammar, style guides, and terminology that nobody has time to wade through. This Training Update takes a different approach. It focuses on one simple rule that will immediately improve every brief, motion, and email you write: cut unnecessary words.
Drawing on my experience reading thousands of briefs, motions, and emails from attorneys, I walk through concrete, before-and-after examples showing how to turn a bloated paragraph into something short, clear, and persuasive. The Update then breaks legal writing down into three practical levels—the sentence, the paragraph, and the final product—and gives you specific, easy-to-use techniques for each.
If you want your next submission to be easier for a judge to read, understand, and rule on, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the full Training Update and share it with your colleagues and staff. A modest investment of time now will pay off in every brief you file going forward.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base of nearly 4,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that Legal Education is the Heart of the Judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
Attached is our newest Martine Law Training Update, titled: “Prosecutorial Misconduct: 15 Categories Every Attorney and Judge Should Recognize and Avoid”
This is one of the most comprehensive training updates I have produced to date. At 23 pages, it is designed not only as an informative resource but also as a statewide training tool for prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges.
Although this update is titled Prosecutorial Misconduct, the focus is not on labels but on impact. Whether the conduct is characterized as error or misconduct matters less than the effect, because either, when serious enough, can deprive a defendant of a fair trial. Misconduct implies a deliberate or reckless violation; error may reflect an honest mistake. But both threaten the same outcome: injustice.
For that reason, this update does not attempt to parse whether a particular instance should be labeled “misconduct” or “error.” That distinction is best left to the appellate courts. Our focus here is practical: identifying improper prosecutorial conduct in all its forms so trial attorneys can recognize it, object to it, and preserve the issue for review.
The deeper concern, and the reason this update was created, is that these problems are not new. For decades, the Minnesota Supreme Court has made clear that prosecutors are not simply advocates seeking victory, but officers of justice with a duty to safeguard fairness—even when doing so weakens the State’s case. As the Court has long reminded us: “The prosecutor’s interest in a criminal prosecution is not that it shall win a case, but that justice shall be done.”
Despite this clear guidance, the same forms of misconduct continue to appear in trial records with troubling frequency. The problem is not a lack of clarity in the law—the rules are well-established—but a repeating generational pattern. Each new wave of prosecutors, eager to prove themselves in court, repeats the same mistakes made by those before them. The result is a predictable cycle: misconduct occurs, defense counsel objects, trial courts rule, and appellate courts issue yet another opinion restating principles that have been settled for decades. Most of these opinions today are nonprecedential, not because the law is unsettled, but because the errors are the same ones we have seen for generations.
This update is designed to help break that cycle. It sets out the 15 most common categories of prosecutorial misconduct seen in Minnesota courts, illustrated with leading cases, examples, and practice points. Together, these categories form a shared framework for all trial participants—prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges—to recognize misconduct when it occurs, understand its significance, and take corrective action in real-time.
a) Prosecutors can use this update as an internal training tool to ensure advocacy remains effective while still within ethical boundaries.
b)Defense attorneys can use it to recognize misconduct as it occurs, object promptly, and preserve a clean record for appeal.
c) Judges can use it to guide intervention, remembering that the Minnesota Supreme Court has made clear that trial courts also bear responsibility for curbing misconduct—even when counsel fails to object.
The 15 Categories of Misconduct Covered in this Update:
Shifting the Burden of Proof
Injecting Issues Broader Than Guilt or Innocence
Accusing Defendant of Tailoring Testimony
Asking “Were They Lying” Questions
Eliciting Inadmissible Evidence
Misstating the Burden of Proof
Misstating the Presumption of Innocence
Expressing a Personal Opinion – Vouching
Belittling the Defense
Inflaming the Passions of the Jury
Commenting on a Defendant’s Failure to Testify
Misusing Spreigl Evidence
Speculating About Events Absent a Factual Basis
Eliciting Improper or Highly Prejudicial Testimony
Injecting Self into Proceedings: “I,” “We,” “Me”
Importantly, these ethical limits do not require prosecutors to be bland, formulaic, or restrained in their passion. Minnesota courts have repeatedly affirmed that vigorous advocacy is entirely proper—so long as it remains grounded in admissible evidence and accurate law.
I encourage you to read and share this update with your colleagues. Whether you are a prosecutor, defense attorney, or judge, this resource is designed to promote more effective advocacy, fewer repeated mistakes, and a stronger commitment to justice and fairness in every courtroom.
Special Thanks to Martine Law attorneys Luke McClure, Tyler Martin, Abbey Rostamo, and Kalen Best for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
Acknowledgment: This update builds upon training materials first developed in 2005 by then–Assistant Hennepin County Attorneys Michael K. Walz, Jean E. Burdorf, and David C. Brown. Their work laid an important foundation for understanding the nature and scope of prosecutorial misconduct in Minnesota.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base of nearly 4,000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that Legal Education is the Heart of the Judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge alan@xmartinelaw.com
Dear Colleagues, in the fast-paced worlds of criminal and family law, staying current with recent legal developments, courtroom strategies, and practical tools is critical to effective advocacy. With hundreds of new attorneys, judges, and legal professionals joining our training distribution list every month, many may have missed important earlier updates.
To make access easier, this recap summarizes the last seven Martine Law Training Updates (25-2 through 25-8). Each update is available in full on the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website. The most recent five appear on the home page. Older updates are organized in a subject matter index, table of contents, and searchable keyword index. Please explore these resources and share them with others who may benefit.
1. Training Update 25-2 (April 27, 2025)
Title:Hearsay v. Non-Hearsay: The Fool-Proof Hearsay Test This update introduces a 3-step analytical test for determining whether an out-of-court statement is hearsay. It emphasizes starting with the correct legal question — is the statement even hearsay? — before jumping to exceptions. It also outlines the six categories of Rule 801(d) non-hearsay statements and provides practical examples. Why it matters: Avoiding hearsay errors at trial is a critical skill for litigators. This update gives attorneys a simple but powerful tool to analyze any out-of-court statement. [Click here to read Training Update 25-2]
2. Training Update 25-3 (June 4, 2025)
Title:Crawford v. Washington and the Hearsay Testimonial Rule This follow-up to Update 25-2 explains the “testimonial hearsay” rule under Crawford, Davis, and Krasky. It provides a four-part flowchart, primary purpose checklist, and sample motion to exclude testimonial hearsay. Why it matters: Criminal defense attorneys must recognize and challenge testimonial hearsay violations to protect the client’s Sixth Amendment rights and preserve issues for appeal. [Click here to read Training Update 25-3]
3. Training Update 25-4 (June 22, 2025)
Title:Marijuana Odor & Warrantless Vehicle Searches This update breaks down the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling in State v. Torgerson (2023), and the new statute (M.S. 626.223) clarifying that the smell of marijuana alone does not justify a vehicle search. Also included: a practical guide to the 2023 Marijuana Reform Act and the “Open Cannabis Container” law (M.S. 169A.36). Why it matters: Knowing what cannabis-related conduct is lawful vs. criminal is essential to properly challenge searches and suppress evidence. [Click here to read Training Update 25-4]
4. Training Update 25-5 (July 7, 2025)
Title:Family Law Motions – Ten Basic Rules This foundational update outlines ten core rules of family law motion practice, including service deadlines, scope of affidavits, oral testimony requests, GAL appointments, and unsworn attachments. It also highlights the new 2024 statutory requirement for expedited parenting time hearings under M.S. 518.131, Subd. 11. Why it matters: These rules are often overlooked, but failure to follow them can result in canceled hearings, denied motions, or even professional embarrassment. [Click here to read Training Update 25-5]
5. Training Update 25-6 (July 14, 2025)
Title:Dimler Amendment – Keeping Speeding Tickets Off the Driving Record This update explains the application of the “Dimler Amendment” (M.S. 171.12, Subd. 6) which prevents certain low-level speeding violations from appearing on a person’s DPS driving record. It also covers practical strategies for asking for reduced speeds and amending tickets. Why it matters: Understanding Dimler can protect clients from increased insurance rates, and gives defense attorneys negotiating leverage in traffic court. [Click here to read Training Update 25-6]
6. Training Update 25-7 (July 21, 2025)
Title:Alford Pleas: A Three-Step Guide for Making a Valid Record This update provides a complete procedural guide and sample script for accepting an Alford plea, including key questions to ask and how to make an appeal-proof record under State v. Theis and Goulette. Why it matters: Improperly accepted Alford pleas can be reversed on appeal. This update ensures both prosecutors and defense attorneys make a clean, defensible record. [Click here to read Training Update 25-7]
7. Training Update 25-8 (July 28, 2025)
Title:The Power of Gratitude: Transforming the Lives and Practices of Attorneys and Judges Departing from the usual legal topics, this update addresses the mental health crisis in the legal profession and introduces gratitude as a science-backed practice to build resilience, reduce burnout, and foster better professional relationships. Why it matters: Lawyers and judges in high-conflict fields like family and criminal law face extreme stress. This update provides a vital tool for long-term sustainability in the profession. [Click here to read Training Update 25-8]
Want to search for past topics? Use the search bar, the Table of Contents, or the Subject Matter Index. New to our list? Welcome aboard — and thank you for your commitment to excellence in legal practice.
If you find this recap update helpful, please consider forwarding it to colleagues or staff who may benefit from it. And if you haven’t already, visit the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website to subscribe and receive future updates directly.
Special thanks to the Martine Law attorneys and Paralegals who generously contributed their insight and expertise to all past training updates.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base approaching 4000 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that legal education is the soul of the judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
In the high-stakes world of legal practice, mental health challenges are more than just common — they’re statistically alarming. But emerging neuroscience shows that one simple mindset shift can make a measurable difference.
This Training Update explores The Power of Gratitude — not as a soft sentiment, but as a science-backed, data-driven strategy to boost well-being, reduce stress, and rewire the brain for resilience and focus. For attorneys and judges navigating high-conflict environments, gratitude may be the most underutilized legal tool in your arsenal.
What better way to begin 2026 than by exploring how a small daily practice can lead to sustainable personal and professional transformation?
If you find this update helpful, please consider forwarding it to colleagues or staff who may benefit. And if you haven’t already, visit the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website to subscribe and receive future updates directly.
Special thanks to Martine Law Paralegals Autumn Amick and Brian Louis for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base exceeding 3,500 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that legal education is the soul of the judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge alan@xmartinelaw.com
Attached is my latest Martine Law Training Update, focused on a topic that continues to trip up even experienced attorneys and judges: the Alford plea.
Most of us rarely encounter these pleas—and that’s precisely when mistakes happen. A sloppy record can easily lead to reversal on appeal. This update does more than educate. It provides a clear, 3-step process that doubles as an in-court script to ensure that every Alford plea is entered properly, thoroughly, and—with confidence—appeal-proof.
Whether you’re a trial judge or trial attorney, this update gives you everything you need to handle an Alford plea correctly the next time it appears on your calendar.
As always, please feel free to forward this update to colleagues who may benefit from it. Thank you for continuing to make legal education part of your practice.
Special thanks to Martine Law attorneys Luke McClure and Kalen Best for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
NOTE: This training update is also available on the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website. While visiting, you can subscribe to receive notifications of new updates. Please share this training update with colleagues, clerks, or anyone who would benefit from staying current on Minnesota law and litigation strategy.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base exceeding 3,500 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our commitment to the belief that legal education is the soul of the judiciary.
Warm regards, Alan F. Pendleton Of Counsel, Martine Law Firm Director of Mentorship and Education Former District Court Judge
Most attorneys know that even a single speeding ticket can spike insurance premiums, jeopardize a commercial license, or contribute to a driver’s license suspension depending on the individual’s past driving history. But few attorneys—and even fewer clients—know that a little-known Minnesota statute, the “Dimler Amendment,” can prevent many minor speeding convictions from ever appearing on a driver’s official record.
In this Training Update, we take a deep dive into M.S. 171.12, subd. 6, which quietly shields certain low-level speeding violations in 55 and 60 mph zones from being reported on a person’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) driving record. When used correctly, it can protect your clients’ insurance rates, help avoid license sanctions, and preserve clean records for job or court purposes.
This is a practical tool every criminal and family law attorney should have in their legal toolkit. Whether you’re negotiating a minor traffic ticket for a client, helping a friend or family member, or even dealing with your own citation—knowledge of the Dimler Amendment is power.
This update explains:
Which violations qualify and which don’t;
How and when to ask for a speed reduction;
What role judges, prosecutors, and officers each play;
What to do if you’re charged with a non-speeding infraction.
Special thanks to Martine Law attorneys Tyler Martin and Abbey Rostamo for generously contributing their insight and expertise to this update.
NOTE: This training update is also available on the Minnesota Judicial Training and Education Website. While visiting, you can subscribe to receive notifications of new updates. Please share this training update with colleagues, clerks, or anyone who would benefit from staying current on Minnesota law and litigation strategy.
Martine Law Training Updates will continue to focus on key areas of litigation, including Criminal and Family Law, Evidence and Procedure, and Trial Advocacy. With a subscriber base exceeding 3,500 attorneys, judges, and legal professionals, these updates reflect our firm’s commitment to the belief that legal education is the soul of the judiciary.
Message From Site Manager Alan Pendleton (former district court judge)
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