Misdemeanor Defense Project | MN Lawyer Referral

Current MDP Attorneys: Access the MDP Attorney Report. Fill out online form below, or click here to download a PDF form.

What is The Misdemeanor Defense Project?

The Misdemeanor Defense Project is a public service program designed to provide legal advice and direction to persons appearing in Misdemeanor court. Typically, these are clients who have not met with or otherwise consulted an attorney or who are not financially eligible for services for the Public Defender. Misdemeanor Defense Project attorneys are allowed to be present at the court only because they provide a public service. The courts support the program because many people make their first court appearance without prior legal counsel. Clients who understand the charges, the court process, and their legal options are better prepared to make informed decisions during their arraignment. The role of the MDP attorney is to be available through the morning arraignment calendar to offer advice and information to defendants. Volunteer attorneys may obtain clients as a result of their participation, but this must not detract from the attorney’s primary role as an information source during the morning of the court assignment.

In order to qualify for the program, attorneys must meet all requirements for the misdemeanor/gross misdemeanor subpanel of the Minnesota Lawyer Referral and Information Service: a minimum of two years in practice with at least 25 percent of the practice in criminal defense, and nine CLE credits in criminal practice topics in the last three (3) years. Applications are available from December – January. In February, appointments will be for March – February of the following year. Scheduling meetings are held the third Friday of the month in February, May, August, and November.

Contact Mary Kubik at mkubik@mnbars.org to obtain this year’s application or for additional questions about the project.

ONLINE MDP FORM

After court appearance please fill in the following information and return this form,
with appropriate referral fees, to the address shown above.

FORM SHOULD BE RETURNED WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF COURT DATE.

MDP Attorney: (required)

Date of Court Appearance: (required)

Location of Court Appearance: (required)

Number of persons counseled at court (total): (required)

Number of persons retained from this appearance (total): (required)

Name and Email Address of First Person:

Name and Email Address of Second Person:

Name and Email Address of Third Person:

I was present at the courthouse
YESNO
I introduced myself to the clerks and judge before the reading of the rights.
YESNO
I was available for consultation from

until

A substitute took my place if I was not able to be present.
YESNO
Name of substitute:

By completing and submitting this report, I declare that this is a true report on the fulfillment of my
MDP responsibilities for this date. Type initials here:

Member Login

Forgot your password?