Criminal Law and Procedure Flashcards

Under the Fourth Amendment as applied in Minnesota, a warrantless search of a home is presumptively unreasonable unless:

Answer: An exception such as exigent circumstances applies

Minnesota courts follow federal Fourth Amendment doctrine requiring that warrantless home searches fall within a recognized exception such as consent, exigency, or plain view.

In Minnesota, a Terry stop (investigatory detention) is justified by:

Answer: Reasonable articulable suspicion of criminal activity

Under Terry v. Ohio and Minnesota case law, police may briefly detain a person for investigation based on reasonable, articulable suspicion of criminal activity.

Under Minnesota law, which statement about the insanity defense is correct?

Answer: Minnesota uses the M'Naghten standard — not knowing the nature or wrongfulness of the act

Minnesota applies the M'Naghten test under Minn. Stat. § 611.026, requiring that the defendant, due to mental illness, did not know the nature of the act or that it was wrong.

In Minnesota criminal procedure, impeachment of a defendant's credibility with a prior felony conviction is governed by:

Answer: A balancing test weighing probative value against prejudice

Under Minn. R. Evid. 609, prior felony convictions are admissible to impeach only if the probative value outweighs the prejudicial effect, with special protections for defendants.

Under Minnesota law, accomplice liability attaches when a person:

Answer: Intentionally aids, advises, or conspires with another to commit a crime

Under Minn. Stat. § 609.05, a person is criminally liable as an accomplice when they intentionally aid, advise, hire, or conspire with another to commit the offense.

Under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, what is the primary factor that determines the presumptive sentence for a felony?

Answer: Offense severity level and criminal history score

Minnesota's sentencing guidelines use a grid with offense severity level on one axis and criminal history score on the other to determine the presumptive sentence.