Assisting Vets at MACV's StandDown 2011
August 3, 2011 | Jon P. EricksonMinnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, MACV, held its annual metro assistance days, “StandDown”, on 8/2 and 8/3 at the newly renovated “Boy Scout Base Camp” which is a remodeled facility at Fort Snelling. It’s an air conditioned large space with access to the Fort Snelling LRT station and bus lines. The service providers included many veteran services people, public benefit representatives from metro governmental agencies, housing and shelter agencies, employment assistance, medical services, legal services and miscellaneous providers, even free hair cuts. All of the various organizations had booths/work spaces and representatives to assist the Vets. I volunteered my legal services as a criminal defense attorney and a member of Mn Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys to help Vets solve miscellaneous legal problems. There were prosecuting attorneys present from Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, and other criminal defense attorneys. The screeners brought Vets, most of whom were disabled at some level, to the legal people who then worked to see if their criminal matters could get resolved. It was in some sense an amnesty program for those Vets who took the time to come in and get help to work out their legal problem. One of the Vets I worked with had two old traffic matters unresolved. One involved a no insurance fine, and…
Read MoreKaren Kurth Named Shareholder
August 1, 2011 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.The Shareholders of Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd. announce that Karen K. Kurth has been voted in as the 21st Shareholder of the firm. Karen practices in the firm’s Employment Law and Business Litigation section focusing her practice on commercial litigation, employment litigation and counseling, construction litigation, real estate litigation, landlord/tenant law, shareholder disputes, and appellate advocacy. Karen’s extensive background in accounting and commercial insurance enhances her ability to evaluate and successfully resolve a broad range of employment and commercial litigation issues. Karen received her J.D. at William Mitchell College of Law in 2002, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar in 2002 and to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in 2004. Karen joined Barna, Guzy, & Steffen as an associate in 2004.
Read MoreTo All Do-It-Yourselfers: Call Before Going To Conciliation Court After a Car Crash
July 25, 2011 | John T. BuchmanWith the internet and so many resources available, many people are doing things on their own without hiring others in order to save money. Conciliation Court is actually set up for the “Do-It-Yourself-er” to resolve legal disputes involving up to $7,500.00. However, a person involved in a car crash that uses Conciliation Court can unwittingly lose other rights arising form that same crash. A recent Minnesota Supreme Court case highlights the danger. The Court ruled on July 20, 2011, that the injured party who had previously won a judgment in Conciliation Court for damages to her car could continue for her claim with physical injuries but had to forfeit her Conciliation Court judgment and repay the defendant. The Supreme Court overturned a Court of Appeals decision that threw out her personal injury claim. Plaintiff ran into a little-known doctrine which prevents “splitting a cause of action.” This generally means that you can’t sue the same defendant or an agent of the defendant more than once for different claims arising from the same injury. Plaintiff, at first brought a Conciliation Court claim for property damage when the defendant’s insured failed to pay for all of the damage to her car. She hadn’t hired a lawyer yet but had talked to one briefly. She tried…
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