FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I charged with a crime?

If you are charged with a petty misdemeanor, it is not a crime. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony, you have been charged with a crime.

A petty misdemeanor is not a crime. It is a violation of the law, but not a crime. It is punishable by up to a $300 fine. You cannot go to jail for a petty misdemeanor. Many petty misdemeanors are driving offenses.

What is a misdemeanor?

A misdemeanor is a crime. A crime is conduct which is punishable by jail, a fine, or both. A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 90 days, a $1,000, or both.

What is a gross midemeanor?

A gross misdemeanor is a crime that is punishable by up to 1 year in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.

What is a felony?

A felony is the most serious type of crime and a person may be sentenced to imprisonment for more than 1 year.

Do I need an attorney?

If you feel comfortable representing yourself, you can certainly do so. However, Ms. Kimball can speak to the prosecutor and/or hearing officer with ease and confidently request a positive and realistic outcome in your case. She has spent thousands of hours in the courtroom and has the knowledge, experience, confidence, and communication skills that are necessary to obtain the best deal possible in your case.

Can't I just talk to the Judge?

You will not speak to the Judge about the merits of your case. Whether you will even see a Judge depends primarily on the level of the offense you have allegedly committed. In a felony or gross misdemeanor, you will see the Judge at the first appearance, but you will not speak about the merits of your case whatsoever. You will be advised of your rights and informed of your right to have an attorney represent you. You may receive a copy of the Complaint, if you have not already received one in the mail. In a misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor, you will first have the opportunity to speak with the prosecutor. If you plead guilty that day, you will see the Judge in a misdemeanor case because the Judge will pronounce the sentence. In a petty misdemeanor, you will not appear in front of the Judge.

What is a conviction?

A conviction means either that you offer a plea of guilty to the court and it is accepted and recorded OR that a judge finds you guilty OR that a jury gives a verdict of guilty.

I noticed some of the information on my citation/ticket is incorrect. Will the prosecutor just dismiss the case?

Generally speaking, a mistake on a citation/ticket rarely warrants dismissal. This is because the citation/ticket can always be amended, or changed by the prosecutor after-the-fact. The facts of each individual case vary, so its best to speak with an attorney about the specific facts and charges in your case.

Client Testimonials

Any result indicated below does not mean your case would receive the same result. Results are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

Sarah Kimball is a top-notch attorney, absolutely top-notch. I have worked with and around attorneys much of my professional career and she is one of the brightest and most compassionate lawyers I have ever met. My situation was a misdemeanor traffic offense which was my fault. Sarah successfully negotiated it down to a charge that drops off my record if I maintain a clean driving record for a year. I could not have attained even close to that level of success if I hadn’t had her skilled guidance. Her work as a former prosecutor makes her uniquely qualified to understand the workings of the system. I cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you Sarah!

D.S. III

Sarah Kimball is an expert at her practice. I came to her with a complex traffic case that would have left a misdemeanor on my record. Sarah was able to negotiate with the prosecutor and get my charges dropped significantly which exceeded my expectations on what the outcome of the case would be. Throughout my time working with her, Sarah was extremely professional and prompt with her responses and with answers to any questions I had. She would be my first choice if I ever need a lawyer again.

Corey F.

Ms. Sarah did an amazing job I didn’t have to show up for court she took care of everything over the phone and got 2 counts of traffic tickets, (WHICH IN MN IS CONSIDER MISDEMEANOR) for those who didn’t know because I didn’t, to a 187 fine and petty misdemeanor and nothing on my DL record. I highly recommend calling her in a situation like this.

Robert V.

From the moment I first called her until my case was resolved, Sarah put me at ease and I knew I was in good hands. She is knowledgable and patiently answered all of my questions. She kept me informed through every step of the process and responded to my communications in a timely manner. She is very professional and was able to negotiate a favorable outcome for me. I found her very professional and worth every penny of her retainer fee. I highly recommend her and am glad I hired her.

Molly

The thing that matters the most in prosecution on the other side of the table is having confidence. And that’s what you get with Sarah Kimball. I was recently charged with a citation for a Failure to Move violation for a trip I took out to the southern side of the cities, and was totally flabbergasted by my belief of what to do. I immediately thought to pay the citation, then I remembered there are people out there who know better about how to handle matters and help you remember you are human like all other people. I naturally thought to contact a lawyer after accidentally sending myself to the prosecutor by going to the wrong courthouse to settle the issue initially. The first one I contacted, passed the name of another who was personal in the field of traffic violations; that would be Sarah. Nearly a month after making acquaintances, me and Sarah were able to come to a positive outcome for the case, and I could not have been happier than to have had the results she was able to achieve for us. I fairly believe on your own in matters of court, you are lesser than likely to lose the benefits of an attorney; let alone a great, and talented one. Sarah is the definition of that. She was able to communicate with me decently, fairly, with a reason of consideration and professionalism that I would like to say is the standard for having quality representation. There is no more to say than to look for her when you’re looking for the voice that knows better and shows better when the decision is on the table.