Criminal Cases in Hills, Minnesota
Criminal Defense in the City of Hills
Hills, Minnesota
Hills is a small town in the far southwestern corner of Rock County, only a few miles from both the South Dakota and Iowa borders. Minnesota Highway 270 runs through town and connects east to U.S. Highway 75, and the Hills-Beaver Creek school is based here. Hills has no police department, so the Rock County Sheriff’s Office handles calls.
In Hills, investigations may involve the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, the MN BCA, or the Buffalo Ridge Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Prosecution is handled by the Rock County Attorney’s Office in Luverne.
Friendship Days, held the second weekend of June, is Hills’ signature celebration, shared with neighboring Beaver Creek and Steen. But most criminal cases do not begin at a community event. Sometimes they start with a traffic stop, a call to the Sheriff’s Office, a search warrant, or law enforcement asking someone to answer a few questions.
Sometimes the first sign that you have a problem is a phone call, a knock at the door, or learning that law enforcement wants to talk to you. That is a good time to call me..
Arrested in Hills? What Happens Next?
After an arrest in Hills, you will most likely be transported to the Nobles County Jail in Worthington. Rock County contracts with the Nobles County Sheriff’s Office for jail services.
For the current list of people in custody, click here.
At that first appearance the Judge decides bail and the conditions of release. The roster link above is the quickest way to check whether someone you love is still in custody.
What comes next depends on the charge being investigated and whether the person is released before seeing a Judge. For those still in custody, the first court hearing is where bail, and release conditions are decided.
If a Loved One Has Been Arrested and is in Jail, What You Need To Know:
What Not To Do
DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CASE ON THE PHONE. Jail calls are recorded. What your loved one says, and what you say back, can become evidence.
ASSUME COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE JAIL IS NOT PRIVATE. Video visits may be recorded, mail can be read, and sending a message through someone else does not make the conversation private.
DO NOT CONTACT THE ALLEGED VICTIM FOR THEM. No apologies, no requests to drop the case, and no messages passed through someone else. If there is a no-contact order, your loved one can still be charged for contact made through a third person. Trying to help can create a brand new problem for them.
DO NOT POST ABOUT THE CASE. Not about the arrest, the allegations, the other people involved, or why you think your loved one is innocent.
What To Do Now
PRESERVE EVIDENCE BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS. Surveillance video may be recorded over within days. Save text threads. Do not wash, throw away, or alter clothing or objects that may matter later.
WRITE DOWN WHAT HAPPENED WHILE IT IS FRESH. Times, places, who was there, and what was said. Small details are much easier to remember now than they will be later.
GET NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS. Write down how to reach anyone who saw what happened or spoke with your loved one that night.
TAKE PICTURES BEFORE THINGS CHANGE. Injuries heal. Property gets repaired. Scenes get cleaned up. Photograph what matters now.
GET ME THE INFORMATION I NEED FOR BAIL. Before the first hearing, tell me about your loved one’s family and community ties, employment, finances, criminal history, past court appearances, any history of failing to appear, and anything relevant to safety concerns involving the alleged victim, other people, or the community. Where they live, who depends on them, how long they have been in the community, and whether they have consistently shown up for court can all matter. If you have pay stubs, a lease, employer information, or other documents that help show those things, get them to me before court.
Charged in Hills? What Happens When You Call Me?
“You do not need to have everything figured out before you call me. In fact, I expect that you will not. You do not need to know the right questions to ask, and you do not need to convince me that you deserve help. You can start just by telling me what happened and what you are worried about most.
I will be honest with you about what I see, what concerns me, what we do not know yet, and what options you have. Making that first call does not commit you to anything. Sometimes the hardest part is simply picking up the phone. We can start there.
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Who Handles a Hills Criminal Case?
If you are charged in Hills, your case will be in Rock County District Court:
Rock County District Court
204 East Brown Street
Luverne, MN 56156
This is a Fifth Judicial District court, and the Rock County Attorney’s Office is the prosecutor for Hills cases. Some hearings happen at the courthouse and others take place remotely. Always follow your hearing notice or court order on how to appear. People from Hills with in-person hearings will need to get to the courthouse in Luverne, so plan the drive and allow extra time in winter.
Depending on the circumstances, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension may be involved in the investigation.
Cases I Handle
DWI
A DWI case in Minnesota begins before a breath, blood, or urine test is obtained. Why the vehicle was stopped, whether the investigation was lawfully expanded, what the officer observed, and how standardized field sobriety tests and chemical testing were conducted can all matter to the defense.
Drug Possession or Sale
Drug charges in Minnesota often turn on how law enforcement found the drugs, whether there was a lawful search, and whether the State can connect them to the person accused. A substance found in a vehicle, home, or other shared space does not by itself answer who knew it was there or who possessed it. When sale is alleged, the evidence must also support the State’s claim that the conduct went beyond possession.
Felony Criminal Defense
Felony cases rarely turn on a single piece of evidence. The defense begins by testing the State’s theory against the entire record and separating what is alleged from what can actually be established.
Theft and Property Crime
Theft allegations in Minnesota often stem from misunderstandings, shared property, or disputed intent. Ownership, permission, intent, access, and the circumstances surrounding the property can all affect whether the State can establish a theft occurred.
Domestic Assault
Domestic assault cases can develop quickly from a highly charged event into a criminal allegation, sometimes before the surrounding context is clear. What was said and done before, during, and immediately after the incident can matter as much as the first account given to police.
Assault
Assault in Minnesota is not limited to physical contact. A charge can be based on an alleged intent to cause fear of immediate bodily harm or death, or on intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm. Intent, self-defense, the nature of any injury, and the circumstances of the encounter must all be examined in context.
Burglary
Being connected to a location does not, by itself, establish burglary. Important questions still need to be examined. Was entry without consent? What was intended or what occurred inside? Does the evidence actually connect the accused person to the charged conduct? These answers all contribute to a burglary defense in Minnesota.
Criminal Damage to Property
Property damage does not automatically explain who caused it, whether it was intentional, or what the damage is actually worth. Those questions can be central to a criminal damage to property case in Minnesota, including whether the State can prove the offense and the level of charge alleged.
Criminal Sexual Conduct Defense
A criminal sexual conduct allegation in Minnesota must be examined in the context of the evidence surrounding it. Chronology, communications, the way statements were obtained, and medical, digital, or forensic evidence may support, contradict, or place the allegation in a different context.
Felon in Possession and Prohibited Person Firearm and Ammunition Charges
Simply being near a firearm—especially in shared vehicles, homes, or rural properties—does not by itself answer who possessed it or whether the person knew it was there. In shared spaces, access and control matter, and so does whether the alleged legal prohibition actually applied.
Fleeing A Police Officer
Not stopping immediately does not tell the whole story of a fleeing case. The clarity of the officer’s signal, what the driver could perceive, the sequence of events, and whether the conduct shows an intent to elude all matter all matter when determining whether the driver intentionally attempted to elude the officer.
DNA Evidence in Minnesota Criminal Cases
DNA evidence can be powerful, but human judgment can still play a role in its interpretation, making careful review important. Even a scientifically sound DNA result does not, by itself, establish when biological material was deposited, how it got there, or what happened. A DNA result may be scientifically sound and still be legally misleading when used to support a conclusion the science does not establish.
If your Hills Case Involves DNA
Hearing that there is DNA in your Hills case can feel like the end. It is not. Mixtures can be messy. When DNA from several people is in the same sample, the interpretation is not always as clean or certain as the final statistic can make it sound.
The BCA laboratory tests biological evidence collected in Hills. The report may give a likelihood ratio or say someone cannot be excluded, but it usually does not show you how complicated the mixture was or how much uncertainty existed in the interpretation.
When several people contributed DNA, their alleles can overlap. Some contributors may be present at much lower levels than others. More than one possible combination of genotypes may fit the data. The software can still produce a number, but that number does not make the underlying mixture simple.
That is why I want to know more than whether someone could be included. I want to know how many contributors were assumed, what other genotype combinations fit, how much support each received, and whether the final statistic is making the evidence sound more definite than it really is.
You will not get those answers from the summary report. They are in the underlying laboratory file, electropherograms, analyst notes, and STRmix output.
I do this work every day, and attorneys and families across Minnesota ask me to evaluate DNA evidence in their cases. I am a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a former Chair of its Jurisprudence Section, STRmix trained, and I train defense attorneys statewide on DNA evidence. I will tell you where the mixture is clear, where it is not, and what the DNA actually supports.
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Yes, if that lawyer actually knows Rock County. I have been working in Rock County for more than 20 years. I spent my first five years there as a law clerk for the district court, and I have handled criminal cases there ever since. My office is in Westbrook, but I know the court, the process, and how cases are handled in Rock County. Much of the work can also be done by phone or video, so the location of my office is rarely an issue.
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Not before you get legal advice. You are not required to go in. Whether it is ever wise depends on why they are asking, what they already know, and whether they see you as a witness or a suspect. Usually the right answer is to stay quiet and speak with a lawyer first. Anything you say can be used later, even if you meant well.
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No. You do not need to wait until charges are filed. Early advice matters most while an investigation is still going, while evidence can still be preserved, and before you are asked for a statement or consent to a search.
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No. Some hearings in Rock County are held remotely. Others require you to be at the courthouse, and your hearing notice will make that clear. Missing a hearing can lead to a warrant, so take every notice seriously.
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The judge addresses bail, release, and conditions. What carries the most weight depends on the charge, the arrest, and what the prosecutor is asking for.
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In Rock County. A case is generally handled where the alleged offense occurred, not where you live. Distance is something we plan around, not a reason to delay.
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The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension laboratory in St. Paul. Evidence is collected by DNA evidence from a Hills case is generally sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension laboratory in St. Paul. Local law enforcement collects and submits the evidence, but the testing and interpretation happen at the BCA. The report that comes back is only the end result. If DNA matters in the case, I want to see the underlying laboratory file and the data behind that conclusion.
Common Questions About Hills Criminal Cases
Contact a City of Hills Criminal Defense Lawyer
Call me, let’s talk.
A criminal charge can make it difficult to think beyond the next court date. You may not know what evidence exists, what the prosecutor will do, or how the case could affect your family, job, license, or freedom.
You do not have to figure it out alone.
I will listen to what happened, review the situation with you, and explain what I believe should happen next.
This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Every criminal case depends on its own facts, evidence, and procedural history.
Practice Scope
My criminal defense practice does not include speeding or minor traffic infractions, probation violation representation, appellate or postconviction work, separate driver's license revocation proceedings, commercial driver's license (CDL) matters, or civil harassment restraining orders (HROs) or orders for protection (OFPs). I do handle the criminal DWI case itself.