Investigations

In Minnesota, there are only a handful of attorneys who are also licensed private investigators. Susan Johnson spent over twenty-five years investigating cases for attorneys before going to law school. Since receiving training as a lawyer, she has found that her role as an investigator is more important than ever. Susan knows what really matters and what doesn’t matter when investigating a criminal case. Some facts have legal significance and some do not. She knows where to spend the time and effort to get the facts that can change the results in favor of our clients.

Finding facts is second nature to Susan Johnson. With her practical experience and her law school education, she knows how to get information from government agencies and from the private sector. Susan has worked extensively with issues of privacy and public information. Good facts make good cases. At Ellis Law Office, we know how to find the good facts!

In a criminal case, a thorough investigation can make the difference between a guilty or not guilty verdict. In postconviction matters, if newly discovered evidence is found, the court may grant a new trial. In some cases, charges can be dismissed because of evidence found during the investigation. At Ellis Law Office, we have achieved all of these results through our investigations. In a recent criminal sexual conduct case, a key witness who was never interviewed by the police testified that she saw the alleged victim laughing and smiling right after the alleged assault. The client was found not guilty. Another client was granted a new trial in a murder case where he had claimed self-defense. We found that the man who died just finished serving time for a murder in another state – a fact that was known by the police but not disclosed to the defense. In a child abuse case, we found documents that were not disclosed by the prosecutor that stated the doctor was uncertain how the child’s injuries occurred. That case was dismissed.