Marie Pacyga – Minnesota-Based Criminal Defense Attorney

MEET

MARIE PACYGA ESQ.

Meet Marie Pacyga, Criminal Defense Attorney

At Ryan Pacyga Criminal Defense, Marie Pacyga stands out as a compassionate and skilled criminal defense attorney, dedicated to defending clients throughout Minnesota.

14 Years of Criminal Defense Expertise

With over 14 years of legal experience, Marie brings a wealth of knowledge to every case. Her career began as a judicial clerk, offering her unique insights into the justice system. Observing the judicial process firsthand allowed her to understand how judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys approach cases, shaping her strategic mindset.

During this time, Marie Pacyga honed her ability to analyze jury trials, learning what arguments resonate most effectively. These experiences now fuel her meticulous preparation and skilled case handling, ensuring her clients benefit from her sharp legal acumen.

A Strategic Defense Built Around You

Marie’s approach to criminal defense is both strategic and client-focused. By investing time to understand each client’s unique story, she crafts compelling defenses that present the full picture. Her goal is to humanize her clients’ experiences, making their voices heard by judges, prosecutors, and juries alike.

Preparation is at the heart of Marie’s success. She believes in being ready for trial, a mindset that often commands respect from prosecutors and leads to favorable resolutions without stepping into a courtroom.

Advocacy Rooted in Compassion

Clients consistently praise Marie for her compassion and dedication. She listens attentively and ensures every individual feels supported throughout the legal process. Backed by a skilled support team, Marie handles even the most complex cases with care, striving for positive outcomes that protect her clients’ futures.

Protecting Your Future Starts Here

When your future is on the line, you need more than just an attorney-you need a tireless advocate. Marie Pacyga is ready to defend your rights with skill and determination.

Contact Ryan Pacyga Criminal Defense today to schedule a consultation. Let Marie and the team fight for your rights and help secure a brighter future.

CALL MARIE AT 612-339-5844 EMAIL MARIE

EDUCATION

William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
- J.D. – 2010
University of Minnesota
- B.A. – 2005

BAR ADMISSIONS

Minnesota, 2010

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

PAST POSITIONS

Dakota County District Court, Judicial Law Clerk
Minnesota Court Of Appeals, Judicial Extern

PRACTICE AREAS

Criminal Defense
DWI

CASE STUDIES

MARIE PACYGA, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY

What Other Attorney’s Say About Marie

“Marie is a very knowledgeable and tenacious attorney who fights for her clients’ rights. I highly recommend her services in all criminal defense matters.”

Thomas Leavitt, Criminal Defense Attorney

WHAT CLIENTS SAY ABOUT MARIE…

“I wanted to challenge the DUI and Reckless Driving charge I received. I was uncertain about seeking legal representation. A close friend mentioned the Pacygas and how they helped out somebody else in a similar DUI situation. The arrest happened on a Friday and I reached out to the Pacyga’s the following day. Within 12 hours, Marie Pacyga replied and got the necessary processes started. They were super efficient and organized. Her team knew exactly what to do and clearly explained each step along the way. At the pre-trial hearing, I was extremely impressed with Marie. She was working hard to get a better resolution for me. In the end, the DUI was erased and Reckless driving charges were reduced. I couldn’t be happier. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, don’t hesitate to reach out and seek legal advice. Marie Pacyga and her team are definitely the right choice!”

“I had an outstanding experience working with Marie Pacyga and the exceptional team at Pacyga Criminal Defense. When I approached them with two felony DWI charges stemming from a golf cart accident at my cabin, I was deeply concerned about the potential impact on my life. However, Marie’s guidance throughout the process was truly invaluable. She provided me with honest assessments of the best and worst-case scenarios for my case, ensuring I had a clear understanding of the situation at hand. Marie never rushed the process. Instead she meticulously explored every possible option to achieve the best possible outcome. Thanks to her dedication and expertise, I received a minimal DWI conviction without any jail time or excessive probation requirements. I promptly settled my fine and regained my driving privileges. Marie’s exceptional service and communication skills throughout the process were best in class.I am immensely grateful to the Pacyga Law team for their unwavering support and for helping me navigate through a challenging time. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that a good person who made a mistake received a favorable outcome in their case.”

“Marie, Thank you so much! You don’t know how much this means to me. I will be forever grateful. If it wasn’t for your kindness and willingness to take my case pro bono, this could have completely destroyed not only my career but everything in my life. You are an amazing woman, person, and attorney!”

“Thank you very much Marie, I really appreciate the service that you have provided for me.”

“I never really had the chance to express my gratitude for representing me throughout this since you were busy that day in court, but I really appreciate what you did for Ester and I. It was outstanding professional performance that exceeded my expectations. I don’t believe we could have had better representation.”

“From start to finish I couldn’t have asked for more. The fact they called me back right away when I was in a bad situation, and contacted my loved ones to put them at ease set the town. Marie communicated thru out the process, and gave me options of where to go. I would hire her anytime! Thanks for helping me.”

“After being charged with DWI, I was thoroughly confused and scared. I contacted Arrested MN and was put in touch with Marie. From the beginning, I knew that I was in the right hands. Marie is extremely responsive to my questions and concerns and has been a huge help through a difficult time. She explains things in a way that makes sense and is easy to understand. As a first time offender, I think a good attorney needs to assist in the process as well as defend their client – Marie is doing a fantastic job of both. I will absolutely recommend Marie to friends and family if the need for an attorney arises.”

“My family reached out to Marie to assist in my case. Marie was clearly experienced and very professional in handling the case, ensuring that I created the best situation possible before the hearing. Because Marie knew exactly what to do, I was fortunate to have a favorable ruling. She was prompt, thorough and most importantly, wonderful about communicating the steps of the process before court and even directly afterward to ensure I had all the support I needed with the legal process. Marie is a life saver.”

“Marie was wonderful to work with and always informative about my case. She was right on top of court dates and let me know what to expect. I will say it was really tough to get a response from her assistant Misty, so I just started contacting Marie directly and she always responded.”

“I was charged with a 3rd degree dwi so I contacted Ryan Pacyga’s office for representation. Marie took on my case and started the process right away. The cost for her services are very reasonable. She kept me informed from start to finish, fought to keep me out of jail and got me the best outcome given my record and situation. I will recommend the Pacyga firm to anyone and am very pleased to have worked with her. Marie thank you for your time and amazing work. You are very appreciated.”

“I could not have been happier with Marie throughout the entire process. This can be a devastating and difficult journey to overcome but Marie was there to simplify and assist me in all aspects of case. From driving an hour an a half in rush hour traffic to meet with me, to working into the late afternoon hours during the week and weekend, she went above and beyond to see this case all the way though. Highly recommend her and her team!”

“Being a lawyer is multi-faceted – one must know the law, know how to be an advocate, and be empathetic and compassionate. I hired Marie to represent me after a terrible evening involving family, drinking, arguments and misunderstandings. I got a DWI and was thrown in jail for 5 days, including 4 in the workhouse. I will never forget the relief I felt when I saw her that next day, coming to meet with me to gather information for my case. I was still in a state of shock, horrified at the charges, and terrified of the potential consequences. She calmly listened to what I had to say, and was very compassionate and understanding as I sat there and cried.From incident to disposition, my case took almost 8 months. We had 2 court dates prior to the final one, and throughout the entire ordeal, Marie was a constant pillar of strength, knowledge, and comfort, helping to navigate through a very painful process.She has a brilliant mind, and is very knowledgeable about criminal law and criminal procedure. She is also a strong advocate for her clients, has a very compassionate nature, and does not judge.She is also well-respected by her colleagues, judges, and prosecutors, and has cultivated great relationships with all of them. When she advocates on behalf of her clients, they listen and take her recommendations to heart.My two most serious charges were dismissed and I pled guilty to the DWI. I think, under the circumstances, it was the best result possible, and I credit Marie’s representation with such a positive final outcome.She has my unequivocal recommendation!!”

“As a 93X morning show listener and hearing Ryan Pacyga many times talk about cases he was representing I hired Pacyga Criminal Defense as I knew they were a group that actually cared about the outcome of a case. When I first talked to Marie I knew my choice was sound. Marie did a fantastic job representing me in my DWI case. With her help we won the case against me and got my charge dismissed. There is no doubt in my mind that her tenacity in defending me was the difference maker. I would highly recommend Marie and her team.”

“I could not be happier with the services provided by Marie and the rest of the arrestedMN team. They gave me wonderful representation and amazing results. I would recommend this team to anyone in the unfortunate case of needing them. The gave me immense comfort knowing I had them in my corner.”

“I had a domestic case against me and even though I knew I was innocent I knew the courts didn’t take lightly to any domestic case. I was very concerned and didn’t want something like this on my record. I made a phone call to Mrs. Pacyga and along with her team did a great job for me, ended up getting all the charges dropped to a stay of adjudication and a small unsupervised probation. She was very prompt and thorough with me through the whole process and put me at ease many times. Thanks again Marie, I appreciate all you did for me!”

“Everything required for the state and county was completed prior to the pretrial at which I plead guilty. The pretrial went smoothly and quickly and within a few days of the retrial everything was resolved satisfactorily. Fees were cut in half. She is knowledgeable, competent, non-judgmental and personable.”

“Being it my first time ever needing a lawyer Ryan and his wife Marie did a great job helping me through my case. I called multiple lawyers and Ryan was the first one to respond quickly and I truly appreciated that. You could tell they genuinely wanted to help me with my case and showed it throughout the entire process. Thanks again!”

“Marie Pacyga and her team were extremely knowledgeable and helpful during a time of stress and chaos. Getting a DUI with a BAC of .2 is a very scary thing. Especially having a career and 2 children. Marie and her firm deeply understand Ramsey County and how to work with them. They helped me with license reinstatement as well as working to get international travel allowed. Once again – when you are experiencing anxiety and dealing with serious consequences you need to hire the best. I recommend Marie Pacyga and her team to help you through a stressful life changing event. They are with you every step of the way.”

“My wife & I hired the Pacyga Law firm over a year ago now, to help us navigate some serious (felony) accusations against our (adult) son, in Washington County, MN. From the initial consultation, through payment negotiations, on in to the actual case work, we knew from the get-go, “we hired the perfect law firm” for our circumstances. Once we had met, & familiarized ourselves with Marie, her tactics, & style, we were fully confident that she cared enough about our family’s situation far beyond what we expected from a lawyer. Our first time (ever) hiring a lawyer / law firm. With Marie heading up our team, knew we were in good hands.From the first court appearance, to the midweek meetings, & everything in between; Marie was ever present, the guiding hand overseeing the entire team. She was always aware of every detail, & was even able to forecast the “usual tactics” of the prosecutor, precalculating all possible moves – before the prosecutor made those moves.Even in the face of “bad news” she always kept a level head, helping to provide calm to my family, in times of great distress. Without all of her/their hard work, countless hours working hand-on, & steadfast dedication, I doubt we could have achieved a full dismissal (as we did) without Marie & the entire Pacyga team.We are eternally grateful for the “Ryan Pacyga Law Firm” & especially Marie Pacyga (& her LAA, Misty’s) phenomenal legal capability.Thank You Marie, Misty, Ryan, & all the unknown/unseen people behind the scenes – without you, who knows where our son would be right now. No amount of thank you’s could cover what they’ve done for us.”

“Marie Pacyga handled my domestic assault – misdemeanor case successfully via obtaining diversion and all the way through expungement in a timely manner. Marie was both professional and personable. Marie’s excellent negotiating skills along with result-oriented approach not only enabled all charges to be dropped without any jail time but also minimized how much time was required of me to close the case. Marie has the best intentions for her clients not only in preventing adverse outcomes but also in minimizing any unfavorable outcomes such as the duration of a criminal record showing up on a background check. Marie honored the initial fee agreement and did more work than what I thought my initial payment would cover and did not even ask once for more money.”

Who’s Who Legal – Minnesota

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Super Lawyers Since 2017

AVVO Rating – 10.0

Top 100 – National Trial Lawyers

Top 40 Under 40 – National Trial Lawyers

American Inns of Court

Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys

Don’t Wait. Call Now!

There is no time to waste. Prosecutors are gathering evidence and building a case against you from day one. Call our Minneapolis office at 612-474-9330 or send us an email. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.