Author name: Casey Fuerst

Ryan Pacyga

“He Didn’t Just Defend Me. He Saw Me.” — David’s Story of Trusting Ryan Pacyga

When David first learned he was being charged with a crime, he was overwhelmed. So, like many others, he turned to Ryan Pacyga. “I was in a panic,” he recalls. “I’d never been through anything like this. It felt like my world was spinning.” Like many people, David turned to the internet in search of

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Case Study - First-Degree Murder

Not Guilty: A Closer Look at Premeditation and a Double First-Degree Murder Acquittal

When most people hear “first-degree murder,” they know it’s serious—but what exactly does it mean, especially in Minnesota? Hi, I’m Ryan Pacyga, criminal defense attorney, and I recently represented a client facing not one, but two counts of first-degree murder. It was the most serious case I’ve ever tried, and I’m grateful to share that

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Jeff's story

From Crisis to Calling: How One Client Reclaimed His Life After Trauma, Shame — and Criminal Charges

When Jeff (name changed for privacy) met criminal defense attorney Ryan Pacyga, he wasn’t just facing criminal charges. He was facing the end of his life as he knew it — and nearly, his life altogether. Jeff’s story is a stark reminder that behind every criminal case is a human being in pain. On the

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Marijuana Cultivation

Beating a Felony Under Minnesota’s Marijuana Laws

In 2023, Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana, joining a growing number of states reforming cannabis-related laws. But while legalization has opened the door to personal use and limited home cultivation, new regulations around marijuana possession, growth, and distribution are still being tested in real time—and so are the people navigating them. At Ryan Pacyga Criminal Defense,

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