Pleas

14.01 Pleas Permitted A defendant may plead: (a) Guilty. (b) Not guilty. (c) Not guilty by reason of mental illness or cognitive impairment. (d) Double jeopardy or prosecution barred by Minnesota Statutes, section 609.035 . Either may be plead with or without the plea of not guilty. (Amended effective September 1, 2018.) 14.02 Who May Plead Subd. 1. Felony Charges. A plea in cases involving felony charges must be made personally by an individual defendant on the record. Subd. 2. Gross Misdemeanor and Misdemeanor Charges. A plea in cases involving misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges may be made personally by an individual defendant either on the record, or by petition to plead guilty under Rule 15.03, subd. 2 . The plea may be entered by counsel if the court is satisfied that the defendant has knowingly and voluntarily waived the right to be present. Subd. 3. Corporate Defendant. A plea by a corporate defendant must be made by counsel or an authorized corporate officer. The plea may be made on the record or in writing. Subd. 4. Defendant's Refusal to Plead. If the defendant refuses to plead, or if the court refuses to accept a plea of guilty, the court must proceed as if the defendant had entered a plea of not guilty. Subd. 5. Defendant Corporation's Failure to Appear. If a defendant corporation fails to appear, the court may enter judgment of conviction and impose sentence as may be appropriate on proof of commission of the charged offense. (Amended effective August 1, 2012; amended effective July 1, 2026.) 14.03 Timing of Pleas (a) In misdemeanor cases, the defendant may enter any plea, including a guilty plea, as early as the Rule 5 hearing. (b) In gross misdemeanor cases, the defendant may plead guilty at the Rule 5 hearing if the defendant has had an opportunity to consult with counsel; otherwise entry of a guilty plea must await the Rule 8 or Omnibus Hearing. The defendant cannot enter any other plea until the Omnibus Hearing. (c) In felony cases, a defendant may plead guilty as early as the Rule 8 hearing. The defendant cannot enter any other plea until the Omnibus Hearing. (d) A defendant may also appear in court at proceedings after those listed above to plead guilty to the charged offense. To schedule an appearance, the defendant must file a written request with the court indicating the offense to which the defendant wishes to plead guilty. The court must schedule a hearing within 14 days after the request is filed. The court must then notify the defendant and the prosecutor of the time and place of the hearing.