Posts by Michael Brodkorb

Michelle MacDonald’s law license suspended by Minnesota Supreme Court

The Minnesota Supreme Court has suspended Michelle MacDonald’s law license for a minimum of 60 days, and she will be on supervised probation in response to an attorney complaint filed against MacDonald in August 2016.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended last year that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

But the final order from the Minnesota Supreme Court did not include a mental health evaluation which triggered Associate Justice Anne McKeig to dissent in part from the court’s decision.

The conditions of MacDonald’s two-year probation include that her probation will be supervised by an attorney appointed by the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility.

MacDonald is prohibited from engaging in “the solo practice of law” and she must “work in a setting where she is in daily contact with, and under the direct supervision of another Minnesota licensed attorney.”

The order from the Minnesota Supreme court states that the “attorney who directly supervises [MacDonald’s] work must co-sign all pleadings, briefs, and other court documents that respondent files. This attorney may not be an associate who works for respondent’s law firm. Any attorney or law firm with whom she practices shall be informed of the terms of this probation.”

MacDonald did not respond to a request for comment on the order from the Minnesota Supreme Court.

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Criminal trial scheduled for Dede Evavold’s harassment of Rucki family

Dede Evavold’s criminal trial for her continued violations of a Harassment Restraining Order granted by a court in Dakota County to protect David Rucki and his family from her harassment has been scheduled for April 23, 2018.

The criminal trial was scheduled at a pre-trial hearing held on Tuesday at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Evavold was charged in September 2017 with three criminal counts of violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County in July 2017.

According to public court documents, Evavold has also been “ordered to appear at a Dakota County Book and Release Center, to be booked, fingerprinted, and photographed.”

Evavold was convicted in September 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding. Continue reading

Dede Evavold ordered by court to remove threatening post targeting Rucki family

Dede Evavold has been ordered by a court in Dakota County to remove a threatening blog post that contained the private address of the Rucki family.

The order requiring Evavold to remove her threatening blog post was included in court documents signed by Judge Philip Kanning and filed today in Dakota County District Court.

Judge Kanning granted the request filed by Lisa Elliott on behalf of the Rucki family at a court hearing last month on the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County last year. Continue reading

Michelle MacDonald helped Dede Evavold in masking the extent of her role in the disappearance of Rucki sisters

Michelle MacDonald, who serves as Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney, helped Dede Evavold during a media interview in masking the extent of her full role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki based on a video published by Evavold.

In the video published by Evavold last week, MacDonald instructs Evavold on how to correctly answer a question from the producer with ABC’s “20/20” after Evavold mistakenly admitted a key element of her criminal involvement in the disappearance of the Rucki sisters in an interview.

This video was recorded before Evavold was charged with four additional felonies, and before she was convicted of a total of six felonies for her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Evavold served as MacDonald’s campaign chair and manager during MacDonald’s unsuccessful bid for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014.

MacDonald’s client, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, was also convicted of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

The video provides further evidence of MacDonald’s direct involvement in the propaganda machinery of Grazzini-Rucki and Evavold. Continue reading

Dede Evavold caught lying again in court documents days before hearing

Dede Evavold provided false information to the court in an attempt to delay a hearing next week on criminal charges filed against her for a violating a Harassment Restraining Order.

Evavold was charged in September 2017 with three criminal counts of violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County to protect David Rucki and his family from Evavold’s continued harassment.

Evavold is scheduled to appear at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley on January 9, 2018, at 1:30 PM, for a pre-trial hearing.

On December 31, 2017, Evavold filed a letter requesting a continuance of the pre-trial hearing.

In her letter, Evavold states that Judge Philip Kanning issued an order in civil court requesting that the criminal matter be delayed until the civil case is resolved.

Evavold fails to mention that at a court hearing on December 13, 2017, Judge Kanning specifically told Evavold that the HRO has been and will continue to be in effect since July, and any violations thereof should be prosecuted prior to any determinations made in civil court.

The court has yet to rule on Evavold’s request for a continuance.

Evavold was sentenced on November 10, 2016 after being found guilty of six felony charges related to her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, who were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013 during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

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Missing in Minnesota 2017: The year in review

Missing in Minnesota continues to document and report on the true story of two sisters who vanished, the father who kept searching, and the adults who conspired to keep the truth hidden.

In 2017, Missing in Minnesota published over 70 stories, over 500 tweets, and built a Facebook Page with over 10,000 followers which provided detailed breaking news, analysis, and commentary on the continuing legal developments involving the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

The most significant change to Missing in Minnesota in 2017 was the additional of Allison Mann, who aside from contributing to the published content, Mann has provided strategic direction as Missing in Minnesota transitions from an online format to additional mediums which will be announced in 2018, so stay tuned! Continue reading

Court grants emergency motion to remove threatening post by Evavold

A judge in Dakota County granted an emergency motion today ordering Dede Evavold to remove a threatening blog post which contained the private address of the Rucki family.

Judge Philip Kanning granted the motion filed by Lisa Elliott on behalf of the Rucki family at a court hearing this afternoon on the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County earlier this year.

Elliott said in court today that Evavold’s post published the private address of the Rucki family on a platform with a “dangerous” audience. Evavold did not respond to Elliott’s claims in court, but Judge Kanning said he would immediately grant the motion filed by Elliott.

Judge Kanning also granted Elliott’s request for a continuance of today’s hearing. Elliott told Judge Kanning that she is waiting for a subpoena to be answered which will provide her with additional evidence to document Evavold’s continued harassment of the Rucki family.

Evavold argued in court against the continuance of today’s hearing, by claiming that she has not had any contact with the Rucki family. Judge Kanning said Evavold’s arguments will be answered during Evavold’s upcoming criminal trial scheduled to begin next year.

Before the hearing ended, Judge Kanning reminded Evavold that the HRO granted by Judge Karen Asphaug in July remains in effect.

Evavold was sentenced on November 10, 2016 after being found guilty of six felony charges related to her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, who were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013 during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki. Continue reading

Dede Evavold caught lying in court documents on the eve of hearing

One day before she is scheduled to appear at a court hearing on a Harassment Restraining Order filed against her, Dede Evavold has been caught lying in documents she submitted to a court in Dakota County.

Evavold has a court appearance tomorrow at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley, for an evidentiary hearing on the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County.

In her Motion to Vacate the HRO filed with the court in Dakota County on Sunday, Evavold claimed she “filed a police report against David Rucki on 12/6/2017 with the Lakeville Police Dept…”   According to Evavold’s motion, she filed a police report against David Rucki for “falsely reporting a crime” committed by Evavold.

In a bizarre twist, the Lakeville Police Department confirmed today that Evavold did not file a police report against David Rucki as she claimed. Continue reading

Online rant from Evavold shows she is a ticking time bomb

Dede Evavold’s poor decisions over the last few years have started to pile up, and an online rant from Evavold last evening shows she is a ticking time bomb.

In a post acknowledging that she is being sued in civil court by David Rucki, Samantha Rucki, and Gianna Rucki for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna for 944 days, Evavold made a direct threat at her “opponents”:

“It’s time that our opponents are subjected to the natural consequences of their cruel and criminal actions they have so freely wrought upon us. We need to go beyond acknowledgment of the corruption to actually taking action. Stop operating in fear and get on the frontlines!”

Evavold has a long history of using social media to threaten and harass David Rucki, his family, and anyone who reports on her criminal activity. Evavold and her blog have posted pictures of the Rucki home, maps to their home, and pictures of the Rucki family.

At her sentencing hearing last November, Judge Asphaug also said Evavold “showed no remorse or comprehension” for her actions against the Rucki family, adding that Evavold’s actions “disrupted a family for 944 days.”

In October, Evavold lost her appeal of her criminal conviction and just this week, Office of the Appellate Courts notified Evavold that her petition for review to the Minnesota Supreme Court was not properly filed and would need to be resubmitted.

Last evening, a clearly frustrated Evavold made it known who her “opponents” are and what she plans on doing. As with Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, Evavold’s behavior should scare you.

Below is a summary of what Missing in Minnesota has published in the last year about Evavold’s threatening behavior. Continue reading

Why Sandra Grazzini-Rucki not being in jail should scare you

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki has failed to report to the Dakota County Jail, as required per the conditions of her sentence after being convicted for her role in the disappearance of daughters for 944 days.

Grazzini-Rucki was ordered to report to the Dakota County Jail in Hastings, Minnesota by 8:00 AM, on Saturday, November 18, 2017. She is over four days late for reporting to jail, and a warrant has not been issued for her arrest.

The fact that Grazzini-Rucki is not in jail should scare you.

Grazzini-Rucki recently lost the appeal of her criminal conviction, and she is scheduled to be sentenced again on December 14, 2017. She knows that she is going back to jail, and Grazzini-Rucki has no incentive to voluntarily report to jail.

Over the last 17 months, Missing in Minnesota has reported on the continuing developments involving Grazzini-Rucki, and the other adults charged and prosecuted for their criminal roles in the disappearance of Grazzini-Rucki’s daughters.

We’ve learned during that time how dangerous Grazzini-Rucki has become. In February, we detailed that Grazzini-Rucki had begun a dangerous quest:

“Grazzini-Rucki has started down a very dangerous road. She thrives off of chaos and the attention it brings. Not satisfied with the damage and pain she has already inflicted, Grazzini-Rucki is working to create more lawlessness in society.”

In the last year, Grazzini-Rucki’s disdain for law enforcement and the court system has become more flagrant, her rhetoric more incendiary, and her behavior increasingly dangerous.

Below is a summary of what Missing in Minnesota has published in the last year about Grazzini-Rucki’s threatening behavior.  Continue reading

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki scheduled to report to jail on Saturday

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is scheduled to report to jail on Saturday – November 18 – the two year anniversary of the day her daughters were found after disappearing for 944 days.

On April 19, 2013, Samantha and Gianna Rucki disappeared during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

The sisters were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters. Grazzini-Rucki was sentenced in September 2016.

David Rucki was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, in a search lead by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were reunited with their father days after they were found. They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Grazzini-Rucki appealed her criminal conviction, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction last week.

According to the ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Grazzini-Rucki will be permitted to execute the remainder of her sentence, a point both Grazzini-Rucki’s public defender and the Dakota County Attorney’s Office agreed she should be allowed to do. Continue reading

Supreme Court hearing today on MacDonald’s law license

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today at 9:00 A.M. regarding the Petition for Disciplinary Action against Michelle MacDonald, who is appealing a recommendation from a Minnesota Supreme Court referee that her law license be suspended.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended earlier this year that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

MacDonald’s behavior during a family court hearing for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was described as “the ultimate dereliction of an attorney’s duty and is unquestionably serious misconduct warranting suspension” in a brief filed by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board involving the attorney complaint against MacDonald.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended in January that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

The recommendation by Judge Heather Sweetland comes after a two-day hearing was held last November about an attorney complaint filed against MacDonald, who was a candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016.
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Grazzini-Rucki loses appeal of her criminal conviction

The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal conviction today for her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki who were abducted by Grazzini-Rucki near her daughter’s home Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute with her ex-husband, David Rucki.

According to the ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Grazzini-Rucki will be permitted to execute the remainder of her sentence, a point both Grazzini-Rucki’s public defender and the Dakota County Attorney’s Office agreed she should be allowed to do.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were missing for a total of 944 days and were reunited with their father days after they were found. They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Since being convicted in July 2016 on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights, Grazzini-Rucki, and her supporters have continued their behavior of making false allegations against David Rucki, his family, the media, law enforcement, and the judiciary.

Her disdain for law enforcement and the court system has become more flagrant, her rhetoric more incendiary, and her behavior increasingly dangerous.

Grazzini-Rucki is currently on probation for her role in the disappearance of her children, which she has repeatedly violated. In March, she announced earlier that she and others will be targeting the family members of judges, attorneys, and county staff, including their children.

Per the terms of her sentence, Grazzini-Rucki is still scheduled to report to jail on November 18, 2017, to serve 15 days. Continue reading

New probation violations to be filed against Evavold

Dede Evavold did not appear confident as she walked with her head down into the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Minnesota today for an evidentiary hearing on probation violations.

An hour later, a visibly agitated Evavold stormed out of the courtroom after the hearing was postponed at the request of Assistant Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena, who informed the court that new probation violations would be filed against Evavold.

Keena requested the hearing be postponed because Evavold is facing new criminal charges for violating an a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County to protect David Rucki and his family from Evavold’s continued harassment, and because of alleged new probation violation committed by Evavold last evening.

Judge Karen Asphaug scheduled the next hearing for March 7, 2018, at 10:00 AM, where a determination will be made if Evavold has violated the conditions of her probation. Continue reading