State v. Weltzin

OPINION

LANCASTER, Justice.

A police officer cited appellant Blair Weltzin for underage consumption of alcohol in violation of a state statute, making his behavior a misdemeanor. See Minn. Stat. § 340A.503, subd. 1(a)(2) (2000). At a pretrial hearing, the state moved to amend the charge to a violation of an ordinance that also punished underage consumption but, unlike the statutory charge, did not authorize a penalty of incarceration. Over Weltzin’s objection, the district court allowed the amendment. After a bench trial, Weltzin was convicted of the ordinance violation. He appealed the court’s…