Charles A. Ramsay has received the Defender of Justice Award at the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice’s 2026 Annual DWI Seminar.
MSCJ is Minnesota’s statewide organization of criminal defense lawyers. Its Defender of Justice Award is not presented every year, but only when MSCJ chooses to recognize someone whose contributions to criminal defense and the pursuit of justice merit special recognition. For Chuck, receiving that honor from his peers made it especially meaningful.
The award ceremony included a brief tribute video with friends and colleagues reflecting on Chuck’s career.
Chuck was quick to point out that he does not see the award as something he earned alone.
“No lawyer accomplishes anything alone,” Ramsay said. “When I look back on my career, I don’t think about individual accomplishments. I think about the people I have been fortunate enough to work alongside.”
That starts with the team at Ramsay Law Firm. Kim and Shelley have been with the firm for nearly twenty-five years and have helped build the practice from the inside. Caleb and Jane have now joined the team, bringing new energy and talent. Chuck also credited his law partner, Dan Koewler, whose friendship, judgment, and sense of humor have meant so much to him personally and professionally.
Some of the most important work of Chuck’s career also happened outside the firm. One example was the source code litigation involving Minnesota’s breath-testing instrument. During those hearings, Chuck had the chance to work closely with Jeff Sheridan, Marsh Halberg, Dan Koewler, Lee Orwig, Dave Risk, and many others who devoted enormous time and effort to the fight. Together, they exposed a hidden fatal flaw in the instrument that caused innocent people to be accused of drunk driving. For Chuck, that battle is a powerful example of what defense lawyers can accomplish when they work together, challenge the status quo, and refuse to accept that a machine is right simply because the government says it is.
Many people in the tribute video spoke not only about Chuck’s work as a lawyer, but about his willingness to answer questions, share ideas, review cases, and help other lawyers think through difficult problems. Those relationships have become one of the most important parts of his career.
The firm extends special thanks to Sharon Osborn, whose vision, leadership, and hard work brought the tribute together. Thanks are also due to Dave Ayers for presenting the award, Judd Nichols for producing the video, Dan Koewler for his memorable contributions, and the many attorneys, experts, judges, staff members, and friends who took part.
Chuck also thanked MSCJ, an organization that has played an important role in his professional life for many years.
Most importantly, Chuck acknowledged his wife, Joan, whose love, encouragement, and sacrifice have made his work possible throughout the years.
For more than three decades, Chuck has represented people accused of criminal offenses throughout Minnesota, with a particular focus on DWI defense and forensic science. He has lectured, written, mentored, and worked with lawyers and experts who share his commitment to criminal defense.
This award is not an endpoint. Chuck plans to keep mentoring lawyers inside the firm and throughout the defense community. Ramsay Law Firm will also continue the work that has long defined its DWI defense practice: scrutinizing government evidence, exposing the limits of forensic testing, challenging flawed assumptions about breath and blood analysis, and holding law enforcement accountable when testing procedures fall short. The goal remains the same: protect clients from unreliable evidence and unjust results.
Chuck emphasized that the award represents the contributions of everyone who supported him.
“When I look at this award, I see the many colleagues, staff, mentors, friends, and family members whose support made our work possible,” Ramsay said. “This recognition reflects all of them.”
