Matt Holson has been a criminal defense attorney in Central Minnesota since 2004. During the last 20 years, he has worked both as a Stearns County Public Defender and in private practice. During his time at the Public Defender’s Office, Matt was assigned to handle cases in both the Stearns County Domestic Violence Court as well as the Stearns County Drug Court. He has handled cases ranging from mundane traffic offenses to serious felonies such as Criminal Sexual Conduct and Murder.
Matt provides his clients with honest and compassionate representation. He doesn’t shy away from litigating matters at a pretrial hearing or trial, but he will also be frank about the best approach to take in each individual case. He primarily handles cases in Stearns, Benton, Wright, Sherburne and Morrison counties, but has handled cases throughout Minnesota including in Big Stone, Hennepin, Ramsey, and St. Louis County (to name a few).
Matt is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. In his spare time, Matt is one of the attorney coaches for the Furman University Mock Trial Team. He has been involved with Furman Mock Trial since he was a sophomore at Furman. Furman’s program is nationally competitive, and this year will be traveling to tournaments at Wake Forest University, the University of South Carolina, UC-Irvine, and Eastern Kentucky University. Matt coaches via Zoom during week and then travels to each tournament so that he can coach students in person. He has also been an instructor at Top Mock, a week-long intensive training program for high school students, for the last three years.
Matt is also on the board of directors for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, an organization to help lawyers and their loved ones who are struggling with substance abuse, mental illness, or other issues affecting well-being. He has been sober since 02.23.2019 and he brings compassion and understanding for those clients who might be struggling with chemical dependency, mental health issues, or both.
Memberships:
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Bar Admissions:
- Minnesota State Bar, October 2002 to current
Education:
Mr. Holson graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Law in May of 2002.
The University of Minnesota School of Law is ranked as one of the top 25 best law schools in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
Prior to law school, Mr. Holson attended Furman University, where between 1995 and 1999 he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy.
Activities:
- Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Board of Directors
- Furman University Mock Trial Coach (2022-present)
- American Mock Trial Association judge (2002-present)