State of Minnesota v. Paul James Steichen

Syllabus

1. To satisfy the accuracy requirement for a valid guilty plea, a Norgaard plea, like an Alford plea, requires a strong factual basis sufficient to allow a district court to independently conclude that there is a strong probability that a defendant is guilty of the charge to which they are pleading guilty. 2. Because the State did not describe the evidence it would present at trial to convict respondent of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct, respondent's Norgaard plea was not supported by a strong factual basis from which a district court could independently conclude that there was a strong probability that respondent was guilty of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Affirmed.