MINNESOTA • CANNABIS• HEMP • MARIJUANA EXPERT WITNESS

Ted Menadier provides expert witness services in Minnesota cannabis, marijuana, and hemp matters involving cultivation practices, crop valuation, market pricing analysis, business interruption, and industry standards. Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023 through HF 100, with the market overseen by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). Minnesota has one of the most significant hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoid industries in the Midwest, having developed a substantial market for hemp-derived THC products prior to adult-use legalization.

Minnesota's cannabis landscape is shaped by its large hemp sector, active hemp-derived cannabinoid marketplace, and newly emerging adult-use cannabis industry. The overlap between hemp-derived THC products and regulated marijuana creates a uniquely complex environment for hemp vs. marijuana classification disputes, COA interpretation, and THCA matters. Minnesota's borders with Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota — states with more restrictive cannabis laws — also mean hemp vs. marijuana classification and interstate transportation matters arise regularly in both state and federal courts.

Areas of Expertise

• Crop and yield loss valuation for cultivation operations

• Business interruption and economic loss calculations

• Cannabis and marijuana cultivation standard of care

• Certificate of Analysis (COA) and potency testing review

• Hemp compliance and cannabinoid threshold determinations

• Hemp-to-marijuana classification disputes

• Cannabis genetics, breeding, and propagation review

• Nursery operations and facility assessment

• Seed-to-sale and track-and-trace records review

• Accepted cannabis industry standards and practices

Services Provided

• Case evaluation and litigation consulting

• Written expert reports

• Deposition testimony

• Trial testimony

• Economic damages and loss calculations

• Industry standards and compliance-context review

• Cultivation and production practices assessment

Cannabis Expert Analysis and Testimony for Criminal Matters

Minnesota's recent adult-use legalization, its large hemp-derived cannabinoid marketplace, and its borders with non-legal states mean criminal cases involving cannabis cultivation, distribution, hemp vs. marijuana classification, and THCA product disputes continue to arise at a significant rate. Matters involving plant counts, yield estimates, hemp compliance, and the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and regulated marijuana are particularly active in Minnesota courts. I provide expert analysis and testimony to help attorneys, judges, and juries understand the technical realities of cannabis and hemp production in Minnesota's evolving legal environment.