Legal Fee Recovery

[minnesotan]

My question involves judgment recovery in the State of: MN

Last summer I was picked up with another guy and charged with Tampering with a Motor Vehicle. An acquaintance of mine was behind me walking down a road while I was on the phone. Unknown to me, he tried opening the doors of a car that was parked in a nearby driveway. A cop drove by and saw him in the car and me on the road on my phone. I was assumed to be a lookout or something.

He admitted in a police report that he did in fact go in the car and that I had no previous knowledge of his actions. He plead guilty in court and I plead not guilty. My case was given a continuance for dismissal and will be dismissed eventually. After that, I will seek expungement to keep this from showing up on background checks etc.

My question is whether or not I have any legal grounds or any chance of seeking my legal fees back from the other party. I have asked him to pay the $2500 dollars this cost me, but he has stopped responded to me. If I took him to small claims court or something similar, would I have a chance of getting any money?

Thanks

[Mr. Knowitall]

Did he actually tell somebody that you were involved, or did he simply exercise his constitutional right to remain silent with the rest being the result of inferences of the police and prosecutor?