Minn.: Court in the time of COVID

Brainerd Dispatch: "When Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan assumed his elected post 26 years ago, he did not foresee a time when nearly all of his office’s court appearances would take place in the virtual realm."

Minnesota might allow law grads to bypass bar exam

Law 360: " The Minnesota Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it may allow recent law school graduates to forgo the bar exam during the COVID-19 health emergency and said it will take public comments on the idea over the next few weeks."

Court upholds move to restore Minnesota lake's Dakota name

Indian Country Today: "A divided Minnesota Supreme Court said Wednesday a state agency has the authority to change the name of a popular lake back to its original Dakota name."

State high court ruling keeps some Minnesota voter data private

MPR News: "The Minnesota Supreme Court has affirmed the position of the Minnesota Voters Alliance that all of the records in the Minnesota statewide voter registration database are publicly available data."

Some Minnesota criminal defense attorneys say state court system 'unfair' during COVID-19 restrictions

KSTP News: "A group of private Minnesota criminal defense attorneys asked the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court to allow them to have the same remote access to computer court files as prosecutors and judges, but the group's request was denied."

Minnesota Supreme Court sides with Winona County on frac-sand ban

Winona Daily News: "The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Winona County did not violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution with its ban on frac-sand mining."

Minnesota justices revive defamation claims over cop’s murder

Courthouse News Service: "The Minnesota Supreme Court handed down a tempered victory Wednesday for a man suing two media outlets, ruling that a defamation case against a local newspaper and a statewide television news channel needed closer scrutiny from a jury."

Sentencing guidelines commission votes to impose five-year limit on probation in Minnesota

MinnPost: "The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission has done what the state Legislature was unable to do. On an 8-3 vote Thursday, it placed a limit of five years on the length of probation for people convicted of crimes."

Minn.: 'An incredibly powerful tool,' DNA database, turns 30

MPR News: "Minnesota has played a major role in developing the national system that uses DNA to link crime scenes to other crime scenes or to known convicted offenders."

Some lawmakers support removing slavery reference from Minnesota Constitution

MPR News: "Some Minnesota lawmakers want to amend the state’s constitution to eliminate a little-known clause allowing slavery if someone has been convicted of a crime."

Minn.: New laws start in 2020

KNSI News: "Three new laws take effect on Wednesday when the calendar turns to January 1st, 2020. They include rules for pharmacy 'middlemen', dealing with the opioid crises, and cracking down on the animal trade."

Minnesota Court of Appeals overturns revenge porn law

MPR News: "The Minnesota Court of Appeals has overturned a state law that makes it illegal to disseminate private sexual images of someone without their permission, arguing it’s overbroad and a violation of First Amendment rights."

No delay for Minnesota probation reform hearing

MPR News: "The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission will proceed with a public hearing next week on a proposed five-year probation cap, despite significant concern among members about the plan."

Minnesota Supreme Court dives into lake name controversy

MPR News: "Justices on Minnesota’s Supreme Court and the attorneys appearing before them Wednesday seldom used the words “Lake Calhoun” or “Bde Maka Ska” as the court weighed a case that could decide the name of the largest Minneapolis lake."

Minn.: Late judge Diana Murphy honored with renaming of Minneapolis federal courthouse

MPR News: "Dozens of attorneys and judges are expected to gather in downtown Minneapolis to honor a trailblazer in the Twin Cities legal community. Judge Diana Murphy — who died last year at age 84 — was the first woman appointed to the federal bench in Minnesota and the first to sit on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals."

Minnesota court strikes down coercion law on free speech grounds

Courthouse News Service: "Minnesota prosecutors charged a man under an unconstitutional statute after he threatened to send video of his ex-girlfriend talking about marijuana to her employer, a state appeals court ruled Monday."

Minn.: Governor Walz appoints Jade Rosenfeldt to fill Seventh Judicial District vacancy

Voice of Alexandria: "Governor Tim Walz announced the appointment of Jade Rosenfeldt as District Court Judge in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District. This appointment fills a vacancy that occurred upon the creation of a new District Court judgeship effective July 1, 2019 and will be chambered in Moorhead in Clay County."

Minn.: 'Restorative circles' launch in St. Paul for some first-time offenders

MPR News: "At a St. Paul church, Russel Balenger held up a shiny quartz stone and set the ground rules for the conversation to come. Rule No. 1: Only speak when you’re holding the talking piece, he told about 30 people. No. 2: What’s said in the circle stays in the circle."

Parents can be sued for false claims against high school coaches, Minnesota high court rules

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Parents who criticize or trash talk their kids’ public high school coaches don’t have legal protection to make false claims, according to a groundbreaking ruling issued Wednesday by the Minnesota Supreme Court."

8th Circuit: Christian couple can sue over Minnesota same-sex marriage video law

Reuters: "A federal appeals court on Friday revived a lawsuit by a Minnesota couple challenging a state law requiring that their video production company film same-sex weddings, which they say violates their Christian beliefs."

Minnesota Supreme Court sets limits on body cavity searches

MPR News: "The Minnesota Supreme Court has limited how police can perform body cavity searches after ruling in a case of a suspect in an illegal drug investigation who refused to cooperate with officers."

Minn.: Ramsey County taps retriever to ease courthouse stress

MPR News: "The newest staffer at the Ramsey County Attorney's Office is a highly trained professional. But this staffer doesn't have a law degree — she wears a collar and a leash to work and gets around on four paws."

Minn.: Warrant resolution event helps many find path forward

Farmington Independent: "On Saturday, First District Judge Jerome Abrams sat in a Washington Technology Magnet School classroom in St. Paul. On his left and his right were typical courtroom employees, clerks and a courtroom reporter."

Minn.: Appeals court rules MN School of Business, Globe U must repay high-interest loans

MPR News: "The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled that Globe University and the Minnesota School of Business must pay back students who took out millions of dollars in high-interest loans."

Minn.: Minding the gap … in equality

St. Thomas Newsroom: "Nine years ago, the Minnesota Women Lawyers organization created a Parity Task Force to evaluate the position of women lawyers in the state. The task force (which eventually morphed into the Minnesota Women Lawyers Equity Committee) wanted to identify barriers to parity."

Minnesota lawyers' dedication to pro bono work has made the state a national leader

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "On death row in Alabama and Louisiana. On a border crossing in California where refugees seek asylum. In a housing court in Minneapolis where tenants try to expunge evictions from court records to get decent apartments. The settings, while different, share a common bond: Minnesota lawyers, stepping up to do pro bono work."

Minn.: A day for people to clear their warrants and 'move on with their own lives'

MPR News: "Defense attorneys, judges and even court reporters will be on hand at Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul on Saturday. Anyone who has an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from any county in the state will be able walk into the school and deal with it there."

Minn.: Under watch, ex-offenders reenter prison's revolving door

MPR News: "More than a third of people who have been incarcerated in Minnesota prisons will be locked up again within three years of their release — but not for committing new crimes. They're sent back for what's called a 'technical violation' of their probation or supervised release, such as missing an appointment with their probation officer or flouting curfew."

Minn. Supreme Court: Malpractice ruling has doctors concerned

U.S. News: "A recent ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court saying doctors can be sued for malpractice even if they're not directly treating a patient is causing angst in the state's medical and legal communities."

Minn.: Criminal justice system changing approach towards mental health

Fox 21 News: "The worlds of mental health and criminal justice often come together in our court system as law enforcement tries to help those dealing with mental illness. One in five people in Minnesota face a mental illness every year."

Minn.: Healing incarcerated women through storytelling and song

MPR News: "As a singer hits the high notes of a tune about never having to walk alone, women dressed in prison-issued gray sweats and white tennis shoes pass around a box of tissues."

Growing number of felons strain probation system in Minnesota

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Rick Defiel idles his car under a streetlight, typing on his laptop as a police scanner crackles in the background. A strange noise makes him jerk his head upward, away from the glare of his computer screen and into the darkness. He’s alone, protected only by a bullet-resistant vest and pepper spray."

MN Court of Appeals: Campaign disclosure requirement not a violation of free speech

MPR News: "The Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson’s assertion that requiring candidates to place a disclaimer on their political ads violates their free speech rights."

Minnesota’s new corrections commissioner fuels hope on both sides of the bars

Duluth News Tribune: "Paul Schnell let out a warm smile as he greeted a class full of some of Minnesota’s most dangerous men. The new state corrections commissioner struck up candid conversations with several inmates during a visit to the maximum security prison in Oak Park Heights earlier this month."

Minn.: Kandiyohi County Courthouse opens its doors to the public for in-depth view of judicial process

West Central Tribune: "Jennifer Mendoza listened intently and took notes Friday during a tour of the Kandiyohi County Courthouse in Willmar. It was interesting and gave her information that could be helpful in her work, she said."

Offenders train stray dogs in northeast Minnesota prison program

Fargo Forum: "A tan bundle of energy bursts into the gym with tail wagging, bounding over and greeting everyone excitedly. Smokey ran from person to person looking for a good scratch."

Minnesotans could have more help in civil cases with pilot program

St. Cloud Times: "A new pilot program authorized by the Minnesota Supreme Court in early March will increase Minnesotans' access to help with the justice system by early 2020."

Minn.: Minneapolis lake reverts back to Calhoun after court ruling

Duluth News Tribune: "Supporters of Lake Calhoun's longstanding name won a victory Monday, April 29, when the Minnesota Court of Appeals found the state overstepped its authority when it reverted the lake to its Dakota name, Bde Maka Ska."

Minn. appeals court issues opinion on discovery sanctions against BNSF

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has issued an opinion in an employee injury case involving discovery sanctions issued against the BNSF Railway Company.

Southeastern Minnesota to add Veterans Court

WXOW News: "Many people admire the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military, but the scars left from the battles can be difficult for veterans to overcome. This leads some to a life of crime."

Minn.: Nonprofit focusing on wrongful convictions moves to law school

Minnesota Daily: "The Innocence Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides legal support to wrongly convicted felons, moved to the University of Minnesota Law School earlier this month."

MN court: Voter fraud group must be allowed voter data

MPR News: "The Minnesota Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court order for Secretary of State Steve Simon to turn over information on voters he has refused to give to a group that insists it may show evidence of voter fraud."

A court room like no other hears MN Supreme Court Case

FOX 47 News: "Lawyers were arguing before the Minnesota Supreme Court at Humboldt High School Tuesday. The school’s auditorium turned court room is a part of the high court’s travelling oral arguments."

Minn. Court of Appeals: Increase sentence for driver in fatal crash

Faribault.com: "The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday reversed a Rice County District Court judge’s decision not to send a St. Paul man to prison for a fatal August 2016 crash on I-35 and ordered he be resentenced."

MN Supreme Court rules in DL case

DL-Online: "An employee experiences back problems and is no longer able to do the job they were hired to do in a safe manner. Does an employer always have to find ways to accommodate them? Turns out, not necessarily."

Minn.: High school students learn about law in court

New Ulm Journal: "New Ulm High School students sat in and observed two Minnesota Court of Appeals oral argument cases at Brown County Courthouse Thursday to gain knowledge of judicial proceedings and how the courts operate."

Could parole board make a comeback in Minnesota?

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "After decades behind bars, Minnesota inmates serving life sentences must pin their hopes for freedom on just one man. Paul Schnell, the newly appointed Department of Corrections commissioner who determines which offenders are granted supervised release, isn’t sure that’s fair — or wise."

Justice pokes MN Supreme Court for 'Sesame Street' approach

MPR News: "There’s a good reason why Minnesota lawmakers spend hours during floor debate arguing about the wording of laws they intend to pass. Words matter. Take the state’s law on first-degree burglary, for example."

MN Supreme Court: Mom shouldn’t have lost car when daughter used it to drive drunk

MPR News: "Megan Olson already had three DWI convictions to her name when she was arrested by Shakopee police in August 2015. Under Minnesota law, her 'first-degree DWI' meant the authorities could seize the car she was driving -- a 1999 Lexus."

A friendlier path to divorce? Minnesota lawmakers are considering it

Duluth News Tribune: "Minnesota couples considering divorce would be able to bypass the courts under a proposal advancing through the state Legislature. The proposal would give married couples the option to set the terms of their divorce and file for marital dissolution through a cooperative divorce program."

U.S.: Court lifts ban on Minnesota boys joining school dance teams

Reuters: "A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked the Minnesota State High School League from enforcing a rule barring boys from joining their high schools’ competitive dance teams. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the rule probably violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment."

Minn.: Divided Court of Appeals upholds Minneapolis minimum wage law

MPR News: "A divided Minnesota Court of Appeals has affirmed Minneapolis’ minimum wage ordinance. In 2017, the city passed the ordinance calling for a phased-in $15 an hour minimum wage."

Minnesota Supreme Court taking aim at mental health 'crisis' in legal profession

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Alarmed by high levels of depression, anxiety and stress among practicing attorneys, the Minnesota Supreme Court is leading the charge against what it calls a crisis of well-being among Minnesota lawyers."

Minn.: Tennis shoe case could lead to wave of discrimination cases, justice warns

MPR News: "A divided Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that a Minneapolis firefighter can sue for discrimination under the state’s Human Rights Act because the department refused to allow him to wear tennis shoes because of an injury."

Minn.: Justice Thissen speaks about equity, impartial courts

Hutchinson Leader: "The preamble of the United States Constitution begins with: 'We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice.' But for some with legal claims, justice is too often out of reach."

Minn.: Appeals Court orders name change for sex offender

Mankato Free Press: "A patient at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program who was born a man but identifies as female should have been granted a name change, state appellate judges have decided."

Pamela Alexander, first black woman judge in MN, sees gaps and opportunities

MPR News: "Retired Hennepin County Judge Pamela Alexander, 66, is a fourth-generation Minnesotan and the first black female judge in Minnesota. Her interest in law was sparked at a young age when she witnessed the rape of her best friend and testified in court."

Minn.: How do they decide who serves jury duty?

CBS Minnesota News: "Last year, the state of Minnesota issued 190,000 summons for jury duty, which is about 4 percent of Minnesotans 18 or older. So, how does a person get called for jury duty? Good Question."

Minn.: Veterans Court provides support, but not a free pass

Mankato Free Press: "Veterans fist-bumped their case manager and mentors as they approached the bench [Feb. 8]. And at times, Judge Mark Betters sounded more like he was talking to a friend than a criminal defendant."

MN Supreme Court overturns firing of cop who slapped Somali teen

MPR News: "The Minnesota Supreme Court Wednesday ordered the reinstatement of a Richfield police officer, who was fired by the city after slapping a Somali teen during a 2015 incident."

Courts strive to improve child protection cases with pilot project in west central Minnesota

West Central Tribune: "Halfway into a two-year pilot program designed to address Minnesota's higher-than-acceptable rate of children being placed into foster care, District Court Judge Jenna Fischer is finding some possible solutions."