Currently, the Supreme Court reviews petitions in approximately 800 cases a year and accepts review in about 1 in 8 cases. These cases can come from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals, Tax Court, Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board, and Board of Judicial Standards. Election contests and appeals for first-degree murder cases are automatically appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is responsible for the regulation of the practice of law and for judicial and lawyer discipline. Additionally, as the highest court in Minnesota, it promulgates rules of practice and procedure for the legal system in the state.

Each justice is a liaison to a number of Supreme Court boards and other state policy commissions that are charged with responsibilities ranging from day-to-day administration to strategic planning.

About the Court:

Minnesota Supreme Court (One-page PDF)
Supreme Court (PDF) Learn more about the Supreme Court, its justices, and how they do their work.
Supreme Court Guide to Oral Arguments (PDF, Legal-sized paper) Read about what happens during oral arguments, learn how the justices go about making their decisions, and review information needed before observing a court session. The public is invited to attend oral arguments in St. Paul. Check the Supreme Court calendar for oral argument times and locations. The Supreme Court is in session September - June.
Supreme Court Justices Throughout History See a chronological list of the justices who have served on the Supreme Court since Minnesota's territorial days.
Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society

Supreme Court Justices

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea Supreme Court

Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson Supreme Court

Associate Justice David R. Stras Supreme Court

Associate Justice David L. Lillehaug Supreme Court

Associate Justice Natalie E. Hudson Supreme Court

Associate Justice Margaret H. Chutich Supreme Court

Associate Justice Anne K. McKeig Supreme Court

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It is always possible that a matter scheduled for oral argument might be stricken or rescheduled.
For current information, contact the Clerk of Appellate Courts at (651) 296-2581.

Monthly Argument Calendars 2017-2018
Time, date and location of arguments, attorneys of record, and links to court of appeals opinions.

Issue Summaries
Summary of issues prepared by the Supreme Court Commissioner's Office.

October 2017
(Adobe PDF)

October 2017

September 2017
(Adobe PDF)

September 2017

Annual Calendar 2017-2018 (PDF)

Archived Monthly Calendars

Justice Matters: Cases that Shaped Law and Society

A co-production of the Minnesota Supreme Court and Twin Cities Public Television's (TPT) Minnesota Channel.

Supreme Court Oral Arguments

The Minnesota Supreme Court makes webcasts of oral arguments held before the court available on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.

Effective Aug. 28, 2017, all Supreme Court oral arguments held in both the Minnesota State Capitol Courtroom and the Supreme Court’s courtroom in the Minnesota Judicial Center are streamed live, and are accessible through this page. Upcoming live streams are announed on the page in advance, and a button to go to each live stream appears 30 minutes prior to each oral argument, or each set of oral arguments being heard on any given day.

After each live stream, the webcast recordings are available in a searchable, online database of archived Supreme Court oral arguments, which allows users to access all recorded oral arguments from September 2005 to the present.

View recorded webcasts of oral arguments

The Supreme Court hears oral arguments during the first two weeks of each month from September through June.

Week one oral arguments occur in the courtroom on the 2^nd floor of the State Capitol.
Week two arguments occur in Courtroom 300 on the 3^rd floor of the Minnesota Judicial Center.

Attend Oral Arguments at the State Capitol Courtroom

The Supreme Court typically hears oral arguments at the capitol during the first week of each month, excluding July and August. Please view the Supreme Court Calendar for more information.

The State Capitol Courtroom has limited seating, there are approximately 36 seats in the courtroom and this includes seating for attorneys involved in oral arguments and their clients. Seating is first-come, first-serve. Visitors must sit in the audience area of the courtroom. Standing is prohibited during oral arguments.

If you have a group interested in viewing oral arguments, please contact Lissa Finne in the Court Information Office.

Overflow seating may also be arranged accross the street from the Capitol at the Minnesota Judicial Center.

Attend Oral Arguments at the Minnesota Judicial Center

The Supreme Court typically hears oral arguments at the Minnesota Judicial Center during the second week of each month, excluding July and August. Please view the Supreme Court Calendar for more information.

If you have a group interested in viewing oral arguments, please contact Lissa Finne in the Court Information Office.

Courtroom Decorum

Please help us maintain decorum.
Issues of statewide importance are decided based on oral arguments. Therefore, it is critical that the justices and attorneys work without distraction. Please consider the following guidelines while in court:

Sit in the audience area of the courtroom. Standing is prohibited during oral arguments.
Remain silent during the proceedings.
You may not eat, drink, chew gum or use tobacco in the courtroom.
Remove hats before entering the courtroom.
No demonstrations are allowed, including signs, banners or displays of symbols.
Electronic recording devices are prohibited, except when permission is given to the media
Turn off all cell phones before entering the courtroom.

More information on Oral Argumments »