Precedential OpinionsUnder Minn. Rule of Civil Appellate Procedure 136.01, the Court of Appeals issues a precedential opinion (formerly called "published opinions") only to clarify or develop the law.  In deciding whether to issue a precedential opinion, the court considers multiple factors listed in Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 136.01, subd. (1)(b), incluing whether the case establishes a new principle or rule of law, clarifies existing case law, decides a novel issue involving a constitutional provision, statute, administrative rule or rule of court, or resolves a significant or recurring legal issue.  Precedential opinions will be considered and used by courts faced with similar issues in the future, and they are published in books of caselaw found in most law libraries.  Under Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 128.02, subd. 1(f), parties may advise the court whether a precedential opinion would be helpful. 

DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS
FILED Monday, April 21, 2025

A24-0910   State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Eric Eugene Baker, Appellant.
                    Ramsey County District Court, Hon. John H. Guthmann
          The district court abused its discretion by failing to consider a defendant’s ability to pay restitution, as required by Minn. Stat. § 611A.045, subd. 1(a)(2) (2024), and State v. Wigham, 967 N.W.2d 657 (Minn. 2021).
         Reversed and remanded. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.

A24-1380   Sela Investments, Ltd LLP, Appellant, vs. J. H., Respondent.
                    Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kerry Meyer.
          Minn. Stat. § 484.014 subd. 3(a)(6) (Supp. 2023), is facially unconstitutional because it violates the separation-of-powers doctrine by mandating district courts to expunge an eviction case court file based on a defendant filing a motion seeking that relief, infringing on the judiciary’s inherent authority to decide cases and control its own records.
          Reversed and remanded. Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.

A24-0906   Travis Widner, Appellant, vs. Ace Auto Parts & Salvage Co. d/b/a Ace Auto Parts, Respondent.
                    Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Sara R. Grewing.
          1. A district court may award attorney fees and litigation expenses under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) only when the plaintiff’s claim was frivolous, unreasonable, or groundless, or if the plaintiff continued to litigate after it clearly become so, as this standard is set out in Christiansburg Garment Co. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 434 U.S. 412, 422 (1978).
          2. A district court abuses its discretion by awarding attorney fees and litigation expenses under the Christiansburg standard when an ADA plaintiff’s claim survives motions for summary judgment and for judgment as a matter of law but ultimately does not prevail at trial.
          Affirmed in part, reversed in part. Judge Diane B. Bratvold.

A24-1255   State of Minnesota, by its Commissioner of Transportation, Appellant, vs. JKJ Holdings, LLC, et al., Respondents.
                    Cook County District Court, Hon. Judge Steven B. Hanke.
          The requirement in Minnesota Statutes section 117.145 (2024) to serve a notice of appeal from an award of damages in an eminent-domain proceeding on “all respondents and all other parties to the proceedings having an interest in any parcel described in the appeal” requires service on all respondents who must be notified under Minnesota Statutes section 117.115, subdivision 2 (2024), of the filing of the commissioners’ report that sets forth the award subject to appeal.
          Reversed and remanded. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.

Nonprecedential OpinionsNonprecedential opinions (formerly called "unpublished opinions") are typically issued in cases that do not contain issues of first impression or involve the application of established law to the particular set of facts and circumstances in that case.  See Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01.  Nonprecedential opinions "are not binding authority except as law of the case, res judicata or collateral estoppel, but nonprecedential opinions may be cited as persuasive authority." Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01. 

NONPRECEDENTIAL OPINIONS
FILED Monday, April 21, 2025

Pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 136.01, subd. 1 (c)

1.   A24-0935
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Brandon Lee Jones, Sr., Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Renee L. Worke.
      Redwood County District Court, Hon. Patrick R. Rohland.

2.   A24-1498
      Charles Wayne Weyhrauch, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Commissioner of Public Safety, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Sherburne County District Court, Hon. Brianne J. Buccicone.

3.   A24-1393
      Johnny Earl Edwards, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Anoka County District Court, Hon. Dyanna L. Street.

4.   A24-1364
      Lisa Marie Parkos, Respondent, vs. David Andrew Sandbeck, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Stephen L. Smith.

5.   A24-1123
      In re: the Matter of the Le Duc Living Trust.
      Reversed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Washington County District Court, Hon. Siv Mjanger.

6.   A24-1028
      Melissa Sydney Reed Lesch, petitioner, Respondent, vs. John Patrick Lesch, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Robyn A. Millenacker.

7.   A24-1326
      First and Third Properties, LLC, et al., Respondents, vs. Platinum Six, LLC, et al., Appellants, Tricia Beckering, et al., Defendants.
      Affirmed. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Karen A. Janisch.

8.   A23-0586
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Janell Al McCarter, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Joy D. Bartscher.

9.   A24-1678
      In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: A. L. W. and J. P. N., Parents.
      Affirmed. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Morrison County District Court, Hon. Leonard A. Weiler.

10. A24-1612
      State of Minnesota, Appellant, vs. Laryountae Eugene Taylor, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Carolina A. Lamas.

11. A24-1238
      Vincent James Cobbs, Appellant, vs. Drew Evans, Superintendent, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Sara R. Grewing.

12. A24-1167
      Complaint Decision File 24-162C on behalf of K.W.S. from Hermantown 0700-01.
      Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Minnesota Department of Education.

13. A24-0762
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dustin Lavelle Smith, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Hilary L. Caligiuri.

14. A24-0301
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Marc Phillip Radel, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. DeAnne M. Hilgers.

15. A23-1881
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Aren Franc Hatton, Appellant.
      Reversed and remanded; motion denied. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Lincoln County District Court, Hon. Tricia Zimmer.

16. A24-1182
      Complaint Decision File 24-170C on behalf of L.L.B. from Delano 0879-01.
      Reversed and remanded. Judge Elise Larson.
      Minnesota Department of Education.

17. A24-0659
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Melissa Ann Miller, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Elise Larson.
      Douglas County District Court, Hon. Michelle L. Clark.

18. A24-1140
      Molina Investment Group, LLC, Respondent, vs. Well #4, LLC, Appellant, John Doe, Mary Roe, individuals whose true names are unknown,
      Defendants.
      Affirmed. Judge Jon Schmidt.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Patrick C. Diamond.

19. A24-0722
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Letrell Marqueete Baggett, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge JaPaul J. Harris.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Daniel C. Moreno.

20. A24-1577
      In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: D. A. C., Parent.
      Affirmed. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Tim D. Wermager.

21. A24-1021
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Matthew Phillip Ecker, Appellant.
      Affirmed; motion denied.. Judge Rachel F. Bond.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. DeAnne M. Hilgers.

22. A24-1681
      In the Matter of the Welfare of the Children of: P. M., R. S., R. E., Parents.
      Affirmed. Judge Denise D. Reilly.*
      Pope County District Court, Hon. Melissa Listug.

23. A24-1570
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Thomas Jay Shern, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
      Polk County District Court, Hon. Jeffrey Scott Remick.

24. A24-0121
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. John Francis Thury, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Richelle M. Wahi.

* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI, § 10.

Order OpinionsCases that involve a few simple issues may be decided by order opinions, which include little discussion of the facts of the case and a brief analysis of the laws that are involved. Order opinions "are not binding authority except as law of the case, res judicata or collateral estoppel." Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01. 

RECENT ORDER OPINIONS
April 21, 2025

Opinions released on a day other than the court’s weekly release date will appear on the Special Release Opinions tab. Special release opinions may be precedential, nonprecedential, or order opinions.  

NO SPECIAL RELEASE OPINIONS FILED

Opinion SetsAs of June 1, 2023, the Court of Appeals no longer provides opinion sets in Word Document format and Rich Text Format. Opinions are available in PDF format under the Opinions tabs on this site.

Opinion Sets For Opinions
Filed Monday, April 21, 2025

Opinion Set in a Zipped PDF Format

1. Click the above link.
2. Save the unzipped file to your computer.
3. Choose the "Open" option on the Download Complete screen.
4. Extract the files to a location of your choice.
5. Open the extracted file.