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Court of Appeals Opinions

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Opinion Policies

Minnesota Court of Appeals opinions are issued weekly and are available to the public at 10:00 a.m. CST/CDT every Monday. When a Monday is a holiday, opinions are issued on Tuesday.   

On Wednesday of every week, the Court of Appeals will distribute a notice that informs counsel, self-represented (pro se) parties, and court personnel associated with a case that an opinion will be released the following Monday.  Opinions are available online or by visiting the Clerk of Appellate Courts, 305 Minnesota Judicial Center, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, after the Monday release time.

In certain time-sensitive cases, the Court of Appeals may issue opinions on other business days.  In these instances, involved parties will be contacted just prior to the special release.

Please visit the Minnesota State Law Library's Appellate Opinions Archive for previously released Court of Appeals Opinions and previously released Special Term Orders.
 

NOTE: If you are having trouble accessing the tabs on your mobile device, you may view all Opinions on a single page.

Precedential OpinionsBy statute, the Court of Appeals issues a precedential (formerly called "published") opinion only in the most important and complex cases. Precedential opinions include an extensive analysis of the facts and law. They 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.

DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS
FILED Monday, July 22, 2024


A23-1627  In Re: The Jorgenson Family Trust Agreement dated March 12, 2001.
                  Chippewa County District Court, Hon. Thomas W. Van Hon.
          In litigation involving the administration of a trust, Minnesota Statutes section 501C.1004 (2022), rather than the common law of trusts, governs a trust beneficiary’s right to reimbursement for attorney fees out of trust property.
          Affirmed.  Judge Kevin G. Ross.
  
SPECIAL RELEASE OPINION FILED JULY 16, 2024
 
A23-0560  State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Nicholas Lee Hill, Appellant.
                   Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Paul Scoggin.
           If the state introduces a defendant’s confession into evidence at trial, Minnesota Statutes section 634.03 (2018) requires the state to corroborate the confession by presenting evidence independent of the confession that reasonably tends to prove that the specific crime charged in the complaint actually occurred. To satisfy that requirement, the state’s independent evidence must corroborate the elements of the crime that constitute the corpus delicti of the crime. If the defendant is charged with an attempt crime, the corpus delicti of the crime consists of two components: first, an intent to commit an underlying crime and, second, a substantial step toward the commission of the underlying crime.
          Reversed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
          Dissenting, Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
 
Nonprecedential OpinionsNonprecedential opinions (formerly called "unpublished opinions") are issued in cases that are less complicated, that involve legal issues that have already been decided in precedential opinions, or that will affect only the parties to that particular case. These opinions are usually shorter than precedential opinions, do not contain extensive discussion of the facts, and are not generally relied on by other courts to the same degree as precedential opinions.

NONPRECEDENTIAL OPINIONS
FILED Monday, July 22, 2024

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


1.   A23-1942         
      John Louis Corrigan, Jr., petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.         
      Affirmed.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.  
      Scott County District Court, Hon. Christian S. Wilton.      
 
2.   A23-1878         
      State of Minnesota, Appellant, vs. Katelynn Marie Pick, Respondent.      
      Affirmed.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Crow Wing County District Court, Hon. Charles D. Halverson.     
 
3.   A23-1976         
      Troy K Scheffler, Appellant, vs.  Lake Edward Township, Respondent, County of Crow Wing, Respondent.           
      Affirmed.  Judge Renee L. Worke.
      Crow Wing County District Court, Hon. Matthew Mallie.  
 
4.   A23-1808         
      Sheila Maurise Burski, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Benton County District Court, Hon. Michael S. Jesse.     
 
5.   A23-1481         
      Jesse Bruce Jensen, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Commissioner of Public Safety, Respondent.       
      Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Cottonwood County District Court, Hon. Christina M. Wietzema.  
 
6.   A23-1400         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Tracey Dee Keyes, Appellant.        
      Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Edward Sheu.         
 
7.   A23-1365         
      Alessandra Pantano Orthey, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Christopher Scott Orthey, Respondent.      
      Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Terri Yellowhammer.         
 
8.   A23-1088         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Glen Alvin Johnson, Appellant.       
      Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Michael E. Burns. 
 
9.   A23-1443         
      Heidi Ann Collins, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Angel Marie Morgan, Respondent Below, Brandon Lee St. George, Appellant.       
      Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Leslie Beiers.         
 
10. A23-1254         
      State of Minnesota, Appellant, vs. Terry Izeal Heggs, Respondent.         
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
      Mower County District Court, Hon. Jeffrey Kritzer.          
 
11. A23-1790         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Kenneth Larry Jenson, Appellant.   
      Affirmed.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.     
      Carver County District Court, Hon. Eric J. Braaten.         
 
12. A23-1075         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Kyle Grayling Tweed, Appellant.     
      Affirmed.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Jamie L. Cork.          
 
13. A23-0686         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dedric Maurice Willis, Appellant.    
      Affirmed.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Shereen Askalani.
 
14. A23-1030         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jesse Wayne Blaylock, Appellant.  
      Affirmed.  Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Wright County District Court, Hon. Elizabeth Strand.       
 
15. A23-1476         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Deavion Ladell Beasley, Sr., Appellant.       
      Affirmed.  Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Beltrami County District Court, Hon. John G. Melbye.     
 
16. A23-1319         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Shaun Franklin McCormick, Appellant.        
      Reversed.  Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Judge Dannia Edwards.        
 
17. A23-1361         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dejarriel Travon Burgie, Appellant. 
      Affirmed.  Judge Jennifer Frisch.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. David Brown.          
 
18. A23-1087         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jennifer Lynn Matter, Appellant.     
      Affirmed.  Judge Sarah Wheelock.
      Goodhue County District Court, Hon. Douglas Bayley.    
 
19. A23-0796         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Casimiro Sosa Saavedra, Appellant.           
      Affirmed.  Judge Sarah Wheelock.         
      Stearns County District Court, Hon. Mary B. Mahler.       

20. A23-1450         
      Michael Patrick Rainville, Respondent, vs. Michael Anthony Forcia, Appellant.     
      Reversed.  Judge Elise Larson.
      Dissenting. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Joy D. Bartscher.    
 
21. A23-1484         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Nicholas John Wolter, Appellant.    
      Affirmed.  Judge Keala C. Ede.
      Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Robert Birnbaum.   
 
22. A23-0242         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Courtney Deshaun Hall, Appellant. 
      Affirmed.  Judge Keala C. Ede.
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Christopher J. Lehmann.       
 
23. A23-1944         
      Scott Marlin Morey, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.    
      Affirmed.  Judge Jonathan P. Schmidt.
      Clearwater County District Court, Hon. Eric P. Schieferdecker.    
 
24. A24-0108         
      Nathan Adams Busch, et al., Appellants, vs. Terry Lee Fredin, et al., Respondents.         
      Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
      Cottonwood County District Court, Hon. Sherry Haley.    
 
25. A23-1449         
      In re the Custody of B. B. F. F.
      Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
      Wright County District Court, Hon. Catherine McPherson .
 
26. A23-1130         
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jeffrey Scott Makarrall, Appellant.  
      Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
      Stearns County District Court, Hon. Sarah E. Hennesy.  
 
27. A24-0085         
      Mikesha Pauline Barnes, Appellant, vs. Andrew Christopher Lee, Respondent.    
      Affirmed.  Judge Edward J. Cleary.*
      Dissenting. Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Anoka County District Court, Hon. Jenny Walker Jasper.
 
* 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.

RECENT ORDER OPINIONS
July 22, 2024


1.   A23-1862                    
      Mang Yang, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
      Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Gregg E. Johnson.
 
2.   A23-1558                     
      Amarjit Singh, Appellant, vs. Dr. Kumar Belani, Respondent, Surinder Singh, Respondent, Kanwaljit Singh, Respondent.
      Affirmed.  Judge Elise Larson.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Jamie L. Anderson.
 
3.   A23-1756                     
      Scott Michael Rodgers, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Commissioner of Public Safety, Appellant.
      Reversed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
      Wright County District Court, Hon. Catherine McPherson.
 
* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI, § 10.

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, July 22, 2024

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.