Public Notice Detail

ST PAUL, Minn. (May 12, 2004) – The Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 13, 2004 in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth.

The Court will hear the following cases:

• 9:30 a.m.     Deborah Lynette Ortman vs. Carl Russell Ortman (File No. A03-1876)
• 10:05 a.m.    Glen Kush vs. Neil J. Mathison, Jr. (File No. A03-1686)
• 10:40 a.m.    Robert Unzen, et al. vs. City of Duluth (File No. A04-80, A04-81)
• 11:30 a.m.    Omtvedt Oil Co. vs. Como Gas Sales, Inc. (File No. A03-1889)
• 12:05 p.m.    In re the Petition for Custody of: D.J.S., a minor child, by Deborah Thompson vs. James Simmons (File No. A03-2003)
• 12:40 p.m.    Enbridge Energy Ltd. Partnership vs. Douglas J. Carpenter, et al (File No. A03-1679)

Court of Appeals Chief Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr. and Judges Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks and David Minge will preside.  Media is welcome.  In accordance with Appellate Court Rules of Decorum and media procedures, please contact the Court Information Office in advance to arrange for photographer access.

Appellate court cases differ from district court cases in that they do not involve trials with witnesses.  Instead, an attorney for each party in the case presents his/her arguments to the Court and answers judges’ questions.  The appellant’s attorney begins, is allowed 20 minutes and may reserve 5 minutes for rebuttal.  The respondent’s attorney is then allotted 15 minutes.

Following oral arguments, the judges meet in private conference to discuss a decision.  Draft opinions are privately circulated among the three judges on the panel, and then the entire Court of Appeals for comments.  Opinions are released publicly on-line at www.courts.state.mn.us at 1 p.m. each Tuesday.

Established in 1983, the Court of Appeals has become a national model of efficiency.  It hears more than 2,000 appeals a year from district courts across the state and is required by law to issue opinions within 90 days of oral arguments.  The Court’s 16 judges work in rotating three-judge panels and hear oral arguments at the Minnesota Judicial Center in St. Paul and at locations across Greater Minnesota.

About the Minnesota Judiciary

The Minnesota Judicial Branch is made up of 10 judicial districts with 274 district court judgeships, 16 Court of Appeals judges and seven Supreme Court justices.   The Supreme Court oversees the administration of justice in the state, and Kathleen A. Blatz serves as the Chief Justice.  The Judicial Branch is mandated by the Minnesota Constitution to resolve disputes promptly and without delay.  The court system handles approximately 2 million case filings a year.  For more information about the courts, visit www.courts.state.mn.us.