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, December 16, 2024

A24-0873   In Re the Appeal from the Findings and Order Redetermining Benefits of Otter Tail County Ditch No. 52.
                    Otter Tail County District Court, Hon. Douglas B. Clark.
          Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.01(e) adds three days to the 21-day safe-harbor period for a motion for sanctions under Minn. R. Civ. P. 11.03 when the nonmoving party “has the right . . . to do some act” and is served with the motion by mail.
          Reversed. Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.

A24-0604   Ariel, Inc., Appellant, vs. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Respondent.
                    Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Edward Thomas Wahl.
          An insured’s demand for an appraisal of its loss under a fire insurance policy is not a “suit or action” on the policy. Therefore, the two-year time limit provided in Minn. Stat. § 65A.01, subd. 3 (2022), does not apply to a demand for an appraisal so long as the insured may timely commence an action on the policy against the insurer.
          Reversed and remanded. Judge Diane B. Bratvold.

Nonprecedential OpinionsNonprecedential opinions (formerly called "unpublished opinions") are typically issued in cases that do not contain issues of first impression or involve the application of established law to the particular set of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  Nonprecedential opinions "are not binding authority except as law of the case, res judicata or collateral estoppel, but nonprecedential opinions may be cited as persuasive authority."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, December 16, 2024

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

1.   A23-1932
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Megan Alyce Dueck, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Koochiching County District Court, Hon. Jerrod A Shermoen.

2.   A23-1823
      Allan Hassan Taylor, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Kali Beth Kimbrell, Respondent.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Charlene Hatcher.

3.   A24-0379
      Audra J Olson, Appellant, vs. St. Luke's Hospital of Duluth, d/b/a St. Luke's, Respondent.
      Reversed and remanded. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Eric Hylden.

4.   A24-0380
      Continental Clay Company Inc, Respondent, vs. Foundry L.L.C., Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Joseph R. Klein.

5.   A24-0062
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Emilio Andres Trevino, Appellant.
      Reversed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Mille Lacs County District Court, Hon. Matthew M. Quinn.

6.   A23-1933
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Thomas James Horton, Jr., Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Joseph F. Chase.

7.   A24-0612
      In the Matter of the Trust Under Will of Carrie Blumberg, deceased, for Robert C. Blumberg.
      Affirmed. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Mark Ireland.

8.   A24-0073
      Brooke Lea Simpson and OBO Minor Child, Appellant, vs. Arturo Andrade, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Thomas Gilligan, Jr.

9.   A23-1769
      Cornelia Michelle Bourquin aka Cornelia Michelle Elzy Bourquin, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Scott Allen Bourquin, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
      Sherburne County District Court, Hon. Karen Schommer.

10. A24-0371
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Shaketio Antonio Webster, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Carolina A. Lamas.

11. A24-0109
      Edward Luke Lazzaro, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Susan Louise Coen, Appellant.
      Affirmed as modified. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Shawn L. Pearson.

12. A24-0011
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Donald Ray Shellito, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Douglas County District Court, Hon. Michelle L. Clark.

13. A24-0105
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Joe Cecil Sistrunk, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Hilary L. Caligiuri.

14. A23-1964, A24-0715
      Mary Engel, as Trustee of the Blackwood Trust, et al., Appellants (A23-1964), Respondents (A24-0715), vs. Vicky Jo Ulvestad, et al., Respondents
      (A23-1964), Appellants (A24-0715), New Day Financial, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, et al., Defendants.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Shawn L. Pearson.

15. A24-0973
      Kimberly Kay Mountjoy, Appellant, vs. Fairview Health Services, et al., Respondents.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Motions denied. Judge Jennifer Frisch.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Thomas J. Conley.

16. A24-0307
      Christopher Villella, Appellant, vs. Patrick Villella, et al., Respondents.
      Affirmed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Bhupesh R Pattni.

17. A24-0227
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Lukas Devlen Fineday, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Elise Larson.
      Becker County District Court, Hon. Gretchen Thilmony.

18. A24-0120
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Kemaludin Nuredin Mohammed, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Keala C. Ede.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Leonardo Castro.

19. A24-0541
      Albany Ready Mix, Inc., Appellant, vs. Craig Reinke, et al., Respondents.
      Affirmed. Judge Jon Schmidt.
      Stearns County District Court, Hon. Laura Moehrle.

20. A24-0438
      M. Elizabeth Benedict, Respondent, vs. John Beckfeld, Appellant, US Bank National Association, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Jon Schmidt.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kristin Siegesmund.

21. A24-0179
      Amy Sweasy Tamburino, Appellant, vs. Michael O. Freeman, Respondent, David Hough, et al., Respondents.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Susan Robiner.

22. A24-0525
      Tioga Apartments LLC, et al., Appellants, vs. Cole Group Architects LLC, Respondent, Larson Engineering, Inc., Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
      Stearns County District Court, Hon. Andrew R. Pearson.

* 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
December 16, 2024

1.   A24-0133
      In re the Conservatorship Xavier Robert York-Tallman.
      Affirmed. Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Mark Ireland.

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, December 16, 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.