Minnesota Court Information

In general, the features that are evident from any in-depth analysis of the courts in any state of the U.S. is that they are extremely well-structured, and highly adept at delivering swift, fair and just judgments. There are checks within the process to ensure this as well. It can be safely stated that the Minnesota court system is as efficient as it is in the other parts of the country.

Getting Acquainted with the Minnesota Courts

Finding your necessary contact within Minnesota's judicial system is possible by visiting the official website at

http://www.courts.state.mn.us

. Here, you'll find information regarding all the MN courts and their respective jurisdictions. Specific information on all the different courts in the state as well as laws and regulations is also present on this website.

In the Minnesota court hierarchy, the Supreme Court is at the top (

http://www.courts.state.mn.us./?page=550

), and thus is often referred to as the ‘last resort’ court. Each and every other Minnesota court comes under the supervisory authority of the Supreme Court. It also has several other tasks, which are presided over by a panel of specially-appointed judges.

The Supreme Court justices serve terms for 6 years and if there is a vacancy before a person completes the term, then a replacement is appointed by the state Governor. All justices of the Supreme Court in the Minnesota court system must retire when they reach 70 years of age.

The next level in the Minnesota court hierarchy is occupied by the appellate court, or Court of Appeals (

http://www.courts.state.mn.us./?page=551

). This court also has the right to review and examine the validity of the rulings that are issued by the lower courts.

The appellate court receives appeals from the Tax Courts, the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals and also from local governments and state agencies. These courts have the jurisdiction to decide all appeals from courts of a lower level.

There are some exceptions, and these are cases for elections across the state and first degree murder cases, which go to the Supreme Court. Just about 5% of all cases decided in the appellate court reach the Supreme Court, and so it can be said that in many cases this is the last stage for most of the cases in the Minnesota court system.

Just below the appellate court are the District Courts in the state, which may be found listed by county at

http://www.courts.state.mn.us./?page=238

. These are general jurisdiction trial courts that are allowed to hear and pass judgments on all criminal and civil cases.

Next are the Minnesota court bodies that deal with executive functions. Two such courts are of particular note, and they are the Minnesota Court for Taxes and the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals. District Courts, Trial Courts and federal Bankruptcy Courts are also present in the state of Minnesota.

The Main Legal Directives that Govern any Minnesota Court

In Minnesota, the courts (at all levels) are required to follow certain documented sets of laws. These regulations can be obtained from the Recent Rules Orders of the Judiciary in the state. These legal directives are comprehensive, and cover all of the following aspects of lawsuits, in any Minnesota court:

•    Civil cases
•    Criminal cases
•    Availability of evidence
•    Procedures followed in juvenile courts
•    The process of adoption
•    Allowing the general public to view important courthouse data
•    Guardian Ad Litem issues
•    Rules regarding the appellate courts

In addition to the above, several other legal directives can be found in the General Rules of Practice of Minnesota.

The panel of jurors is appointed in the courts of Minnesota, in accordance with certain specific laws. The courts can also decide to appoint a Judicial Council (whenever necessary), and handle administrative duties at the state level. Separate laws influence the process of selection of the judges and other court attorneys as well.

All correspondence with the courts of Minnesota must be complete using valid forms that are issued by the courts themselves (you can get these forms on the Internet at the court website). If you need some help with any court process or information, you could also use the law libraries provided for some reference. The fees that you are required to pay for any court service is also determined by the authorities of the state.