Court applications may be unavailable from 6:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024 to 4:00 a.m. Monday, May 13, 2024 due to scheduled maintenance. Please plan ahead.

See the full list of applications affected by this maintenance »

Court of Appeals Opinions


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, May 6, 2024



A23-0685        State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Christopher Allen Borgquist, Appellant.                              
                         Sherburne County District Court, Hon. John C. Hoffman.
        1.   Subdivision 1 of the Minnesota Good Samaritan overdose medical assistance act, Minn. Stat. § 604A.05 (2022), provides for immunity from prosecution, not an affirmative defense, and eligibility for immunity under the statute is therefore properly determined by the district court. 
        2.   The phrase “[a] person acting in good faith who seeks medical assistance” in the first sentence of Minn. Stat. § 604A.05, subd. 1, means a person acting with an honesty in belief or purpose who tries to locate medical assistance. 
        3.   The phrase “acting in good faith” in the first sentence of Minn. Stat. § 604A.05, subd. 1, modifies the phrase that immediately follows: “who seeks medical assistance”; it does not modify the requirement to “cooperate[] with the authorities,” which is set out in subparagraph (2) of subdivision 1.  Whether the criteria set out in subparagraphs (1) and (2) are satisfied is to be judged objectively, independent of the phrase “acting in good faith.”
        Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.


A23-1284
        Energy Transfer LP (formerly known as Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.), et al., Appellants, vs.  Greenpeace International
                        (also known as Stichting Greenpeace 
Council), et al., Defendants, Unicorn Riot, et al., Respondents.
                        Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Joseph R. Klein.
        1.   The protections of the Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act (MFFIA), Minn. Stat. §§ 595.021-.025 (2022), are not limited only to newsgathering information obtained by means of lawful, nontortious conduct.
        2.   In a proceeding to enforce a third-party subpoena, a district court may not require the third party to produce a privilege log or submit information for in camera inspection that is privileged under the MFFIA and does not fall within a statutory exception.
         Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.


A23-1342
        State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Ezra Atera Bogonko, Appellant.
A23-1547        Anoka County District Court, Hon. Suzanne Brown.
                        Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Hilary L. Caligiuri.
        1.   Error in granting a defendant’s demand to execute sentence is invited error, which is subject to plain-error review.  
        2.   A district court may grant a defendant’s demand to execute sentence even if the conditions of probation are less onerous than the conditions of the executed sentence.
        Affirmed.  Judge Tracy M. Smith


 
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, May 6, 2024

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



1.         A23-0797
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Matthew Starnes, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Washington County District Court, Hon. Sheridan Hawley.

2.         A23-1170
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Issac Semaj Coley, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson
            Winona County District Court, Hon. Jeremy Clinefelter.

3.         A23-1154
            Thushari Rangika Alahapperuma, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Commissioner of Public
            Safety, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Joseph R. Klein.

4.         A23-0909
            Sharonda Nicks, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Sativa Rouse, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Terri Yellowhammer.

5.         A23-0714
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Richard Chavez-Aguilar, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Daniel C. Moreno and Hon. Peter A. Cahill.

6.         A23-0976
            In the Matter of the Appeal by Sheena Haack of the Order of License Revocation.
            Affirmed.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Minnesota Department of Human Services.

7.         A23-1702
            In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Ingram Oyugi.
            Affirmed.  Judge Tracy M. Smith.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Julia Dayton Klein and Hon. Michael K. Browne.

8.         A23-0615
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Justin James Holinka, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Tracy M. Smith.
            Cottonwood County District Court, Hon. Terry S. Vajgrt.

9.         A23-1255
            Shane Feldhaus, et al., Appellants, vs. City of Minnetonka, Respondent.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Suzanne Bollman.

10.       A23-0983
            Dale LeRoy Tiede, et al., Respondents, vs. County of Le Sueur, et al., Defendants,
            Daniel J. Sullivan, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
            LeSueur County District Court, Hon. Patrick Goggins.

11.       A23-0717
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Furman Street, Appellant.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
            Nobles County District Court, Hon. Sherry Haley.

12.       A23-1069
            Les Grumdahl Window & Siding LLC, A Minnesota Limited Liability Company,
            Respondent, vs. Holly Brown, Appellant, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.,
            Defendant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Randall J. Slieter.
            St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Eric Hylden.

13.       A23-1757
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Children of: P. P. (f/k/a P. P.) and P. P., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jennifer Frisch.
            Otter Tail County District Court, Hon. Kevin Miller.

14.       A23-0906
            Robert Jensen, et al., Respondents, vs. Carl Rindelaub, et al., Appellants.
            Affirmed.  Judge Sarah Wheelock.
            Washington County District Court, Hon. Francis Green, III.

15.       A23-0732
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dylan Thomas Peterson, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Elise Larson.
            St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Andrew R. Peterson.
 
16.       A23-1478
            In re the Receivership of United Prairie Bank, Respondent, vs. Molnau Trucking LLC, et
            al., Defendants, Granite Re, Inc., Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jonathan P. Schmidt.
            Carver County District Court, Hon. Michael Wentzell.

17.       A23-1416
            Gregory T. Dyrdal, Appellant, vs. James Wallenberg, et al., Respondents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jonathan P. Schmidt.
            Pennington County District Court, Hon. Tamara Lynn Yon.

18.       A23-1391
            Susanne Natalie Luthens, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Brooks David Hansen, Respondent.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Charlene Hatcher.
 
19.       A23-1221
            Jason Lamar Forest, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
            Steele County District Court, Hon. Joseph A. Bueltel.

20.       A23-1644
            Robert Thomas Nord, petitioner A, Respondent, vs. Katherine Elizabeth Bowers,
            petitioner B, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.*
            Anoka County District Court, Hon. Melissa Saterbak.

21.       A23-1517
            Shima Shojaee Falavarjani, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Navid Tabrizi, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.*
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. Judge Dannia Edwards.

22.       A23-0908
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Kenwan Deshawn Hunter, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Edward J. Cleary.*
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Laura Nelson.

23.       A23-1479
            Robert Webber, Appellant, vs. Rod Franks, ResponsibleAuthority Carver County, Health
            and Human Services, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Christian M. Sande.

24.       A23-1161
            Jaime Lindbom as Guardian Ad Litem for Emma Lindbom, Respondent, vs. Becker
            Independent School District, #726, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
            Wright County District Court, Hon. Suzanne Bollman.

25.       A23-1017
            Bill Creger, Appellant, vs. City of Cambridge, Respondent.
             Affirmed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
            Isanti County District Court, Hon. Jesse Seabrooks, II.

26.       A23-0692
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. John Chester Hageman, Jr., Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
            Anoka County District Court, Hon. Jennifer L. Stanfield.
 
* 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
May 6, 2024



1.         A24-0053
            Raymond Joseph Traylor, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Patrick C. Diamond.

2.         A23-1488
            Matthew Beland, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Heidi Beland NKA Heidi Rylander,
            Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Polk County District Court, Hon. Anne Marie Rasmusson.

3.         A23-0924
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jonathan Gerald Motyl, Appellant.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Theodora K. Gaitas.
            Anoka County District Court, Hon. Jenny Walker Jasper.

4.         A23-1248
            In the Matter of the Ronald E. Roehrs Trust Dated August 9, 1999.
            Remanded.  Judge Sarah Wheelock.
            Waseca County District Court, Hon. Carol M. Hanks.

5.         A23-1235
            Catrina M. Rued, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Joseph D. Rued, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Charlene Hatcher.
 
6.         A23-1444, A23-1467
            In re the Marriage of: Catrina M. Rued, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Joseph D. Rued,
            Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Charlene Hatcher.
 
* 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, May 6, 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.