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Court of Appeals Opinions

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

Appellate Courts will begin transmitting all notices, orders, and opinions electronically.

Beginning no later than July 1, 2011, the appellate courts will send notices, orders, opinions, and correspondence related to pending cases to attorneys in those cases by e-mail rather than postal mail.  All attorneys with pending appellate cases who have not already registered an e-mail address should do so immediately.  Unrepresented parties with pending appellate cases may also participate in this e-notification system by registering an e-mail address.  Please visit the Clerk of Appellate Courts page for instructions on how to register your e-mail address.
 

Opinion Policies

Minnesota Court of Appeals opinions are issued weekly and are available to the public at 10 a.m. CST/CDT every Monday.

On Wednesday of every week, the Court of Appeals will mail a notice that informs counsel, 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.  Copies of the opinions are mailed to involved parties on Mondays.

In certain time-sensitive cases, the Court of Appeals may issue opinions on a business day other than Monday.  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.

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

Published OpinionsBy statute, the Court of Appeals issues a published opinion only in the most important and complex cases. Published 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 found in most law libraries.

DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS
FILED Monday, July 17, 2017


 
A16-2032        Nell Mathews, et al., Relators, vs. City of the Village of Minnetonka Beach, Respondent.  
                         City of the Village of Minnetonka Beach.
            A city does not have statutory authority to certify landowners’ purported debt for appeal expenses to a county auditor for collection with landowners’ real estate taxes.
            Reversed.  Judge Heidi S. Schellhas.


A16-1338        State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Blake Joseph Dotson, Appellant.
                         Hennepin  County District Court, Hon. Tanya M. Bransford.
            Minnesota Statute § 504B.211, subd. 4(1), (3) (2016) gives property managers limited rights of entry, not rights of use, and therefore does not confer authority to consent to a search of the leased premises.
            Reversed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
 
* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI, § 10.
 
Unpublished OpinionsUnpublished opinions are issued in cases that are less complicated, that involve legal issues that have already been decided in published opinions, or that will affect only the parties to that particular case. These opinions are usually shorter, do not contain extensive discussion of the facts, and are not generally relied on by other courts to the same degree as published opinions.

UNPUBLISHED OPINIONS
FILED Monday, July 17, 2017

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 480A.08, subd. 3 (2014)



1.         A16-1801
            Thomas Davison, et al., Relators, vs. Waseca County Board of Commissioners, et al.,
            Respondents, Bio Wood Processing, LLC, Respondent, Marie Borglum, Respondent.
            Waseca County Board of Commissioners.
            Affirmed.  Judge Randolph W. Peterson.
            Waseca County Board of Commissioners.

2.         A16-1245
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Israel Davis, Appellant.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.  Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks.
            Stearns County District Court, Hon. Frederick L. Grunke.

3.         A17-0332
            In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of:  Joseph Edwin Harju.
            Affirmed.  Judge Renee L. Worke.
            Supreme Court Appeal Panel.

4.         A16-2051
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. R. P. C., Appellant.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Ivy S. Bernhardson.

5.         A16-1275
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Deangelas Demoyne Cook, Appellant.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Blue Earth County District Court, Hon. Kurt D. Johnson.

6.         A16-2025
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Cory L. Dieteman, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Wabasha County District Court, Hon. Terrence M. Walters.

7.         A16-1853
            In re:  The Dale A. Johnson Trust Under Agreement Dated August 10, 2006 as Amended
            and Restated on November 8, 2012.
            Affirmed in part, dismissed in part; motion to supplement granted and motion to strike
            denied.  Judge Francis J.  Connolly.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Dean Maus.

8.         A16-1331
            John Frederick Stolte, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Kathleen Marie Stolte, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. Colleen King.

9.         A17-0259
            In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of:  Leah Christina Graeber.
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Supreme Court Appeal Panel.

10.       A16-1724
            Lovell N. Oates, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Minnesota Department of Corrections, et al.,
            Respondents, Scott McNurlin, Sheriff, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Goodhue County District Court, Hon. Lawrence Clark.

11.       A16-2038
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. James Ray Watkins, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Mower County District Court, Hon. Kevin Siefken.

12.       A16-1843
            Barton Winter, Relator, vs. Manpower, Inc., Respondent, Department of Employment
            and Economic Development, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Department of Employment and Economic Development.

13.       A16-1910
            In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of:  Michelle R. Fogarty.
            Affirmed; motion denied.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. David C. Higgs.

14.       A16-1746
            In re the Matter of:  Sedina Glover, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Hennepin County,
            Petitioner Below, vs. Clement Olertey Totimeh, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Edward R. Wahl.

15.       A17-0042
            Donny Warren, petitioner, Appellant, vs.  Commissioner of Public Safety, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge John R. Rodenberg.
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. M. Michael Baxter.

16.       A16-1215
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Thomas John Rassmussen, Jr., Appellant.
            Affirmed; motion granted.  Judge Carol A. Hooten.
            Concurring specially, Judge Michael L. Kirk.
            Wright County District Court, Hon. Geoffrey W. Tenney.

17.       A17-0022
            Kauser Mohamoud Yusuf, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Michael L. Kirk.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Joy D. Bartscher.

18.       A16-2074
            Lonnell Javey Powell, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Marta M. Chou.
 
19.       A16-1288
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jason David Hoversten, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Stearns County District Court, Hon. Andrew R. Pearson.

20.       A16-1028
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Matthew Starnes, Appellant.
            Affirmed; motion granted.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Anoka County District Court, Hon. Sharon L. Hall.

21.       A16-1765, A16-1766
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Lawrence John Mahoney, Appellant A16-1765,
            Edwin James McCarthy, Appellant A16-1766.
            Affirmed.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Nicole Starr.
 
22.       A16-1163
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Paul Scott Seeman, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.
            Rice County District Court, Hon. Larry Collins.

23.       A17-0204
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of:  J. P. K. and R. L. C., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.
            Renville County District Court, Hon. Randall Slieter.

24.       A16-1687
            Northern States Power Company, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Aegis
            Insurance Services, LTD., and other interested insurers as subrogees of Northern States
            Power Company, Appellants, vs. General Electric Company, et al., Respondents.
            Reversed and remanded; motion denied.  Judge Tracy M. Smith.
            Sherburne County District Court, Hon. Sheridan Hawley.

25.       A16-1735
            Shane A. Kennedy, Respondent, vs. Kwik Kargo, Inc. Transport, et al., Appellants.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
            Sherburne County District Court, Hon. Mary A. Yunker.

26.       A16-1701
            Meeker County, petitioner, Respondent, Victoria Lynn Moreno, n/k/a Victoria Lynn
            Baalson, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Kyle Richard Greene, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge R. A. (Jim) Randall.*
            Meeker County District Court, Hon. Kevin Holden.

27.       A16-1657
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Clayton Thomas Byrne, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge R. A. (Jim) Randall.*
            Yellow Medicine County District Court, Hon. Dwayne Knutsen.

28.       A16-1842
            Christine Jacobson, Relator, vs. Department of Employment & Economic Development, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr.*
            Department of Employment and Economic Development.

29.       A17-0169
            Randy Lee Morrow, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Tom Roy, Commissioner of Corrections,
            Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr.*
            Rice County District Court, Hon. Christine A. Long. 
 
* 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 17, 2017



NO ORDER OPINIONS FILED
 

NO SPECIAL RELEASE OPINIONS FILED

Opinion SetsOpinion sets contain all published, unpublished, and order opinions. The sets are compressed into files that must be unpacked before opening them.

Opinion Sets For Opinions
Filed Monday, July 17, 2017

Opinion Set in a Zipped Word Document Format

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  4. Extract the files to a location of your choice.
  5. Open the extracted file.

Opinion Set in a Zipped Rich Text Format

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  5. Open the extracted file.