Logo

Court of Appeals Opinions

GovDelivery SubscribeSign up to receive updates


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, August 12, 2019



A18-2156        In re the Matter of:  Esther Schmalz and the Commissioner of Minnesota Department Human Services,
                         Renville County Human Services.
                         Renville County District Court, Hon. Randall J. Slieter.
            Under the terms of Minn. Stat. § 256B.056, subd. 4a (2018), a community spouse’s non-homestead life-estate interest is not salable unless the owner of the remainder interest intends to purchase the community spouse’s life estate or the entire property is sold.  When a life estate is deemed not salable, it is not considered for purposes of determining eligibility for medical-assistance long-term care benefits for the institutionalized spouse. 
            Affirmed.  Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks.
 
 
 
A19-0389        Dennis Charles Roberts, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.   
                         Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Paul Scoggin.
            Within the context of the statutory scheme and consistent with the plain language of Minn. Stat. § 624.713, subd. 1(2) (Supp. 2015), prohibiting persons who have been adjudicated delinquent of a “crime of violence” from possessing firearms, the definition of “crime of violence” contained within Minn. Stat. § 624.712, subd. 5 (Supp. 2015), unambiguously includes juvenile adjudications for the listed offenses.
            Affirmed.  Judge Carol A. Hooten.

 
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, August 12, 2019

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 480A.08, subd. 3 (2018)



1.         A18-1549
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Arron Whitney McDole, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Chief Judge Edward J. Cleary.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kathryn L. Quaintance.
 
2.         A18-2124
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Ryan Boyd Banwell, Appellant.
            Reversed and remanded.  Chief Judge Edward J. Cleary.
            Stearns County District Court, Hon. John H. Scherer.
 
3.         A18-1770
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Joseph Raymond Kost, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Renee L. Worke.
            Kanabec County District Court, Hon. Stoney L. Hiljus.

4.         A19-0087
            Antone Larron Owens, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Heidi S. Schellhas.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Jamie L. Anderson.

5.         A19-0197
            Melissa Regouski, as court-appointed Guardian and Conservator for Morgan Moeller,
            Ward and Protected Person, Appellant, vs Noel Zander, et al., Respondents, John
            Charles Bruns, et al., Respondents, CNH Industrial America LLC, a/k/a CASE IH,
            Defendant.
            Affirmed; motion denied.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Wright County District Court, Hon. Kathleen A. Mottl.

6.         A18-2038, A18-2039
            Brittany Ann Vacko, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent (A18
            -2038), Eric Joseph Vacko, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent
            (A18-2039).
            Affirmed.  Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Timothy T. Mulrooney.
 
7.         A18-1852
            In re the Custody of:  B. L. F., Cherries Chamberlain, Appellant, vs. Neil Fleahman,
            Respondent.
            Affirmed in part and reversed in part.  Judge Louis Dovre Bjorkman.
            Anoka County District Court, Hon. Bethany A. Fountain Lindberg.
           
8.         A18-1882
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Ronald Jose Brewer, Jr., Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Tanya M. Bransford.
 
9.         A18-1981       
            Kristina Greene, et al., Respondents, vs. Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services,
            et al., Appellants.
            Affirmed.  Judge John R. Rodenberg.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Robert Awsumb.

10.       A18-2029
            Herbert A. Igbanugo, et al., Appellants, vs. Kent Jennings, et al., Respondents.
            Affirmed.  Judge John R. Rodenberg.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Francis J. Magill, Jr.

11.       A18-2061
            Cynthia Padilla, Respondent, vs. Minneapolis Police Department, Appellant.
            Remanded.  Judge Carol A. Hooten.
            Concurring in part, dissenting in part, Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kevin S. Burke.

12.       A19-0025
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Kirk Patrick Kalkbrenner, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Laurie J. Miller.

13.       A18-1336
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Reuel Moshe Yehuda, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.
            Blue Earth County District Court, Hon. Krista J. Jass.

14.       A18-1588
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Lee Vang, Appellant.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Dissenting, Judge John R. Rodenberg.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Luis Bartolomei.

15.       A18-1444
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Micheal Anthony Sparks, Appellant.
            Affirmed; motion granted.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Fred Karasov.

16.       A19-0234
            Waterford Township, Appellant, vs. City of Northfield, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. Arlene Perkkio

17.       A18-1380
            In re the Matter of: Victoria Carlson and Stephen Carlson, Appellants, vs. Pam
            Wheelock, Respondent, Tina Curry, et al., Respondents.
            Affirmed.  Judge James B. Florey.
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Shawn M. Bartsh.

18.       A18-0668
            John Carl Berg, Appellant, vs. One 2016 Chevrolet Passenger Vehicle, VIN
            #3GCUKREC6GG290768, MN LIC Plate 355UNB, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge James B. Florey.
            Becker County District Court, Hon. Gretchen Thilmony.

19.       A18-1449, A18-1615
            Gene Rechtzigel, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent, AND State
            of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Gene Rechtzigel, Appellant.
            Affirmed; motion denied.  Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. David L. Knutson.
 
20.       A18-2147, A18-2148, A18-2149
            In the Matter of: Dennis Arel, Relator.
            Affirmed.  Judge Randall J. Slieter.
            Department of Employment and Economic Development.
 
21.       A17-1539
            County of Hennepin, Respondent, vs. Sandip C. Bhakta, et al., Appellants.
            Affirmed.  Judge Michael L. Kirk.*
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. M. Jacqueline Regis.

22.       A18-1662
            Ronnie Bila Shaka, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Richard H. Kyle, Jr.

23.       A18-2120
            Gary Tank, Respondent, vs. Caleb Krusemark, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
            Martin County District Court, Hon. Darci Bentz.

24.       A18-1589
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dana Dionte Davis, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge John P. Smith.*
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. Arlene Perkkio.
 
* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI,
 
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
August 12, 2019



1.         A18-2076
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Michelle Alma Roy, Appellant.
            Reversed and remanded.  Chief Judge Edward J. Cleary.
            Chisago County District Court, Hon. Suzanne Bollman.

 

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, August 12, 2019

Opinion Set in a Zipped Word Document 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.

Opinion Set in a Zipped Rich Text 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.