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Court of Appeals Opinions

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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 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 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.

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, October 25, 2021


 
A20-1481        Christopher Welters, Appellant, vs. Minnesota Department of Corrections,  et al., Respondents.       
                         Washington County District Court, Hon. Ellen L. Maas.
            In cases analyzing an Eighth Amendment claim, corrections officers’ actions pertaining to the use of mechanical restraints on an inmate for purposes of a routine medical transport or procedure are evaluated under the deliberate indifference standard.
            Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.  Judge Carol A. Hooten.


A21-0206        In the Matter of the Eligibility of Ted Johnson for MSRS General Employees Retirement Plan Coverage.        
                         Minnesota State Retirement System.
            Under the plain language of Minnesota Statutes section 352.01, subdivision 2b(6)(iii) (2020), which excludes certain temporary employees from the definition of “state employee” for purposes of eligibility for the Minnesota State Retirement System General Plan, the phrase “for a definite period not to exceed six months” does not apply to temporary employees in the classified service in the executive branch.
            Affirmed.  Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.
 
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, October 25, 2021

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


1.         A20-0750
            In re the Marriage of: Janie Warren Berg, petitioner, Respondent, vs. David A. Berg,
            Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
            Dakota County District Court, Hon. Karen Asphaug.

2.         A21-0092
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Mark Airen Mitchell, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Renee L. Worke.
            Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Pamela King.

3.         A21-0017
            State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Nicholas Chad Friese, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Renee L. Worke.
            Chippewa County District Court, Hon. Thomas W. Van Hon.

4.         A21-0485
            Brenda Becker, et al., Appellants, vs. Dairyland Insurance Company, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Francis J. Connolly.
            Otter Tail County District Court, Hon. Kevin Miller.

5.         A21-0104
            In re the Marriage of:  Tammy Sundbom, Appellant, vs. Troy Otterson, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Carol A. Hooten.
            St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Clarissa L.C. Ek.

6.         A21-0468
            In re the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: J. R. H. T. and P. J., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Denise D. Reilly.
            Otter Tail County District Court, Hon. Kevin Miller.

7.         A21-0381
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: H.-M. E. R. and R. N. N., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
            Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Robert Birnbaum.

8.         A20-1582
            In re the Marriage of:  Brenda Anne Kiberu-Kalema, n/k/a/ Brenda Anne Kiberu,
            petitioner, Respondent, vs.Kizito David Kalema, Appellant.
            Affirmed.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Elizabeth V. Cutter and Hon. Holly Knight.

9.         A21-0488
            In re the Matter of the Child of: S. S. N., k/n/a S. S. T. and P. J. H., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
            St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Leslie Beiers.

10.       A21-0286
            Blama Jamie Koilor, Jr., petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan.
            Clay County District Court, Hon. Amber B Gustafson.

11.       A21-0234
            John Stephen Woodward, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Jennifer Frisch.
            Rice County District Court, Hon. Christine Long.

12.       A21-0412
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: J. S. S. and D. M. P., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Theodora K. Gaitas.
            Otter Tail County District Court, Hon. Kevin Miller.

13.       A21-0522
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: F. J. V., Parent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Michael L. Kirk.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Juan Hoyos.

14.       A21-0437, A21-0449
            In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of: V. R. R. and M. A. H., Parents.
            Affirmed.  Judge Roger M. Klaphake.*
            Wadena County District Court, Hon. Douglas B. Clark.      
 
* 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
October 25, 2021



1.         A20-1185
            Her Doua Cheng, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Khou Xiong, Respondent.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Francis J. Connolly
            Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Shawn M. Bartsh.

2.         A20-1406
            David Edward Palmer, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
            Affirmed.  Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
            Hennepin County District Court, Hon. William H. Koch.

3.         A21-0166
            Leonard Zimmer, et al., Appellants, vs. Pine Lake Township, Respondent.
            Reversed and remanded.  Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan
            Cass County District Court, Hon. Christopher J. Strandlie.
 

NO SPECIAL RELEASE OPINIONS FILED

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

Opinion Sets For Opinions
Filed Monday, October 25, 2021

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.